MyMuse
From here...to there!
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2009
This is a combined PTR/TR. The PTR also include various NYC trips which may or many not include Disney things. If you want to skip and go directly to the TR part, see the links below.
PTR:
Rob Thomas WPLJ Party
D23 event - Mary Poppins on Broadway
D23 Magazines (as they came in)
NYC nights - November 2009
Rob Thomas video shoot
Open Wings - Broken Strings show
Other FL December pics - Winter Park, Mt Dora, SeaWorld
Pumpkin Carving
Christmas Carol Train Tour
Atlantic City weekend
Real Housewives of NJ Q&A
NYC - Princess & the Frog Screening
Ultimate Disney Experience
Tim Burton at MoMA
Trip Report links:
Fair Warning: if you don't like lots and lots and lots and lots of pictures & videos, MANY MAGICAL special moments, LOTS of hidden mickeys, vinlymations, D23 events, photopass pics, christmas cheer, christmas decorations galore and general shennanigans & tomfoolery, you will not like this trip report!
The Day Before - December 3
Arrival Day, Resort Check-in
Raglan Road lunch at Downtown Disney
Rain Rain, Go Away! / Holiday Deluxe Resort Tour
Holiday Deluxe Resort Tour continues!
Back to Downtown Disney to end Day 1
Day 2: Sat, Dec 5th: EPCOT! It begins at FutureWorld
Epcot: FutureWorld continued
Epcot: World Showcase & MEXICO
Epcot: NORWAY
Epcot: CHINA
Epcot: GERMANY - land of the maternal peeps
Epcot: GERMANY - trains!
interruption - Merry After-Christmas card featuring Photopass pics
Photopass pictures so far!
REVIEW: special Whoopi Goldberg perf in Lion King, Broadway
More pics of Lion King
Epcot: ITALY - land of my paternal peeps
Epcot: USA
Epcot: USA continued
Epcot: a little FRANCE, JAPAN, MOROCCO, Second Soarin' & will I ever get dinner?
Epcot: the finish line! 13 hrs after I enter
Day 3: Sun, Dec 6th: Kingdom of the Animals!
AK: on the Trails....
AK: Breakfast, Bugs & Nemo
AK: Dinoland & HM Trek!
AK: HM Trek con'd & solo eating at Yak & Yeti
AK: Discovery Trails & Jingle Parade!
AK: end of parktime, but not to my day!
Meet-up at the condo & More Holiday Decor Resort Tour!
Holiday Decor Deluxe Resort Tour continues!
and Continues!
and Continues to Continue!
Holiday Disney Decor is in the Details!
Our night escapades end...with a trip to BW Bakery!
Day 4: Mon, Dec 7: Magic Kingdom, we get Keys
MK: KTTK tour continued
MK: eating solo at Cinderella's Royal Table
MK: finished up at the Castle
MK: Fantasyland
MK: TTA & Rose Garden
MK: Hall of Presidents
MK: Spectromagic!!!
MK: Magical Ending & relaxing in the Big Chair
Day 5: Tues, Dec 8th: Epcot & Nature by Design Segway Tour!!
Hopping to MK for solo eats at The Plaza
WONDERFUL MAGIC at the Kingdom
MK:Tiana's Showboat Jubilee
MK: enjoying some more rides & some fab pics
MK: Meeting up with the Robinsons
MK: Tearing up at Cinderella's Holiday Wish
MK: Main Street USA & end of parktime
Viewing Wishes from the Top of the World at Bay Lake Towers
More from Bay Lake Towers
Day 6: Wed, Dec 9th: Hollywood Studios (TSM for 1st time!)
HS: a special meeting & Sci-Fi lunch
HS: Muppets & Lights during the Day
HS: Backlot Tour, TSM again, Animation Academy
HS: Animation Gallery, One Man's Dream & Streetomsphere
HS: heading out & parkhop to Epcot
Parkhop to Epcot - eating at Garden Grill
Ep: Candlelight Processional
Ep: Illuminations!
D23 MAGIC & MERRIMENT WEEKEND
Inbetween days explained & check-in at Port Orleans Riverside & some time with Yeehaw Bob
Day 6: Epcot, the holiday presentations & pixie dust!!
Ep: More pictures of presentations, videos of the morning at the Odyssey
Ep: Odyssey holiday decor, D23 cast members & Santa Stitch
Ep: survey marker & on my way to Soarin'...
Ep: Living with the Land....
Ep: more Living with the Land & Land Pavilion
Ep: The Seas Pavilion, Turtle Talk w/Crush
Ep: World Showcase: CANADA
Ep: UNITED KINGDOM
Ep: FRANCE, MOROCCO, JAPAN
Ep: USA
Ep: ITALY & GERMANY
Ep: back to D23! Candlelight Processional showing
D23 transportation to Hollywood Studios for dinner at Lights! Motor! Action!
