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

[momabaarjo]

And about you comment about your 4 days of ramblings taking up 4 months of time from ^^^ there.

I am sure readers are pretty fustrated at me...we have 9 more days which at this rate will be 9 more months...well into a PTR for our trip!

WE LOVE IT!!!!!!! lol We said we all have to drag our reports out till October.. Well except Ann since she needs a PTR. I honestly can't believe she hasn't caved and started one

Me either...

Love the update. I can't wait to do Universal. Never been before

I missed your reports! Sounds like a fun time with MIB and the Mummy. I'm so afraid of the Mummy. I manage Big Thunder, Everest, and Space once each. Am I going to be OK with Mummy?

If you can handle EE you can handle the Mummy!

 

[stepdisney]

YAY! We're going to Disney World! Can't wait to read about the move to WDW.

 

[reelmom]

I really enjoy Universal but does not compare to Disney. Can't wait to read the next portion of the trip.

 

[petals]

Catching up again!
Can get back on top of things now that all college work is done though (I mean it's only today that I got a frame and printed a pic for the lovely Christmas frame you sent me.)
Anyways luvin all the updates
I always wanted to see the greenhouse but always have this fear that I wuoldn't get the chicken exit and be forced to ride the ride and that yoke has spiders so it ain't happening!
In that having fun yet pic Boo looks very ill
I love all your scrapbook pages as well.
The Grinch Breakfast looks cool I want to do it now and what a cool idea getting them to sign her Grinch book. Also re the collecting autographs I did when i was ten and then the two dancers trips I didn't in fact first one I didn't even meet characters I know but now (and i was 25/26 on my last two trips) I'm back to collecting autographs I think they're kinda cool souveniors to have esp the ones from characters that draw little pics on them.
I spotted a hidden Mickey in that Lucy Necklace
Glad you got to see the parade as well.
Okies all caught up now I think.

 

[BrerMama]

Woo Hoo for Disney! We're doing Disney first, then Universal. Do you think it matters which you do first? We just went with what was familiar first, then something new before we leave. I'm not second guessing, but I do wonder why that was my first impulse rather than doing something new, then moving to Disney. I guess one reason is that we're going in June and I know the later in the month, the bigger the crowd. I figured we'd have Express access at Universal so the crowds wouldn't be such a factor as they will at Disney. Yes, that's exactly why I planned it that way. That's my story. Sticking to it.

P.S. Love that you're honest when you have a rough time because the reality isn't matching your vision. I know I'm going to struggle with this. I hope to be as honest as you. Although I do plan to remember the pool bar when that happens...

 

[momabaarjo]

Why is it when I upload into Photobucket...they always play that Disney commerical. That has to be cruel and unusal punishement...I want to book a vacation! This is going be...​

 

[petals]

Why is it when I upload into Photobucket...they always play that Disney commerical. That has to be cruel and unusal punishement...I want to book a vacation! This is going be...​

Why do you get a disney video and I get a stupid ad for some stupid action movie

 

[momabaarjo]

By Van, Bus & Boat​

Our morning started off quite early. I had arranged for Tony to pick us up around 7:30 am. There was a lot I wanted to get done before actually hitting one of WDWs. Of course Tony was punctual as ever (I love someone who is 5-10 minutes earlier than expected) and before we knew it we were saying Aloha to the RPR and driving under this familiar arch.

I found myself getting all gitty along with the kids, we are finally here! Our first stop, the Boardwalk Villas and as the doors open to the van, I hear “Welcome Home!” before we are ushered inside the doors to check in.

I was a little nervous about checking in, I had rented points from a DVC member and was not sure how this was all going to turn out, plus I opted not to do online check-in and I also needed to add our tickets I had purchased through Undercover Tourist onto our Keys to the World.

The CM was wonderful and before I knew it the process was over and I was being tapped on the shoulder by another CM holding a big bouquet of balloons along with several other CMs and management type people. “Congratulations Raef Family, You are the Boardwalk Villa’s Family of the Day.” Talk about some magic to start off the final leg of our Once in a Lifetime Vacation. We were handed the balloons, given buttons with our status along with a certificate, and then ushered in front of the tree to take a picture with the CMs. (We were supposed to get a copy of the picture, but I forgot to pick it up.)

