Good morning everyone! Checking in from Bay Lake Tower!
We've been having an awesome time and still have two more full days to go (not counting the two days of driving).
Thought I'd give a quick recap and then can do more when i get back with pictures.
Drive down was the smoothest we've ever had. Left Chicago in some rain but never enough to delay us. Found an open McDonalds for breakfast and lunch and brought fixings for turkey sandwiches which we had for dinner. Got to the hotel in Macon about 7:30 Eastern so got a good nights rest. Friday was equally good with the sun shining and it starting to warm up just a big (but we still had jeans on not shorts). Got to Disney about noon and checked in. Room was ready yet but they confirmed our phone number and asked if we wanted a call or a text. We opted for a text message. So we parked the car over by BLT (check in was at the Contemporary) and looked around a bit. Really nice pool area and the slide looks really cool. We then took the monorail over to the Poly to go to one of our favorite places for lunch - the Kona Cafe. After that we went to check out the Christmas decorations at the Grand Floridian. Our plan was to then take one of the small boats over to the Magic Kingdom and then another boat over to the Contemporary but was we were on the first boat we got the message that our room was ready. So we walked back from the Magic Kingdom to BLT and went to our room.
We got a studio on the 6th floor and the view is awesome. I've never been much of a studio person but this one works well. I'd love to be in a one bedroom here. We chilled in the room and unpacked until it was time for dinner at the Wave. Very cool place. Mark loved his dinner while I felt mine was just ok. Good but not great. Still I'm glad we went. After dinner we drove over to Publix to pick up some supplies for the week and then back to BLT to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks and call it a night.
Saturday was our non Disney day. Got off to an early start with breakfast at Chick-fil-A. Love those chicken mini's. Then we headed over to Sea World. It was crowded but not too bad. Most of the crowds were around the coasters anyway and we aren't big coaster people. Checked in for our penquin tour and found out we'd be meeting at 12:40 so we headed off to some shows. First stop was the stingray pool where we bought some food and fed them. Not as much fun as in Grand Caymen but still fun. Then we headed over to the Shamu show. Always a good time! After that we caught an indoor show (the name escapes me) but it was kind of a cross between the Lion King show at Animal Kingdom (at least the tumbling monkeys) and Cirque de Soile. It was the story of a fisherman who gets pulled under into an under sea world. Lots of acrobatics and very cool. By now it was time for our penguin encounter. We had 23 in our group which the guide said was about the max they do. You start up front and they describe which penquins are inside. Then they take you backstage where you learn a bit about being a keeper and all that goes into it. Finally the big moment. We got split into two groups. One started with the penguin while the other started with a puffin. We got the penguin first. We actually went backstage at the exhibit and he was waiting for us. His name is Colby and he's a King penguin so one of the bigger ones. He loved the attention and loved having his picture taken. We all got some time with him and then he just kind of walked around and checked us all out. In fact when it was time to switch groups he followed us into the hall. We then got to meet one of the keepers and a puffin. Puffins while cute can't be handled like the penguins can so not as much interaction. All too soon the tour was over. We loved it! After that was a late lunch, a few more shows and then we called it a day. Just couldn't stay until the end. Back at the hotel we chilled out and again watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks.
Sunday was another early day with 7:30 Mass followed by breakfast at Kona Cafe. I loved the macadamia nut pancakes I had! Then it was off to the Magic Kingdom for most of the day. There is just something so magical about the Magic Kingdom (hence the name) and i just love it there. We got back to the hotel about 5:30 (Magic Kingdom was closing at 7 due to a
MVMCP). We were too beat to go out to eat so ordered pizza in. The fireworks tonight were the extended Holiday Wishes and they were amazing! After they were over we went downstairs and over to the dock area at the Contemporary to see the Electrical Water Pageant. Still a favorite after all these years.
Monday we finally got to sleep in! Got up about 7:30 and after getting ready headed down to the Wave for breakfast. Breakfast was very good and relaxing. We chilled in the room for a while and waited for our good friends the Patricks to show up. When they arrived we gave them a tour of the place and then got to spend some time chatting with them before we had to leave a bit afternoon to head to our day at Epcot. We booked the Candlelkight Processional package and opted for the first show which meant we did lunch instead of dinner. We had a late lunch (1:50 pm) at Chefs de France and really enjoyed it. Then it was off to do some shopping around the world and then back to see a line for Candlelight had already started and it wasn't even 4 pm yet (the show was at 5). We watched the drummers in Japan and then joined the line ourselves. At 4:30 we were let in and got great seats in the 4th row. The narrator was John O'Hurley and he did an awesome job. I love his voice and you could tell he really enjoyed doing it. Found out when we got our stickers that we also had a viewing spot for Illuminations right in the main plaza as you enter World Showcase. Most of the people either didn't see it or didn't want to do it because it really wasn't that full. The only bad thing is they had the front part roped off including some small walls so there was no place to sit except on the ground or stand. We stood. The show was amazing and worth the wait. Sadly the one thing missing at Epcot is the Lights of Winter and I really miss them. By the end of the show we were both dead on our feet and Mark was having a hard time walking (he thinks he might have pulled something) so we waited until most of the crowds left and then made our way to the monorail. The waiting paid off as it was an easy walk on and not crowded. A switch to the resort monorail which was uncrowded until we hit Magic Kingdom and then back to the Contemporary. We got in about 11:15.
That brings me to today. Mark is still asleep but my internal clock got me up about 7:15. We have Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party tonight so we'll be chilling out most of the day. May go over to Downtown Disney. We'll see.
We only have today and tomorrow and then we hit the road for home.
Have a great day everyone!
Good Morning Deck 9 Sunrise Members and all Fellow Cruisers! 
I'll be leaving early Thursday morning. I'm on a 7AM flight so I should be landing about 10 AM. Of course, it will be a long day since I will be getting up at about 3:30 am.
I don't think that I would go near turkey for a year! 
on your trip back.
Still not having much success with the group project but we are muddling (sp?) thru. I am just doing my assignments at this point and not worrying what others are doing. The instructor is aware of the issue so I am not concerned with my grade and how this project will impact it. He knows I am doing my work. I think I have 1 quiz, 1 paper, 2 cases for the project. Then I need to finalize the final project document with the group which is an information security policy, and prepare for the group presentation. In 14 days. Woo Hoo!! 
I am not sure if I slept through the alarm or turned it off and went back to bed. Bus picks him up at 8:00 so he missed that. School starts at 8:45 and I was dropping him off right at about 8:44. DD still had her PJs and slippers on and was eating her waffle when we dropped off DS. Her school starts at 9:00. Believe it or not, we rushed back home and got her dressed, did her hair and got her to school at about 9:05. So, this evening I set the alarm clock in DSs room as a backup. 
DD incase I forget.
