70 to Freezing in 7 hours. A Nov/Dec 2011 trip report. Updated 4/28

[petals]

Day 14, part 4:

So when I left you we were headed for the buses and towards Downtown Disney again for a very special event.
We were a little early getting to Downtown Disney so first we strolled around taking pictures:

I love the Mickey head detail on the benches. I want benches like this in my garden:

We then went to Goofy’s Candy store for eh breakfast!

Momma got this:

And I got this:

Most of that came home with me because it was super sweet.
Then it was time to head to the big Christmas tree which was the place our special event was happening. What was happening you ask? Well you know how everyone has their trip reports and pre trip reports and I’m sure I’m not the only one that stalks the boards to see who is going to be there at the same time as them and so on. Well in my stalking I had come across a related group on facebook called December 2011 planners or whatever and various dissers arranging meets and on this day a secret Santa as well. They were mainly arranging the secret Santa for the kiddies but I made the point in Disney we’re all kids and why don’t the adults do Secret Santa as well and so all was arranged.
We went around to the Christmas tree and I took pics:

Momma and I sat on a bench me explaining the days plans to her while we waited for everyone to arrive and I took pics (shock horror)

I knew aksunshine was there because I saw her DD running through the fountains getting soaked. Soon enough everyone else arrived as well. There was Adi12982, Jenshell75 and their families. AGPrincess came down to say hi to us all as well but she had to leave because she was working later in the day I think. The kids ran around chasing lizards while everyone else just chatted and did the secret Santa. I had brought over a Dublin Disney store mug that you can only get in the Dublin store stuffed with chocolate and Adi got that. Momma gave Jen a lady and the tramp mug. I got this stocking and bracelet:

Stuffed with all this:

Momma got this:

Aksunshine had made everyone a lovely disney Christmas card:

And her DD had made everyone a Christmas Pickle. Also Jen gave everyone a special Mickey head for their trees as well. Here they both are on my tree when we went home:

We all did a group picture by the tree which for some reason isn’t on my photobucket and then the kids went off to see Santa and Momma and I headed to our next park. Since it didn’t really matter about what hotel to go to as we only wanted to switch buses I told Momma to get the next bus she saw. It was Wilderness lodge which was probably the furthest away from all the resorts. Oh well I amused myself taking pics of the horses while we were waiting for the bus to come:

Next up: I think we cursed Epcot!

 

[Caretames1]

A DIS meet, How fun! What a beautiful Micky head Momma got! I bet the others thought your exclusive mugs were awesome!

 

[petals]

A DIS meet, How fun! What a beautiful Micky head Momma got! I bet the others thought your exclusive mugs were awesome!

I think everyone loved what they got from each other. We did anyway. I was sure as well I'd taken a picture of the Dublin mug to show everyone but it seems to have disappeared somewhere. The meet was fun though it was my first dis meet as well

 

[amandaw]

What a fun DIS meet! The Secret Santa was a good idea! All the stuff y'all got is so cute!

 

[petals]

What a fun DIS meet! The Secret Santa was a good idea! All the stuff y'all got is so cute!

It was good fun and great to finally meet some dissers.

 

[lovethattink]

Christmas is definately the most beautiful time of year at Disney!! Love your DTD pictures! Was that a crispy treat you got?

 

[MEK]

I did read your last update before I went to work one morning, but I never got a chance to comment. Let me just say that your castle pictures were lovely. One in particular was stunning (but I'm too lazy to cut and past).

Yeah for a DISmeet. I have been subbed to AG Princess's TR. I love her storytelling and her fun pictures. How very cool that you got to meet her. The secret santa is such a great idea for a Christmas DIS meet. I love that.

 

[petals]

Christmas is definately the most beautiful time of year at Disney!! Love your DTD pictures! Was that a crispy treat you got?

Thanks and yes it was a crispy treat. It was actually quite big and very filling because of how sweet it was. It came home with me and I think lasted another week after we came home.

I did read your last update before I went to work one morning, but I never got a chance to comment. Let me just say that your castle pictures were lovely. One in particular was stunning (but I'm too lazy to cut and past).

Thanking you

Yeah for a DISmeet. I have been subbed to AG Princess's TR. I love her storytelling and her fun pictures. How very cool that you got to meet her.

It was cool that she came down for a few minutes esp when she had other plans for that day anyway. Was great to meet her and everyone else.

The secret santa is such a great idea for a Christmas DIS meet. I love that.

