A Goofy Roadtrip to the Mouse Part 10.

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

Ok, I am confused

 

[Goofmeister]

A few notes:

These are long.
The trip was December 2002.

If you like, you can find the others here. Well, even if you don't, they're still here:
Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5. Part 6. Part 7. Part 8. Part 9a. Part 9b.

Cast:
Sam (30) - the Planner, (1985,1987,2000) Trip # 4
Angie (30) - Eeyore nut and researcher, (2000) Trip # 2
Samantha (3.75) (2000) Trip # 2

Day 7, Thursday December, 5th 2002
Candlelight, rain and Hot Cocoa
Weather: Cool and Wet.
Plan: Epcot, LE Cellier Candlelight Processional DP, and Illuminations

We slept in. Angie’s condition hadn’t improved much because thankfully she was still pregnant. So instead of hitting the parks, we hung around the hotel. We had lunch in the room from the roaring forks, 2 cheeseburgers and a PB&J sandwich. Later that afternoon we ventured forth to film a little of the Lodge decked out in its Christmas glory. Apart from the large tree dominating the entrance there were many normal sized trees dotted throughout the various levels of the lobby. Groups of trees bordered both sides of the bridge spanning Silver Springs Creek. Lighted garland and wreaths were hung from every conceivable overhang and railing inside and out. Poinsettias filled in the areas in between the Christmas trees. It was nicely done, not overstated, just right for the space.

We caught the bus to EPCOT and rode SE upon arrival. I loved this ride, and so did Samantha. My favorite part was when you reach the top. I also liked the lights and displays on the way down. Next we headed over to Innoventions West to send a few digital postcards. We stopped to dance on and gawk at the illuminated sidewalks. I’d love to have these at my house. I’ve been told that it is around ten thousand dollars per square!? Yikes! We sent the postcards to some friends and family and halfheartedly looked around before heading to Canada.

Our mission was the famous cheese soup and breads of Le Cellier. The weather was cool and cloudy when we checked in much as it had been all day. We received our ‘tickets’ for the 8:15 PM Candlelight Processional, and proceeded to wait for our pager to flash.

After a longish wait we were seated in the darkened dining area. The waiter did a great job of recommending things to try, and we asked a number of questions about what was on which and what came with what. Samantha not wanting to be left out, asked our waiter if the cheeseburger came with cheese. She also wanted to know if this is where Beauty and the Beast lived. The CP dinner package was a fixed price based on the restaurant “tier”. It came with a good selection of entrees and included an appetizer and dessert. We were stuffed, and it was delicious, but I don’t remember anything but the breads, which I remember to taste exactly, like bread. Nothing spectacular, but it was good, and fresh, and at our table. This is where notes would come in handy. Angie and I had fillets, but they where different. Hers was better. Samantha had the cheeseburger with cheese of course.

We stood and watched the O’ Canada movie, and it was neat, but it was a little long especially when holding a little one. Samantha thought she was moving and would lean when the camera did. I liked the waterfall and the themeing around the area a lot better than the movie. I‘ll skip it next time. More cheese soup please!
Not only was it colder, but it had started to lightly rain when we left Canada. Then it started raining harder, leaving us in desperate need of ponchos. We ducked under cover outside some shops in England. While the girls went inside to buy ponchos, I waited guarding our stuff from a very shifty looking grandmother and toddler. In this weather they looked liked a seasoned pair of con men waiting to prey on the unwary. Ha! I had their number. They shifted to the far side of the vestibule giving me a cautious eye and a wide berth. Inside Samantha and Angie met two more nefarious characters, Tigger and Pooh. Angie said it was great. They were all alone with the infamous duo and they played and poised for pictures for several minutes until other people started to show up. They ran out of adult Mickey ponchos, so with 2 blank yellow and 1 child Mickey ponchos in covering the stroller and our daughter we decide to brave the weather and stand in line for our “reserved” seating.

It was a good thing we did because the line was already long. Several people tried to edge in front of us, but we redirected them to the end. We found out that some of the seats were under cover, but were first-come, first-serve. It was down to the last two rows, we were going to make it. A CM stopped me as I was entering with the stroller. I couldn’t bring it in. I was a little torqued at first, but Angie took Samantha and saved some seats while I parked. Whew! We made it. It rained the whole performance. I was surprise by how many stayed and sat in the rain to watch. Samantha enjoyed it so much, she couldn’t keep her eyes open.

Marlee Matlin was our narrator and performed with sign language. It was a very moving experience. The music was inspiring. The vocals were outstanding. One girl collapsed and had to be escorted off stage. I hoped she was OK. I’ve heard that at every show, at least one or two of the kids have to leave during the performance for health reasons. It’s a little hard to believe, but I guess its possible. The finale was grand, and by this point it was obvious that the singers had formed a living Christmas tree. This is a popular show, and for good reason.

It has stopped raining, but it was still damp and cold. We watched illuminations near England with nary a soul in sight. That was unique. Samantha slept through it all somehow.

We shopped in Mouse Gear on our way out. Bought a cool pooh clock, a princess Barbie for Samantha’s Christmas, and a 4-park/1-mouse souvenir.

We had a light snack at roaring forks back at the WL, and called it a day. Despite the rain it was a very nice evening.

Highs: Le Cellier, Candlelight Processional
Lows: Morning sickness, cold rain.
Tips: The CP dinner package got us out of the rain, and into a wonderful dining experience. Stay when it rains because no one else does.

Part 11.