~A XMAS STORY~decorations, crowds, pixies..AND A BLOODY NOSE~ACTUAL UPDATE 11/9 p190

[Leleluvsdis]

Oh my!!! You are def making me want to spend more time in Epcot. I normally do Epcot in less than a day, but seeing all the pics of the shops I'm thinking I will have to browse all the shops when we are there in May!!!

 

[punkin413]

oh, no.....they're playing fantasia on AI!!!!! someone plug my ears!!!!!!!

loved the fountain pictures!! The first one is my favorite

i will tell anna you said so....i think she took them. i took one but mine wasn't as good.

the santa story tellers are another reason i want to go back at christmas as well, i saw 2 of them in all of the countries, the one at germany is really funny

we got to see one but that will come later. you really have to spend all day in WS to see more than a couple!

All caught up Dawn and it sounds as though you're having a great trip so far!

The villa looks lovely, very spacious and wow you did get a lot of rain, I didn't see any from the 4th to 9th of December

I love Tepp too and it's just been put onto the DDP

yeah, it was nice. this was sort of a bonus trip and we really needed to not spend too much, so off property it was. it was nice but i think we're going back to disney next time! ray likes being able to get to and from the resort so easily to take breaks. i guess we got all your rain!

Just found your trip report and had fun catching up. I love the first picture of the fountain in France. I have to remember to show that to my son the next time he comes over. We were at WDW for our 4th Annual Christmas this past December. After my first time at Christmas in 2005, I was hooked. I never thought I would ever go at Christmas and I can't believe I have been lucky enough to go the past four years! I'm looking forward to your next installment with video!

thanks for reading! ray and i are planning on going back in december 2010. who knows? it may become a tradition for us too!

My cat does the same thing with our foot heater. He lays so close, I have pushed him back before, when he gets up his fur is so warm.
I know what you mean about the story tellers, we didn't see any in December either. There is just too much to do. - Lisa

pets are so funny! i've got two doggies asleep on either side of me right now. they are such lazy bums! yeah, there was no way to get everything in that we wanted to, but that's always the case.

I'm loving the trip report! After seeing the pics of Teppan Edo, I am seriously reconsidering my dinner ideas for the trip I am a huge fan of anything having to do with Japan and DH and I both love Japanese cuisine.

The pictures of the fountain are beautiful. The first one almost looks like it is a frozen fountain. Absolutely gorgeous! Can't wait to read more.

oh, then you would love it! you sound like me - you're planning your trip 2 years from now! thanks for reading!

I LOVE the "vision" print that you got! I might have to find that for my room.

The picture of Sherman in front of the heater made me laugh because my dog does the same thing! We have a vent in our living room, and as soon as he hears the heat come on, he gets up from wherever he is and goes to lie down in front of it, with his paws pressed up against it. Sometimes he'll even go over there when it's not on and just wait for it.

The pictures of the fountains are so pretty! I love the World Showcase at night. I think that I'm going to try a sultan's colada, too, but I might have to have my dad reach it for me, or be smart like you and make sure that I have wipes in my bag.

that's so funny about your dog - it's like he's warming his hands by the fire! yeah, definitely get someone to help you if you're on the shorter side like me. that kiosk is so wierd!

Ok, Dawn - you're giving me ANOTHER drink I need to try! I don't think I've ever got a beverage in Morocco before - probably because we hit France first and I'm still working on my GreyGoose slushie!

Oh it was a sad day when Lauren didn't fit into the Disney strollers anymore. It was so easy whipping around the parks with her in that thing and we would always pile all of our stuff in their too.

Sherman looks so cute in front of the space heater!

(and we're obsessed with Jon & Kate plus 8 in our house too!)

another drink? oh, darn! i think i want to steal one of those strollers for when ray and i have a baby! oh, i love jon and kate. i want to kidnap alexis. she's a riot!

Love Love LOve the grey goose slushie....
Just reading in lurkdom as usual. Great! Love your trip reports.

thanks for popping in to say hi!

I love the parks at night! They seem even more magical than during the day!

yeah, world showcase especially at night as SO PRETTY! that was the first time ray had seen it after the sun went down and i think he liked it!

Okay, so one of things I like most about you is you appear so laid back while at WDW. I am so envious. I always feel like the Tasmanian Devil.

OMG.....you don't know how funny this is because ray refers to me as the disney nazi! i actually copied the link to your post and sent it to ray, my sister and anna because i knew they'd all get a kick out of it!

Seems like a nice stroll around the World Showcase! I"m glad Ray learned to like Epcot!

it was! yeah, it's growing on him. he really liked illuminations - that's coming up later!

