Birthdays, surprises, Magic & Merriment *3/25 New PTR Link We leave in 47 days*

[flounderfan12]

i was at the hoop dee due the same night at the same showing!!! i just started reading your trip report i love it!

Stayne - Knave of Hearts: Well, if it isn't my favorite trio... of lunatics.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dec. 4th, 2010

Since we were going to be having dinner at the Hoop Dee Doo Revue at 9:30pm this night we decided to sleep in. We took a bus to DHS, the only thing on the itinerary for today was Fantasmic!

We had been texting with TnT+C and they said they were headed our way after being in DTD. I was not feeling well, my sinuses were killing me. We got something to eat and were sitting by Rosie’s Café when Terry and Chad showed up. The guys went to Lights Motors Action and something bad happened but I will leave that to Toni’s report. Nothing horrible, but made us all sick to our stomachs. Toni arrived separately while the guys were gone and we sat just talking. It was so nice to just be there face to face with her. The guys came back and they wanted to do RnRC and other things so we parted ways.

We hit Muppets 3D then went to Beauty and the Beast again. We go to this show a lot I know, but we just love it. They set us down front but it was different this time, I wrote on facebook:

“Good news got down front for Beauty and the Beast...

Bad news can't sit by my prince “

Yes, they split us up. I know I shouldn’t be upset, but I wanted to be beside him, watching it together. We really love this show and I didn’t enjoy it because I couldn’t hold his hand. I know that makes me sound spoiled, I should be happy we were there but I couldn’t wait until it was over. I actually had tears in my eyes when I facebooked that. How silly am I?

Well it was soon time to line up for Fantasmic! We were more toward the left of the stage this time, South American teen tour groups were there and would not stop singing, it was very annoying. I know they were happy to be there but they need to learn to be more respectful of others.

Once it started we could feel the heat off the fire so that was good. It was over so fast to us and they were waving:

Now it was time to go to Fort Wilderness and the Hoop Dee Do Revue. We had never been there but it wasn’t that hard to figure things out. We had to transfer busses then we were there. Terry, Toni, and Chad had already arrived. They were hungry, we all were, but Terry was going to start gnawing on something if we didn’t get in soon. They let the people in wheelchairs and their parties in about 5 minutes before everyone else. Bill’s ankle was hurting again so he had his right shoe off, Chad thought that was a cool look and took off his right shoe too, he said he was “rockin the look like Bill”. He is HILARIOUS, between him and Terry we were cracking up.

We were seated very close to the stage:

Our server came to take drink orders. Everyone but Bill ordered the Sangria. Toni didn’t like it and ordered something else. Terry didn’t really like it so he ordered the pomegranate lemonade and did this:

Ahhhh so much better, Chad did this too and I ordered the lemonade as well. At 10:19pm I posted this on facebook:

“We are trying to drink all the sangria at Hoop Dee Doo Revue! Me Chad and Terry that is.”

Then the show started:

At some point the performers came out into the crowd wanting to know if anyone was celebrating anniversaries, so TnT talked us into saying we were:

Look how happy I am, NOT!! LOL Any type of attention freaks me out. I like to blend into the background.

Then it was time for TnT to be spotlighted:

Time to start the show back up:

All too soon it was almost over and they were bringing out the desserts:

Yay!! More show!!

Then they wanted Terry to help them:

I love the look on Toni’s face in this one:

CHUGGING THE ‘GRIA:

(one glass is Sangria, the other the lemonade)

We headed for the bus that would take us back to Pop Century, we were pretty giggly at this point. There were already some people on the bus so we had to sit in the back and leave Bill up front. He was probably glad he wasn’t with is. We were giggling and acting a fool all the way back. Have any of you seen the “Ladies Man” on Saturday Night Live”? Chad can talk just like him and I know the Sangria was helping me but everything he said was HILARIOUS!! Several people besides us were cracking up, but there was one just one lady giving us the “you people are horrible” look the entire bus ride. Did we stop laughing? NO!! Did we tone it down? NO!! Should we have? Probably, but our time with TnT+C was quickly coming to a close and I just wanted to have a good time that night, and boy did we.

Next installment… Plans change

 

[MAJ RN]

I really enjoyed your pictures of the Cinderella Suite! What a great experience. Can't wait to read more about your trip!


Melissa

 

[mrsksomeday]

Just found your TR and LOVE it!!! Wow...you are one lucky girl...with one amazing DH!!! So jealous of your birthday jewelry!! Can I ask where he purchased it...I'd love to give my DH some hints for our upcoming anniversary trip next year.

Thank you so much for joining us. Bill got the jewelry at the Screen Door General Store at the Boardwalk. I am sure they are at other places on property as well.

