Christmas in July

[Circusgirl]

More Making Merry!


I fully expected the Castle lighting ceremony to be too corny or silly to generate any real emotion, so I wasn’t expecting the tears that came to my eyes looking around at the kids snuggling with their parents and watching something that read as magic in their eyes. Another gotcha! moment from the Disney school of theatrics.

Before:

After:

I took advantage of the lack of crowds to ride Peter Pan because walking on is good, and then headed off to Frontierland to get a good spot for the first parade.
There was plenty of time before the parade and no crowd to speak of, so I took a trip to the fuzzy down home musical palace of the Country Bears before settling in for the parade. The revitalized sound of the CB's show allows you to hear all of the terrible groaners in the lyrics. I have a friend who is a big fan who was devastated when Pooh snuffed the Bears at Disneyland, so I also attended in appreciation and tribute to his love of the bears.

Then we all got a fix of more than a little Christmas, with skating, singing, dancing, and the characters all in their winter festive best.


Sweet pals:

I love the snow duck and snow chipmunks on Scrooge McDuck’s and Chip and Dale’s floats:

Santa got almost as big a response from the crowd as Jack Sparrow.

The after parade bonus at that location was the surprise appearance of the Country Bears for a photo op meet and greet. I of course had to wait and get pictures to share with my bear loving friend.

There was a glowing full moon, so I went off to BTMRR to appreciate the western wilderness in the moonlight. By the time I survived the flood and near mine collapse it was time for the fireworks. I went to the Rose Garden for the MouseFest fireworks meet and met yet another bunch of Disney aficionados. Having devoted some time to rides, parade watching, fireworks and socializing, it was time to devote a little time to shopping and eating. I shopped Main Street, then visited the photopass folks.

By that time I was getting hungry, so I cruised to the end of Main Street and signed up for a classic Casey’s meal. When I took my snack out to look for a place to sit on the curb and wait for the next parade I ran into Mike and Paige, so happily joined them.

While we waited for the parade, we talked happy Disney talk and enjoyed the music and the scene, which was all sparkly goodness.

Paige went and got us hot chocolate, a perfect parade watching beverage.

Some of my favorite characters from the parade:

There was more eye moistening during the parade, from the happiness of the whole scene and how lucky I felt in that moment to be amidst the lights and gaity and music, with fun new Disney friends and lots of fun still to come.

After the parade we decided to take a spin on Space Mountain, so journeyed to Tomorrowland.

This night was incredibly uncrowded, one of my favorite things about the parties. I am crazy for a good walk-on ride. After lofting through the universe I was ready to turn in for the night. As I motored home across the lake in the launch I happily reviewed my plans for tomorrow. I was planning Animal Kingdom for rope drop, with a live recording for the Be Our Guest Podcast at Flame Tree Barbecue late morning, where I hoped to see Chuck and Lynn. Eben would be arriving in the afternoon and taking Magical Express to the hotel, and would meet me wherever I happened to be when he had gotten settled. We then would meet Missy and Cathie for dinner at R&C and IllumiNations on the R&C patio.

When I got back to the resort I cleaned up and made space for Eben's stuff in the drawers, downloaded photos and laid out my camera gear for the trip to AK. Once again it was hard to say goodbye to a great day and go to sleep, but I finally managed to turn out the lights around 1:30.

 

[girlbomb]

Love this installment -- beautiful photos, as always, and many beautiful moments. And you know you're an excellent trip reporter when you make the Country Bear Jamboree look like a can't-miss! (No offense to any bear lovers out there...)

 

[Circusgirl]

Love this installment -- beautiful photos, as always, and many beautiful moments. And you know you're an excellent trip reporter when you make the Country Bear Jamboree look like a can't-miss! (No offense to any bear lovers out there...)

Hey there! The bear lovers are quite a hardy bunch. One of the things I enjoy about the shows is the fans. They are extremely loyal, and know the words to all the songs.

I'm back from my Happiest Birthday on Earth trip to Disneyland, and very happily left certain crucial Disney items in my suitcase, it being soon enough to start amassing items for the Holiday tour! (I consider myself an awesome well above average planner in this case.) I'm going to try to get another installment of this TR done in the next few days, and am hoping to find the time to run a birthday TR concurrently.

Happiest of food holidays to everyone!

 

[Circusgirl]

Dreams Happen

I was bound for the AK today, and wanted to make rope drop, but it was a little bit of an ouch when the alarm went off. I managed to roll out of bed at 6:45, and felt ready to go after my coffee kicked in. Bringing my own strong, aromatic, tasty coffee with me has been the biggest improvement I can imagine for my mornings in the World.

