"Are you done with that?!" A photo heavy, gluttonous, Jan 2012 Trip Report! NEW PG32

[Twoboysnmygirl]

WOW, from your meal to Illuminations, your pictures really made me feel like I was there too! Everything looked delicious (I would eat that chicken meal right this very second - that's like my favorite meal all around), and your pics of Illuminations were very unique. I'm sad it's almost over too!

Thanks! That's a huge compliment to say it makes you feel like you were there!

Why oh why did I read your posts before lunch? Now I'm starving! I wanted to grab that duck right out of the picture! Chefs is definitely on my list of restaurants for a future trip. I'm glad you guys liked it. You really did have a full day at EP! Your pictures of Illuminations were outstanding! Please, stretch out this TR for as long as you can!

I'm trying, but I can't seem to slow down. Maybe I shouldn't do an update tomorrow morning!

YAY for France! It's so pretty there. I love that fountain shot you took.

Thanks! I wanted to get more, but there were so many people, it was hard to get!

YAY for Les Chefs de France! My next TR update for tomorrow is actually about our experience at Chefs... and WHAT an experience it was. I'm very excited to share it. And I agree with the whole "rude" thing.. Our waiter was so nice and attentive!

Oooh, I cannot wait to hear all about it!

Your food looks delish! I want to be back in Disney right now.

Me too! *pout*

Okay, that Napoleon is going on my snack list for next trip. It looks SO amazing! That was one of the few bakeries we didn't make it to, but I think we're going to have to pay it a visit next time!

It was really good, REALLY good. I didn't think it would be that good, I don't usually love layered pastry stuff, but I loved it. I'm getting one of my own next time!

I wanted to try a Grey Goose slushie, too, but when I saw the size of them I was a little sad. I prefer the huge frozen margarita for the price. But maybe next time!

Yep, it's just sort of a given that I will pay insane amounts for small drinks at WDW...but the margarita is a good value for the size, probably why I like it so much!

Beautiful photos of Illuminations and SE. I can't believe your last day is tomorrow, ALREADY! Wah. It went by too fast!

It will take quite a few updates, so maybe I will drag it out as long as I can!

Your photos of France are so pretty. I can't wait until I go to Disney again and can just enjoy the World Showcase. Our first trip we just tried to see so much that we didn't really take time to truly enjoy the atmosphere. That is my goal for our December trip.

This was the first time I took the time to really just take all of WS in and go a little slower. I loved it! AND, I still didn't see everything, there's so much to see and do! I hope you do a TR in December!

I have enjoyed reading your dining reviews and looking at all the photos too. Looks like you had a really great time.

We did, thanks!

Your Illuminations photos are AMAZING !! Thanks for sharing !!

Thank you!!

Okay...I'm back and mostly caught up (you go way too fast on your updates for me; I just started my first Park day on mine ). I skipped the chatter. But I have to say your photos are spectacular; I have never and I mean NEVER seen such great pictures of Illuminations.

I'm a wee-bit neurotic and can't seem to slow myself down! I just get so excited to share that I cannot wait!

We all have a meltdown here and there; I think it comes naturally after all the hard work we put into making our trips perfect.

Yep, and luckily my meltdowns seem to be getting smaller and less dramatic each time. Maybe next trip I won't have one at all!

 

[lisaviolet]

Oh Karen. I LOVE your family. And the photos are just - well I'm running out of words - SUBLIME.

This is beyond a fantastic TR.

I'm sure glad I have some notes on this day, but even those may not be complete only b/c it's hard to remember such a long day! I woke up later than my usual 4am, to Rey leaving the room. I figured he was headed for coffee, so I jumped in the shower and got ready for the day while the kids slept. I journaled a bunch and then realized he wasn't coming back? Looked on FB and there he was posting about how HE was the DIS expert now b/c he went down to the "commissary" and had beat the crowds (this is what he called the food court!!!)

The funniest ever.

 

[lisaviolet]

]

OMG. Such exquisite shots Karen.

I can't even tell you what joy you are producing for us - looking at your photographs.

I'm sighing every two seconds.

