Day 3
Tuesday 18th December
Overwhelmed at Walmart & MVMCP
Ah, lovely sleep, I remember what thats like!J I do wake at 3am, 4am, and 5am though .does anyone else do this at the beginning of their holiday? I wake properly at 5.30 and remember that the problem with only having the one room on holiday is that you cant wake everyone else up this early well, not in the interests of world peace anyway!J
Then I have a brainwave .
..that is why Im sitting on the bathroom floor on a big pile of fluffy towels in a cosy little nest,(well the floor is very cold!) writing up my trip reports! Yes, I am very strange! (But it is a lovely bathroom)
Becky manages to sleep until 8am, which is great but Im champing at the bit by then, and its 9am before we are all dressed ready to go (Spotty Dog, I know youd have done several rides, had breakfast and be on your way to your second park by nowJ) so we decide to have Bf here in the hotel today. Its a lovely restaurant, Breakfast at Tiffanys is the name .how could you resist?
And again the theming is pure old Hollywood, and there is a buffet with all the old favourites: cereals, fruit, muffins, pastries, toast, waffles, lovely fluffy scrambled egg, bacon etc etc. the chef cooks fresh pancakes on request .so it would be rude not to really!J OJ and decaf coffee for me, and apple juice for the Beckmeister, coffee for Dad .yum yum! Im actually not a Bf person at home so I just have fruit and pancakes, but fresh pancakes with maple syrup are my favourite! Lovely surroundings, and although at $6.95 each its more than Ponderosa, we are more than happy! The only other guests in there at this time are from London .well, you know, it is a small world after all!
We collect our things and then drive off to inspect our very first Walmart (there Frances at last!J) yes folks, this may be our 5th trip but our first Walmart experience and boy is it an experience! We go to the one on Kirkman Road we spotted yesterday and I dont know how this compares with the others, but it is quite overwhelming! It sells everything, from Post office, bank, McDonalds in the entrance, to food, alcohol, electrical goods, clothes, household stuff and furniture, to car bits, guns and camping gear .wow! We bypass the guns (!) and go for beer, Smirnoff Ice (how cheap!!!) and champagne (for Christmas Day), Ritz crackers & M&Ms, (a strange combinations, but its a family tradition in Florida!), water, toiletries, CDs and clothes. We are there nearly 2 hours, and Im very impressed with the queue system which moves really quickly as they put everything straight into carriers on a little carousel thing! Still dont see half of the stuff and when I try to find the Scannerz game that Kazzie asked me to try for nobody seems to have heard of it .oh well, Ill try elsewhere then! but Ive had enough of walmart now, and feel The Belz calling us.
Off to Belz where we go straight to the Vans shop for Beckys beloved trainers. They are very reasonable and I keep eyeing them up much to Beckys disgust I will return later I think! Buy another Disney towel so that we have one each, a few Xmas presents and Becky buys a few things in Pac Sun (of course) including a rather neat studded leather belt. Ask in all the toy places for Scannerz but draw a blank. We are here for a couple of hours too, just wandering and its very quiet, then we take it all back to the hotel and get ready for MVMCP tonight at MK. We grab our sweatshirts too in case it cools down (glad we did).
We have more time so on the way we stop at Pointe Orlando and try FAO Schwarz for that game but no luck again. I do have my eye on the most fantastic pair of replica ruby slippers, but Becky points out they are meant for kids not fair, Ive only got quite small feet!! Have fun looking at all the Barbies, especially the collectibles, and the Star Wars stuff, as well as Hello Kitty HeavenJ Its a childs paradise! Buy some make up in Gap, some tree ornaments and pins in the Disney outlet and then its time for food. It seems empty everywhere!
We go to Johnny Rockets for an early dinner at 4.30, its great here. Juke boxes on all the tables, and the servers give you coins for them. Lovely shakes and soda, a great chicken & BLT club, grilled cheese & ham, and a tuna s/wich, all came to $24, not bad! Really like the place and its very friendly.
Leave at 5.45 for WDW and drive under that sign again, grinning and waving. The parking is very busy, but lots of people are coming away as it gets dark. Make sure the green ribbon is on the car and me, and were off. Minnie 42 so we walk to TTC and decide on monorail as its waiting for us .yes, thats because its broken down, stupid, oh well we will get there Im sure! Have to queue at Guest Services with our voucher for Hopper passes (yes even though the agent promised theyd be real tickets when they arrived they were vouchers and it was 2 days before the holiday!!! dont worry its all been said!) for 15 minutes as I decide even though we dont need them for tonight we might as well pick them up now. I have very strong words with the clerk who tries to tell me the voucher is for one person only IDONT THINK SO DEAR!!!! She was messing with the wrong girl here, I am used to asserting myself now!! AH, here we are, 3 Hopper plus tickets at last! Put them safely away and its into the park, show our bags to the nice man and yes! Were here!!