I left a welcome note for Eben with a map of the grounds, park guides and a diagram of how to get to the monorail to Epcot, and got to AK just in time for the opening show. The turnstiles were open, but the crowd wasn’t large. Our hostess and hosts:

Although this opening show doesn’t carry the vicarious thrill and buoyant uplift of the MK’s opening, I’d much rather watch some characters cavort than stand around, so enjoyed the show and then headed directly to Africa for an early morning safari.

I hoped the animals would be prominantly out and active in the early morning. I used to run to EE first and ride a few times, then to Africa for a safari FP. In times of lower crowds, the single rider line at EE is almost as good as being there first thing, so this time I took advantage of being there early to go around twice on Safari. It wasn’t a great picture capture morning for me, but we did go by a thicket of giraffe.

Done for the moment with the thrill of the picture hunt on the African plains, I turned left out of Africa and ventured to Asia. On the way I ran into Cathie and Missy. It was great to finally meet Cathie and we celebrated that she was up and about after missing so much of her trip. They were headed in the other direction, so I continued my solitary quest for Everest. Arriving at the mountain, I tried to get a FP, but my ticket card wouldn’t read so the CM gave me two fast passes for EE plus a card that would give me fast passes until I could get a new AP. Sweet!

The single rider line was very short, so I saved my FPs and had the fun of riding with someone who’d never ridden before. She didn’t know anything about it, and it is always a treat to watch a newbie’s face when the train pulls up to the broken track. She had a terrific ride, and her perspective made my trip on the mountain special.

I journeyed from Asia to roadside America next, picking up a FP to Dinosaur but not riding as the wait seemed excessive for stand-by. Hunger set in so after photographing the character’s trees and props at Pooh’s meet and greet area down by the water, I scored some ribs at Flame Tree and devoured them in the lantern graced garden. I apologize for the picture. They tasted better than they looked, and I am a sucker for cornbread.

Pooh and friends are packed for an expedition and ready for Christmas at the same time:

Not so good food porn:

The Podcast live taping was approaching, so I shopped around the area until it was time for the meet, which would back at the Flame Tree gardens.
I love the trim and and garland here in the AK:

I went by the Pooh meet and greet for some fun with the sweet inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood.

Pooh was round and double sweet.

Eeyore was quite remarkably cheerful.

Tigger got down on one knee and was utterly charming.

I think I might just have gotten engaged!

Then is was time for the podcast meet. The Be Our Guest Podcast gang who were there (Mike, Pam and Rikki) were funny, warm and lovely, and it was fun to meet some of the other listeners. My friends Chuck and Lynn arrived shortly after I did and we all enjoyed talking and then watching and taking part as Mike went around and interviewed everyone who was there. He asked me about my dinner at V&As and it was fun to listen to the podcast after I got home, although I always think I sound like a dork. Chuck and Lynn had won ultra cool Dream Party Tickets to an after hours party taking place at AK that night, but couldn’t use them due to an important ADR for Lynn’s birthday dinner at Cinderella castle, so they gave their tickets to Paige and Mike. There were some bird attacks during the meet, which gave the AK experience a touch of wild authenticity. I was digging something out of my purse at one point, and Lynn started to laugh and said that my purse was a clown purse, like the clown car that disgorges clown after clown beyond all reasonableness. I loved that description, as I did have a fair amount of camera stuff and other things in a bag that looks smaller than it actually is. In a total departure from my usual approach, I seem to have taken no pictures of this event.

When we parted ways I went back to Dinosaur to use my FP, then back to Everest to ride twice. I was teetering on the verge of leaving the park for the day then decided to stay long enough to see the parade. On the DIS (but of course) I had read about the character trails at Camp Minnie Mickey and seen pictures of the character themed Christmas trees so I took the opportunity of free time before the parade to go over and see the decorations.

Continued in the next post...

 

[Circusgirl]

Some of the character trees:

The characters came out to do a meet and greet session, so I decided to get my ritual picture with Minnie. I joined a longish line with the other faithful. After I had been there for about a minute, the Dream Team came out and stationed themselves at the exit to Minnie’s pavilion. They pulled out lanyards with the tickets to the after hours party on them and started giving them to people as they left Minnie’s company. There would be a little pause as the Dream Teamers explained what the tickets were and found out if people could stay on for the party, then the guests would don their lanyards and leave the line with their prize. I immediately started counting lanyards and guests ahead of me in line, to see if I was going to be winning anything. It looked like they were going to run out, but then just as I was getting to Minnie’s pavilion, a Dream Team member arrived with another stack of lanyards so I knew I was in. Yay!