The secret santa made a fun meet even more fun Everyone likes presents right

 

[petals]

it's been a whole four days have an update:

Day 14, part 5:
So when I left you we were hanging around the bus stops at Wilderness Lodge waiting for a bus to our next destination and if you didn’t guess from my little next up chapter title we were headed to Epcot to finish the story-tellers. We were walking along heading towards our first Story-teller and I spotted something off to the left in Mexico and went MOMMA and ran… She didn’t hear me, I don’t know where she went but I got in line and a few minutes later she came back and found me waiting in line and said she was going to sit down. Who had I found…
















Mexican Donald:

I was so excited to find him. Pictures taken we headed towards Germany for the first story-teller of our day, Helga:

Momma was in a funny mood for our last three days in Florida. Today she was anti-social… kind of. She enjoyed the dismeet and was fine at that but then when we sat to wait for Helga we saw the two ladies we had met in the line for the dwarves at MVMCP and Momma was like quick look the other way don’t attract their attention I don’t want to socialise lol! Then they saw her and sat down beside her and started talking to her I lolled inside a lot! Anyways eventually Helga saved Momma from having to socialise as the ladies only wanted a quick picture and left!

With Helga’s story a Nut-cracker comes out and you get to get your picture with him at the end:

Afterwards we went into the German pavilion to try find the kidcot station and get another stamp and Christmas greeting on our flags page. I have no idea why at this stage I didn’t think to go into the Caramel shop but I didn’t and because of that never got to try any of the yummy looking caramel treats. Anyways pics from German shop:

After we got our stamp we headed off to the next story-teller stopping to admire the little train set along the way. I love how they even decorate that to suit what’s happening in the park:

So our next stop was in the American pavilion where there was lots going on. First we saw the Voices of Liberty:

Then heard the story of Hanukkah:

OMG there was a mother at that obviously trying to educate her child in the parks, perhaps feeling guilty about having them out of school I don't know but when the story-teller stopped telling the story yer one became Mrs 40 questions, why are you in blue, what's that for, what's the significance of this! The kids looked bored out of their skulls and I couldn't help wonder how long she had been making them do this! Not that the story-tellers are boring, I found them all quite interesting but I think smaller children probably wouldn't be that interested in them and are kind of wanting to get to the next ride or see the next Disney character they can.
Anyway next I guess Momma decided it was food time and we went into the Liberty Inn because it was beside us for food. I was boring and had Chicken Nuggets:

Momma had this which I’m not entirely sure what it is, some sort of sandwich type wrap thing?!:

Inside Liberty Inn as well there was a Gingerbread House:

When we came out of Liberty Inn the Fife and Drum Corps had started:

We waited around a bit for the next story-teller Kwanzaa:

Her stand was kind of pretty:

She came out but she wouldn’t tell her story because it was starting to rain but I grabbed a quick picture anyway:

I wandered about for a bit waiting to see if she would start her story and took pictures while I was waiting:

The rain started to come down hard so Kwanzaa scurried off (god help her if she moved to Ireland!) I did say to Momma though that I think we cursed Epcot because we’d been there three times on this trip and the first day it rained, the second day it was freezing and now the third day it rains again!

Next up: Rain calls a halt to everything?!

 

[amandaw]

Glad you were able to get back to EPCOT to hear more of the Storytellers. But...more rain? Oh no! Hope it didn't last long & that you were able to finish them up.

 

[petals]

Glad you were able to get back to EPCOT to hear more of the Storytellers. But...more rain? Oh no! Hope it didn't last long & that you were able to finish them up.

I think we cursed Epcot the weather changed everytime we went there last year it was like outside the gates we're in Florida step into Epcot boom we're back in Ireland with the wet cold weather

 

[lovethattink]

Oh that's too bad it rained and you missed some of the stories. We didn't make it to any of the stories last year. This year we will!!

Great pictures from inside the stores too.

Too bad you missed a sweet from the karamel store in Germany!

 

[afwdwfan]

I like your Dismeet with the Secret Santa gifts. That looks like a fun way to get together and meet some people from the Disboards. Your idea of bringing an Ireland specific piece of Disney merchandise is really cool too.

I need to make a note to myself to make sure I'm never in EPCOT the same day you are.

 

[petals]

I should be running for a bus.. Dancing is back today

Oh that's too bad it rained and you missed some of the stories. We didn't make it to any of the stories last year. This year we will!!

Kwanzaa was the only one so far that wouldn't do the story and I don't see why she didn't in the length of time she sat there waiting to see if it would rain she would have had the story told!

Great pictures from inside the stores too.

Thanks

Too bad you missed a sweet from the karamel store in Germany!

I'll just have to book another trip so I can try some... oh well!

I like your Dismeet with the Secret Santa gifts. That looks like a fun way to get together and meet some people from the Disboards. Your idea of bringing an Ireland specific piece of Disney merchandise is really cool too.

Yeah I knew the minute I suggested secret Santa for adults that I wanted to get some of the Dublin exclusive merchandise. The store has a range of things from plushies, snowglobes, magnets, mugs, t-shirts, sometimes pins that are Irish themed and you can only get in the Dublin store

I need to make a note to myself to make sure I'm never in EPCOT the same day you are.

