Donald_Duck_Rules
Earning My Ears
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Thanks so much for the information. It really helps me out. I'm glad to hear atleast something will be going while we are there.
3 WDW Trips in 6 months: August, October and December Reports *Completed*
- Thread starter meeko_33785
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meeko_33785
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Thanks so much for the information. It really helps me out. I'm glad to hear atleast something will be going while we are there.
You're welcome
I'm happy to help.
meeko_33785
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As Mom and Dad headed back to the French Quarter, Buzz and I made the quick trip from Mexico to Norway. Along the way, we saw that Sigrid and Julenissen, Norway’s Holiday storytellers, were finishing up their little show so we stuck around to watch it. It was too dark and we were too far away to get any good shots so no photos of these two (sorry). Norway’s storytelling is really a lot of fun- lot of comedy and audience participation.
After the storytelling was over, we finally made it to Maelstrom. We ended up waiting about 20 minute, which didn’t seem so bad. It was nice to be able to go on a classic animatronic-heavy ride- something we hadn’t done a lot of on this trip (unless you count Gran Fiesta Tour). The ride was enjoyable and made me want to hit some more classics, so we skipped the movie and headed back towards Future World.
Along the way, we stopped to see the Christmas Tree all lit up for the evening.
I suggested Spaceship Earth (doesn’t get much more classic than that), but Buzz figured we could save it for last since it was right at the exit and recommended that we ride Journey Into Imagination with Figment which had no wait at all. This version may not be as good as the original from back in the 80s and 90s, but I still think it’s a enjoyable little ride. I like how the attraction has all sorts of hidden and not-so-hidden references to many of Disney’s cheesy mad scientist movies like The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and Honey I Shrunk The Kids. Even Weebo from Flubber is on display in the queue.
Of course, the star here is Figment who is fun in animatronic form but is starting to show his age when presented in CGI. You can really tell how far computer animation has come since they did this ride, especially compared to the Nemo ride across the way. After our ride-through tour of the Imagination Institute, we decided to head towards Spaceship Earth for the last ride of the trip.
Along the way, we paused to look through the Art of Disney store, something I don’t think I’ve done at EPCOT (or, at least not since they moved it to its current location).
The line at Spaceship Earth was fairly fast-moving. We couldn’t have waited more than 10 minutes- if even that! It turned out to be kind of a cool way to end a day at EPCOT. I’m still getting used to some of the changed from the refurbishment a couple of years ago (some of the new lines of narration are still a little cringe-worthy ), but all in all still a nice ride.
After the ride, we began our last walk to the bus stop for the trip and the year in general. The wait wasn’t too bad and within 20 minutes or so, we were back at the French Quarter.
When we walked into the lobby, we discovered a flute ensemble was playing Christmas carols in the lobby. It was a nice little surprise and they really did play beautifully!
Not long after the ensemble and finished their set, Mom and Dad came to meet us for dinner. We told them about the musical surprise that awaited us when we came back, and it turns out Mom and Dad has seen their first set of the evening and also thought they were wonderful. We made our way to the food court to grab some dinner. I believe that Buzz ended up getting some pizza, Dad got a cheese steak, and I believe that Mom might have gotten some soup. The order got a little messed up. I had ordered a hamburger with no cheese but got a cheeseburger anyway. It turned out alright in the end though since the cheeseburger actually was really good (and I’m not a fan of cheeseburgers in general) so no complaints from me.
We got our food to-go and brought it to the room, had dinner together, and remembered some of the good times from the trip. Unfortunatly, said trip was almost over.
Next chapter: The last morning and a few last beignets before we go.
After the storytelling was over, we finally made it to Maelstrom. We ended up waiting about 20 minute, which didn’t seem so bad. It was nice to be able to go on a classic animatronic-heavy ride- something we hadn’t done a lot of on this trip (unless you count Gran Fiesta Tour). The ride was enjoyable and made me want to hit some more classics, so we skipped the movie and headed back towards Future World.
