A Very Lurkyloo Christmas is FINISHED! New 3/16: Last Day of the Trip!

[lurkyloo]

That guy's got a lot of balls…

I'll bet you dollars to donuts that kid's got his mouth on the railing.

Oh look! Santa even comes to Lizardville!

I know, kid—that was totally silly…

OK, so, the Biergarten was pretty much exactly what I expected—great theming, rowdy atmosphere, middling food. My journal entry from that night says, "Sensory OVERLOAD! Crowds! Sitting with strangers! Oompah band! Buffet mania!!!"

 

[lurkyloo]

It's all semi-communal seating, so we were put at a table with a group of four. The food was the typical Disney buffet take on ethnic specialties—lots of lukewarm overcooked meat, heavy sauces, clammy cold cuts.... Definitely not for those on a diet!

I think we had a 5:45pm dinner reservation for the 8:15pm showing of Candlelight Processional. We got out with an hour to spare before the show and went straight to America Gardens Theater to line up for seats. The queue for dining package holders—not even standby—was already all the way to Japan! What's the point?! You pay all this money for a dining package that guarantees you a seat, but you still have to stand in line for an hour or more? If I really want to see Candlelight again, next time I'll just spend that hour in the standby line for FREE and eat takeaway dinner while I wait…

At least we had this pretty view!

At last we were let into the theater and filed into some OK seats slightly off center but within the first section of seating. They were better than what D23 got us at least!

Unfortunately, that night's narrator had been replaced sort of at the last minute by former child star Abigail Breslin, and the phrase "woefully miscast" has never been more appropriate. I am sure she's a great person, but a golden throated elocutionist she is not. Her flat, bored-sounding reading of the Christmas story sapped the life out of the performance, and in between her cues she'd stare off into space as if counting the moments until she was reunited with her cell phone. We referred to her as "Abby Bressie" for the rest of the trip.

"OMG, I could totally be on Facebook right now."

"I can SEE my phone… I wonder if I can reach it from here..."

"Yep… right there… sticking outta my Birkin bag. Geez, I wish I knew how to use The Force."

"And then the Angel Gabriel was all, 'Mary…'"

"Gah! Do you believe this?"

"I dunno, I guess the girl from 'The Ring' cancelled?"

"Whatever you do, DON'T distract her!"

"Well, OK, maybe just a little—tee hee!"

"Yo, Abby! You need me to take it from here?"

 

[lurkyloo]

(Crickets chirping)

"Fine, we'll just sing our butts off to cover for you!"

(Interpreter makes American Sign Language gestures for "singing butts off")

Lady to the left of Abby Bressie: "It's like she's reading from the PHONE BOOK!"

"N…oooo, doesn't sound any better in color either!"

Abbie Bressie: "Oh thank gawd, it's OVER!"

Choir: "Yeah, they're not clapping for you, Abby…"

Abbie Bressie: "Wait, is it really over, or am I supposed to be doing something right now?"

"Wasn't Santa supposed to come out?"

"Whew! Yeah, OK, it's totally over!"

"I swear to gawd, if I have to listen to that girl utter one more word, I'm passing right out!"

That year was the first time they offered a private IllumiNations viewing area as part of the Candlelight Processional dining package. I thought surely for the 8:15 people that area would be Italy Isola, which holds up to 300, because it's right next to America Gardens Theater. But that would have been too convenient—instead, they herd everybody from all three seatings of the dinner package into World Showcase Plaza. This means that if you go to see the 8:15 CP, you have only 10 minutes to hoof it half a mile around World Showcase to get to the viewing area, because they hold you in the theater until the entire mass choir has crossed the path on their way backstage. YIKES!

World Showcas Plaza is the area between the two identical souvenir shops at the entrance to World Showcase. I ran ahead and staked out as close to the front as I could so that only one of us would be panting and gasping for breath during much of the show. It really is a great place to see IllumiNations from (if you can get to the front). I'm just shocked that they think people can make the trek in 10 minutes, through Christmastime crowds.

We did not have the greatest view, but Nate still got some cool shots!

 

[lurkyloo]

 

[lurkyloo]

 

[lurkyloo]

After the show, I made poor Nathensey wait around in the cold because I was convinced we were going to get to see the fabled "barge burnoff" in which the fireworks barge goes up in a ball of flame to use up all the leftover fuel. We waited and waited and waited…

Finally we gave up. As it turns out (and I learned this only 2 weeks ago when we were on an IllumiNations cruise), they haven't done the barge burn-off in YEARS cuz they updated all the systems a while back and eliminated the need for the burn-off. I *hate*not knowing stuff!

