A No Snooze Bar Christmas, Harry & Mickey are Waiting..it is done

[annmarieda]

What an early morning!! I can't believe you got them all up!!! I am a bit jealous... my crew slept in quite a bit....

 

[sl_underwood]

Wow.. not sure my family would be ready that early. Love the shirt. Jess needs one that says I solemnly swear I am up to no good!

 

[petals]

Love Christmas Trees...

And oh nos what's the near fatal error?

 

[momabaarjo]

Thanks for the heads up!

I can so hear my boys saying the same about Cabo. I think there were fishing excursions on the cruise. We haven't been on a cruise in years, but Disney cruises are awesome!! I would really like to go back soon!

I showed Jeff what I got in the mail on Friday...

would you believe he rolled his eyes at me! The NERVE, LOL...I even now
have the boys in on the act...I found out that one of the port excurisons is Atlantis and Goo has been commenting for years at the commerical that he wants to go there...yes I said years out of a 6 1/2...I think he has been saying that since he was about 3....

What an early morning!! I can't believe you got them all up!!! I am a bit jealous... my crew slept in quite a bit....

Yep, I think the excitment was the key factor!

Wow.. not sure my family would be ready that early. Love the shirt. Jess needs one that says I solemnly swear I am up to no good!

It is a cute shirt from the quote comes from HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban...
and so appropriate for my little Goo...

And oh nos what's the near fatal error?

Just Keep reading, Just Keep Reading....

 

[momabaarjo]

It's Like Stepping Inside My Imagination...
Everything I Dreamed of and More​

Apparently Jeff’s early morning mood distracted me, so instead of taking the short cut around Seussville to stay ahead of the HP crowds we went through Seussville…total mistake with Goo in hand because Seussville is quite colorful and eye catching, especially through the eyes of someone who is at the age that the books are readable! Poor Goo, I think I literally drug him through the entire “Island.”

For those of you that are planning a trip to WWofHP and staying with early entry (or just wanting to bypass Seuss in general), the short cut is right at the entry into Seussville at the arching signing, hang a left where you will travel on a path that has the lagoon to your left and Green Eggs and Ham to your right, this path will take you behind Suessville and bring you to where Seussville and Lost Continent Islands meet. This short cut will keep you ahead of most of the crowd and put you ahead of those in front of you that don’t know about taking this route.

Notice on the left hand side a little gap in the entrance arch (far left side, that is where you want to go through and turn to bypass all of Seuss. This is what the shortcut through the arch looked like when we went...

As you can see that the arch and the gap are covered up in holiday decorations, so it is easy to miss the turn...don't you just love excuses? First I blame it on Jeff's grumpiness and then on the holiday decorations...it wasn't my excitment at all!

I panic thinking about all the people that were behind us that are now potentially in front of us (if they knew about the path). We make it to bridge that leads us to the Lost Continent…still walking at a much faster pace then Jeff likes…but I have my plan in hand and dang it we are sticking to the plan! Whew, not a lot of people in front of us as we wind our way through the Lost Continent…just as we make it to the fountain I slow down a bit to build up the anticipation with Ab and Boo, my Potter fans.

I tell them to get ready because Hogsmeade is about to unfold in front of them. Sure enough, around the bend is WWofHP. As we pass under the arch, Ab is smiling from ear to ear! I hear Boo awing over the Hogwarts Express…

I remind them that as soon as we get through the 3 things I have planned we will come back and look! We quickly make our way down the cobblestone street of Hogsmeade with “There’s…. and There’s…and Wow, look”…I knew Ab and Boo would be in heaven. We reach our destination everyone the last building on the street...

Olivander’s Wand Shop with everyone still accounted for but a little winded.

I chose to do Olivander’s first (something I had not done my first trip) because the show is about 10-15 minutes long and only 20-30 are allowed in at a time and I figure from all my reading that even waiting 30 minutes we are still at 7:30 and the line for Forbidden Journey will still be reasonable because only on-site will still be the only ones allowed. The line for Olivander's will only get longer and figuring 15 minutes for each group of 40...that could eat up a lot of time.

