A Winter Escape to the Enchanted Forest-PTR January'13:Updated 1/19 Last Day Plans

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Subbing on ... I thought your PTR title was lovely...

We're doing a shortish trip beginning at the end of the month... 5 days, 4 nights...

it doesn't make it easier... it makes it harder because there are so many choices and such little time...

Your plans look good though... and all the pictures of AoA look awesome...

I'm a huge Ghostbuster's fan...so that wholel event looked like so much fun...

Thanks for joining and Welcome!

I agree about planning for shorter trips. It's a lot more challenging because my mind starts racing ahead trying to fit EVERYTHING in but in reality, there's just not enough time. I've been trying to keep expectations realistic by reminding myself of the priorities for the trip - experiencing New Fantasyland. As long as we get to accomplish that, I'll consider everything else a bonus!

I've been working on the touring plans for each park, and it's flowing a whole lot better now, so I think I made the right changes.

DW wasn't too impressed with the Air and Scare party - probably her being less of a Star Wars/ Ghostbusters fan than I am had something to do with it. I just love it. It's a shame my kids aren't into Star Wars......yet.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

DD's school was closed for election day. With DW at work and DS at his preschool, I took a vacation day and spent the day in DC with her. We took the Metro in since street parking in DC on a weekday can be a bit of a hassle. DD wanted to see the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. So I took her to the National Archives and got in line 10 minutes before opening time. The line was relatively short since it was in the middle of the week during an off-season for tourists. She enjoyed looking at the documents, but enjoyed even more when we bought those replicas from the gift shop. We then visited the Ford's Theater which was our first time. They had a decent museum underneath the theater dedicated to President Lincoln. Grabbed some lunch afterwards at a nearby restaurant, then walked by the White House. We made our way to the Reflection Pool and then to our final stop at the Lincoln Memorial before heading home. DD had a wonderful time and did a great job walking all that distance.

National Archives

Ford's Theater

From the Reflection Pool

Lincoln Memorial

 

[solana131]

Looks like a good time to visit DC....doesn't appear to be that busy. It'll be a couple years before DS is ready for that trip, but I can't wait!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Wow, what a great day and what gorgeous photos...

Living right outside Philadelphia, we're about a 2 1/2 hour ride from DC and have the luxury of getting there a couple of times a year... I love it...

The Archives are fabulous... I get the shivers looking at all those documents and the signatures... just amazing... (I am a SERIOUS history-especially American History geek...) Did you like National Treasure? (Since some of it was shot in Philadelphia...DC and New York... I've seen all those places...) btw... I like the gifts shops too...

Ford's Theatre does a nice production of A Christmas Carol...looks like they may have been setting up for it... that is a gorgeous photo of the stage/President's box... I get the chills there too...(basically I get the chills at all of that stuff...)

Nice walk... DD is a trooper...

Sounds like you made a great memory...

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Looks like a good time to visit DC....doesn't appear to be that busy. It'll be a couple years before DS is ready for that trip, but I can't wait!

I think fall after school begins is the best time to visit DC. Far smaller crowds in the museums and memorials and the weather is perfect. Of course, if you don't mind the cold, then the museums are practically empty in the middle of winter during the first hour or two after a museum opens.

Wow, what a great day and what gorgeous photos...

Living right outside Philadelphia, we're about a 2 1/2 hour ride from DC and have the luxury of getting there a couple of times a year... I love it...

The Archives are fabulous... I get the shivers looking at all those documents and the signatures... just amazing... (I am a SERIOUS history-especially American History geek...) Did you like National Treasure? (Since some of it was shot in Philadelphia...DC and New York... I've seen all those places...) btw... I like the gifts shops too...

Ford's Theatre does a nice production of A Christmas Carol...looks like they may have been setting up for it... that is a gorgeous photo of the stage/President's box... I get the chills there too...(basically I get the chills at all of that stuff...)

Nice walk... DD is a trooper...