The park looks lovely as its almost dark now, with all the Xmas lights, that lovely music playing you can smell its Disney! Its not too crowded yet and I just stand there for a few minutes soaking it all in, looking at the tree, and up main St to that beautiful castle .Hi, Im Home.
First call is to get our complimentary photo done, and theres quite a line for this, in Tomorrowland. Eventually have a (quite hideous it turns out) pic done and then its off to Space Mountain for our very first ride of the holiday. Theres no queue here, great and I sit right in the front and it seems much bumpier, but I still love this, then on to Buzz, another favourite, again no queue here either. Then off to collect our first hot chocolate and cookies. This is lovely, sweet with little marshmallows in, and the cookies are all xmas shapes, obviously I have an Angel shape one, covered in sprinkles. We sit down and look out over the castle, just drinking in the hot choc and the atmosphere. Lovely feeling. Have yourself a merry Little Christmas , thank you I think I might ..J
Its now 7.55 and we arranged to meet Beckys new friend, Ashley at 8pm nr Walts statue so off we go wondering if they will be there, or have we frightened them off? No, there they are, wearing Xmas hats! They whisk off Becky and we tell them to be careful and well see them in a couple of hours. I felt quite safe doing this, even at night somehow. DH and I then have a chance to wander around for the first time on our own and it seems really strange. We wander into Adventureland and look at the massive q for hot choc, it seems very poorly organised here, with nobody knowing where the q starts. I thought there would be little stands all over the park for this. Take a look at the Aladdin ride but it looks very disappointing as Id heard. Must come back for a citrus swirl later in the holiday! Lots of the shops and concessions are closed but some are open and we look around a bit. Then off to BTMR where we get to sit right in the front, waving to the girls as we go who have just got off (how funny). The lines are still short for the rides it seems even though the park seems much busier now. This ride has to be done at night, it seems faster and you get a great view of the castle all lit up.
As we walk back down to haunted Mansion we catch some of the parade (were going to wait for the later one) and it looks great. The mansion is very spooky at night, with the wolves howling, and I notice lots of bits I hadnt noticed before. I find all the doors in the corridor very scary, especially the one that bulges outwards, bit too much like a Stephen King I think! My fave bit is still the Banquet Hall though. Stroll out and look no q for Small World! Force Vince onto this as hes never done it before, he grits his teeth and manages to almost smile on his way out (or was that a grimace?)
20 min wait for Peter Pan so just walk thru Fantasy Land, this is really a night to just look around and taste the atmosphere I think oh yes, and drink hot choc and eat lovely cookies!J Watch the FiTS fireworks, they look so different from here as opposed to out on the lake. Obviously they are much closer, but I liked the view from the lake best I think. I do like the way that Santa appeared in the castle window tonight though! We meet up with the girls and wish them all, and their family a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays while the girls promise to email each other .this really has been an unexpected bonus for us all, esp becky.
Watch some of the show Celebrate the Season with some very strange looking reindeer and dancing horses. Then its onto Space Mountain again (no q again) then Buzz again where I manage a much improved score. Grab some more HC and cookies for Becky whos feeling a bit chilly and very tired by now, well its past 11 pm and we suddenly realise how exhausted we all are. Sit on the kerb in Main Street to watch the parade, look theres the snow I know its not real, but its really very magical, and they do make you believe. Its very Christmassy tonight I think. I love the parade car with all the princesses on it, even Sleeping Beauty who you never see normally. The gingerbread house smells like gingerbread and cinnamon and apples ..mmmmmm. At 11.20 we finally call it a day, we are so tired, we catch the mono to TTC, see our green ribbon waving from our ariel, and fall into the car happily reflecting on the lovely evening. What a shame the video camera we borrowed chose this evening to break (yes really)!
As we drive back we note where the music shop is that Dave FM told us about, and we reach the hotel by midnight not turned into pumpkins .though if we carry on eating this way we soon will be!!
A Smirnoff Ice for me, a beer for Vince and a snore from Becky .Goodnight All!
(Thanks for sticking with us!)