Along the way, we stopped to see the Christmas Tree all lit up for the evening.
I suggested Spaceship Earth (doesn’t get much more classic than that), but Buzz figured we could save it for last since it was right at the exit and recommended that we ride Journey Into Imagination with Figment which had no wait at all. This version may not be as good as the original from back in the 80s and 90s, but I still think it’s a enjoyable little ride. I like how the attraction has all sorts of hidden and not-so-hidden references to many of Disney’s cheesy mad scientist movies like The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and Honey I Shrunk The Kids. Even Weebo from Flubber is on display in the queue.
Of course, the star here is Figment who is fun in animatronic form but is starting to show his age when presented in CGI. You can really tell how far computer animation has come since they did this ride, especially compared to the Nemo ride across the way. After our ride-through tour of the Imagination Institute, we decided to head towards Spaceship Earth for the last ride of the trip.
Along the way, we paused to look through the Art of Disney store, something I don’t think I’ve done at EPCOT (or, at least not since they moved it to its current location).
The line at Spaceship Earth was fairly fast-moving. We couldn’t have waited more than 10 minutes- if even that! It turned out to be kind of a cool way to end a day at EPCOT. I’m still getting used to some of the changed from the refurbishment a couple of years ago (some of the new lines of narration are still a little cringe-worthy ), but all in all still a nice ride.
After the ride, we began our last walk to the bus stop for the trip and the year in general. The wait wasn’t too bad and within 20 minutes or so, we were back at the French Quarter.
When we walked into the lobby, we discovered a flute ensemble was playing Christmas carols in the lobby. It was a nice little surprise and they really did play beautifully!
Not long after the ensemble and finished their set, Mom and Dad came to meet us for dinner. We told them about the musical surprise that awaited us when we came back, and it turns out Mom and Dad has seen their first set of the evening and also thought they were wonderful. We made our way to the food court to grab some dinner. I believe that Buzz ended up getting some pizza, Dad got a cheese steak, and I believe that Mom might have gotten some soup. The order got a little messed up. I had ordered a hamburger with no cheese but got a cheeseburger anyway. It turned out alright in the end though since the cheeseburger actually was really good (and I’m not a fan of cheeseburgers in general) so no complaints from me.
We got our food to-go and brought it to the room, had dinner together, and remembered some of the good times from the trip. Unfortunatly, said trip was almost over. Next chapter: The last morning and a few last beignets before we go.
wdwgirl03
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You know I totally agree about the new version of JII not being nearly as good as the original but I'm glad they decided to put Figment back in it.
I always enjoy going through the Art of Disney stores. There's so many neat things to look at (key word being look because some of the original artwork is quite expensive!!!).
Sad it's almost over.
I always enjoy going through the Art of Disney stores. There's so many neat things to look at (key word being look because some of the original artwork is quite expensive!!!).
Sad it's almost over.
meeko_33785
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Don't get too sad yet. We've still got a little bit left.
I think the performances at the resorts were some of the biggest surprises for me on the trip. I really wasn't expecting them, and they were a cool surprise. It's wierd, we've been going to Disney at Christmastime for years and I don't remember ever noticing performances like this. This trip was closer to Christmas week than most of our Holiday treips, so maybe that had something to do with it.
You know I totally agree about the new version of JII not being nearly as good as the original but I'm glad they decided to put Figment back in it.
I always enjoy going through the Art of Disney stores. There's so many neat things to look at (key word being look because some of the original artwork is quite expensive!!!).
Sad it's almost over.
Yes, that's about all we ever do at the Art of Disney stores too- look. I think the only money we've spent in that shop are on postcards (they usually have some pretty cool ones there).
Dr_Finkelstein
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Hi Meeko!
So much to catch up on! Haven't been on DIS for weeks - just too much going on with the Easter school holidays!