Sounds like you made a great memory...

I initially thought about taking her to Philly that day but the idea of spending 5-6 hours in the car on a single day seemed a bit too much. We'll make it up one of these days since DD is a lot more interested in history - she has been learning a lot about Benjamin Franklin the past couple of weeks.

Yes, they were in the middle of putting the set and backdrops together on stage at the Ford's Theatre when we visited. DD6 thought that meant there was going to be a play starting in a matter of minutes so she wanted to take a seat and wait until then I had to explain to her that the play was not going to start today and she was extremely disappointed. I may have to find some time to take her to see A Christmas Carol after all.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

I have been obsessively checking WDW online ressie system 6-8 times a day trying to see if I could score a 8:05 or 8:10am ADR for Crystal Palace or Cinderella's Royal Table on either of our MK days. And just now, I finally got one!!

On our last day (Tuesday January 29th), we now have a 8:10am ADR for Crystal Palace! Had to "sacrifice" Kona which I am a bit sad about. Wish I could fit it in somehow, but I really wanted to enter MK before it opened at least once during this trip to enjoy the views of a nearly empty Main Street AND try to get a leg-up on lining up for one of the popular attractions. At this point, not sure what that attraction is going to be since I don't know yet how the NEW FL attractions will play out in terms of wait times.

In any case, very very happy!!

 

[solana131]

To funny...I woke up this morning and said to myself "Goal for today...research on DIS about before park opening ADRs." And look at the first subscription I read this morning! I've never done a pre-opening one before and I wasn't sure exactly what time to try for. Yay! I'm glad you got your wish. And maybe you can still fit Kona in somewhere. That's one of the things I love about Kona...you can usually find a walk-up there at any point in the day. It is getting busier, but it is still possible. Especially for lunch...maybe you can play it by ear

 

[Marshay]

I have been obsessively checking WDW online ressie system 6-8 times a day trying to see if I could score a 8:05 or 8:10am ADR for Crystal Palace or Cinderella's Royal Table on either of our MK days. And just now, I finally got one!!

On our last day (Tuesday January 29th), we now have a 8:10am ADR for Crystal Palace! Had to "sacrifice" Kona which I am a bit sad about. Wish I could fit it in somehow, but I really wanted to enter MK before it opened at least once during this trip to enjoy the views of a nearly empty Main Street AND try to get a leg-up on lining up for one of the popular attractions. At this point, not sure what that attraction is going to be since I don't know yet how the NEW FL attractions will play out in terms of wait times.

In any case, very very happy!!

Yay!! So glad you got your ressie!

 

[auprincess]

I'm so glad you got your ressie!! We ate at CP on our first trip several years ago, and then not again until this past April. Not sure why we waited so long ~ it is so good and just beautiful inside!

The pics of DC are great. Looks like you are really enjoying your camera. I can't wait to take a trip up that way. We just want to wait until baby is a bit older!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

To funny...I woke up this morning and said to myself "Goal for today...research on DIS about before park opening ADRs." And look at the first subscription I read this morning! I've never done a pre-opening one before and I wasn't sure exactly what time to try for. Yay! I'm glad you got your wish. And maybe you can still fit Kona in somewhere. That's one of the things I love about Kona...you can usually find a walk-up there at any point in the day. It is getting busier, but it is still possible. Especially for lunch...maybe you can play it by ear

Yay!! So glad you got your ressie!

Thank you! During our past two trips, I really got addicted to the before the park opens ADRs. In April, we did Tusker House, Akershus, and CRT to get us in the parks early. I really had to hold myself back this time since we have a short stay, and I didn't want to get the kids too tired by doing one each and every day we are there. As much as I love walking into an empty park, trying to get to the park gates by 7:30am does start to wear on you.

I'm so glad you got your ressie!! We ate at CP on our first trip several years ago, and then not again until this past April. Not sure why we waited so long ~ it is so good and just beautiful inside!

