SOOZE's 12th Anniversary Yuletide Fun 2/6 LINK to NEW PTR!

[GreatBiscuit]

Great update Sooze! Loved the animation drawings. You guys did great! We weren't able to do this the last time. Just didn't have time to wait. The sleeping at B&B pic was a hoot! Looking forward to more.

 

[tinkgurl]

I really want to try the Animation drawing lessons! When we were there in June, the line/wait for that was over an hour! Yikes! So we skipped it.

LOVE the pic of Matt asleep at Beauty & the Beast!

 

[dddisrunner]

WOW! GREAT updates Sooze! I LOVE all the pictures of Matt soaking up the atmosphere...it is his signature pose!! You guys really seemed to be having a blast! LOVE Matt's frustrated pictures at drawing Bolt...I have to say though I think your drawing is a bit better...SORRY MATT! He did beat you at TSM though so you can't be good at everything right?How nice to just sit down and watch the performers. What's that like? We are always rushing around the parks! I can't wait to experience some alone adult time next fall! Thanks for sharing and I am looking forward to more...bye the way Bryan has been known to lurk on your report to!

 

[Wicket's Mom]

Love your TR. My DH & I are an older couple whose children are grown. We have been to WDW 3 times without the children & just love it.

As for the uncrowded times, I think that it is starting to be a thing of the past. We went in mid Sept. & found the crowd level to be much higher than our last trip. Then we were the only people on ME & the longest wait for any attraction was 10 min.

 

[Sooze]

Great update Sooze! Loved the animation drawings. You guys did great! We weren't able to do this the last time. Just didn't have time to wait. The sleeping at B&B pic was a hoot! Looking forward to more.

The waiting area for the animation class was the most crowded I've ever seen it! I thought we were going to have to wait again, but they squeezed us all in! Hope you can do it another time! It really is fun.. plus.. a free souvenir!

I really want to try the Animation drawing lessons! When we were there in June, the line/wait for that was over an hour! Yikes! So we skipped it.

LOVE the pic of Matt asleep at Beauty & the Beast!

Over an HOUR?! That is just nuts!! I hope you get to try it soon!

WOW! GREAT updates Sooze! I LOVE all the pictures of Matt soaking up the atmosphere...it is his signature pose!! You guys really seemed to be having a blast! LOVE Matt's frustrated pictures at drawing Bolt...I have to say though I think your drawing is a bit better...SORRY MATT! He did beat you at TSM though so you can't be good at everything right?How nice to just sit down and watch the performers. What's that like? We are always rushing around the parks! I can't wait to experience some alone adult time next fall! Thanks for sharing and I am looking forward to more...bye the way Bryan has been known to lurk on your report to!

Thanks, Diane! We certainly were having a blast! It's just such a different trip than with the kids. Not better, not worse, just different! Matt was okay with being schooled in the animation class.. he knows my drawing talents are far superior to his!

Being able to sit and watch performers is sooooo nice! For real, something we can't do with kids. At least not yet, anyway. They just don't 'get' those little acts in the streets. They want to MOVE... get to the next ride or attraction.. well.. you know what I mean!

Hi Bryan!! I see youuuuu!

Love your TR. My DH & I are an older couple whose children are grown. We have been to WDW 3 times without the children & just love it.

As for the uncrowded times, I think that it is starting to be a thing of the past. We went in mid Sept. & found the crowd level to be much higher than our last trip. Then we were the only people on ME & the longest wait for any attraction was 10 min.

Oh, thanks so much for reading along! It's always fun to see what other couples do on their alone trips!

And I completely agree with the slow death of "off seasons"... Disney's marketing geniuses have taken care of that with all of their promotions and deals. It's just so frustrating! I, too, think back to the days of 10 minute wait times and the ability to walk through the park with out having to stop behind crowds every two seconds... those were the days, no?

 

[Wicket's Mom]

Sooze, you said it! Anyway being in Disney is the best thing. While we were waiting for Illuminations, we met a very sweet couple that had been married 53 years. They had 10 children & told us about past trips with them. She was in a wheel chair & he was the pusher. That was a magical moment visiting with them & seeing that after all that time they still loved WDW.

 

[jwwi]

Wow, I guess being without internet for a month really put me out of the loop. A live report, how fun.