You know I am really starting to get concerned for Bill....he's a Dodgers AND a Giants fan Tell him I said GO PHILLIES

The suite is gorgeous. Hope the rain stops so that you can enjoy the party, even if only for a little bit!

I told him, he just laughed. We didn't want to leave the suite, even joked with the CM about it.

Hi Tracy & Bill!

Tracy, I was happy to find your trip report, I've been wondering how you were!


The castle suite looks amazing! Incredible detail.

Bill is so wonderful with all his surprises! But the birthday surprise is just amazing, Love the glass slipper, and the flowers with it are just perfect! The two of you are a wonderful couple.

Sounds like a lot of great moments on the trip! Wonderful that you spent lots of time with good friends, I can see how much you are missing them in the last few posts. I will have to read TnT's trip report.

The holday photos are amazing! Love all the decorations, and the castle covered in lights is just beautiful. (the reflected photo is incredible). The storytellers look like a lot of fun. And I loved that gingerbread house you saw at the boardwalk. We really have to go at Christmas some time, I really thought it would be last year. But not so with school.

I am sorry you had such cold weather. But glad you had such a sweet (and talented) friend to make you blankets. Disney can certainly get cold in the winter.

I did not realize that D23 had events at Disney World. It sounds like a mix of some good and some frustrating. I am sorry about the issues with the buses at the D23 dinner & the earlier night at Epcot. I hope your survey input has some effect.

That is an amazing view from Bay Lake Tower. And congrats on winning the Gingerbread house! I think your good luck comes from all the sweet things you do for others. Particularly giving your extra tickets to the family with the super cute pirate and princess! They are adorable!

Kathleen (Indiana Jacob's Mom)

Kathleen!! I am so happy to "see" you here! Bill really got me this trip, I was totally shocked.

It was so much fun sharing Disney with people that really love it. The castle covered in lights is amazing. Toni's blanket was a trip saver.

I hope the D23 survey helped them see that they need to put some more preparation when it comes to special needs. D23 is having a scavenger hunt and Destination D event in May. I would love to go to the event, so many Disney legends will be speaking, but it isn't in the cards for us .

Bill is so lucky when it comes to winning things. We were so happy to have helped Tammy's family, they are fantastic people.

Tracy, Thanks for posting the A-MAZING Cinderella Stuite Tour! I love that you get a glass slipper if you stay there - I'm booking it right away!

I realized that I had missed a big section of your D23 night. Ummm, you really have to fight the other women off! I see all the guys were mezmerized by the belly dancer chick. Looks like the women are thinking about forming a lynch mob!

Reminds me of when we were driving cross country and my DB was 4. He saw a girl in a halter top riding her bicycle, and he said, "I hope a bird poops on her back!"

Sorry you had so much trouble with your D23 CLP and dinner. Just the fact that you were left out in the cold for that long while they got their act together is just wrong. I think it would be a good idea for Bill to be a consultant. They obviously don't understand all of the situations that can arise for guests with special needs.

Hope the pixie dust keeps coming now..

Thanks for reading!! Part of me wishes the suite was something you could book, part of me wishes they would do the dream tream thing again.

about your DB. I hope D23 looks back at this event and improves upon it.

I have really enjoyed your TR so far; thanks for posting! I am super jealous that you got to tour the suite. Thnaks for all the great pictures!

Thanks so much for reading and posting.

I have to first comment on the diaper changer lady. I HATE that. So many people do this. I even have friends that think nothing of whipping a butt out in front of others on a table or couch and change away.
I even have friends that go to the chnaging stations but never put a pad under the child. I just look away. How gross.

The suite looks so beautiful. What a wonderful opportunity you had. I do enter any sweepstakes I find. I think it would be so awesome to get to stay a night there.

I understand if it is an emergency, stuff happens but there were bathrooms so close to us, they even came from that direction so they had to have seen them.

The suite was amazing.

i was at the hoop dee due the same night at the same showing!!! i just started reading your trip report i love it!

Thanks for posting, Hoop was such a fun show!! If you were on our bus, I apologize, we were having way too much fun and laughing too much, but I wouldn't change that night for anything.

I really enjoyed your pictures of the Cinderella Suite! What a great experience. Can't wait to read more about your trip!


Melissa

It is still hard to believe that we were actually in the suite, it was just wonderful.

 

[All7OfUs]

Hi Tracy,

I think you missed my post JUST before your last update- I may have even posted it at the same moment you put it up- so it was easy to miss...

I was just saying I had just gotten home from meeting someone you love

 

[mrsksomeday]

You'll never guess who I just met this morning...

Then again, I'll bet she's already told you all about how much fun we had. She did say that, right??