The pics of DC are great. Looks like you are really enjoying your camera. I can't wait to take a trip up that way. We just want to wait until baby is a bit older!

I am in LOVE with my camera, and can't wait to take it to WDW after a successful run at DLR! Plus, I'm really looking forward to capturing some good reaction shots at New FL!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Just saw the film "Lincoln" this weekend and had to come by to see your gorgeous shots of Ford's Theatre and the Lincoln Memorial...

He really was quite a man...

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Just saw the film "Lincoln" this weekend and had to come by to see your gorgeous shots of Ford's Theatre and the Lincoln Memorial...

He really was quite a man...

I saw the movie as well and thought it was really well done! I've posted some additional pictures of Ford's Theatre below. And, the house across the street from the theatre where Lincoln was moved to and later passed away in.

 

[Zuzu03]

Beautiful pictures of Ford's Theatre, Dave! Do they still have performances there? What show are they building a set for? It looks a little like A Christmas Carol or something! How cool! I hope to see the film on Wednesday - I'm really looking forward to it!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Beautiful pictures of Ford's Theatre, Dave! Do they still have performances there? What show are they building a set for? It looks a little like A Christmas Carol or something! How cool! I hope to see the film on Wednesday - I'm really looking forward to it!

You're right! They were setting up for A Christmas Carol which they do every year. We're taking DD this year for the first time!

 

[Zuzu03]

You're right! They were setting up for A Christmas Carol which they do every year. We're taking DD this year for the first time!

Awwww, that's awesome that she's going to see it for the first time in such a beautiful theatre! I would LOVE to perform on that stage! How cool!!!!!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Hey Dave,

Love the additional photos of Fords and the house across the street where Lincoln died...

Looking at your shot of the President's box... gives me the same chills I had when I saw that in person... so hard to know what happened there...

I thought the movie was incredibly well done... I like that Lincoln was portrayed as a truly good man with strong convictions but not a saint... I thought Sally Fields kept Mary Todd Lincoln from becoming a caricature and that Tommy Lee Jones was really great as Thaddeus Stevens....

(I may have to get the Doris Kearns Goodwin -Team of Rivals -for some light reading...


Oh Btw congrats on scoring the CRT reservation... and even though Kona is really good I think having that CP ressie is a smart move...I wanted to get an early CP there for our MK day... no luck yet... but I'll keep trying...

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Awwww, that's awesome that she's going to see it for the first time in such a beautiful theatre! I would LOVE to perform on that stage! How cool!!!!!

I think DD will enjoy it quite a bit. She seems to favor stage than film

I thought the movie was incredibly well done... I like that Lincoln was portrayed as a truly good man with strong convictions but not a saint... I thought Sally Fields kept Mary Todd Lincoln from becoming a caricature and that Tommy Lee Jones was really great as Thaddeus Stevens....

(I may have to get the Doris Kearns Goodwin -Team of Rivals -for some light reading...


Oh Btw congrats on scoring the CRT reservation... and even though Kona is really good I think having that CP ressie is a smart move...I wanted to get an early CP there for our MK day... no luck yet... but I'll keep trying...

Daniel Day Lewis is just an unbelievable actor. And Tommy Lee Jones was really good as well.

CP had one of the better breakfast spreads among the character buffets so that's a bonus to walking down a near empty Main Street

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

For the past 4 years, I've been buying 4 to 5 ornaments from Hallmark each year to add to our tree. Naturally, the selection has had a *slight* Disney bias Anyway, additions from this year arrived so I thought I'd share them!

This one's for DS

One of my favorite movies from childhood

For DD. She really wants to meet Merida during our next trip.

All I'm missing now is a white v-neck sweater and a dickie to enjoy the eggnog.

 

[Chocolab23]

For DD. She really wants to meet Merida during our next trip.

I love Merida(and can't wait to meet her either)and cute ornament!

 

[solana131]

The ornaments are great. I especially love the delorean And the moose mug is pretty sweet too