Nathensey took some more nice pix on their way out as I rode the monorail back to Bay Lake Tower.

When I got back to the room, I guess I thought our hilariously empty refrigerator needed to be documented.

Good thing we have a 20-cubic-foot refrigerator for all our food!

And then I decided, heck, I may not be able to sit in a bubble bath and watch the Wishes fireworks show through our bedroom window, but I could sure as heck sit in a bubble bath and eat a Mickey bar! And so I did.

Up Next: Wishes Dessert Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party with the Roots!

 

[MEK]

Wow. Talk about mega -post! Seriously, I was laughing out loud with that "perhaps if I use the force" comment. OMG. Abbie Bressie looks a tad familiar. She does look rather lifeless in most of the pictures.

Your pictures of BLT turned out really great. I think you are getting the photography gene! Strong work.

Spectacular pictures of CP! So much detail. so many faces in the choir (some not so pretty....lol!)

Fabulous update!

 

[lurkyloo]

Yay! I'm glad you liked the update! I've been trying to be better about writing creatively in between photos—I noticed this report was nowhere NEAR as funny as my first anniversary trip report when I re-read it. I think I was feeling kinda uninspired. But now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel—just two more days to write up!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

That's too bad Abigail Breslin was a bit on the unenthusiastic side - still, seems like a gorgeous and impressive performance! I've only seen the CP from peeking over crowds on the sidewalk, the wait definitely gets a bit too long for me.

I had NO idea they didn't do the fuel burnoff at the end of Illuminations anymore! It's funny, I told DBF about it after our stay at the YC, and he said he did hear an explosion around 10:30 on a few of the evenings...random coincidence? That's too bad, I had always wanted to linger around WC to see it!

 

[Aburns8]

Love the update. I especially loved the Abby Breslin commentary! You are too funny! Do you know there is like 75 days until Destination D?

 

[DISNEYaddict4evr]

so your comments on the photos during the candlelight processional have me concerned. I was thinking of taking my mom to it it it worth doing what you did with dinner? does the best night all depend on who is reading?

Should we even go? Thoughts...

 

[Disneygrl36]

All caught up! Haven't been dising alot these days, but I have to say that I loved your santas I didn't see!

Your anniversary party blog was AMAzing! You both looked so elegant & just fit the HTH theme so well. You have some spectacular experiences & I am glad that I get to read all about them.

P.S.........so excited to get to see you again in May.

 

[norybell]

Your Abbie Bressie commentary is hilarious. And I really love some of the Roots' post-Illuminations shots!

I think I spent 20 minutes standing under the slide trying to take a picture of someone whizzing by. It's worse that trying to shoot a Test Track vehicle on the outside track!

I love this pic! It's creepy, in such a great, Dr. Who-like way! (Like, you're on a planet where the humans are being sucked through tubes by some sort of retro-style aliens, for some nefarious purpose or other.)

And I love Dr. Who, so I mean that as a compliment.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Great pics, Carrie! I love the Water slide - looks like a lizard up there- and the Mickey in the Glass blocks - haven't seen pics of this area before! You got some good ones!

Mickey Bar in the bubble bath - too funny! I'm sure that was much better than champagne and strawberries!

 

[KatGarcia]

Oh man the picture commentary was cracking me up!

On a side note, how are you liking TweetDeck?

 

[PopArtGal]

Would you say that unless you really want to eat at a certain restaurant, the Processional package isn't worth it? Oh btw, if we choose Le Cellier, for example, is there a set menu?

Oh and Bubble baths rock... Thinking about it... I need one hehe

 

[lurkyloo]

That's too bad Abigail Breslin was a bit on the unenthusiastic side - still, seems like a gorgeous and impressive performance! I've only seen the CP from peeking over crowds on the sidewalk, the wait definitely gets a bit too long for me.

I had NO idea they didn't do the fuel burnoff at the end of Illuminations anymore! It's funny, I told DBF about it after our stay at the YC, and he said he did hear an explosion around 10:30 on a few of the evenings...random coincidence? That's too bad, I had always wanted to linger around WC to see it!

Totally! It seems like it would have been a spectacular sight!

Love the update. I especially loved the Abby Breslin commentary! You are too funny! Do you know there is like 75 days until Destination D?

Aiyeeeee! And only about 10 til my DFTW Bridal Showcase trip—I am SO not ready!

so your comments on the photos during the candlelight processional have me concerned. I was thinking of taking my mom to it it it worth doing what you did with dinner? does the best night all depend on who is reading?

Should we even go? Thoughts...

I do think that it's a crapshoot how good the narrator is, but as others have said, you do still have the ginormous choir and musicians carrying the rest of the show.