After the picture we took some time to enjoy the gingerbread house and to search for hidden Mickey’s, before heading out to the bus stop.

At the bus stop, I am all smiles because it is only 8:15 am, which means I get to do some resort hopping before breakfast, I was hoping that we would have the time.

As we wait for the bus, I explain to the family my plan. Soon the bus to the Magic Kingdom appears and we are off on our first taste of Disney Transportation…by the time we have eaten breakfast we will have used all forms of WDW transportation!

I had planned our first stop so that the kids would see Cinderella’s Castle and really know that they had arrived. I know it sounds silly, but to me until you see that castle you really don’t feel like you are at WDW. Our bus passes under the next arch and the royal music begins to play, I see the excitement in the kids eyes.

As we walk towards the boat docks, I watch the kids stare in wonder at the castle and my heart melts.

I decide that the best way to get to the GF is by boat, yes I did all the calculations on time for boat vs. monorail…and boat wins by a couple of minutes!

Once on the boat we make our way across Seven Lagoons to the GF. My family falls in love with the resort from the outside, but wait until they get inside…

There is the gingerbread house and tree that I have been dying to see. I warn my family at this moment that we will be taking a lot of family pictures this trip now that we are at WDW so they need to get used to it and give me no grief. I had bought into a group share of the photo pass CD and we are going to make the most of it. The first thing we check out is the tree and there stands my first photo pass photographer.

I have to say that the lobby/atrium is breathtaking even when it is not Christmas, but with the Christmas Decorations, WOW. After our little photo session at the tree, I am handed the photo pass card and like a good planner take a picture of the back with my phone and my camera (and I will be glad I did).

 

[momabaarjo]

Next we spend some time admiring the detail of the gingerbread house and even Jeff is impressed.

I am little disappointed that the Gingerbread Shop is not open (gingerbread is one of my favorite cookies) but I figure we will be back in a few days so I will get my shingle then! Next, it is up the grand staircase

and towards the monorail, but not before one of the boys decides to have a melt down over...

 

[momabaarjo]

YAY! We're going to Disney World! Can't wait to read about the move to WDW.

Glad you are going to make the move with us...

I really enjoy Universal but does not compare to Disney. Can't wait to read the next portion of the trip.

You and Jeff would agree on this one...

Catching up again!
Can get back on top of things now that all college work is done though (I mean it's only today that I got a frame and printed a pic for the lovely Christmas frame you sent me.)

You are going to have to post a picture...so glad you are using it! I felt like they were pretty cheesey...but I wanted to make something as a thank you for hanging in with all my obsessive planning!
Anyways luvin all the updates

I always wanted to see the greenhouse but always have this fear that I wuoldn't get the chicken exit and be forced to ride the ride and that yoke has spiders so it ain't happening!

You can chicken out all they up to the sorting hat...

I love all your scrapbook pages as well.

Thanks I am loving the digital option...sent today organizing all my HP pictures into groups now that I am done with that portion of the trip report...look for some new ones posted soon!


The Grinch Breakfast looks cool I want to do it now and what a cool idea getting them to sign her Grinch book.

I don't know what made me think of getting the book signed...but I am glad we did.

Also re the collecting autographs I did when i was ten and then the two dancers trips I didn't in fact first one I didn't even meet characters I know but now (and i was 25/26 on my last two trips) I'm back to collecting autographs I think they're kinda cool souveniors to have esp the ones from characters that draw little pics on them.

I just never expected a 14 year old would want to do this...I made the autograph book thinking it would go unused...but she had a ball! I can't wait to share Marie and Rapunzal!

I spotted a hidden Mickey in that Lucy Necklace

OMG there is one!

Glad you got to see the parade as well.
Okies all caught up now I think.

Woo Hoo for Disney! We're doing Disney first, then Universal. Do you think it matters which you do first?