Great photos as always, I especially liked the Germany ones , it looks beautiful decorated for Christmas. We have booked Biergarten twice for dinner during our Oct trip, so really looking forward to that. Somehow I don't think we'll be driving either of those days.
Epcot looked lovely! It's given me so many ideas for our next trip. We've still to see Voices of Liberty (although have listened to them on CD), not done JII or Spaceship Earth - so all must sees.
You never mentioned if you partook of any of the samples at the Le Cava del Tequila? Really fancy one of their margaritas and the Grey Goose slushie at France sounds good too.
Shame about the weather, but it sounds like you had a fun day anyway.
Di x
So much to catch up on! Haven't been on DIS for weeks - just too much going on with the Easter school holidays!
Great photos as always, I especially liked the Germany ones , it looks beautiful decorated for Christmas. We have booked Biergarten twice for dinner during our Oct trip, so really looking forward to that. Somehow I don't think we'll be driving either of those days.
Epcot looked lovely! It's given me so many ideas for our next trip. We've still to see Voices of Liberty (although have listened to them on CD), not done JII or Spaceship Earth - so all must sees.
You never mentioned if you partook of any of the samples at the Le Cava del Tequila? Really fancy one of their margaritas and the Grey Goose slushie at France sounds good too.
Shame about the weather, but it sounds like you had a fun day anyway.
Di x
meeko_33785
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Hi Meeko!
So much to catch up on! Haven't been on DIS for weeks - just too much going on with the Easter school holidays!
Great photos as always, I especially liked the Germany ones , it looks beautiful decorated for Christmas. We have booked Biergarten twice for dinner during our Oct trip, so really looking forward to that. Somehow I don't think we'll be driving either of those days.
Epcot looked lovely! It's given me so many ideas for our next trip. We've still to see Voices of Liberty (although have listened to them on CD), not done JII or Spaceship Earth - so all must sees.
You never mentioned if you partook of any of the samples at the Le Cava del Tequila? Really fancy one of their margaritas and the Grey Goose slushie at France sounds good too.
Shame about the weather, but it sounds like you had a fun day anyway.
Di x
Hey Di! Great to see you again. Hope Easter was fun and not too stressful for you.
Wow, two dinners at Biergarten in one trip! Sounds like a party.
Oh The Voices of Liberty should definitely be a must see fore you guys. You've really got to hear them live. The shound of their voices filling the rotunda is really beautiful. Spaceship Earth is also really fantastic and Imagination can be fun, especially for the kids. Just be sure to watch out when yo enter the "Smell Labs".
No, none of us sampled anything at the Tequila bar, but were were curious to see what it looked like. It actually was nicer than I thought it would be.
meeko_33785
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Well, weve made it to the last day of the last trip for the year. While we only had a few hours left at Disney, we decided to make the most of it and have some breakfast at the Floatworks and so a little bit of exploring before check-out. The good news was that the on-again-off-again rain of the previous two days finally seemed to be over. However, the rain really brought down the temperature and that morning was a pretty chilly one for Florida. Nothing freezing, of course, but Aladdin and Jasmine would have certainly been wearing their winter cloaks if we had gone to EPCOT that day.
On the way to breakfast, we took in some of the atmosphere along the way.
In keeping with our tradition, I put in an order for beignets for the whole family and then ordered a Mickey waffle for myself. Cant remember what everyone else got (again, perhaps I should take notes on things like this since I will not remember them four months later). Everyone else managed to get their food before the beignets were done, so they went ahead and paid and told me to meet them in the dining room. Once I was finally ready, I managed to get in the line with the guest at the front who seemed to have no idea what he was doing. Not sure if it was a problem with the Dining Plan or what but the CM and guest couldnt seem to understand each other. I had to finally jump into a different line because it was clear that this one wouldnt be moving.