It will rain when we're there so prob best not to

 

[petals]

oh and 55 days til Paris and 63 days til graduation... Kinda excited about it tonight.. that might be all the dancing though.

 

[MEK]

I love how you really took part in all the great holiday activities in the World Showcase. I missed so many of the storytellers in December. The Kwaanza lady's dress in so beautiful.

Ugh - I get so annoyed by people who ask a million questions for no good reason. What's up with that?

Sorry you mom was not in the socializing mood.

 

[petals]

I love how you really took part in all the great holiday activities in the World Showcase. I missed so many of the storytellers in December. The Kwaanza lady's dress in so beautiful.

I did alot of research and knew I what i wanted to get to. Plus I wanted different like it's fine going every so often and doing all the rides and parades and shows but I wanted something different and I think the holiday season provided that because there was so much more on to see and do.

Ugh - I get so annoyed by people who ask a million questions for no good reason. What's up with that?

I just thought she was trying to force educate a couple of uninterested kids. I can imagine her walking away going now wasn't that great didn't you learn loads now you can tell everyone in school about what you learned today and the kids going when are we going on Test Track

Sorry you mom was not in the socializing mood.

I think there was something wrong with her the last few days there. Maybe she was eager to get home but her mood seemed to drop off the last few days. My mood was dropping off because I knew someone was going to force me on a plane soon and i didn't want to leave

 

[jenseib]

Your Momma cracks me up..."quick look the other way"...too funny. I do have days like that too though, so I can understand.

Remind me not to go to Epcot the same day you do!

 

[petals]

Your Momma cracks me up..."quick look the other way"...too funny. I do have days like that too though, so I can understand.

Yeah it was funny. Then when they came over going oh hi!!! Inside I was laughing my pants off!

Remind me not to go to Epcot the same day you do!

Bring a raincoat if you do

 

[petals]

Happy Saturday!

Day 14, part 6:

So when I left you we were in the American pavilion in Epcot and it had just started raining. The next story teller was in Norway and Kwanzaa had just gone in not telling her story because of the weather. Momma and I didn’t know what to do. There was only two more story-tellers we wanted to see and I had hoped to see the Beast today because we missed him at the Christmas party. We also wanted to finish getting the kidcot stamps. Momma said she wanted to sit in out of the rain but didn’t mind if I went to Norway just to see on the off chance if the story-teller would come out and also to get the kidcot stamp there. So I took a run to Norway:

Bad thing… no story-teller there either because of the rain:

I did get the kidcot stamp in the middle of a load of trolls:

So then I ran back to the American Pavilion to pick up Momma and change into the warmer clothes. The one good thing was I noticed that in America everyone hides from the rain. The pathways were almost 97% clear. In Ireland it rains most of the time so I was kind of wondering why everyone was trying to stay dry it was quicker to get around if you got wet lol! Anyways we headed towards France to see if the Beast would come out for his scheduled meet. I took pics along the way:

It was still raining pretty heavy so we figured there was no point in waiting for the Beast so we headed towards England.

We ducked into the shop to get our kidcot stamp. First I was wondering why do they have Guinness Products in the English shop? Guinness is Irish; it’s brewed in Dublin, IRELAND’s capital city and nothing to do with England so why are they selling Irish products there when they don’t have an Irish Pavilion… I think they should build an Irish Pavilion it would be great but I’m not so sure about the English Pavilion selling Irish products:

Queen bear:

We wandered into the back to get our kidcot stamp and standing all alone in the back was:

So I dropped bag grabbed camera and went straight up for pics!
After we got the kidcot stamp we went out to see if Father Christmas would come out to tell his story. It had stopped raining. It was getting very cold though.

We waited for a few mins and then Father Christmas came along. Momma had a poncho on and you all know how trendy looking they are, well Father Christmas went up to her on the bench and was like Hello, It’s been a while since I’ve seen you isn’t it. I like your poncho I could do with borrowing it for Christmas Eve. It was kinda cool. He then went over to his stand and started his story:

He had this little bell as well that he gave to one of the kids. I wanted it! lol
We took our time heading to Canada after that for our last kidcot stamp. I went to the pin station and bought Momma a best mom pin for running around after me for the last two weeks. She went up to a snack stand to get some tea for herself and me a drink. I took pics of the yummies:

We went to Canada there wandering into the shop looking for Kidcot station:

We eventually found the kidcot station. It’s kind of confusing in Canada. The Kidcot isn’t in the shop it’s kind of down a path near LeCellier in a cave type thing. After that we needed to decide what to do next. The plan was to take a look at wait time at character spot and if it wasn’t long visit characters then leave the park however there was still one story-teller we hadn’t seen and I was so disappointed because I’d seen all but one. I didn’t want to leave because I never know when I’ll get back and when I’ll get another chance to see the story-tellers but is it worth going all the way over in the cold and wet from Canada to Norway when the story-teller might not even come out.

Next up: Will we see all the story-tellers?