Looks like you had a great time despite the crowds. "To me, the new "best" time to go (well, maybe not NEW!) is late Jan/ early Feb or late Sept/ early Oct." LOL, I was there the end of Sept, crazy hot, and may be returning in early Feb. I'll let you know about the crowds. The late Sept trip, crowd wise was wonderful, we literally walked on TOT 3 times! And the MNSSHP was really nice, the only lines were for characters.

Was this your first trip seeing the castle lights? Did you see the castle lights??

Ok, also loved the part about being upgraded to a direct flight, and free tickets too! Wow that is awesome.

 

[Sooze]

Sooze, you said it! Anyway being in Disney is the best thing. While we were waiting for Illuminations, we met a very sweet couple that had been married 53 years. They had 10 children & told us about past trips with them. She was in a wheel chair & he was the pusher. That was a magical moment visiting with them & seeing that after all that time they still loved WDW.

That is so special!! Great story!

Wow, I guess being without internet for a month really put me out of the loop. A live report, how fun.

Looks like you had a great time despite the crowds. "To me, the new "best" time to go (well, maybe not NEW!) is late Jan/ early Feb or late Sept/ early Oct." LOL, I was there the end of Sept, crazy hot, and may be returning in early Feb. I'll let you know about the crowds. The late Sept trip, crowd wise was wonderful, we literally walked on TOT 3 times! And the MNSSHP was really nice, the only lines were for characters.

Was this your first trip seeing the castle lights? Did you see the castle lights??

Ok, also loved the part about being upgraded to a direct flight, and free tickets too! Wow that is awesome.

Better late than never!! Matt and I are convinced that late Jan/early Feb is the best time to go. Not only because of the crowds, but because it's and escape from the miserable MidWest winter!

This was our 1st time seeing the lights! Everyone said it is much better in person, and I completely agree. Same for the Osborne lights. No pictures can do them justice!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

I'm sure it's going to be mega crowded when we go down in a couple of weeks, but we will still get to see the lights....
and it will be much better than being home!

 

[cdotla]

Just found your report - can't wait to read it!

 

[Sooze]

I'm sure it's going to be mega crowded when we go down in a couple of weeks, but we will still get to see the lights....
and it will be much better than being home!

Now THAT is a good Disney attitude! Love it!!

Just found your report - can't wait to read it!

Welcome! Glad you found me.

Now I just need to find a few minutes to update this dang thing!!

 

[Sooze]

So, I found a new setting on my little crappy point and shoot camera. It seemed to be getting me some nice shots of the show.. so I went bonkers!

Enjoy!

This girl has played Belle every time we've seen the show!

Marie! The baguettes, Hurry up!!

I LOVE this guy! Every time we see him as Gaston, he blows us away!! Check out the video in the next post... he's AMAZING!!

 

[Sooze]

Wow... I bet if I resized these, they wouldn't be QUITE so fluffy. But I'm kind of liking how they look like paintings!

Oh well, here are lots more!!

Here are video clips of my favorite guy doing my favorite song from the show:


The funny thing is, in the movie, I can't stand this scene. But I just love the capes on the ensemble, and how the simple choreography and use of those capes just makes such a neat visual picture!!



That's it for the Beauty and the Beast overload! Thanks for checking out my lame-o pictures! Someday I'll take photography lessons, get a real camera, and take AWESOME pics!!

 

[tinkgurl]

Awwww..I love Beauty & the Beast! Such fun pics. How cool it's been the same Belle everytime you've gone.

 

[Blueyed Girl]

Glad you guys made it home to the kiddo's safely!

I am LOVING looking at all of your pictures. We will have to check out one of the AI shows on our next trip. We didn't do that last Feb.

We also havent watched Beauty and the Beast since 1996!! I am going to try to get DH and DS to watch that this time also.

 

[lovethecastle]

Hi Susie,
I love your tr. Your husband is very funny indeed.
I can't wait to show my (7th grade) son all the b& b pictures & video. He just auditioned for an ensemble part in the high school play on wednesday. The budget was cut for the middle school play this yr so the middle school kids could try out for ensemble parts. (he sang be our guest)ps-yes the play was b&b
Anyway, looking foward to more!!

 

[Sooze]

Awwww..I love Beauty & the Beast! Such fun pics. How cool it's been the same Belle everytime you've gone.

That show has really grown on me! At first, I thought it was pretty dated. But the more I see it, the more I like it! I just wish the ensemble would actually sing instead of lip-synch (like they do in the Nemo Musical). It would just make it seem that much more Broadway-authentic!

Glad you guys made it home to the kiddo's safely!