Even after getting in the back of another line, by the time I was paid the line I was originally in still wasnt moving! Well, despite the somewhat annoying experience, the beignets were worth it. Mom and Dad seemed surprised that I had gotten beignets for everyone even though its been our tradition for years to have beignets on the last morning of the trip. In their defense, it had been a long three days before this and it was still early.
After breakfast, we still had a bit more time so we did some exploring and picture-taking for the last time. I realized there were a few ornaments on the trees that I had missed, so I made sure to get some shots of them. Can you recognize what scenes from Princess and the Frog these are from?
I hadnt gotten a chance to do any exploring near the pool yet, so I made my way over there, pausing quickly for one last shop of the main courtyards Christmas decorations.
The pool area was closed (not sure if it was due to the cold or if it was too early), but that made it easier to get pics of the gators and such without getting a bunch of tourists in the background.
Scales the Sea Serpent.
Anyone notice that that one of the floats in the Mardi Gras scene of Princess and the Frog looked a lot like this one?
What more fitting way to end out Princess and the Frog intensive trip to the French Quarter than with a frog? And, for that matter, ending a wet trip with a fountain? And just as we were driving away and as we were about to leave Disney property, the clouds cleared and the sky was the most absolutely beautiful blue that we had seen the entire trip- just a few days too late to prevent us from having such a Wet Christmas.
Next chapter: December Trip reflections
On the way to breakfast, we took in some of the atmosphere along the way.
In keeping with our tradition, I put in an order for beignets for the whole family and then ordered a Mickey waffle for myself. Cant remember what everyone else got (again, perhaps I should take notes on things like this since I will not remember them four months later). Everyone else managed to get their food before the beignets were done, so they went ahead and paid and told me to meet them in the dining room. Once I was finally ready, I managed to get in the line with the guest at the front who seemed to have no idea what he was doing. Not sure if it was a problem with the Dining Plan or what but the CM and guest couldnt seem to understand each other. I had to finally jump into a different line because it was clear that this one wouldnt be moving.
Even after getting in the back of another line, by the time I was paid the line I was originally in still wasnt moving! Well, despite the somewhat annoying experience, the beignets were worth it. Mom and Dad seemed surprised that I had gotten beignets for everyone even though its been our tradition for years to have beignets on the last morning of the trip. In their defense, it had been a long three days before this and it was still early.
After breakfast, we still had a bit more time so we did some exploring and picture-taking for the last time. I realized there were a few ornaments on the trees that I had missed, so I made sure to get some shots of them. Can you recognize what scenes from Princess and the Frog these are from?
I hadnt gotten a chance to do any exploring near the pool yet, so I made my way over there, pausing quickly for one last shop of the main courtyards Christmas decorations.
The pool area was closed (not sure if it was due to the cold or if it was too early), but that made it easier to get pics of the gators and such without getting a bunch of tourists in the background.
Scales the Sea Serpent.
Anyone notice that that one of the floats in the Mardi Gras scene of Princess and the Frog looked a lot like this one?
What more fitting way to end out Princess and the Frog intensive trip to the French Quarter than with a frog? And, for that matter, ending a wet trip with a fountain? And just as we were driving away and as we were about to leave Disney property, the clouds cleared and the sky was the most absolutely beautiful blue that we had seen the entire trip- just a few days too late to prevent us from having such a Wet Christmas.
Next chapter: December Trip reflections
dawnbu40
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Aww I hate to see your TR end! Any new trips being planned yet?
Great pictures of POFQ! Caitlin was sitting behind me as I read your last installment and said "that must be Meeko because he takes such great pictures"
Looking forward to hearing your final reflections!
Great pictures of POFQ!
Caitlin was sitting behind me as I read your last installment and said "that must be Meeko because he takes such great pictures"Looking forward to hearing your final reflections!
KathyRN137
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Meeko, you take such wonderful pictures... you have a very good eye!
I love POFQ... DH and I honeymooned in New Orleans and I will always think of this as a very romantic resort.