Watching the crowd go by towards Forbidden Journey...​

We get in line, and there the kids starting staring in wonder at Hogwart’s. I have never seen such a wonderful site, the look of sure happiness, amazement and awe…

I hear Ab say," It's Like Stepping Inside My Imagination!" and Boo's comment was "Everything I Dreamed of and More" ! Jeff takes a picture of the area with his phone and asks Boo to help him text it to Uncle Eddie back home…from those following the PTR he was going to be the trip hijacker…but instead they went to NYC for the holidays. Eddie texts back in confusion…did it snow that much in Orlando last night? Did I mention that the roofs on the Hogsmeade buildings are covered in snow?

We all had a good laugh…Sorry, back to the story unfolding. In front of us is there is about 40 people, so although we won’t make it in the first show we will easily make it into the 2nd show. My the only concern is where we will end up for the second show once we are inside and how many other children/young adults will be in the room at the same time in competition for being chosen? The line begins to move for the first show…where will we end up once the line stops?

 

[lovethattink]

I can feel their excitement! Got chills reading Ab's comment.

 

[momabaarjo]

I can feel their excitement! Got chills reading Ab's comment.

I know...I did too and in a few posts I even cried at her excitement! You guys have a great trip!

 

[annmarieda]

all the excitement!!! I can't wait to read more!!!

 

[shocky5]

So glad you made it out the door almost by the time that you wanted. Totally impressed with that!!!

And I keep picturing you dragging Goo through Seussville trying to convince him that now wasn't the time!

Can't wait to hear what happens at Olivanders Wand.... once again... a cliff hanger.

 

[FosterA]

so exciting!!!!
I can't imagine how cool it must have been to see the kids see WWofHP! I've never been but I've seen the photos and it looks crazy amazing!
I can't wait to hear more details!!!

 

[swwake]

OH my goodness. I am all caught up and we are in the EXACT SAME PLACE in our Trip Reports! I wonder if your family did the same thing our family did....

 

[momabaarjo]

all the excitement!!! I can't wait to read more!!!

Hope to have more up in a few minutes...then it probably will be quiet for a few days!

So glad you made it out the door almost by the time that you wanted. Totally impressed with that!!!

And I keep picturing you dragging Goo through Seussville trying to convince him that now wasn't the time!

Can't wait to hear what happens at Olivanders Wand.... once again... a cliff hanger.

We would have gotten out the door earlier if Jeff would have been on the ball... But in the end it did not matter we were there plenty before the crowd.

Lucky for us, Seussville was completely dark except for the street lights and coming dawn...or it might have been a different story!

Don't you just love cliff hangers....

so exciting!!!!
I can't imagine how cool it must have been to see the kids see WWofHP! I've never been but I've seen the photos and it looks crazy amazing!
I can't wait to hear more details!!!

WWofHP is beyond belief...I am thinking of you and your coffee this morning, hoping to get another chapter up before I need to get everyone around. I know how much I enjoyed reading your posts!

OH my goodness. I am all caught up and we are in the EXACT SAME PLACE in our Trip Reports! I wonder if your family did the same thing our family did....

Don't feel so far behind now! Hmmm...I think we know how each Olivander experience turns out....

 

[momabaarjo]

Are You a Muggle?​

The line keeps moving as we snake our way around the queue and around the corner of the store towards the front door when we are asked how many in our party? Five did you say, do I have any parties of 2 or 3 he asks behind us? A couple and a teenager from behind are quickly let through the line and enter inside in front of us as the door shuts for the first show…we are first for the second show! Now I am the one beaming from ear to ear, because if all the message & tip boards are correct that will place us in the perfect spot.

The shopkeeper at the door begins a conversation with Ab and Boo…noting Ab’s shirt that says "Muggle". He asks her if she is a muggle, to which she replies “No, my parents are muggles!” “Ahhh, so you are a squib?” he asks. I am grinning, this guy knows his Potter language and is testing her…good sign! She replies, “No, because my parents are muggles so they have no magical powers.” “Hmmm, so you are saying you have magical powers? About that time, the door opens and we are ushered inside and directed to stand near the spiral staircase.

I quickly push Ab in front of Jeff and myself with the boys closet to the staircase. Ab has really had a bad year at school, and I am praying she gets some magic like she needs and deserves as I scan the faces of those entering the shop. Soon the door closes and Mr. Olivander’s assistant comes in the room. (For those that don't know, JK Rowlings specifically stated that there would be no named characters from the book being portrayed in WWofHP...so the man is not Olivander himself, but an assistant).