 

[DrMomof3]

Fabulous pictures Karen!!!
My family would also give mixed reviews of Chefs de France. We've had some really good meals there and some mediocre ones. I think I've gotten better about ordering carefully when we're there.
Can you believe we've never seen Illuminations? I'm hoping in August we'll see it because we're staying at BC. Or maybe I can sneak out and watch while Tom puts the kids to bed....

Amanda

 

[lisaviolet]

Great shot Karen. Says it all.

LOVE how you guys regularly split up for a short time. SO smart.

And laughed on the drink.

 

[lisaviolet]

You know what - I'm going over to the DVC boards to promote this jewel. They would LOVE it.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Oh Karen. I LOVE your family. And the photos are just - well I'm running out of words - SUBLIME.

This is beyond a fantastic TR.

Lisa, you're making me blush!



The funniest ever.

I was rolling! He really thinks he's a Disney expert now!

OMG. Such exquisite shots Karen.

I can't even tell you what joy you are producing for us - looking at your photographs.

Thank you so much! That's EXACTLY what I intend when I take my shots, to really CAPTURE it and preserve it. I have such a horrible memory, I have to do something!

I'm sighing every two seconds.

Fabulous pictures Karen!!!
My family would also give mixed reviews of Chefs de France. We've had some really good meals there and some mediocre ones. I think I've gotten better about ordering carefully when we're there.
Can you believe we've never seen Illuminations? I'm hoping in August we'll see it because we're staying at BC. Or maybe I can sneak out and watch while Tom puts the kids to bed....

Amanda

Amanda! I cannot believe you haven't seen it! I love Illuminations. It doesn't make me cry like Wishes, but it leaves me feeling so calm and happy. I hope you find a way to see it next trip!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

You know what - I'm going over to the DVC boards to promote this jewel. They would LOVE it.

You rock!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Great shot Karen. Says it all.

LOVE how you guys regularly split up for a short time. SO smart.

And laughed on the drink.

I can't get enough of all this Lisa-love!

It's like I have my own personal groupie!!

 

[Twinprincesses]

Your photos are amazing, what kind of camera do you have?

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Your photos are amazing, what kind of camera do you have?

I just use an older entry-level DSLR, a Nikon D40. I'm hoping to upgrade this spring and get a newer camera!!

 

[204charity]

Awesome update! I love France. My DD can not WAIT to go there in April! We do not have the TS DP though, do they have a CS restaurant?

 

[katt789]

Chefs de France is yet another place in WS that I want to eat at!! There's just too many!! I love the GM slush, and I have to make a point of getting a GG one as well next time, they're the tastiest things ever!! I love the shots of Illuminations! Such a great show!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Awesome update! I love France. My DD can not WAIT to go there in April! We do not have the TS DP though, do they have a CS restaurant?

No, but they have the Patisserie, which not only has pastries, but they have a few lunch items you can get for a CS credit like a ham and cheese croissant, sandwich, or quiche. I have heard good things about just about everything there!

Chefs de France is yet another place in WS that I want to eat at!! There's just too many!! I love the GM slush, and I have to make a point of getting a GG one as well next time, they're the tastiest things ever!! I love the shots of Illuminations! Such a great show!

Thanks! There are so many different great places to eat, I guess you have to make more trips to eat at all of them!

 

[goodmorningirl]

I just found your report and it is so great!! Your report is getting me even more excited for my trip in a few weeks. I can't wait for your next update, though I don't want it to end! Great job!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I just found your report and it is so great!! Your report is getting me even more excited for my trip in a few weeks. I can't wait for your next update, though I don't want it to end! Great job!

Welcome!! how exciting that you have a trip in a few weeks! I hope you do a trip report as well b/c I'm going to be really needing to read some after mine is over and done with! I'm having Disney withdrawals and we've only been home a couple weeks!!

 

[lisaviolet]

It's like I have my own personal groupie!!

Ummm you do.

And I suspect many.

I'm still laughing about your husband FBing - from his personal I know Disney the best perch (better known as the top secret Pop Commissary ) - at the time I call "the middle of the night". Priceless.