I'm so glad we were able to experience the city before Katrina...
Ah, to be sipping on cafe au lait and nibbling on beignets at Cafe du Monde!
Of course, the kids were just crazy over that pool and the sea serpent slide... its such a great resort!
I love that they can use Princess and the Frog in their decorating now... it really seems to bring POFQ up to date.
I hope we will be reading another one of your fabulous TRs very soon!
Kathy
I love POFQ... DH and I honeymooned in New Orleans and I will always think of this as a very romantic resort.
I'm so glad we were able to experience the city before Katrina...Ah, to be sipping on cafe au lait and nibbling on beignets at Cafe du Monde!
Of course, the kids were just crazy over that pool and the sea serpent slide... its such a great resort!
I love that they can use Princess and the Frog in their decorating now... it really seems to bring POFQ up to date.
I hope we will be reading another one of your fabulous TRs very soon!
Kathy
meeko_33785
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Aww I hate to see your TR end! Any new trips being planned yet?
Great pictures of POFQ!
Looking forward to hearing your final reflections!
Hey Dawn. "Officially", I don't have a trip in the planning stages, but there's a couple of options I'm looking into. Hopefully, there will be at least trip over the summer. If one of the options works out, I may be starting a new pre-trip within the next month.
Glad you and Caitlyn like my pictures so much.
I think that has to be one of the nicest comments I've ever heard about them. Meeko, you take such wonderful pictures... you have a very good eye!
I love POFQ... DH and I honeymooned in New Orleans and I will always think of this as a very romantic resort.
Ah, to be sipping on cafe au lait and nibbling on beignets at Cafe du Monde!
Of course, the kids were just crazy over that pool and the sea serpent slide... its such a great resort!
I love that they can use Princess and the Frog in their decorating now... it really seems to bring POFQ up to date.
I hope we will be reading another one of your fabulous TRs very soon!
Kathy
Thanks Kathy. French Quarter really is one of those resorts, isn't it? We really love it too. And yes, the Princess and the Frog stuff everywhere was so mch fun. It seemed like a perfect fit for Port Orleans.
Hopefully, there'll be a new TR (or at least PTR) very soon. Still trying to iron out a few details to see if they will work, but as soon as things start to look certain, I'll let you know.
wdwgirl03
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Now that you mention it, there is one float in Princess and the Frog that looks like that! When we saw it the first time I kept thinking it was King Triton from the Little Mermaid.
You do have some really great pictures...looks like a great resort!
Hope to see another PTR soon!
You do have some really great pictures...looks like a great resort!
Hope to see another PTR soon!
dawnbu40
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I hope it works out for you to take a summer trip! If it does let us know when you start the ptr!
meeko_33785
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Now that you mention it, there is one float in Princess and the Frog that looks like that! When we saw it the first time I kept thinking it was King Triton from the Little Mermaid.
You do have some really great pictures...looks like a great resort!
Hope to see another PTR soon!
I think they're both based on King Triton. Little Mermaid came out a year and a half before French Quarter opened and was the most recent Disney hit at that time, so it would make sense if it was. Of course, Princess and the Frog was directed by the same directors of The Little Mermaid so most of the Mardi Gras floats in it fit the themes of their movies (according to their DVD commentary). I think it's way too much of a coinsidence that both French Quarter and Frog would both have such similar-looking Triton floats, so I wonder if it's an homage to the resort too.
Thanks, hopefully there will be.
I hope it works out for you to take a summer trip! If it does let us know when you start the ptr!
Thanks Dawn. I'll make sure to send you a PM once I get one up.
meeko_33785
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Quite alright Jen.
