A Disney Christmas Fix - four days of fun! 1/28 Summer/Cruising PTR started!!

[Happydog]

Hi Jen!! Believe it or not, I just caught up on this whole report!! How fun!! I LOVED all of your pictures! We are planning a Christmas trip to WDW in 2011, so it was great to see all of your resort photos! MVMCP looked fantastic as well! We will arrive once the parties have stopped for the season so we will miss out on that...BOO! I am over the moon excited for the cruise in June! We are yaying right along with you! Your trips to Italy and Greece sound incredible! We are praying for no more snow this winter, so far so good with our snow days! I also read your Christmas TR from last year, it was very helpful! Thanks again for all the great photos and have fun on the cruise with your DH!

Well HELLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOO there!!!!!!

Hope you have managed with all the snow and such indeed!!!!

HOW exciting you are going to go for Christmas!!! Oh it is so fun!! You will have a great time!!! Are you going with Leslie and co? The party was neat, but really, you get all of it when the party is over, just I don't recall if the Christmas parade runs in the evening... I can't recall... but either way, you can see it during the day! I am sure you can find your own Hot Chocolate and cookies!!! Can't wait to hear all about that! I had a great time writing that TR and this one, too!! There is so much to see at Christmas. I hope to go back again soon!!!

I am SO excited for the cruise as well! in just a few weeks now! AND this summer of course!! I plan to get my PTR running soon... stay tuned! Hope you'll come along for that one! And I thought you were writing a PTR, too??!!

Hope you have been over to the cruise boards to check out all the fun there!!!

 

[Happydog]

Great wrap up to your TR and trip The show looked very christmassy and the lights just awesome.

Sounds like you have serious planning to do with your feb, spring and summer trips

What a great DISmeet, fab way to bump into a fellow DISer

Look forward to your cruise PTR

Thank you!!! We did have a lovely time just doing whatever! And it was neat to just bump into her, I agree!!! fun!

The Cruise PTR will be up and running soon!! I have fun stuff to share!

Great ending to a great TR

I had no idea that Universal APs give you front of the line access. We are thinking about visiting US this summer, but didn't want to stay onsite. I could not give up a spacious villa for a standard hotel room. I may have to invest in US APs

Oh, I'm happy you're going to post your Legoland photos! We CANNOT wait for Legoland to open in Orlando. Have you stopped by the Legoland Orlando website? You can purchase APs that cover this fall and all of 2012 for $99. Since one day tickets run about $65, it's quite a savings. We're planning on getting those as well

Your European vacation sounds fabulous! I hope you're going to do a mini tr for that.

Can't wait to read about all of your cruise and Vero fun

Oh yes Legoland is worth the annual pass I am sure! It seems the update about the Universal pass is that the option is only on their premiere pass and only from 4:30 on, so not sure if that ends up worth it or not... I have lots to investigate still -- but lots of time until Summer 2012
I don't want to stay on site either, so that may mess up my plan!!!

The other trips are coming up, and yes I will put a little of them in my PTR for the summer!

I just can't wait until Feb 19th... I know that temps have been COLD up where you are, us too! Waiting for spring!!!

I have been catching up on Disney Dream TRs and pictures this weekend. The cruise bug has definitely hit. Can't wait to hear about your trip!!

Catch that bug, go ahead!!! I'll get some photos to seal the deal...

Great wrap up HD!!!
I am excited for all of your new adventures! Soooo excited to hear about the Dream......what a beautiful ship! I love the new theming of the restaurants too. Are you going to hit the Aqua Duck? Ahhhh sitting by the adult pool with the drink of the day....bliss

I KNOW I can't wait either.... should be a great time... just looking forward to checking it out!!! NOT sure about that Aqua Duck... if it requires standing in too long of a line, then I am going to go the lounge chair with a drink route...

Blech on the ouzo is right I am not an anise fan. At all. My brother's friend makes limoncello.....very good (and strong ) They recently made some out of oranges....my brother said it tasted like Pinesol. I am not sure what kind of flavoring that has in common with oranges....