1. Pistachio Baklava....mmmmmm
2. Grey Goose Slushie....mmmmm
3. Black and Tan.....mmmmmmm
4. Beerstaches....

you sound like homer simpson! i'm so glad you're back, jordan! you can't disappear again when you return from china!

I LOVE the color of your office!!
And, I think that I like the France Pavillion too. Not only is the Eiffle Tower there, but they also have PASTRIES!!! Yummy

thanks! green has always been my favorite. i've never had a pastrie in france - i'll have to remember that!

The fountain pictures are awesome!!!!! Glad to hear the sultan drink was good. That is going on my list for next time!

I have to agree with you on the strollers! Those are the best strollers I have ever pushed in my life!! We are definately getting one for Hollie when we go in November! She can walk some, but when she gets tired she will need it!

yep, another drink for you to try! yes, i loved the strollers. i wonder if they'd sell me a used one for cheap!

 

[punkin413]

I love the Japan shop - so many beautiful, delicate things in there!

i do too! i wish i'd have more time to really take my time and look at everything. i always feel rushed in there!

The France movie is wonderful. The music and the scenery are beautiful.

i've never seen it. another thing on my to-do list!

Pistachio baklava is delicious, but oh, so sweet!

but OH, SO GOOD!!!!

Your pictures are great. I could picture myself right there walking around with you!

thanks! i'm glad i could take you along on the trip.

We saw several storytellers this trip. They do add an extra bit of fun to Epcot.

i wish we could've seen more. we saw some in mexico, which i will get to shortly.

Tell Luke he did a great job on his mask. He's so cute. How's he liking his school? I bet he has all kinds of stories to tell about things he does with his friends.

i will tell him! as far as i know, he loves school. he made a story book where he filled in blanks (kind of like mad libs) and he said that his parents were 10,000 years old.

YAY you got a Sultan's Colada! My newfound love....I got one on our august trip and adored it. I love the store in Japan too, one of these days I have to get a pearl! Your pictures of the fountain in France are gorgeous too.

Oh just have to add....I am watching AI right now, I am an avid fan too...ever since season 1! When I was in college my mom took me to meet Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson at one of their concerts and when it was my turn to say hello to Clay I almost fainted

oh, it was soooo good! i wish i hadn't spilled some! that's so funny about clay! i think i'm the only person on earth that didn't like him. i know - how horrible! of course i was rooting for kimberly that season but once she was gone i just couldn't cheer for him - he was too showtune-y for me. which is funny because i love musicals! i think he's really talented though. i hear here's awesome in spamalot!

OH MY GOSH!!!! I mean, that is cool you went to school with her, but I am talking about Dawn with blond hair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I tried that once and when I came home my mom told me to take my wig off! Which....it wasn't a wig!!!! It was terrible!!!! I have decided to just stick with the dark colors. But, you dont' look bad at all with blond hair! And of course, besides the hair color you still look the same!!!!!!

my hair has been EVERY color under the sun! i was a lifeguard the summer before that school year and those pics were taken at the beginning of the school year, so i was still really blonde from the sun. i didn't color it, believe it or not! my hair is naturally really dark blonde and i darken it now because it looks like dish water!

Oh my!!! You are def making me want to spend more time in Epcot. I normally do Epcot in less than a day, but seeing all the pics of the shops I'm thinking I will have to browse all the shops when we are there in May!!!

yes, shopping at epcot is a MUST! there's SO MUCH to look at and wish you could buy!

 

[lmillercrew]

I'm with you on the whole Fantasia thing. Don't care for her voice at all!
And, you HAVE to go to the bakery in France when you get back to Disney!

 

[tinkgurl]

Thanks for sharing the yearbook pics! And Dawn......you haven't changed very much since high school! Still gorgeous as ever.

 

[disneymom1980]

I missed that there was a new update . I was going back in the posts to show DH the pictures from Teppan Edo, and I'm glad that I did, otherwise I might have missed that update all together.

What is it with guys and that statue in Japan? DH insisted on having his picture in front of it while we were at Epcot. The Sultan's Colada sounds really good, but I'll have to be careful not to let DH have any if I order one. He's extremely allergic to nuts, so the almond liquor in it could pretty much do him in. I don't want to add a trip to the ER into our vacation.

 

[englishrose47]

Slooowly catching up !! Those pix of Teppan Edo are delish !! I may have t change my dining plans yet again !! I love Shrimp and that loked sooooo good !! Someonesaid the train wasn't a monorail but sure looks like it to me and what an awesomeidea for the kids ! My DGS would LOVE it !!

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

did they make everyone wear the same dress, all you girls look to have the same dress on , and tuxes for the guys?

 

[VandyFan10]

I LOVE this pic....so awesome!!

Is this the night I talked to you???