Tuesday 18th December
Overwhelmed at Walmart & MVMCP
Ah, lovely sleep, I remember what thats like!J I do wake at 3am, 4am, and 5am though .does anyone else do this at the beginning of their holiday? I wake properly at 5.30 and remember that the problem with only having the one room on holiday is that you cant wake everyone else up this early well, not in the interests of world peace anyway!J
Then I have a brainwave .
..that is why Im sitting on the bathroom floor on a big pile of fluffy towels in a cosy little nest,(well the floor is very cold!) writing up my trip reports! Yes, I am very strange! (But it is a lovely bathroom)
Becky manages to sleep until 8am, which is great but Im champing at the bit by then, and its 9am before we are all dressed ready to go (Spotty Dog, I know youd have done several rides, had breakfast and be on your way to your second park by nowJ) so we decide to have Bf here in the hotel today. Its a lovely restaurant, Breakfast at Tiffanys is the name .how could you resist?
And again the theming is pure old Hollywood, and there is a buffet with all the old favourites: cereals, fruit, muffins, pastries, toast, waffles, lovely fluffy scrambled egg, bacon etc etc. the chef cooks fresh pancakes on request .so it would be rude not to really!J OJ and decaf coffee for me, and apple juice for the Beckmeister, coffee for Dad .yum yum! Im actually not a Bf person at home so I just have fruit and pancakes, but fresh pancakes with maple syrup are my favourite! Lovely surroundings, and although at $6.95 each its more than Ponderosa, we are more than happy! The only other guests in there at this time are from London .well, you know, it is a small world after all!
We collect our things and then drive off to inspect our very first Walmart (there Frances at last!J) yes folks, this may be our 5th trip but our first Walmart experience and boy is it an experience! We go to the one on Kirkman Road we spotted yesterday and I dont know how this compares with the others, but it is quite overwhelming! It sells everything, from Post office, bank, McDonalds in the entrance, to food, alcohol, electrical goods, clothes, household stuff and furniture, to car bits, guns and camping gear .wow! We bypass the guns (!) and go for beer, Smirnoff Ice (how cheap!!!) and champagne (for Christmas Day), Ritz crackers & M&Ms, (a strange combinations, but its a family tradition in Florida!), water, toiletries, CDs and clothes. We are there nearly 2 hours, and Im very impressed with the queue system which moves really quickly as they put everything straight into carriers on a little carousel thing! Still dont see half of the stuff and when I try to find the Scannerz game that Kazzie asked me to try for nobody seems to have heard of it .oh well, Ill try elsewhere then! but Ive had enough of walmart now, and feel The Belz calling us.
Off to Belz where we go straight to the Vans shop for Beckys beloved trainers. They are very reasonable and I keep eyeing them up much to Beckys disgust I will return later I think! Buy another Disney towel so that we have one each, a few Xmas presents and Becky buys a few things in Pac Sun (of course) including a rather neat studded leather belt. Ask in all the toy places for Scannerz but draw a blank. We are here for a couple of hours too, just wandering and its very quiet, then we take it all back to the hotel and get ready for MVMCP tonight at MK. We grab our sweatshirts too in case it cools down (glad we did).
We have more time so on the way we stop at Pointe Orlando and try FAO Schwarz for that game but no luck again. I do have my eye on the most fantastic pair of replica ruby slippers, but Becky points out they are meant for kids not fair, Ive only got quite small feet!! Have fun looking at all the Barbies, especially the collectibles, and the Star Wars stuff, as well as Hello Kitty HeavenJ Its a childs paradise! Buy some make up in Gap, some tree ornaments and pins in the Disney outlet and then its time for food. It seems empty everywhere!
We go to Johnny Rockets for an early dinner at 4.30, its great here. Juke boxes on all the tables, and the servers give you coins for them. Lovely shakes and soda, a great chicken & BLT club, grilled cheese & ham, and a tuna s/wich, all came to $24, not bad! Really like the place and its very friendly.
Leave at 5.45 for WDW and drive under that sign again, grinning and waving. The parking is very busy, but lots of people are coming away as it gets dark. Make sure the green ribbon is on the car and me, and were off. Minnie 42 so we walk to TTC and decide on monorail as its waiting for us .yes, thats because its broken down, stupid, oh well we will get there Im sure! Have to queue at Guest Services with our voucher for Hopper passes (yes even though the agent promised theyd be real tickets when they arrived they were vouchers and it was 2 days before the holiday!!! dont worry its all been said!) for 15 minutes as I decide even though we dont need them for tonight we might as well pick them up now. I have very strong words with the clerk who tries to tell me the voucher is for one person only IDONT THINK SO DEAR!!!! She was messing with the wrong girl here, I am used to asserting myself now!! AH, here we are, 3 Hopper plus tickets at last! Put them safely away and its into the park, show our bags to the nice man and yes! Were here!!