I will be waiting for the bat signal

Tracy

Pinesol??!! Funny... Oh I know you can make it though, I have seen that too... not sure what it is called!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Ouzo is anise-flavored -- so I don't care for it. That said, it isn't like Jagermeister, it is lighter, clear, too, but still that is not my flavor preference... I would much rather enjoy Limoncello!!!! or Kirch...

What is this Kirch you speak of???

Yep! They are. They always go with us when we go to Europe. I don't have any qualms about taking them there. They have not been to Greece, Only Italy, but they know all about the Romans and the Greeks! Ours is in April, with Easter, which is REALLY late this year! So it sounds like you get a three day weekend for Easter, then? or four days? Good Friday? Easter Monday? Hopefully being late will make the weather superb in the Mediterranean..

How neat that the boys will be experiencing Greece for the first time!

No days off around Easter this year. We will be back to school that Monday.

Well, I bought them at Jcrew online. I DON'T make it a regular habit shopping there. TOOO expensive. However, sales they do VERY, very well. They are not my style over all, but I like their pants and a few "original" things... The Tshirt was $16.50 (it is a pirate face) and 40% off... I bought a few things for myself, so I took advantage of the free shipping... With shipping it isn't as much of a savings, but they still are less than original price. This is what I got...

They say "Life by Sea" on the back in a flocked white lettering apparently... I think these will be perfect for Pirate night, unless I decide to make more elaborate costumes... I am just thinking the heat, and I don't know they will want to wear fussy costumes... not sure yet, but the shirts seemed perfect for a cruise And a fun addition to their cruise surprise... I know they are not Disney, but I thought they would be fun... They will like these I know. I had already bought each of them a cruise tee from the cruise last winter... I know Nolyn can wear both of these, AND he wears that POC tee shirt STILL, Jackie, he LOVES it... So I will take those with us. Griffin may have outgrown the cruise tee I bought him, so I may get him one this time...

Cute! I will have to wander over that way! I am so glad Nolyn is still enjoying the shirt -- we bought it in '07, and I am thrilled it is still getting use.

 

[Native NYer]

The pirate shirt is too cute! I may have to order one for each of my nephews.

 

[Happydog]

What is this Kirch you speak of???

You don't know abut that? It is german, It is actually spelled Kirsch or Kirschwasser... it is cherry flavored, and strong... it is a digestif... not cough syrup, but it is for sipping! A cherry flavored Brandy basically.

How neat that the boys will be experiencing Greece for the first time!

No days off around Easter this year. We will be back to school that Monday.

I guess each school system does it differently for sure. Well, at that point you are just a few weeks away from the end of the year, right? So that would make sense!

Cute! I will have to wander over that way! I am so glad Nolyn is still enjoying the shirt -- we bought it in '07, and I am thrilled it is still getting use.

They are cute, I thought they were "different" and that they would like them. He totally loves it. He calls it the scary pirate shirt

The pirate shirt is too cute! I may have to order one for each of my nephews.

I think they still have plenty. The sale ends Wed. I am looking forward to getting them.

 

[Charleston Princess]

You don't know abut that? It is german, It is actually spelled Kirsch or Kirschwasser... it is cherry flavored, and strong... it is a digestif... not cough syrup, but it is for sipping! A cherry flavored Brandy basically.

Yum!

I guess each school system does it differently for sure. Well, at that point you are just a few weeks away from the end of the year, right? So that would make sense!

That's true -- we will only be about four weeks away from the end of the school year.

They are cute, I thought they were "different" and that they would like them. He totally loves it. He calls it the scary pirate shirt

Those pirates are scary!

There are lots of cute shirts over on J.Crew. Pirates must be a theme with them this season.

 

[Happydog]

Yum!



That's true -- we will only be about four weeks away from the end of the school year.



Those pirates are scary!

There are lots of cute shirts over on J.Crew. Pirates must be a theme with them this season.

I think you are right! Argh.

There are recipes for Kirsch cake, and such, so I know it is readily available. Ours came as a gift from Germany, a friend brought it back.

SNOW day for us... and likely tomorrow, too!