She messaged me before the meeting and we talked after . She said she had a great time with you!

Hi Tracy,

I think you missed my post JUST before your last update- I may have even posted it at the same moment you put it up- so it was easy to miss...

I was just saying I had just gotten home from meeting someone you love

So sorry I didn't see that before. Toni is amazing, isn't she? I am so jealous you two live so close, I wish I lived near you guys too.

 

[eandesmom]

oh my goodness was I behind!!!!!! The TnT send off, your birthday, Magic & Merriment and the Cinderella suite!

WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

What an amazing trip (but COLD), amazing special things and your birthday dinner brought tears to my eyes. That suite is unbelievable!

 

[mickeyfan71]

The castle suite is awesome! How exciting yall got to see it!

 

[mrsksomeday]

oh my goodness was I behind!!!!!! The TnT send off, your birthday, Magic & Merriment and the Cinderella suite!

WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

What an amazing trip (but COLD), amazing special things and your birthday dinner brought tears to my eyes. That suite is unbelievable!

The trip was more than I ever dreamed of. I still get tears just thinking of my birthday. The suite was amazing.

The castle suite is awesome! How exciting yall got to see it!

I never thought we would see it, I am so happy we got the chance to.

 

[brookelizabeth]

Caught up again - and you've made me laugh and cry! What an amazing trip!!! (aside from some of the D23 event disorganization )

I've seen pics of the Castle suite before, but man! they NEVER cease to amaze me. I also realized that I got a PEEK inside that door that leads to the elevator this trip! I had no idea what was going on, but as the park was closing (just before the Kiss Goodnight), we were walking through the Castle and Ariel popped her head out and brought a small group of people in-I being nosy-glanced in and saw what you took pictures of! So cool! I didn't know what the room was for, but perhaps the people were celebrities? It was ESPN the Weekend, so there were sports stars around - I would NEVER recognize any of them though.

Very cool that I figured out what the room was for through your pictures, thanks!

And big, big KUDOS to Bill on the birthday gift...wow, what a man! That installment had me crying!

Before long I did see another bus start our way and the sign changed to Pop Century, but what did it do?? It pulled up beside the one that was loading so once again it was denying boarding to people in wheelchairs/ecv’s. This made me livid, when we got to the front I had some words for the cast member but he walked away. That wasn’t good enough for Toni, she followed him when he went to guide people toward the other bus. She gave him a piece of her mind and it made me love her even more. She didn’t have to talk to him about it, she didn’t have to stand up for Bill like that, but she did .

Next installment…Sangria - will we like it?

And wow! What a friend!

 

[mrsksomeday]

Caught up again - and you've made me laugh and cry! What an amazing trip!!! (aside from some of the D23 event disorganization )

I've seen pics of the Castle suite before, but man! they NEVER cease to amaze me. I also realized that I got a PEEK inside that door that leads to the elevator this trip! I had no idea what was going on, but as the park was closing (just before the Kiss Goodnight), we were walking through the Castle and Ariel popped her head out and brought a small group of people in-I being nosy-glanced in and saw what you took pictures of! So cool! I didn't know what the room was for, but perhaps the people were celebrities? It was ESPN the Weekend, so there were sports stars around - I would NEVER recognize any of them though.

Very cool that I figured out what the room was for through your pictures, thanks!

And big, big KUDOS to Bill on the birthday gift...wow, what a man! That installment had me crying!



And wow! What a friend!

That is so great you got to see inside the outer room. They might have been giving some sports stars a tour of the suite maybe?

Bill really surprised me, he is such a wonderful man.

Toni is a great friend, we hope to see them again in WDW in 2012.

 

[mrsksomeday]

It seemed to be getting colder by the minute. We decided to stake out our place in line to get a picture with all 7 dwarfs. We were about the 5th people in line. They were adorable:

During the party the D23 event included a “hospitality area” at the Liberty boat, so we decided to go over there. Now I had seen pictures from the event last year and they had a variety of food to choose from, cookies, rice krispie treats etc. This year they had the same cookies and hot chocolate that were available to all the MVMCP guests. The area was outside and everyone was freezing. They also had a D23 parade seating area in Frontierland, but Bill and I had decided to just go to our normal spot. We talked to the D23 CM’s telling them how much we had enjoyed the event. They were so nice the entire weekend talking to the members, sharing stories and memories, we really like them. Bill had an idea, he wanted a picture with all of them before we left. They were happy to do it for us:

From left to right:

Becky Cline – Chief Archivist of the Walt Disney Archives, Jeffrey Epstein – D23’s Disney Geek, Tracy – D23 CM wannabe, Bill – D23 CM wannabe, Jared Cohen-Richards – Art Director for D23 and Disney23 magazine, Steve Vagnini - Archivist (he got the Gingerbread house back to Pop for us), and Laura Sanchez – D23 Team Member.