I decided Universal first just because of the crowd levels at WDW the week of Christmas and knowing that they die down a little bit after the 1st of the year. Even with the crowds at Universal were also huge Christmas week I knew the Express would negate the crowds for the most part.

We just went with what was familiar first, then something new before we leave. I'm not second guessing, but I do wonder why that was my first impulse rather than doing something new, then moving to Disney. I guess one reason is that we're going in June and I know the later in the month, the bigger the crowd. I figured we'd have Express access at Universal so the crowds wouldn't be such a factor as they will at Disney. Yes, that's exactly why I planned it that way. That's my story. Sticking to it.

I think your plan is great...

P.S. Love that you're honest when you have a rough time because the reality isn't matching your vision. I know I'm going to struggle with this. I hope to be as honest as you. Although I do plan to remember the pool bar when that happens...

I have to really work on not getting disappointed when my plans fall through...which is really hard for me. There is one really ugly melt down the last full day at WDW that I am really not proud of! I am going to pass it off as too long of a vacation...

Why do you get a disney video and I get a stupid ad for some stupid action movie

I have no idea why...but it makes me sad everytime I have to listen to that song!

 

[petals]

First off OMG you're at Disney in your report yay! Also double yay you got picked as family of the day! Love it pixie dust from the get go!

I have no idea why...but it makes me sad everytime I have to listen to that song!

I want a Disney video to be sad to I was reading Rinky's trip updates yesterday and almost cried because I've no trip planned yet

You are going to have to post a picture...so glad you are using it! I felt like they were pretty cheesey...but I wanted to make something as a thank you for hanging in with all my obsessive planning!

Aw no it's not cheesey I love it. Will take a pic of it and post it in my thread eventually because (spoiler alert) I will talk about gifts from dissers near the end so watch my report. But no definately not cheesey.

You can chicken out all they up to the sorting hat...

Maybe a plan for next time. We shall see how trusting I am

I don't know what made me think of getting the book signed...but I am glad we did.

That is a really good idea. I saw people doing that with Duffy and the book about him.

I just never expected a 14 year old would want to do this...I made the autograph book thinking it would go unused...but she had a ball! I can't wait to share Marie and Rapunzal!

The character interactions are so much fun and I love the picture autographs.

OMG there is one!!

Re the hidden Mickey. I think I've disney on the brain I am spotting hidden mickey's everywhere lately. I need another trip

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

 

[momabaarjo]

By Monorail, Boat, and Boat Again​

When we make it to the top of the Grand Staircase

the boys spot a penny smasher machine and whip out their tubes of pennies and quarters that I had made for them. Boo goes first getting his penny and of course that does not sit well with Goo in the first place,

so he is impatient when it is finally his turn and somehow he manages to put his coins in wrong and the penny gets hung up before dropping. Jeff spends some time trying to get the penny to fall, but without success. As the monorail pulls up, I drag a not so happy child out the doors and onto the monorail, hoping the ride will make him happy again. It does! I think finally we have found something to replace High in the Sky Trolley as his favorite ride of our trip! The monorail pulls up to the MK and we unload, and I direct the kids towards the boat docks once again.

We still have a hour before our ADR, which means I get to make another resort hop before then! After all the headaches at Universal with my touring schedule, I am smiling like the Cheshire cat…finally my touring plan is working! Of course it helps, that MK is not open yet (or at least that is what I told the family). We make our way onto the boat and head the opposite direction from the GF towards the Wilderness Lodge.

I know my family is going to love this resort, because it will remind them of the mountains and our cabin. The entire time across the lagoon, I think of my DIS friend Ann who was here this time last week and all the planning she had done in here TR made me feel as if I knew this resort already. As we pull up to the WL Ab turns to me and says, I know this hotel it’s like the one in Yellowstone.

Yep, she is right. We make our way off the dock and up the path towards the doors when the kids spot the pool, and just like the GF we have to check it out including sticking fingers in it.

It takes me a while, but I drag them from the pool and inside into the main lobby. It is as breathtaking as I remember the Lodge at Yellowstone, and that tree in the center of the room, another WOW.