Photos with the charming and ever hospitable Minnie:

And with the awarder of my lanyard:

The party instructions were to show up at Dinoland when the park closed. We would be entertained in Dinoland for a while, then let back out into the park once the less fortunate guests were gone. I called Eben and left him a message about my good fortune and told him we would craft a plan when he got in.

After seeing all the character trees I went to guest services and they issued me a new Annual Pass. There was even a beautiful tree in the lobby of Guest Services:

It was parade time so I grabbed a chocolate brownie snack and a parade spot and chatted with the other guests while waiting for the Christmas jungle cheer to arrive. I still love this parade, and especially love the elaborate re-theming of the floats for the holiday. I was in Africa at that intersection where the parade passes by twice, so I just waited there for the parade to return.

Minnie is still the jungle hostess with the mostest:

Goofy’s float is my favorite because of all the character’s Christmas stockings:

The animals in the parade were dressed for Christmas:

Continued in the next post!

 

[Circusgirl]

Donald’s boat float is covered in duck-made snow:

I had jingle jammed with the best of them which had generated a need for a snack. I got a warm pretzel in Harambe, and then had just enough time left to ride the last safari before the end of the park day. At some point Eben called to let me know he had arrived and I told him since I would be a little later than planned getting to Epcot due to the special winning of the party ticket he should make his way there and start having fun until I could join him.


I entered Dinoland and joined the party just as it was beinning. The long light of sunset made the carnival colors glow. I know that people complain that Dinoland is cheesy, and I agree that the carnival game area is weak, but I’ve rarely met a carnival I didn’t like, and the theming and ideas behind the land are detailed and fun to explore.

I decided to take in the scene from above so hopped onto Triceratops Spin. A festively decorated truck arrived with Minnie, Mickey and a guy in a suit, who welcomed us to the party. He explained the history of these parties and said they had only done a few of them during the (two) year(s) of a (two) million dreams. It was one or two for each park, now I don’t remember which. This party was to be the last of these events, so we got in just under the wire!

The truck had a sound system and a resident DJ, who started up a hot portable dance party, aided by Chip and Dale as the ringleaders of dance fun. Not only do they crack each other up, but they can really boogie. As I watched the fun from above, I saw a little girl in a wheelchair being danced with by Chip and Dale, and a whole crowd of children dancing around them ringed by parents photographing every moment. When I was back on the ground I joined the crowd to get some photos of the party.

Dinosaur called so I plunged into the past for a skidding, asteroid impacted ride through some mighty dark jungle filled with carnivorous beasts.

Is this the time I finally get eaten?

I have always wanted to see AK after dark but had never managed to get to pm EMH. I had heard it was glorious in the darkness, and was excited to go out and explore when they turned us loose in the park. I went to EE first and rode a tremendous ride in the dark. It seemed faster and the wind more real and the wildness greater than in the day. It was magical and fantastic, as was the rest of the park, lit by a myriad of little lights and mystical in the darkness. I walked the quiet pathways all through the park, then needed to get on my way to meet up with Eben, and then Missy and Cathie.

I ran into an exuberant crowd of Dream Team members on my way out of the park. I talked with one CM about the job and how much fun he was having with it. He talked about being inspired by Walt and Walt’s powerful vision for the place he created, even though Walt had died before the young man was born. The job was a dream come true for this CM, and his job satisfaction clearly rated as stratospheric.

When I got to the gate, Mickey and Minnie and the guy in the suit were there to say farewell.

Then I was in the tram on my way back to my car, and Epcot bound.

 

[MrsSpratt]

I just love your report!

You are making me think that Solo might be my way to go!

Jaime

 

[Circusgirl]

I just love your report!

You are making me think that Solo might be my way to go!

Jaime

Thanks, Jaime!
After reading your report on your family's trip and how you made it fabulous via remote control I know you would have a tremendous time rocking the parks on your own!

 

[All7OfUs]

What a great evening of fun! Chip and Dale ARE a crack up!

I"m so glad you stayed for the parade- the float with the stockings was super cute! I think I liked Dory's the best

LOVED your photo with Mickey too- everyone looks like they are in such high holiday spririts.

 

[Circusgirl]

What a great evening of fun! Chip and Dale ARE a crack up!

I"m so glad you stayed for the parade- the float with the stockings was super cute! I think I liked Dory's the best

LOVED your photo with Mickey too- everyone looks like they are in such high holiday spririts.

I loved having another YOMD experience, and we're not done with YOMD encounters yet!

Christmas in the Kingdoms is as merry and bright as can be.