Glad you're enjoying the report. I bet you're going to have such a fantastic time at Riverside.
meeko_33785
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Weve reached the end of another trip, so here are a few reflections on our Wet Christmas:
Weather and Crowds:
It certainly wasnt the best weather weve ever had for a Disney trip, but for the most part is was fairly manageable. The on-again-off-again rains of both days in the theme parks didnt get too much in the way of our plans (I think the Joyful! show and gospel choir at EPCOT was the only thing we outright missed with a few other entertainment offerings postponed or abbreviated due to weather). We didnt see much of those beautiful blue skies like we did in August or October, but despite the rain, the temperatures were pretty pleasant for December with the exception of the last morning.
Between the three trips this year, I think that we experienced the most crowds on this one. For the most time the parks seemed fuller and the wait times were longer than in August and October. Out longest wait ended up being close to an hour for Rock n Roller Coaster, though that was mostly our fault for opting to try the queue-less standby system that was being tested (we really should have bailed and opted for Fastpass instead when the wait time jumped from 30 minutes to an hour as we walked into the courtyard). The big exception to the crowds was EPCOT in the morning. I guess most people werent willing to risk that 100% chance of rain forecast that morning, but it enabled us to have some really short waits at Future World that morning.
Port Orleans French Quarter:
French Quarter ranks as one of my favorite Disney resorts, and our first stay here at Christmastime certainly didnt disappoint. We had some great rooms in a great location that was close to everything. The architecture and grounds were wonderful. The Christmas decorations were also really well done and all of the Princess and the Frog touches around the resort were such nice surprises that made the trip feel even more special. I really cant think of a single negative aspect of our stay here this time around- it was really fantastic.
New and Rediscovered Attractions:
We did manage to check out some new attractions and entertainment on this trip, most of which I dont think will be rushing to the top of any of our favorites lists, but they were still enjoyable additions nonetheless. Block Party Bash might just be my standout for the trip. Im sure its even cooler when it actually does its full show stops (the version we saw was the parade-only one due to rain), but what we saw was nice and its cool to see some of the more obscure PIXAR characters out and about like this- especially the ones from Monsters Inc. and A Bugs Life. American Idol Experience was another fun addition and even more well-done than I imagined it might be. Sum of All Thrills was a fun little excursion too. Inherently, it does have repeat value since you can always design a different coaster or other type of ride, but Im not sure that Ill be rushing to try this again anytime soon. One new experience I didnt get to see was the little show with the Luxo Jr. lamp in PIXAR Place which both Buzz and Dad got to see. Unfortunately, it seems that I missed my chance to see it since Ive heard the show has since been cancelled.
We didnt do a whole lot in the way of rediscovering attractions we havent been to in a while. For Buzz and I, Test Track was the main rediscovery since we hadnt done it in 5 years (still cant believe it had been that long!), and Mom and Dad checked out Honey I Shrunk the Audience for the first time in quite a bit.
Dining:
I have to say, the dining on this trip was a pleasant surprise for me. I wasnt really sure about The Wave at the Contemporary, but I think it might have ended up being one of my favorite meals of the trip. The atmosphere was nice, but the food was fantastic. The other real stand-out meal was Beirgarten at EPCOT. I really enjoyed everything here- the atmosphere, the entertainment, and the food (not to mention some delicious desserts). 50s Prime Time Cafe is a restaurant I usually dont care for, but had a pretty good experience this time around. The food was good and the service wasnt in-your-face crazy to the point of it being uncomfortable. All in all, it was a pleasant experience.
The rest of our meals were spent at the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory at French Quarter which was really great for a Disney food court. All the New Orleans dishes on the menu were a fantastic addition to the normal pizza/ burger/ chicken nuggets fair at most of these sort of places, and all the ones we tried were great. And, of course, how could we forget the delicious beignets?
Characters:
I dont think I would say that this trip was quite as character-intensive as August of October, probably in part due to the weather, the crowds and the fact that I had just met so many of the major characters a few months earlier and wasn't interested in waiting in longer lines than before to see them again, but I still managed to get a number of fun meet-and-greets in- about 15 in two days. Carl, Dug, and Russell from UP were my new characters finds for the trip (a 45-minute wait but worth it, I think) plus I got to visit a few older characters in locations I hadnt been to yet- Luigis Garage and the new Monsters Inc. Location, both at Hollywood Studios.