Once again, there is the photo pass photographer just waiting for us to take few pictures. (I did not keep any of the pictures because they were bad!) After the pictures we spend time looking around at the wonderful décor.

The family wants to know why I did not book here, it looks better than the Boardwalk. I tell them, this looks like something we already know, I wanted different and besides all you have seen is the lobby there is so much more waiting for you on the Boardwalk. Besides, of everything on the trip...I wanted something for me. After a few more pictures, it is time that we headed for breakfast and I round everyone back up to board a boat to our breakfast destination. It does not take long for a boat to appear to take us back across the lagoon to the Contemporary Resort.

As we are making our way across, Jeff spots something that I wish he hadn’t…

 

[momabaarjo]

Ahh thanks. I hope you had a great Mother's Day too!

 

[BrerMama]

I'm enjoying seeing your photos of the resorts. I feel like I'm getting a little resort tour on my Monday morning before work!

 

[FosterA]

Fun Fun!! Happy to see the Disney segment of your report getting started.
Of course the Universal days were amazing too and I loved hearing all about them!
Keep rolling out the updates

 

[Disneychix]

Wow-you did a lot before breakfast! My family would be having NONE of that! Well, my DH would be having NONE of that

You are making me miss WL at Christmastime! We stayed there in 2009 and it was soooo nice! I'm thinking I need to go back in 2013 at that time!

 

[natebenma]

I'm here from the Dark Side!

I'm enjoying your arrival and morning at Disney. Holey, Moley- BW, GF, WL and CR all before breakfast! Best.resorthop.ever!

Congrats on being selected as BW Family of the Day! Did you get any special privileges? I know at the Beach Club you get special reserved loungers at Stormalong Bay (or maybe that is if you are SAB family of the day- they may have both)

Can't wait to hear more!

 

[momabaarjo]

I'm enjoying seeing your photos of the resorts. I feel like I'm getting a little resort tour on my Monday morning before work!

This time was the first time I have parked hopped and I had so much fun seeing the decorations!

Fun Fun!! Happy to see the Disney segment of your report getting started.
Of course the Universal days were amazing too and I loved hearing all about them!
Keep rolling out the updates

I will try to keep them coming...everytime I get on a roll it seems something happens to throw me off!

Wow-you did a lot before breakfast! My family would be having NONE of that! Well, my DH would be having NONE of that

You are making me miss WL at Christmastime! We stayed there in 2009 and it was soooo nice! I'm thinking I need to go back in 2013 at that time!

Mine had no choice...they had no idea how it all worked at WDW yet, so I took full advantage of their not knowing. We did accomplish a lot before breakfast. I am shocked that the transportation went smoothly without waits. I was hoping we had time to do GF at least...and glad we did not wait...but getting to do WL was a bonus.

Christmas time is so beautiful...I doubt we go back that time of year...the kids want warm weather!

I'm here from the Dark Side!

I'm enjoying your arrival and morning at Disney. Holey, Moley- BW, GF, WL and CR all before breakfast! Best.resorthop.ever!

I know I was totally shocked we accomplished all of this and we did not even do it warp speed...all the transportation just lined up that morning and we had no waiting around! Love when that happens!

Congrats on being selected as BW Family of the Day! Did you get any special privileges? I know at the Beach Club you get special reserved loungers at Stormalong Bay (or maybe that is if you are SAB family of the day- they may have both)

No special privledges...although I think after you see what happens to our room...maybe we hit the mother load of all special priviledges! The balloons, buttons, and certificate were enough to feel special!

Thanks for following over from the dark side....

Can't wait to hear more!

 

[annmarieda]

Why is it when I upload into Photobucket...they always play that Disney commerical. That has to be cruel and unusal punishement...I want to book a vacation! This is going be...​

I get those commercials too. Until I had a trip booked I felt out of sorts. Maybe you just need to have a trip booked.

Great updates! I am sorry that AB felt ill your last night before moving over to BWV.

Too cool that you got selected as the family of the day!!!

Love all the resort hopping. I really appreciated the ease of touring the deluxe resorts at Christmas. The mods were not so easy...

I love all the pictures... makes me want to be there now!