I like being up alone in the house watching snow from my windows...

 

[MeMom]

SNOW day for us... and likely tomorrow, too!

I like being up alone in the house watching snow from my windows...

Us, too.
This is our 9th one.
We have never had this many that anyone at school can recall.

The snow is pretty, but I am ready for the cold to be over and the sunshine and warmer temperatures to come on. My heating bill is going to be frightening!

 

[eandesmom]

Great recap! What a wonderful getaway and lovely trips coming....SOON! I'm excited for your cruises. The sun sounds SOOOO lovely right now.

I know what you mean about the hats and getting things for both boys that work, etc. I walked away from a few things in Germany for that very reason, ending up with T-shirts from the airport (that they love). Go figure.

Enjoyed your TR, evening though I got in at the last minute!

You have some seriously nice trip plans coming up. I will be on the look out for your PTR and I can't wait to read about the cruise because I would really like to take one.

Oh - and I had NO idea that an AP at Universal allowed you better access. I assume this means you get the same access as resort guests? That is seriously an excellent idea. I always have an AP at Disney, but maybe I should switch it up and try an AP at Universal and just stay at Disney and do all the non park things. That would be pretty fun actually and something I should think about. DH and I are planning a trip next fall/early winter. Hmmmmmm......gives me something to think about for sure!

Quick note on this. I looked into the Universal AP while there and it didn't seem to pencil. We had the FOTL option with our resort stay. The one you buy though is different than what the resort guests get, or so they say. Not really sure how they'd enforce it but my understanding is the purchased FOTL pass works once per ride, resort guests are unlimited. That said some of the big rides (Forbidden Journey and one of the coasters over at Universal, and a couple other things) do not allow FOTL so it doesn't help.

When we were there, sometimes it made a big difference (spiderman, hulk, triwizard challenge specifically) and others, the FOTL line wasn't any longer than the regular one. Sorry for the hijack...but I've got 4.5 more days on my TR before we get to universal...

 

[Happydog]

Great recap! What a wonderful getaway and lovely trips coming....SOON! I'm excited for your cruises. The sun sounds SOOOO lovely right now.

I know what you mean about the hats and getting things for both boys that work, etc. I walked away from a few things in Germany for that very reason, ending up with T-shirts from the airport (that they love). Go figure.

Thanks! You know my DBIL bought these adorable "traffic stop man" Tshirts for the boys when he went to Germany a few years ago.... they have the redlight greenlight guys on them... TOOO cute! I wondered if these were the shirts you got? They wore them at Disney last Christmas since the colors worked!! They have out grown those that they got as a gift, but by fortune of age and size (albeit very slight!) Nolyn still has one, b/c Griffin's now fits him! Apparently these traffic images are all the rage!

Yes. REALLY looking forward to warmer weather.

Quick note on this. I looked into the Universal AP while there and it didn't seem to pencil. We had the FOTL option with our resort stay. The one you buy though is different than what the resort guests get, or so they say. Not really sure how they'd enforce it but my understanding is the purchased FOTL pass works once per ride, resort guests are unlimited. That said some of the big rides (Forbidden Journey and one of the coasters over at Universal, and a couple other things) do not allow FOTL so it doesn't help.

When we were there, sometimes it made a big difference (spiderman, hulk, triwizard challenge specifically) and others, the FOTL line wasn't any longer than the regular one. Sorry for the hijack...but I've got 4.5 more days on my TR before we get to universal...

Thanks for sharing this! Actually DH was the one investigating it all, and in my opinion I agree with you, it doesn't really seem like it is much of a deal, other than their only incentive to get people to stay on prop with them...
No, you know I wanted to hear all about it! We thought to go in Dec. To scope it out. But I am so glad we just decided we'd rather relax. It would have been a lot of racing around.... but this is the plan for summer 2012

 

[Happydog]

Us, too.
This is our 9th one.
We have never had this many that anyone at school can recall.

The snow is pretty, but I am ready for the cold to be over and the sunshine and warmer temperatures to come on. My heating bill is going to be frightening!