The park looks lovely as its almost dark now, with all the Xmas lights, that lovely music playing you can smell its Disney! Its not too crowded yet and I just stand there for a few minutes soaking it all in, looking at the tree, and up main St to that beautiful castle .Hi, Im Home.
First call is to get our complimentary photo done, and theres quite a line for this, in Tomorrowland. Eventually have a (quite hideous it turns out) pic done and then its off to Space Mountain for our very first ride of the holiday. Theres no queue here, great and I sit right in the front and it seems much bumpier, but I still love this, then on to Buzz, another favourite, again no queue here either. Then off to collect our first hot chocolate and cookies. This is lovely, sweet with little marshmallows in, and the cookies are all xmas shapes, obviously I have an Angel shape one, covered in sprinkles. We sit down and look out over the castle, just drinking in the hot choc and the atmosphere. Lovely feeling. Have yourself a merry Little Christmas , thank you I think I might ..J
Its now 7.55 and we arranged to meet Beckys new friend, Ashley at 8pm nr Walts statue so off we go wondering if they will be there, or have we frightened them off? No, there they are, wearing Xmas hats! They whisk off Becky and we tell them to be careful and well see them in a couple of hours. I felt quite safe doing this, even at night somehow. DH and I then have a chance to wander around for the first time on our own and it seems really strange. We wander into Adventureland and look at the massive q for hot choc, it seems very poorly organised here, with nobody knowing where the q starts. I thought there would be little stands all over the park for this. Take a look at the Aladdin ride but it looks very disappointing as Id heard. Must come back for a citrus swirl later in the holiday! Lots of the shops and concessions are closed but some are open and we look around a bit. Then off to BTMR where we get to sit right in the front, waving to the girls as we go who have just got off (how funny). The lines are still short for the rides it seems even though the park seems much busier now. This ride has to be done at night, it seems faster and you get a great view of the castle all lit up.
As we walk back down to haunted Mansion we catch some of the parade (were going to wait for the later one) and it looks great. The mansion is very spooky at night, with the wolves howling, and I notice lots of bits I hadnt noticed before. I find all the doors in the corridor very scary, especially the one that bulges outwards, bit too much like a Stephen King I think! My fave bit is still the Banquet Hall though. Stroll out and look no q for Small World! Force Vince onto this as hes never done it before, he grits his teeth and manages to almost smile on his way out (or was that a grimace?)
20 min wait for Peter Pan so just walk thru Fantasy Land, this is really a night to just look around and taste the atmosphere I think oh yes, and drink hot choc and eat lovely cookies!J Watch the FiTS fireworks, they look so different from here as opposed to out on the lake. Obviously they are much closer, but I liked the view from the lake best I think. I do like the way that Santa appeared in the castle window tonight though! We meet up with the girls and wish them all, and their family a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays while the girls promise to email each other .this really has been an unexpected bonus for us all, esp becky.
Watch some of the show Celebrate the Season with some very strange looking reindeer and dancing horses. Then its onto Space Mountain again (no q again) then Buzz again where I manage a much improved score. Grab some more HC and cookies for Becky whos feeling a bit chilly and very tired by now, well its past 11 pm and we suddenly realise how exhausted we all are. Sit on the kerb in Main Street to watch the parade, look theres the snow I know its not real, but its really very magical, and they do make you believe. Its very Christmassy tonight I think. I love the parade car with all the princesses on it, even Sleeping Beauty who you never see normally. The gingerbread house smells like gingerbread and cinnamon and apples ..mmmmmm. At 11.20 we finally call it a day, we are so tired, we catch the mono to TTC, see our green ribbon waving from our ariel, and fall into the car happily reflecting on the lovely evening. What a shame the video camera we borrowed chose this evening to break (yes really)!
As we drive back we note where the music shop is that Dave FM told us about, and we reach the hotel by midnight not turned into pumpkins .though if we carry on eating this way we soon will be!!
A Smirnoff Ice for me, a beer for Vince and a snore from Becky .Goodnight All!
(Thanks for sticking with us!)