Along with the UP crew, randomly finding Snow Whites Prince at EPCOT and getting to meet Prince Caspian at Hollywood Studios before he disappeared were highlights, and I think I just might have set a new record- meeting two Princes in one trip and not a single Princess. The Nutcracker meet-and-greet after the Holiday storytelling in Germany was also a lot of fun. Hes a really cool character to see- so detailed and impressive
Holiday Events:
Along with getting to see so much of the fantastic holiday decorations around the World (including the ones at Port Orleans Riverside and the new gingerbread Small World and Mickey wreath at the Contemporary which were all new to us on this trip), we also managed to catch a number of the seasonal events and entertainment in the parks and resorts. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights at Hollywood Studios and the Holidays Around the World Storytellers in EPCOT were highlights this time around. Glad we got to see them despite the weather. The Christmas entertainment we experienced in both in the parks (particularly the Voices of Liberty) and the resorts (the choir at the Contemporary and the flute ensemble at French Quarter- both unexpected surprises) also added a little bit of cheer to the trip.
Two other events that we managed to get a taste of, though not experience in their entirety, were the Castle Dream Lights at Magic Kingdom, which we got to see from the rooftop of the Contemporary, and the Candlelight Processional, which we saw a bit of from the standing outside of the theater. Weve seen both of these a bit closer than what we experienced on this trip, but, at any rate, it was enjoyable to see them at all, if only for a little bit.
Well, I think that pretty much wraps up this portion of the report. Im not quite done yet though in the report as a whole. So far, youve pretty much only gotten to hear my side of the story, so Ive asked the rest of the family- Buzz, Mom and Dad what they would consider their highlights of all three of the trips, and Ill be posting some of their thoughts next.
Weather and Crowds:
It certainly wasnt the best weather weve ever had for a Disney trip, but for the most part is was fairly manageable. The on-again-off-again rains of both days in the theme parks didnt get too much in the way of our plans (I think the Joyful! show and gospel choir at EPCOT was the only thing we outright missed with a few other entertainment offerings postponed or abbreviated due to weather). We didnt see much of those beautiful blue skies like we did in August or October, but despite the rain, the temperatures were pretty pleasant for December with the exception of the last morning.
Between the three trips this year, I think that we experienced the most crowds on this one. For the most time the parks seemed fuller and the wait times were longer than in August and October. Out longest wait ended up being close to an hour for Rock n Roller Coaster, though that was mostly our fault for opting to try the queue-less standby system that was being tested (we really should have bailed and opted for Fastpass instead when the wait time jumped from 30 minutes to an hour as we walked into the courtyard). The big exception to the crowds was EPCOT in the morning. I guess most people werent willing to risk that 100% chance of rain forecast that morning, but it enabled us to have some really short waits at Future World that morning.
Port Orleans French Quarter:
French Quarter ranks as one of my favorite Disney resorts, and our first stay here at Christmastime certainly didnt disappoint. We had some great rooms in a great location that was close to everything. The architecture and grounds were wonderful. The Christmas decorations were also really well done and all of the Princess and the Frog touches around the resort were such nice surprises that made the trip feel even more special. I really cant think of a single negative aspect of our stay here this time around- it was really fantastic.
New and Rediscovered Attractions:
We did manage to check out some new attractions and entertainment on this trip, most of which I dont think will be rushing to the top of any of our favorites lists, but they were still enjoyable additions nonetheless. Block Party Bash might just be my standout for the trip. Im sure its even cooler when it actually does its full show stops (the version we saw was the parade-only one due to rain), but what we saw was nice and its cool to see some of the more obscure PIXAR characters out and about like this- especially the ones from Monsters Inc. and A Bugs Life. American Idol Experience was another fun addition and even more well-done than I imagined it might be. Sum of All Thrills was a fun little excursion too. Inherently, it does have repeat value since you can always design a different coaster or other type of ride, but Im not sure that Ill be rushing to try this again anytime soon. One new experience I didnt get to see was the little show with the Luxo Jr. lamp in PIXAR Place which both Buzz and Dad got to see. Unfortunately, it seems that I missed my chance to see it since Ive heard the show has since been cancelled.