A think I am holding my breath and this moment...Will Ab or Goo get picked by a wand?

 

[FosterA]

Holy Cow!! on with it woman!

I'm on the edge of my seat here. I really really want AB to get some magic!

 

[MrsFerrell]

aww booo for clif hangers!!!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Lucky for you it is a very sleepless night for me...so you get 2 updates! ​

Sorry for the sleepless nights. But yay! for updates.

You and your cliffhangers...

I know what you posted to all of us on facebook about the wands ... hmm so lets see what unfolds

 

[swwake]

Oh I hope Ab gets picked!!!

 

[Monknmom]

You know I don't have to buy him a refurbished one anymore I have to buy myself a new one-- he dropped mine in a parkinglot and the screen cracked up the left side! So I am going to wait until they have those deals on them!
Okay starting at the 3rd one... Your daughter looks really excited! I love how smiley and gidy she is being! Oh you should be happy with that reaction you had a combo of all 3 different types!
I don't think that I have ever heard of the movie snowball express.... I will have to check that one out! Damien asked about movie nights, I told him we are going to be too busy pretty soon here, but may try to squeeze them in! Aww poor thing with the ears, my ears hurt really bad too and I find little relief in common things! When we go upstate I get that problem too, just not as bad anymore! You can always come here for Chrsitmas and skip the family drama! I am sure that Damien would love it! I love that Tony is just so friendly! And what a great ride it sounds like to get to Universal! And I would have loved to spend more time checking out hotels, although I would have liked to have more time in the parks- maybe before 2013 I can build this machine that stops time so that I can get things done and still have time for others! Oh I love that they have characters too! Yeah I don't think that Damien knows the Simpsons- I know I wouldn't have honestly! Oh it sounds like you had a really good meal (the boys had a really funsounding time and so great that Ab was able to make Goo smile)! And the pool sounds like the best- when we got back and he went to school one of the things he told the teacher was we never got to go in the pool! I regret not letting him go in! How funny Boo's birth story! That's a dedicated teacher! And happy belated birthday to him (I thinkI said hapy birthday to him on facebook...)! Oh my you were really close! And yeah I had to explain to K a few times why we would get there early! I hear that the WWoHP is worse than some parts of Disney with the crowd levels so I can't imagine! I hate the pushing though! I hate when cars do that to me on the road too and sometimes I laugh when I see them stuck at the same light as I am and they rushed to be ahead of me to begin with! I am so glad that they got that reaction and how great not only for you, but for them to notice all of the little details from the books and movies! you know this happens everytime I come back to your trip report! I get happy because I bypass all of the good cliffhangers and them WHAMMMM in my face an awesome cliffhanger!!! Have you ever thought of writing a book? Adding al of your cliffhangers you would have people on the edge of their reading chairs!

 

[momabaarjo]

Holy Cow!! on with it woman!

I'm on the edge of my seat here. I really really want AB to get some magic!

Hope you did not spill your coffee with the lastest cliff hanger!

aww booo for clif hangers!!!

Gotta keep you reading...

Sorry for the sleepless nights. But yay! for updates.

You and your cliffhangers...

I know what you posted to all of us on facebook about the wands ... hmm so lets see what unfolds

The sleepless night last week had to do with the mean girl drama again at Ab's school...we had a parent meeting with all parties involved and lets just say the apples do not fall far from their parents tree...like mother like daughter! Got us NO where so we are 99% certain we are changing schools next year...since the school Ab is at apparently do not want to do anything serious about the problem. I am still

Oh I hope Ab gets picked!!!

Patience....

 

[momabaarjo]

Dinner & a Movie Night
February 3, 2012
The Fox and the Hound​

(Ab had a game to cheer at and Boo rebelled against getting his picture taken)​

It was a really low key movie night and really under planned...the kids wanted a movie nght and this movie had come from Netflix this week. I personally HATE this movie, I hate all movies that make me sad in the end! For dinner we had HUNTERS stew (beef stew) with cornbread and Cooper Cobbler (Peach Cobbler) ala mode for dessert.