As for the dinner package, to me, the price you pay for dinner should do more than just get you in—it should guarantee you a good spot. But they sell so many that you still have to wait in line if you want a good spot.

I guess it depends on how important the seating area is to you. If you're happy just to be in the auditorium, then I say do the cheapest tier of restaurant and show up after they start letting people into the auditorium. But if you're the type who doesn't mind waiting in line to get a good spot, you may as well wait in the standby line for free.

All caught up! Haven't been dising alot these days, but I have to say that I loved your santas I didn't see!

Your anniversary party blog was AMAzing! You both looked so elegant & just fit the HTH theme so well. You have some spectacular experiences & I am glad that I get to read all about them.

P.S.........so excited to get to see you again in May.

Yay! I'm excited too! Thanks for the kind comments on the anniversary party.

Your Abbie Bressie commentary is hilarious. And I really love some of the Roots' post-Illuminations shots!


I love this pic! It's creepy, in such a great, Dr. Who-like way! (Like, you're on a planet where the humans are being sucked through tubes by some sort of retro-style aliens, for some nefarious purpose or other.)

And I love Dr. Who, so I mean that as a compliment.

Compliment taken! That shot does have a very sci-fi vibe to it, doesn't it?

Great pics, Carrie! I love the Water slide - looks like a lizard up there- and the Mickey in the Glass blocks - haven't seen pics of this area before! You got some good ones!

Mickey Bar in the bubble bath - too funny! I'm sure that was much better than champagne and strawberries!

Um, YES!!!! Mostly because I don't like either of those things.

Oh man the picture commentary was cracking me up!

On a side note, how are you liking TweetDeck?

It's neat! I like how I can schedule Tweets—very handy!

Would you say that unless you really want to eat at a certain restaurant, the Processional package isn't worth it? Oh btw, if we choose Le Cellier, for example, is there a set menu?

Oh and Bubble baths rock... Thinking about it... I need one hehe

I would say that it's better NOT to care where you eat and just to go with whatever's cheapest.

I think I've read that Le Cellier has a set menu for the Candlelight Package, but the other restaurants don't. Also, all bets are off now that Le Cellier has gone Signature. It may even have its own tier this year.

 

[lurkyloo]

Hope ya like Christmas, cuz this installment's lousy with it!

I started my last full day at Disney off right with two room service kids' breakfasts (cuz they don't have just one "everything breakfast" and also you get milk!).


Mickey waffles with sausage + eggs, hash browns, bacon and a biscuit!

Eeeeeeeew….

The plan was to take it easy in the morning by touring the monorail resorts to look at their Christmas decorations. In the afternoon I was scheduled to meet Jensey for the Finding Nemo lunch package they do at Tusker House, plus a backstage tour that Patrick arranged but didn't get to go on!

I sashayed out of my $$$ Bay Lake Tower 1-bedroom to find this still in the hall. It had been there since the previous day.

Bad show!

My chariot awaits!

The then-newly expanded Chef Mickey's

View from the monorail platform

The Polynesian's Christmas decorations were fairly subdued compared to those of the other resorts.

My next stop was the Grand Floridian, where I was momentarily distracted by this fabulous gift basket in the window at Basin.

The Grand Floridian pretty much pulls out all the stops at Christmas. It's not my taste, really, but it definitely puts you in the Christmas mood!

 

[lurkyloo]

Mizner's Lounge

Of course the crown jewel is the life-size gingerbread house. I'd heard so much about it over the years, but you really have to see it in person to appreciate the countless hours of work that go into it.

Now they always say the GF gingerbread house contains a gift shop, but that makes it sound like you can actually go inside it. Really, it's more like a gift counter, and only employees can go inside it. Boo!

"Nyah, nyah! Bet you wish you were in heeeeeeerrrreeee!"

There's almost always a line to buy stuff, too, but it gives you time to fantasize about gnawing on the gingerbread house itself…

Judging by how fast these cast members were moving, I'd say they've been gnawing on the gingerbread house all day!

[Sock-O!] "Only *I* get to be in Lurkyloo's picture!"

 

[lurkyloo]

Patrick would have loved the little Christmas villages on the eaves…

I spotted the head pastry chef out and about in the lobby fielding questions about the house.

I picked up a chocolate-covered gingerbread shingle for Patrick (he later declared it delicious) and an Oreo pop and a cookie for me. They were just so-so…

In an effort to, I dunno, provide enough photos for my readers to completely re-create the gingerbread house at home, I went up stairs for a different perspective on the thing.

Whaaaa? Real smoke?!