We didnt do a whole lot in the way of rediscovering attractions we havent been to in a while. For Buzz and I, Test Track was the main rediscovery since we hadnt done it in 5 years (still cant believe it had been that long!), and Mom and Dad checked out Honey I Shrunk the Audience for the first time in quite a bit.
Dining:
I have to say, the dining on this trip was a pleasant surprise for me. I wasnt really sure about The Wave at the Contemporary, but I think it might have ended up being one of my favorite meals of the trip. The atmosphere was nice, but the food was fantastic. The other real stand-out meal was Beirgarten at EPCOT. I really enjoyed everything here- the atmosphere, the entertainment, and the food (not to mention some delicious desserts). 50s Prime Time Cafe is a restaurant I usually dont care for, but had a pretty good experience this time around. The food was good and the service wasnt in-your-face crazy to the point of it being uncomfortable. All in all, it was a pleasant experience.
The rest of our meals were spent at the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory at French Quarter which was really great for a Disney food court. All the New Orleans dishes on the menu were a fantastic addition to the normal pizza/ burger/ chicken nuggets fair at most of these sort of places, and all the ones we tried were great. And, of course, how could we forget the delicious beignets?
Characters:
I dont think I would say that this trip was quite as character-intensive as August of October, probably in part due to the weather, the crowds and the fact that I had just met so many of the major characters a few months earlier and wasn't interested in waiting in longer lines than before to see them again, but I still managed to get a number of fun meet-and-greets in- about 15 in two days. Carl, Dug, and Russell from UP were my new characters finds for the trip (a 45-minute wait but worth it, I think) plus I got to visit a few older characters in locations I hadnt been to yet- Luigis Garage and the new Monsters Inc. Location, both at Hollywood Studios.
Along with the UP crew, randomly finding Snow Whites Prince at EPCOT and getting to meet Prince Caspian at Hollywood Studios before he disappeared were highlights, and I think I just might have set a new record- meeting two Princes in one trip and not a single Princess.
The Nutcracker meet-and-greet after the Holiday storytelling in Germany was also a lot of fun. Hes a really cool character to see- so detailed and impressive Holiday Events:
Along with getting to see so much of the fantastic holiday decorations around the World (including the ones at Port Orleans Riverside and the new gingerbread Small World and Mickey wreath at the Contemporary which were all new to us on this trip), we also managed to catch a number of the seasonal events and entertainment in the parks and resorts. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights at Hollywood Studios and the Holidays Around the World Storytellers in EPCOT were highlights this time around. Glad we got to see them despite the weather. The Christmas entertainment we experienced in both in the parks (particularly the Voices of Liberty) and the resorts (the choir at the Contemporary and the flute ensemble at French Quarter- both unexpected surprises) also added a little bit of cheer to the trip.
Two other events that we managed to get a taste of, though not experience in their entirety, were the Castle Dream Lights at Magic Kingdom, which we got to see from the rooftop of the Contemporary, and the Candlelight Processional, which we saw a bit of from the standing outside of the theater. Weve seen both of these a bit closer than what we experienced on this trip, but, at any rate, it was enjoyable to see them at all, if only for a little bit.
Well, I think that pretty much wraps up this portion of the report. Im not quite done yet though in the report as a whole. So far, youve pretty much only gotten to hear my side of the story, so Ive asked the rest of the family- Buzz, Mom and Dad what they would consider their highlights of all three of the trips, and Ill be posting some of their thoughts next.
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