 

[punkin413]

I'm with you on the whole Fantasia thing. Don't care for her voice at all!
And, you HAVE to go to the bakery in France when you get back to Disney!

i think she sounds like an injured bird when she sings. and when she performed on idol last year......

Thanks for sharing the yearbook pics! And Dawn......you haven't changed very much since high school! Still gorgeous as ever.

awwww...thanks! i think i've changed just because i see every little wrinkle and gray hair!

I missed that there was a new update . I was going back in the posts to show DH the pictures from Teppan Edo, and I'm glad that I did, otherwise I might have missed that update all together.

What is it with guys and that statue in Japan? DH insisted on having his picture in front of it while we were at Epcot. The Sultan's Colada sounds really good, but I'll have to be careful not to let DH have any if I order one. He's extremely allergic to nuts, so the almond liquor in it could pretty much do him in. I don't want to add a trip to the ER into our vacation.

glad you saw the update! i don't know about that statue but ray had to jump over a chain to get to it! definitely keep your DH away from that drink! i don't know that it has real nuts in it but i'm sure there's a great possibility that it does!

Slooowly catching up !! Those pix of Teppan Edo are delish !! I may have t change my dining plans yet again !! I love Shrimp and that loked sooooo good !! Someonesaid the train wasn't a monorail but sure looks like it to me and what an awesomeidea for the kids ! My DGS would LOVE it !!

teppan edo was great! anna had the shrimp and they were DELICIOUS!

did they make everyone wear the same dress, all you girls look to have the same dress on , and tuxes for the guys?

those are our formal senior pictures. they had the girls put this drape-like thing on. it wasn't a full dress - just the top of one and we had jeans or whatever on because you can't see the bottom half anyway. and yes, the guys wore tuxes on the top half. did you guys not have that done? i thought every high school did that! my mom and dad even did it in the early '70's!

I LOVE this pic....so awesome!!

Is this the night I talked to you???

thanks! i think anna took it. yep, that's the night i called you. that picture is coming up soon! anna snapped a pic while i was on the phone with you!

 

[ktmetke]

What does the grey goose slushie taste like? Just curious cause so many people love them.....like a Mike's hard lemonade?

 

[rentayenta]

Love the AI chatter. I work with Carmen Rasmusen's dad from AI, I think the same season as Kimberly Locke. Carmen is so cute and her dad is the best!

 

[winkers]

oh, no.....they're playing fantasia on AI!!!!! someone plug my ears!!!!!!!

I felt the same way.....her voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

 

[winkers]

What does the grey goose slushie taste like? Just curious cause so many people love them.....like a Mike's hard lemonade?

I think it's like a goose that has been through the food processer and then frozen..........served in a cute glass with a straw,

 

[xoktenox]

Loved the update, as usual. Those black and tan mustaches are too funny It sounds like you guys all tried some great drinks, I'm definitely going to have to try a grey goose slushie, all I've heard are great things about it! And just so you know, you made my BF and I to have Teppan Edo be our Epcot dinner res, not Coral Reef like we had originally planned! I'll be sure not to try the green tea martini though, too much vodka doesn't sit so well with me. I had a S'mores martini over the holidays at a restaurant and I nearly got sick it was so strong!

Anna's pictures of the fountain are so beautiful, as is the one that you hung in your office. And speaking of pictures, great senior picture! You really don't look bad as a blonde which is something most people with dark hair can't say!

 

[Brenle]

Hi Dawn,

Just checked out your new TR. Great read/lots of good photos. No Disney trip in 2009? No 2009 TR? What in the world are you going to do with all your free time?

 

[LISAMWDW]

All caught up again! Your Dinner ADR looks great! I'll have to go there sometime. Your right Epcot is 2 days to enjoy everything!

I can't believe you walked past Off Kilter! They are great! The front man is kinda hot!

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

just a non-update for you. i e-mailed the place where i send my videotapes off to get them converted to DVD and they said they were sent in the mail to me yesterday, so i should have them soon. when i get those, i can continue with my TR! the next installment will have video so i have to wait on those.

i also have to share this with you all. when i went to disney world with erica in september, i bought an 11x14 print of the walt disney "vision" poster that i've been wanting for so long. i finally got around to buying a frame for it and hanging it in my office.....

oh, and this is worth sharing, too. i took this picture a few minutes ago. i have a space heater under my desk and apparently sherman is fond of it too! i can't believe his nose isn't on fire!

Dawn that picture is stunning . . . where did you get it from?

Sherman is so like my dogs! They adore the heat and hog it so me and DH sit there cold!!

 

[VandyFan10]

VERY COOL!!!

So cute! And yes I would think that is HOT!

And does anyone else besides me notice that the smiley's get changed around from time to time ??? Strange...and I can't seem to find the little guys I want

 

[arkie]

Hi Dawn,

Loving your report can't wait for the next update.