 

[-Hope-]

I love ALL of your Illuminations shots! Including the arch was stroke of genius.

that you guys thought of Kya when you were in France.

I'm loving reading everyone gush about your TR and pics. You know I love it but I might be biased!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Ummm you do.

And I suspect many.

I'm still laughing about your husband FBing - from his personal I know Disney the best perch (better known as the top secret Pop Commissary ) - at the time I call "the middle of the night". Priceless.

I love ALL of your Illuminations shots! Including the arch was stroke of genius.

Did you expect anything less than genius from me?

that you guys thought of Kya when you were in France.

I'm loving reading everyone gush about your TR and pics. You know I love it but I might be biased!

biased? You? Nevah!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

LAST DAY- Feb. 3rd. Magic Kingdom

I'm not ready! I don't want it to be the last day!

I actually didn't feel as bad on the actual last day as I do the last day of the trip report!

I woke up early (Lisa, this would be middle-of-the-night for you) and went to get my coffee, just like every other morning. I remember savoring it all, I KNEW this was it and really wanted to take it all in. I had grabbed my journal and babycakes on the way out and when I came back to the 50s section, I sat at a table by the bowling pin pool and ate my doughnut, had coffee, and wrote in my journal. We had a breakfast ADR, but it was really early still, so I just relaxed and enjoyed my quiet time!

Everyone was up a little after 8:15 so we could leave by 9:15 to get to breakfast at Ohana! I didn't actually remember that, I had it written down! We drove right to the Poly b/c we had decided we needed to briefly go back to the resort and do a load of laundry before heading to MK for the day. I always get messed up in the Poly parking lot! Has anyone else ever done this? If you go too far, they have the lanes blocked off and you have to turn around or actually exit the whole parking lot and go back around like a dummy! LAST trip I went all the way back around...this time I just asked a passing CM what to do and he told me to just pull a U-turn...so maybe less of a dummy this time? I'm not sure about that!

We had to wait a few minutes for our table when we arrived, so of course I took a few pictures!

Yep, Leslee was reading!

Dallas looks annoyed with waiting again.

It wasn't long and the wait was worth it, we scored on the tablemojo yet again and got a corner table with a PERFECT view of the castle in the distance!!!

Breakfast was GREAT! Dallas kind of stuck his nose up at the family style (he didn't like Ohana for dinner either last time!) but after he started eating and tasted the food, he seemed to like it. OMG, those mickey waffles were to die for. Dylan kept calling them pancakes b/c they are so thick and he says they are really just pancakes in the shape of waffles!

Soon our friends started coming around!

Savannah had brought her Angel plushie(the pink one that looks like Stitch!...think it's his girlfriend?), Lilo & Stitch both liked it!

Stitch nearly suffocated Leslee! heehee

It was time for the parade and I figured there was no chance these girls would get up and do it. Savannah is SUPER shy, although I'm sure you haven't realized that from my TR b/c you are reading it through MY eyes and she isn't shy with us at all! To my disbelief, the girls got up and joined the parade!!!! I RAN from the table to get a pic of them coming back around. I was in shock!

after the parade, more friends and more food! (sorry, I didn't take a pic of the food, I must have been in a last-day-haze!)

I had read that things were rushed at Ohana in the mornings (and evenings) but I didn't feel this at ALL. We had a wonderful relaxed breakfast and didn't feel rushed even once. The castle is between our heads in this pic, but Rey didn't know how to get the flash working so I will just have to remember that it is there! LOL.

After breakfast I ATTEMPTED to get Rey (and Dylan finally b/c Rey can't use my camera!) to get a shot of Savannah & I. I think I might be a perfectionist, but half the shots were blurry. There were a couple that I liked though!

We headed back to Pop (at Savannah's annoyance, she wanted to go straight to the park!) and quickly threw in a load of laundry, which we desperately needed, and packed a little. They boys were in charge of retrieving the laundry because they had decided to stay at the resort for the afternoon and meet us for dinner & our last night at MK later! Rey & I headed off to MK with the girls a little after 12:30!...

See! We still have the whole afternoon & evening ahead of us in this trip report! I can drag this out!