I am LOVING looking at all of your pictures. We will have to check out one of the AI shows on our next trip. We didn't do that last Feb.

We also havent watched Beauty and the Beast since 1996!! I am going to try to get DH and DS to watch that this time also.

Thanks.. I always feel the greatest sense of relief when our plane lands safely at home! It was great to see our babies again!

The great thing about the AI show is how quick they go. They are only 30 minutes and they are quite entertaining! Hope you get to see one.

Good luck on getting the boys in to BB!!

Hi Susie,
I love your tr. Your husband is very funny indeed.
I can't wait to show my (7th grade) son all the b& b pictures & video. He just auditioned for an ensemble part in the high school play on wednesday. The budget was cut for the middle school play this yr so the middle school kids could try out for ensemble parts. (he sang be our guest)ps-yes the play was b&b
Anyway, looking foward to more!!

Ha! My husband's humor was the first thing that ever attracted me to him! Laughter is important to our family!!

I always try to get pictures of the ensembles in shows. They are SO important and often overlooked. I just love how, in Disney, EVERY actor/singer/dancer is always giving 100% at all times, even if they aren't the 'lead'. That is what makes a show spectacular!! Sure hope your DS gets to experience the thrill of being in the ensemble of Beauty and the Beast!

 

[cdotla]

Great TR! It is so great to be able to do an adult only trip, isn't it?

Can't wait for more!

 

[Sooze]

Great TR! It is so great to be able to do an adult only trip, isn't it?

Can't wait for more!

Welcome!! It sure IS great!! We try to do this every year!

More is on its way....

 

[Sooze]

My GOSH... are we STILL at Hollywood Studios?!?! Yes... we are! It was time for a few more thrills.

One more go on this:

Matt was being funny (as usual) on the ride. Every time I glanced over at him during the falling sequence, this is what he looked like:

So, much to his dismay, I made him recreate that face in the dump shop so I could capture it on digital memory! I think it's hilarious that the little squiggle on the shirt looks like it's coming out of his mouth!

We headed back out to Sunset Blvd. Check out these crowds! Not what I expected this time of year:

Matt and I gave in and went for the 30 minute wait time for RnR (which wasn't that bad). I was debating, because the past several times I've been on this, I've gotten off with a killer headache. But that take-off is SOOOO exhilarating... I just couldn't pass it up. Besides, I had a container full of Ibuprofen. I should be okay, right?

ToT shots from the RnR line:

I like the moon over the palm trees in this one. What I like even more is that there was a FULL MOON while we were here...and I didn't have to teach school for 3 days... which meant I was missing out on Full Moon mania!

Random queue shots:

So, guess what?! I held my head as firmly as I could throughout the whole ride... and I got off.. HEADACHE FREE! It was a GREAT ride!

We were killing time for the sun to go down so we could finally witness the Osborne lights. The sun was finally heading that way... so we began to mosey on over to the Streets of Americas... or whatever they call that place. On the way, I noticed that the AI Experience has a new entrance for auditionees. I also noticed that they posted the song list. Something that wasn't available when I auditioned in April. Here's the list...

Now I can REALLY plan for my next audition in March! Yes!!

Matt and I found a cozy spot on one of the curbs. The Osborne Lights area was a MAD HOUSE!! WALL TO WALL bodies. It was CAH-RAZE-EY!!
So we went a bit out-of-the way, to the side street where there's a tunnel of lights. We rested our weary feet for a while, until we heard the announcements start. Here we go!!

When they flipped on these lights, people, it was MAGICAL!!! SO MAGICAL!! And we weren't even on the main street. Pictures will NEVER do this display justice. Simply gorgeous! Here are a few pictures:

Hidden Mickeys were scattered around:

My sister-in-law has her kids call her mom Ga-Ga. So I took this for her!

This tree was amazing. But look at all the people! I couldn't stop and take any good pictures. I just held my camera up and shot what I could as I squashed my way around.

If I could change one thing about that display, it'd be the crowds. Maybe if we went later in the evening, not right when they flipped the switch, it would've been more enjoyable? It was like Disneyland at Christmas crowded... brutal!

Don't laugh at this next one. Again, I was taking it while cramming thought bodies, but I wanted to capture the 'snow' that was falling, too! You can make out a few flakes here:

So... have you had enough of Hollywood Studios?!?! We sure had!! But we weren't done yet!! Our poor bodies were going to have to stay awake for Illuminations! Let's get over to Epcot!!