We said our goodbyes and made our way to the Liberty Square accessible area, Bill got wrapped up and we waited:

Here we go:

At some point in the parade, Bill moved the blanket it off him, Prince Charming noticed Bill’s anniversary button and told us “Happy Anniversary”:

We made it through the parade but we couldn’t handle the weather anymore and decided to leave the park. I did get a picture of the big MK tree on the way out, goodbye Magic Kingdom:

Next installment… Homeward bound

 

[mrsksomeday]

We were ready to go home. The length of the trip, missing Ace, TnT being gone, and the weather had been enough. We wanted to leave. I don’t think I have ever said that about a WDW trip. I do think if we had Ace with us I could stay indefinitely. I called luggage services, they came and took our stuff, and we did one last check of the room and walked out, where I saw this right outside our room:

Now at first I thought this might be a present for us, so we could make our room look like Pop at home but sadly realized, they wouldn’t be happy if I took it. Nice to know they change things out from time to time isn’t it?

We went to the food court, got something to drink and waited for our Magical Depress bus. I had Bill stay inside as long as he could then the bus came. The guy let everyone board the bus before letting Bill on. I know everyone was cold, but I was wishing Bill could get strapped in first.

We pulled out and immediately two things drove me crazy.

(1) They played the Spectromagic soundtrack so that made me miss it even more.

(2) A little girl repeated “Goodbye Disney, Goodbye Disney” at least 20 times.

I was fine until she did that, then some tears slid down my cheeks. It always is painful to live WDW. We made it to MCO, got through security, Bill’s chair didn’t set the machine off this time so it was a much quicker process, then Bill wanted to go here:

Yes, McDonalds, well ok let’s go. Then we had to go to Grove Natural Snacks. We do this every trip home, it is tradition, Bill gets gummy bears and I get some yogurt covered something, sometimes nuts, sometimes pretzels. We went to the gate to wait, we were delayed a little over an hour. We boarded and were in the air in no time. The sun was setting and it was gorgeous. Of course the view of it was from across the aisle. I thought heck let me try to get a picture, I have the flash off and see if it comes out. What I didn’t know was I had the flash on and freaked out my fellow passengers when I took the picture:

I apologized about 15 times, I was so embarrassed, if I could have fit under the seat I would have went there. We made it to St. Louis, collected the baggage and called our hotel to have the shuttle pick us up. We were trying something new this trip, staying all night at the hotel in St. Louis before driving home. I am always so tired on the way home and the thought of driving 2 hours after getting off the plane was something I didn’t want to do anymore. It was a great decision. We got settled in the room, called room services, texted people to let them know we made it to St. Louis and just reflected on the trip.

The next day we drove home and picked up Ace, he was so happy to see us.

I will leave you with some pictures and video of Ace when we went to Bill’s parents in Indiana for Christmas. Ace is getting comfy:

Ace was nosey and found his Christmas present from Bill’s parents:

Ace with his new buddy, Woody:

A little video that cracked us up, click on the picture it will open in a new window:



Thanks everyone that followed along on this very long trip report. I hope you enjoyed it. At some point I will start a pretrip report for our next trip. Many new things will be going on for that trip so I hope you can help me plan.

 

[DisMomAmy]

So sad it's over...

Thanks for sharing with all of us - the good, the bad & the ugly! I can't wait to hear the plans for your next trip!!

And as always, Ace is adorable!

 

[tazdev3225]

So sad to see it end. It looked like you had a wonderful trip though.

I totally understand missing Ace. I worry about my baby when I'm gone and am always happy to get back to her.

 

[Tinker_Tam]

So sorry to see it end but what a great trip. I am wondering if this is typical weather for FL in Dec. I can't believe its all over....

 

[Tinkermom76]

Great report Tracy! I wish you were going in Sept when we are going!

 

[englishrose47]

Great TR !! Looking forward to your PTR!!!!

 

[emilodious]

Tracy - I have loved following your TR! Hopefully I will stumble across your PTR when it starts and can follow that one from start to finish!

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us! You and Bill seem like amazing people! Thought of you two when I was in Carbondale a few times in the last month....

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Awww, your pic with the Dwarfs is so cute! It's great you got to meet the D23 CMs, too! I admit I would be a little grumpy if the weather was cold, too.

Oops! Your paparazzi move sounds like something I would do!
Ace is a cutie - I can see why you missed him. santa video!

 

[Mrs. Sojourner]

What a wonderful TR!