April 2, 2005 Magic-First DCL cruise-anyone going?

[Tiggerish]

There is a good possibility I will be in Chicago for work next Saturday. I found this parade is happening. If the weather is not too miserable, I am thinking about staying over to see this. Has anyone seen this or something like it? How really crowded do you think it would be?

"The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival"

On Saturday, November 20th, Disney characters, straight from Walt Disney World, perform live holiday musical shows on an outdoor stage at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Join Mickey Mouse and his Disney friends to celebrate Magical Gatherings with amazing new shows created just for The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. Stroll through WGN's Winter Walk at Pioneer Court and enjoy carolers, refreshments and many more holiday activities!

Stay for Saturday's main event - the lighting of North Michigan Avenue. Enjoy the procession as Mickey Mouse and his Disney friends lead the way down The Magnificent Mile. Witness Mickey's magical lighting of more than one million white lights from Oak Street to Wacker Drive. This illuminating experience culminates with a spectacular holiday fireworks show at Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River.

 

[RachelTori]

Sorry, we're not a very active thread right now! Guess we're all busy getting ready for the holidays!!

I've never heard of that Festival, but it sounds like fun! I would imagine it would be crowded, but I'd be willing to go anyway!

If you go, let us know how it was!

Yippee! We're under 140 days!!!!

 

[Molli&Emmas_mom]

I tried posting earlier but for some reason it did not post.

Two years ago my sister, my daughter, Molli and I were in the right place at the right time. We were heading to a store North of Chicago and were running a little early so we decided to show Molli the decorated windows in Chicago.

It was 8 am and we were driving on Michigan Avenue when we noticed the festival site, stage, and MICKEY and the gang. My sister did a U-turn and parked illegally. She stayed with the car and Molli (3 at the time) and I went over to the stage. It was dress rehearsal and there might have been 50 people there. Molli and I were right next to the stage. It was AWESOME!
They closed the show with Let There be Peace on Earth and all the Characters and Princesses were signing the song while they sung. I had tears streaming down my face. It was magical

After the show all the characters took the time to meet with all of us and it was COLD! Goofy picked up Molli and Cinderella rubbed her red rosy cheeks.

We have not been to the parade. I have seen it on TV a few times and it is very crowded. You have to get there early for a curb side view.

We went in last year but the weather was rainy so there was not characters in site.

The family is planning on going into Chicago this weekend and we are hoping to catch the dress rehearsal again! Maybe we will see you there Tiggerish! I will be the Mom with the two Beautiful Chinese daughters

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

Just giving our thread a shameless bump to the top!

We're 132 days and counting! I can't wait - wish April 2nd would hurry up and get here!

We're still planning on a couple of days at IOA/US before the cruise. I have reservations at the Hard Rock - but the rack rate is killing me! Hope that they come out with some kind of discount before too long!

Did my Thanksgiving shopping - stocked up on turkeys and hams since they are very cheap this time of year. I think we are just going to stay home this year. We usually have to do the grandma shuffle...you know, spend a couple hours at my moms house then a couple hours at the inlaws house. I just decided I wanted to stay home, cook a nice dinner and take a nap! We're off to Seattle next Saturday so DH can go to a meeting on Sunday and I can shop at the Nike outlet store and Nordstrom rack!

What's everyone else doing for the holiday???

 

[cwf1028]

I'm lucky that my parents live 10 minutes away so we go there and eat and then go home and take a nap. I don't have to go far from home and don't have to cook either! My in-laws are in PA so we don't see them for the Holidays. I do most of my Holiday shopping throughout the year and right now all of the stuff is spread out all over the guest room (with the door locked in case of little peepers of course). I can't wait for the Holidays to be over so I can clean out that room and start spreading all my stuff for the cruise out! I think this will be the only year that I will be glad when the Holidays are over. I feel like the cruise will be here before we know it after that. I am almost at a panic on occasion just thinking about all the things I want to remember to do and pack! Christy

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

I guess I am lucky that my parents live literally right next door and my inlaws are only 45 minutes away. It's just such a pain to figure out who we're having dinner with each holiday so nobody gets offended. We see my folks all the time, of course, but it takes an act of congress to get the inlaws to come to our house.

My poor kids are bored stiff when we go over to the inlaws. All they do is eat and sit around and watch old movies on tv. No games, no nothing. Not to mention that my inlaws put the "fun" in Disfunctional....

We're already planning Christmas here at our house, which should be interesting... maybe no one will notice if we don't show up for Thanksgiving...

 

[RachelTori]

We're doing Thanksgiving Dinner @ my parents who live about 7 miles from us! DD, Rachel, who turns "20" in a week will be home from UGA; and my DS27 and his lovely girlfriend will be there too. I also have a sister who lives nearby - she and her DD6 will be there. We all bring "sides, wine, and dessert"!! (DH's family is in South Dakota so we don't see them very often.)