HS: being IN the set of LMA! & meeting Santa Mickey!!
HS: private ride on Toy Story Mania! twice. & dessert party at Studio Catering Co
HS: Private showing of Osborne Family Lights
HS: More Osborne Lights (HM Hunt!)
HS: Lights come to an end & back to the D23 bus w/our neato gift
Day 7: D23 day at the Magic Kingdom - rope drop, breakfast & meeting the Mayor!
MK: Holiday Tin Vinylmation
MK: videos of Rope Drop Ceremony
MK: additional photos of morning
MK: Walt & Mickey, Cinderella & Fairy Godmother
MK: D23 lunch at Diamond Horsehoe Saloon & DApper Dans entertainment
MK: exploring Tom Sawyer Island
MK: Tom Sawyer Island continued
MK: Splash Mountain, Hall of Presidents,Haunted Mansion
MK: Peter Pan, free roaming
MK: CINDERELLA SUITE TOUR!!
MK: CINDERELLA SUITE TOUR CON'D
MK: MORE CINDERELLA SUITE
MK: EVEN MORE CINDERELLA SUITE
MK: the videos of Cinderella Suite tour
MK: Cinderella's Wishing Well, MVMCP'd, ToonTown Houses
MK: ToonTown con'd
MK: More ToonTown & I hit the Speedway
MK: Tomorrowland Fun
MK: One last PhilarMagic, D23 MVMCP Hospitality Suite, D23 goodbye, Fantasyland by Night
MK: D23 Reserved viewing area for Christmas Parade
MK: Christmas Parade con'd
MK: Main Street, USA w/Holiday Wishes
MK: the rides by night! some special characters (& treat) were also out & catching parade again
MK: chilaxin' at D23 Hospitality Suite on Liberty Belle; Totally Tomorrowland Christmas show
MK: my way down Main Street USA at midnight
Back at Port Orleans Riverside
Rest of Disney Purchases
Final Thoughts & Future Trips
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Hello all!
I'm Michele and I'm a late bloomer Disney-er.
Let me backtrack - I go to Florida pretty much tevery December to visit family, however, I rarely did Disney in the past. After my first immersion Disney trip this past March (and all the researching!) to celebrate my Birthday (see link in my sig), I'm smacking myself in the head.
I always wanted to stay on-site someday, which finally led to my solo birthday trip with the 4/3 deal and LOVED it!
In my previous trips, I always stayed at my timeshare condo outside the parks, mostly because I detest the whole exchanging fiasco. I will have to do that as well this year since I will loose the week if I don't hence, the title "Very Mostly-Merry" (edit: I took this out, since I should be grateful to be going & I added more days..so it's all Merry). I much rather stay on-site (edit: now staying on-site for a weekend for D23's Magic & Merriment!), but, hey, I'm going back to Disney, so I gotta see the positive right?
AND at Christmas-time!
I Christmas! It's my favorite time of year, especially Christmas carols and decoration. The rare up-side to this is that, I've seen pretty much everything Christmas related outside of Disney. So, this trip, will be my FIRST all Disney, all the time Christmas celebration!!
Why not exchange into Disney property, you ask?
According to my exchange people, Disney will not allow me since my "home" resort is within 10 miles of their parks. Either which case, they also told me that Disney no longer has a relationship with them as of Dec 31, 2008 anyway. Bummer.
So, onto the important info! This is a combined PTR/TR
When:
-- December 4-10, Orlando (Disney!)
-- December 10-11, Tampa (visiting the fam)
-- December 11-13, Orlando (D23's M&M! It's Official!)
-- December 13-15, Orlando-ish area (visiting my goddaughter)
Where:
-- Off-site Condo
-- Various couches
-- Port Orleans Riverside
My Cast:
-- BFF since high school lives in FL with her fam (my goddaughter!); she & her hubby did recently move from Orlando to 30 minutes north of it (she never visited Disney until my March trip!); she bought the new FL Resident pass and will be joining me for a couple of days
-- Good friend and her mom coming down the same time. Her mom bought into the DVC last year & staying at Bay Lake. Methinks I'm going to have to visit them. We are doing some tours and dining together.
My Progress:
- Air? FINALLY, I know!
- Park Tickets? 5 Day Hoppers!
- Car? w/preferred parking!
- Condo? Deluxe Villa babeeee!
- ADRs? Whew! Done!
- Touring Plan? sorta....but I gots RideMax
- Dis-Shop? Found a Pratically Perfect Parkbag!! it!!
- Packing? Done!!
Pictures:
This is me, from March, getting my coffee on in Downtown Disney:
Having some funs with the bugs:
My gorgeous goddaughter from the same trip:
She was adopted from China at 9 months old and is now a very happy, healthy and spoiled girlie girl.
Me and my BFF (22 years and counting!):
Me, my niece and bro from our trip in May: