25 yrs and just a little bit longer! SoG, Dec 17-23 PTR: Check out the new TR!

Should we go to MVMCP on 12/19?

  • Totally, dude.

  • No way, Jose.


Results are only viewable after voting.
Looks like the weather prediction for the 21st has cleared up. And the 18th is just 30%, which in Orlando could mean no rain at all. Just depends. And remember Orlando rain can come and go in a matter of minutes, so don't get too stressed out about it. Looks like great weather actually.
 
Seems like you are a tad bit of a germophobe! I am like that too. I never touch railings in the queues and always wash my hands after riding rides that involve me touching the handlebar or whatever. Hand sanitizer is my best friend! I am also considering bringing my own pillow from home with me to the hotel and just leaving it there when the trip is over. It's getting flat anyway.
 
How's the (short) wait going? Only 2 more days!? :woohoo: Can you post a pic of the map Laura sent you? :goodvibes She sent it out before I had a chance to see it!

I'm listening to a Candlelight Processional recording right now, and I'm sure it will be splendid in person! :santa:
 
I know what you mean about the weather. I wanted to cry a little when I saw the 60% chance of rain on the 21st. That's our AK day and I don't want the weather to interfere.
Let's hope it all clears up by the 17th!

According to weather.com, it looks like the 21st has indeed cleared up! Hopefully it'll stay that way- I feel like AK would be especially icky in rainy weather. I thought rain was supposed to be quite scarce in December? I guess scarce for Florida means every few days! ;)

Hello! I've made it over! First, I just read that the MVMCP on 12/19 is sold out, so that's one decision you don't have to worry about making.
:welcome: I saw that, too! I'm glad we didn't wind up getting tix b/c surely there'll be millions of cranky party poopers stuffed in there since it's sold out! That's too bad about those shows they used to have; I think I read the same thing in some other TR over the summer. I pretty much just wanted to get my pic taken w/ the Christmas Belle & Beast. :lovestruc

As far as the rain :sad2:, it's definitely possible that it will shift to a day earlier or later, or just not happen at all. Orlando weather does suck, but, it is quite unpredictable, so there's a good chance it will change several days from now.

OMG I really hope so!!! If that blasted cruise gets canceled I'll be SO bummed out! I wonder how cloudy/rainy it has to get before they cancel the fireworks and cruises?

Looks like the weather prediction for the 21st has cleared up. And the 18th is just 30%, which in Orlando could mean no rain at all. Just depends. And remember Orlando rain can come and go in a matter of minutes, so don't get too stressed out about it. Looks like great weather actually.

That makes me feel so much better! :flower3: Pretty much when rain is in the forecast where I live, it almost always comes true. I recall visiting family in PA a few years ago during the summer and all of a sudden it started pouring down rain and then in less than 5 min, it completely stopped and the sun came out. I thought it was the strangest thing ever, but apparently is quite common everywhere except at my house! :confused3

Seems like you are a tad bit of a germophobe! I am like that too. I never touch railings in the queues and always wash my hands after riding rides that involve me touching the handlebar or whatever. Hand sanitizer is my best friend! I am also considering bringing my own pillow from home with me to the hotel and just leaving it there when the trip is over. It's getting flat anyway.

Hahaha, why hello fellow germophobe!! :woohoo: I'm so glad to hear that I'm not alone in my insanity! I just purchased 2 new bottles of hand sanitizer the other day and they are already packed. I love the sacrificial pillow concept! I've actually never been too freaked out about hotels (though I hardly ever travel anyway) until I read a thread about bedbugs here on the DIS. Just one more thing for me to have OCD about! :upsidedow
 

How's the (short) wait going? Only 2 more days!? :woohoo: Can you post a pic of the map Laura sent you? :goodvibes She sent it out before I had a chance to see it!

I'm listening to a Candlelight Processional recording right now, and I'm sure it will be splendid in person! :santa:

Hahaha the wait was actually fairly painless until just this evening since I've had a cold for the past few days (of course- I pretty much never get sick except for the week before I leave for WDW). I'm on a quick mend finally so thankfully I should be my normal, crazy self tomorrow morning. I will most certainly post a pic of the map!!!! Hahaha what a masterpiece- I'll have to hide it from my parents so they don't think I finally went over the edge. I'll do it tomorrow! I am quite enamored w/ Even- apparently he is even more attractive in person. I'll be sure to stop by the Norwegian gift shop first thing since I'm thinking about making Maelstrom my very first ride in the World.
 
PART 7: Christmas cookies & ADRs & coupons! Plus pocket itineraries.

Hello again everyone! I'm going to make this short and sweet (pardon the pun). I promised that I would devote a post entirely to food so here it is. I just drove back up to Los Angeles today to meet w/ my professor and get the school thing all straightened out before the impending adventure. Then I leave Friday morning to meet my parents and sister at the airport for our escape (there's an entire week of rain in the forecast here! But it was 80 deg the past few days, hee-hee). Speaking of rain, I've been checking the forecast for WDW and 12/18 keeps changing from few showers, to showers, to mostly cloudy, to sunny w/ clouds. I guess it'll just be a surprise!

Even though the previously posted master itinerary includes our ADRs for this trip, I'll post the official list here for good measure:

1) MONDAY, 12/17, 8:45pm: Coral Reef Restaurant (dinner)
2) SUNDAY, 12/19, 8:40am: Cinderella's Royal Table (breakfast)
3) MONDAY, 12/20, 8:40am: Kona Cafe (breakfast)
4) MONDAY, 12/20: 7:10pm: Biergarten (dinner)
5) WEDNESDAY, 12/22, 5:25pm: Le Cellier (CP Dinner Package)
6) THURSDAY, 12/23, 8:10am: 'Ohana Best Friends Breakfast (breakfast)
7) THURSDAY, 12/23, 8:15pm: Tony's Town Square (dinner)

Hopefully these choices sound like good bets! The only one I'm borderline concerned about is Tony's, since I've heard scattered reviews. Plus, I'm not sure that we want to be in MK Thursday night since surely it'll be crowded. I thought we could eat there and then be in position for the Main Street Electrical Parade at 9pm. However we're not really parade people so maybe we'll just go to Epcot instead.

I also heard about this unprecedented Disney dining coupon through the fabulous VBsHustla so I thought I'd pass it along for those of you who may be visiting WDW or DL during this time window:

30% disc. at select counter restaurants Dec. 19 - Jan. 1st

And now the grand finale, but unfortunately I'm quite certain that VBsHustla will find this part to be particularly disgusting. Christmas cookies!!!!

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Here's this great recipe for "Sand Tarts":

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup nuts (we use chopped walnuts)

DIRECTIONS:
-Cream butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
-Add flour gradually
-Add nuts
-Bake at 350 deg for ~15 min
-After baked, roll in powdered sugar while still warm

Now I am very sad b/c I have of course eaten all of my sand tarts.

And before I go, here's a pic of my special pocket itineraries I had my Mom laminate at school:

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I'll distribute them on the plane since I'm sure they will be lost otherwise. I called my Mom tonight to check in and there was absolute chaos in the background (she was baking cookies for her class' Christmas cookie and cocoa party tomorrow at school). She's of course positively flipping out and even though I've warned her hundreds of times not to leave packing 'til the last minute (it takes her eons to do those kinds of things), I'm certain that she'll be flinging things into various suitcases at midnight tomorrow. I of course accidentally printed the Holiday sleigh ride on 2 of the itineraries so I'll have to put stickers over that part so my surprise doesn't become spoiled. Somehow I've managed to keep the surprise a secret thus far! (Which is pretty amazing for someone w/ such a notoriously big mouth)

'Til tomorrow! Lots of updates! ONE DAY LEFT!!!!

See ya real soon, WDW! (and this time, I really mean it!)
 
I am quite enamored w/ Even- apparently he is even more attractive in person.

:rotfl: yes, Even is *even* more attractive in person. This, I can vouch for. He's super awkward too, so encounters are that much more fun.

So glad to hear the forecast on your cruise day is not definite rain! :thumbsup2 The fireworks are very rarely canceled - they've always gone on during non-intense rain showers in our experience - but I'm not sure about the cruises.

I saw the cutest Christmas tees and various holiday merchandise in Mouse Gear (the big shop in Future World in Epcot) in another TR - you should def check it out! :santa: I love that there's a Santa emoticon year-round here on the DIS.
 
Oh man, you leave tomorrow, right? That's so exciting! :goodvibes I hope you have a wonderful trip!

Also, I am very impressed with your itineraries. That park hours grid? I am in awe. It's just so organized! My plans just consist of some notes and confirmation codes hand written on notebook paper.. :rolleyes1
 
Hahaha the wait was actually fairly painless until just this evening since I've had a cold for the past few days (of course- I pretty much never get sick except for the week before I leave for WDW). I'm on a quick mend finally so thankfully I should be my normal, crazy self tomorrow morning. I will most certainly post a pic of the map!!!! Hahaha what a masterpiece- I'll have to hide it from my parents so they don't think I finally went over the edge. I'll do it tomorrow! I am quite enamored w/ Even- apparently he is even more attractive in person. I'll be sure to stop by the Norwegian gift shop first thing since I'm thinking about making Maelstrom my very first ride in the World.

:rotfl: yes, Even is *even* more attractive in person. This, I can vouch for. He's super awkward too, so encounters are that much more fun.

Oh Even! :lovestruc :cloud9: :lovestruc So jealous that you might be seeing, and hopefully meeting, him tomorrow! I will really have to demand that you request a photo with him. Your parents will love it! I love that you have to hide the crazy map from them. :rotfl: I insisted we run out of a dinner at the Yacht Club at 8:54 one night to stalk him with 6 minutes to spare, and my parents didn't even bat an eye. :laughing:

Your ADRs sound excellent! I am so pleased you'll be checking out the Coral Reef! I always want to go, in honor of Danny Tanner obviously, but never have. Looking forward to some pics of that!

Good luck (especially to your mom haha) with the packing, and have a spectacular time!! :wizard:

(And yes, I am horrified by the pound of butter featured in the cookies :rotfl:)
 
Oh Even! :lovestruc :cloud9: :lovestruc So jealous that you might be seeing, and hopefully meeting, him tomorrow! I will really have to demand that you request a photo with him. Your parents will love it! I love that you have to hide the crazy map from them. :rotfl: I insisted we run out of a dinner at the Yacht Club at 8:54 one night to stalk him with 6 minutes to spare, and my parents didn't even bat an eye. :laughing:

Of course they didn't mind! Such a standard VBsHustla move. Then we were so, so mad that the Fjord was all locked up when we arrived at 9:02. Which reminds me of a tip we learned that night as we ran through the crowds intently watching Illuminations - if people are hating you (being rude, giving you dirty looks, etc.), slap on a tiara and they will love you! We found we were treated terribly when not in headgear this last trip, but when we were crowned, people simply loved it! :lovestruc
 
I just read this about getting handmade candy canes in DL! Disneyland candy canes :santa: :santa:

Have you ever done it? It sounds so cool, and I am now determined to be one of those crazy people that gets one in the future.
 
:rotfl: yes, Even is *even* more attractive in person. This, I can vouch for. He's super awkward too, so encounters are that much more fun.

Hahaha what a great guy! Unfortunately I went into the Puffin's Roost on 3 separate occasions and never managed to catch him! I thought I saw him for like 2 seconds on Friday (our 1st night) but he kept hiding behind the counter and in the storeroom, so I never got a good look. He prob thought I was Laura and was making emergency evasive maneuvers! :rotfl2:

So glad to hear the forecast on your cruise day is not definite rain! :thumbsup2 The fireworks are very rarely canceled - they've always gone on during non-intense rain showers in our experience - but I'm not sure about the cruises.

Hahaha this turned out to be a hilarious story actually. I'll describe it in its entirety in the TR!

I saw the cutest Christmas tees and various holiday merchandise in Mouse Gear (the big shop in Future World in Epcot) in another TR - you should def check it out! :santa: I love that there's a Santa emoticon year-round here on the DIS.

We totally went in there and bought stuff! Hahaha that place sort of sucked us in and then we got lost and couldn't get out. I practically dragged my mom and sister out the doors b/c I was going into a food coma!

Oh man, you leave tomorrow, right? That's so exciting! :goodvibes I hope you have a wonderful trip!

Also, I am very impressed with your itineraries. That park hours grid? I am in awe. It's just so organized! My plans just consist of some notes and confirmation codes hand written on notebook paper.. :rolleyes1

Hahaha a belated thank you! I had an even bigger BLAST than I ever could've imagined!!!!! I couldn't believe I was actually there and while in the MK I kept thinking that I was in DL. And those pocket itineraries w/ the park hours grid were also more useful than I anticipated; we were pulling them out to study them millions of times while in the parks!

Oh Even! :lovestruc :cloud9: :lovestruc So jealous that you might be seeing, and hopefully meeting, him tomorrow! I will really have to demand that you request a photo with him. Your parents will love it! I love that you have to hide the crazy map from them. :rotfl: I insisted we run out of a dinner at the Yacht Club at 8:54 one night to stalk him with 6 minutes to spare, and my parents didn't even bat an eye. :laughing:

HAHAHA I can totally visualize the Yacht Club explosion! That's very VBsHustla. Hahahaha that's just so perfectly insane to be shoving people out of the way during Illuminations so you could bust into the fjording just to see that crazy guy! :worship:

Your ADRs sound excellent! I am so pleased you'll be checking out the Coral Reef! I always want to go, in honor of Danny Tanner obviously, but never have. Looking forward to some pics of that!

OMG, Coral Reef was totally our #1 this trip! We ate there our first night so I'll post it shortly in the new TR. :love:

Of course they didn't mind! Such a standard VBsHustla move. Then we were so, so mad that the Fjord was all locked up when we arrived at 9:02. Which reminds me of a tip we learned that night as we ran through the crowds intently watching Illuminations - if people are hating you (being rude, giving you dirty looks, etc.), slap on a tiara and they will love you! We found we were treated terribly when not in headgear this last trip, but when we were crowned, people simply loved it! :lovestruc

Hahahaha so true- people think you're just the cutest thing ever when you have a tiara or stuffed fish on your head! That's terrible that you didn't make it to the fjord though! I've similarly found that the CMs just shell out all this free stuff when adorned w/ Disney headpieces! :banana:
 
I just read this about getting handmade candy canes in DL! Disneyland candy canes :santa: :santa:

Have you ever done it? It sounds so cool, and I am now determined to be one of those crazy people that gets one in the future.

OMG I just read that and what total insanity!!! :scared1: I had no idea such candy caning took place in DL! That's so annoying though that you have to participate in a stampede to enjoy them- it really takes quite a bit of planning to have a good time at Disney! Hahaha I'm totally doing that next year.
 
PART 8: Let's get the heck outta here!!!

Yes, the conclusion of this TR is quite belated but hey, who cares?? Reliving the anticipation is just what the doctor ordered (we returned from the second half of our trip on the 29th and I proceeded to be sick for the following 7 hrs and am just now emerging from my sickly stupor). I can't wait to start the TR! I took over 1000 photos and was pretty much bubbling over w/ joy the entire time! That trip was truly the most insane thing ever- so many fabulous stories! I'll post a link to the TR when I get it up and running.

So back to the night of the 16th. For some reason my to-do list was absolutely exploding that day- I had to clean my apartment (it was of course already clean but I hate leaving even the tiniest mess in my habitat before going away), do laundry, get last minute emergency travel snacks at the grocery store, finish my WDW arts and crafts, put finishing touches on our vacation binder, try and do some last minute school stuff before 2 weeks of well, not doing any school stuff (mwa-haha!), and pack. I accomplished everything except the last minute school stuff. Haha.

After dinner it was time for a crafting blow-out:

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During the blow-out I made sure to blast the extra special Full House 2 parter, "The House Meets the Mouse," in the background. I adored that Danny Tanner also approved of detailed itineraries:

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I actually had to finish up the header on my WDW countdown. Love that I did that the night before departure:

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Next I made some festive magnets so we could decorate our door at Shades of Green (SoG):

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Now that that was out of the way, I decided to start packing at 11pm (haha, whoops).

Plane games:

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Laura's "special" homemade Epcot map... Need I say more?

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My holiday movie collection and my new Mickey Mouse DVD case. I almost lost this thing in Texas! My fav out of all of these? By far, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

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Somehow packing wound up taking forever and I decided to stroll into bed around 2am, which was very stupid since our flight left at 8:40am that morning. The alarm went off at 5am and I arose feeling not refreshed as that would have been ideal, but rather delirious (I think I wound up getting barely 2 hrs of sleep). While jamming oatmeal in my face and catapulting my toothbrush and various last minute odds and ends into my suitcase, I decided that that was the perfect time to pay my bills???

Since we were flying out of LAX (flights to Orlando out of San Diego were the smelliest things ever and the only direct flight to Orlando that week was out of LAX) my parents and Heather were being picked up from their respective houses in San Diego and shuttled to LA. Meanwhile I would depart from my apartment in LA and walk to the nearby FlyAway shuttle stop and meet them at the airport.

My goal was the 6:30am shuttle and I made it by the skin of my teeth!! I was power walking so ridiculously that my right heel kept kicking my poor suitcase plus I was carrying my crown in my other hand b/c I couldn't get it to safely fit into my suitcase or backpack. Must...get...to...WDW!!!! I probably looked completely mad stalking up the street and brandishing my crown in the early morning darkness. The people on the shuttle were definitely taking a good long look.

Well, we all eventually wound up at the airport! I was speechless when the grump of all grumps, my sister, stole my crown! That Disney magic is a most powerful thing:

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Okay- that's a wrap for this fabulous PTR! Keep an eye out for the upcoming TR; I'm planning on starting it tonight!!!!

See ya real soon, WDW!
 
Love it! That last night before leaving for a trip is required to always be packed with insane activities, and late-night packing. Can't wait to read the TR! :thumbsup2
 
Your countdown and door decorations are soo cute! :lovestruc I simply love the little Mickeys with googly eyes! Also, what an excellent Christmas film collection. :thumbsup2 Can't wait for the TR to begin!
 












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