WOW. NINE??!! last year we had that many and more! Like 11 I believe... but then again we had feet of snow... in your case it seems it's like you say, your area isn't equipped to handle snow generally speaking, and the amount, even in inches is unheard of!

We have sleet right now, looking at 6 - 10 inches they say, but the weather has been all over the place, they say the weather models are crazy...

 

[eandesmom]

Thanks! You know my DBIL bought these adorable "traffic stop man" Tshirts for the boys when he went to Germany a few years ago.... they have the redlight greenlight guys on them... TOOO cute! I wondered if these were the shirts you got? They wore them at Disney last Christmas since the colors worked!! They have out grown those that they got as a gift, but by fortune of age and size (albeit very slight!) Nolyn still has one, b/c Griffin's now fits him! Apparently these traffic images are all the rage! :confuse

Cute! I could see the colors working at Chrsitmas, how fun. I will do a mini TR, hoping to get the rest of the pictures from my brother first but may forge on if it takes too long.

Thanks for sharing this! Actually DH was the one investigating it all, and in my opinion I agree with you, it doesn't really seem like it is much of a deal, other than their only incentive to get people to stay on prop with them...
No, you know I wanted to hear all about it! We thought to go in Dec. To scope it out. But I am so glad we just decided we'd rather relax. It would have been a lot of racing around.... but this is the plan for summer 2012

FOTL was great but the 1 hour (actually 1.5 if you were reading boards and learning that it really started earlier than the published time) early entry in to WWOHP was the biggest benefit of all. I'm sure the crowds will get better but that extra 1.5 hours made a HUGE difference for us.

 

[Native NYer]

I am so jealous of all of these snow days! We haven't even gotten one in NYC. Today, the snow started AFTER we were at school already

We're suppose to get more tonight, but it is highly doubtful that the mayor will close schools. I think I need to move.

 

[honeydiane1953]

I sooo have enjoyed your WDW TR. Great pics and love the Christmas Decorations. I so want to go at Christmas time as it is my birth month also. You have a beautiful home, and family.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Hurray for a snow day (or two) for you, HD!!!

 

[Happydog]

I am so jealous of all of these snow days! We haven't even gotten one in NYC. Today, the snow started AFTER we were at school already

We're suppose to get more tonight, but it is highly doubtful that the mayor will close schools. I think I need to move.

Hurray for a snow day (or two) for you, HD!!!

YAY! I know I was so excited finally for some snow! Today actually, officially I have a snow day too! offices are closed as well but really snow days mean 4 hour days for me so anytime schools are closed it is nice So today we will have some snow play time, I will have to finish a project or two from this weekend, and THEN I will probably start my CRUISE PTR...

 

[Happydog]

I sooo have enjoyed your WDW TR. Great pics and love the Christmas Decorations. I so want to go at Christmas time as it is my birth month also. You have a beautiful home, and family.

Thanks! I know it was short, and not much about the parks, but it was fun for DH and I!!!!

 

[Happydog]

Hi Everyone!!! I am in need of some advice!

So this new PTR/TR is part Cruise, and part Vero Beach, (with some mini-TRs built in! and there is really no theme park excursions... save the one night at BLT...

So here is the question:

WHERE to post this report!!!?? Should I post it on the Cruise board? I did that with my TR last year, but this report is a little in between... would it be better here, since there is Vero, too? I am not sure??!!

I don't want to do separate reports, this spring will be busy enough! I would prefer to just roll it all into my Summer trip PTR... I will create a separate TR for the family cruise and Vero, after, of course, but not sure where they should go??!!

What do you all think??!!

 

[SoonerGirl]

I'm kicking around the idea of starting a PTR for our cruise too and was wondering this same thing, where to put it?! The cruise board doesn't have a separate forum for PTRs and I hate to have a several month long PTR hanging around on their TR forum, ya know? Here's what I think - do the PTR on the regular PTR board and just do your actual TR on the cruise forum - would that make sense??

 

[Native NYer]

Hmmmm, I never thought about that. I really don't know
Looking forward to your new PTR

BTW, we FINALLY got a snow day here. It was so nice to wake up at 10