Christmas will be different for us this year. We'll be at WDW from 12/18-23. We do our family celebration Christmas Eve at my parents' house but this year will be quieter as my son will be in Orlando at his GF's parents' house. We're actually thinking of taking my parents out to eat on Christmas Day just to break tradition!

 

[Tiggerish]

I will be setting the Thanksgiving table for only nine this year. I really like having a crowd. The more noise and confusion, the better the holiday. Plus I love to have an excuse to put on a meal. Meals for one are not much of an event. I live for the weekends when I can fill the condo with family by offering to feed them!

My parents are wintering in FL and both my sisters are dealing with inlaws. So, it will only be my brother, his wife and their two small kids plus the extras I have been able to round up by adopting my brother's wife's family: Her folks, her sister and her aunt and grandma are now regulars at my house for holiday meals.

 

[RachelTori]

Have a wonderful day tomorrow!! Good luck to any of you who will be braving the crowds on Friday - I haven't decided yet!!!

I guess these boards will be off-line most of this weekend. Have a safe and happy weekend and just think --- with each passing day, we're that much closer to April 2nd!!!!!

Laura

 

[RachelTori]

Just a little *bump* and look at our timers - 125 days!!!!

 

[anlashokna]

123 days to go... 4 months...4 little ole months...

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

123 days to go... 4 months...4 little ole months...

Can't get here fast enough for me!!!

 

[anlashokna]

Well finally got the REAS ressies made

Only there is a snag I still have to stand in line at the spa Because I'm doing it all by myself I have to let them know to switch it to a single room and they'll also compensate me for the other massage. I'm assuming I get another treatment

And I thought I was doing so well when Debbie said she could book them...

 

[RachelTori]

We all must be busy getting ready for the Holidays! Thought I'd just check in, say *HI!* and wish everyone a Happy Holiday! Our timers look great - really getting down now! Won't be long until we're in double digits!!

Anyone have any good holiday stories? We'll be in Disney World in about a week, but home for Christmas Eve; now I'm wishing we'd extended our stay thru Christmas, but we'll think about that for another year!

We're not having winter here in Georgia yet, but if the rains didn't stop soon we were thinking we'd need a boat to get around

Laura

 

[Tiggerish]

I guess every one is busy cooking and shopping, I know that I seem to have no extra time right now. But it is exciting to see how close to double digits the timers are.

My nieces are in the middle of their treasure hunt - - the pirate has sailed from the carribean to Lake Michigan and is now headed up the Grand River towards their home town of Grand Rapids.

My youngest niece (age 7) asked me last night if she was going to need a shovel to get the treasure and whether the treasure chest would be so big that she would need her Dad to help carry it. If there is snow by Christmas, I may have to figure a way to bury the treasure in the snow!

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

Tiggerish - your treasure hunt sounds like fun. We're getting my older DS a computer for Xmas. He wants one really badly - he has his grandma's old one and it is pitifully slow.

I think we're going to sort of do a treasure hunt for him too. His little brother has about 9 presents under the tree right now and he has only 2. So I'm going to give him his first "clue" in about 4 different wrapped packages so the number of presents are more equal. I'm trying to think of interesting things to wrap for him. My DH thinks we should wrap the pieces of the first clue up with some of DS's dirty laundry that he likes to leave all over the house! The first clue will lead him to a succession of various clues hidden around our house and up the road to his grandparents - then back. Just have to have enough time to put his computer together while he's out of the house!

 

[RachelTori]

Tiggerish - Sounds like you're going to have so much fun with that Treasure Hunt! Are the parents still in the dark about it too? Keep us posted on the hunt!

Valli - I'm sure your son will be THRILLED with the new computer! You're so creative! You'll have to post all about it!

Laura

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

Laura - my only problem now is where to hide the darn thing! One year we bought him his own TV (so he wouldn't hog ours playing video games). We actually had it sitting in the box in plain sight in the garage and HE NEVER NOTICED! Somehow I think he's wise to that now

Right now it's sitting in my office at work...so I have to figure out how to get it home and hidden without him seeing it. He's one of those kids who will look around for his presents when I'm not home - wonder where he learned that from...

 

[RachelTori]

I use the trunk of my Buick - my kids now know that, but they can't get in so they don't even try!

I gave up on closets years ago - tried every nook & cranny and my son ALWAYS found the hiding place!! Can you get a bigger box like for Viva Paper Towels and store it in that? Maybe store it at your parents' house until Christmas Eve or whenever you won't be leaving for long periods anymore! He wouldn't snoop at Grandma & Grandpa's, would he?!

 

[cwf1028]

My kids are 7 and 4 and I can still get away with the closet thing. They still think the gifts are brought down the chimney so it has not occured to them to look. Just in case though, I have them in the closet in the guest room and that room is locked for most of November and December. When they are old enough to unlock the doors themselves, I may padlock that door and keep the key with me always!