Chuck and Lynn Go to Mousefest! New 5/4!

[wdwgirl03]

The walk might have been long but on the bright side you got some nice pictures of the resort!

 

[Laneychris]

Great report!

 

[nts4wdw]

Thanks for the light fixture! That does seem like an extremely long walk!

Don't worry, there are many more light ppictures just for you!

I don't think you've been complaining

Sounds like a great morning!! Lots of walking!

In their defense, they do have an interanl shuttle you can take from place to place, but as you will see, the bus service wasn't too relable either so we skipped it all together.

Yowza. When you said North Pop Century you weren't kidding! That is quite a hike!!! At least you could walk off some of the vacation calories you were sure to consume?

I also didn't think you were complaining. No worries!

I thought for sure I took a picture of the bowling pipns from our building, but I can't find it. Maybe it was a dream or a drug induced hallucination...

WOW!!! What a HIKE! You just reaffirmed my desire to not stay at CBR or CSR! I thought POR was big. At least you didn't have any whiney kids with you. Mine would not have enjoyed that walk. Your sandwich looked yummy though.

POR is nothing compared to CBR! I kept thinking when we were down there that Jake and E would have been miserable making that walk to the big pool.

I didn't read any moaning at all Lynn

That really was a long walk, good job the views were nice!

IT was a beautiful reosrt and I can see why people love it. You really got a tropic feel there. It's just not for us.

That is a pretty long walk! I couldn't believe how far away that building is and how you could see Pop until I saw the map and it all put it in perspective! I am glad you finally made it to breakfast and am looking forward to seeing how the rest of your trip went.

On a side note...I am glad that you had a nice Christmas. Ours was nice and quiet besides me getting made at my Celcius covection oven. It was my first time doing a big meal here and it was a little difficult to get used to but did eventually get the Turkey breast cooked. Do you have any plans for New Years? We are going to be in London for the night...braving he cold and crowds but it will be a fun night.

Chuck and I have to work New Years Eve and New Years Day so it will be an early quiet night for us. Jake says he will stay up. I don't know how much sleep we will get. Our newest cat Maddie thinks that she can fight the fireworks that people shoot around our neighborhood. She runs around growling and jumping on the windows and walls.

 

[nts4wdw]

The far end of Trinidad South makes the boonies look close! It makes me realize what a good favor we did for someone once. We had gone by the Custom House for something late one evening and noticed a couple heading off dragging their luggage, saying they would walk to their building. I asked where they were and when they said Trinidad South I forced them into my car and drove them there.

I loved the pictorial walk - I am crazy for the grounds and gardens at the CBR, especially with the jaunty caribbean music playing in the background.

That was very nice! They would have lost their will to live on that walk.

I hate giving a bad review on a place that you love. It seemed like we just had bad luck, with location and the buses and more than your average of rude people there. I keep wanting to add disclaimers to my chapters: Our stay was not typical. Heather and many others have had perfectly wonderful visits to CBR.

I didn't think you were moaning, Lynn!

What a long walk! At least the scenery was super gorgeous!!!

Looking forward to seeing the fun you had at the Magic Kingdom!

I got the new Passporter yesterday, Lynn! Now if it were only time for our June trip!

for the new passporter!! I love the pictures.

June seems so terribly far away! At least that leaves lots of time for planning.

The walk might have been long but on the bright side you got some nice pictures of the resort!

I like your optimistic spirit!

Great report!

Thanks and

 

[CraftyOtt]

Hi Chuck and Lynn! I sat down this afternoon and read your ENTIRE report so far (so much for getting the Christmas decorations put away today....). I'm just starting to get back into DIS stuff -- in fact I lost/forgot my DIS password and had to get it reset. According to the Welcome banner on DIS, I last visited 6/23/08! I didn't think it had been that long! Anyway, great report so far!! I'm secretly hoping for a "grown-ups" only trip next December....I can wish, can't I?? Jerry and I stayed at CBR back in '90 with some friends, and I remember that walk over the bridge. I can't remember which building we stayed in, I'll see if I can find it later....

I can't wait for more report now that I'm caught up!

 

[nts4wdw]

Hi Chuck and Lynn! I sat down this afternoon and read your ENTIRE report so far (so much for getting the Christmas decorations put away today....). I'm just starting to get back into DIS stuff -- in fact I lost/forgot my DIS password and had to get it reset. According to the Welcome banner on DIS, I last visited 6/23/08! I didn't think it had been that long! Anyway, great report so far!! I'm secretly hoping for a "grown-ups" only trip next December....I can wish, can't I?? Jerry and I stayed at CBR back in '90 with some friends, and I remember that walk over the bridge. I can't remember which building we stayed in, I'll see if I can find it later....

I can't wait for more report now that I'm caught up!

Hey Pam!! I'm glad you are back around the DIS. Oh, a grownups trip!! You could always come to Mousefest. Chuck and I are planning to go back next year. We hope to make it an annual event.
I hope to get another update online this weekend. Thanks for stopping by!!

 

[nts4wdw]

Happy New Year, Everyone! Here's hoping your 2009 is full of fun and joy and lots of Disney!

 

[DisneyJo]

Happy New Year to you too Lynn and I think my year is definitely going to be filled with Disney

 

[Charleston Princess]

Happy New Year to you, too!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Happy New Year! What an amazing photo!!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Happy New Year!!!

 

[Circusgirl]

What an incredible IllumiNations picture! Great way to bid farewell to 2008 and welcome to 2009!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! BEST WISHES TO EVERYONE FOR A YEAR FILLED WITH JOY AND MAGIC!​

 

[princess&her4princes]

Hi Chuck and Lynn,

Just found your TR, wish I had found it before my trip, I would have loved to count down with you!! We were in Pop (you could probably see us from your room!! lol!) 12/7-14th...we were the ones with the 6 kids? Did you see us?

Great TR, looking forward to the rest of it and seeing how many times we crossed paths!

Happy new year!!
Kristen

 

[nts4wdw]

Thanks for all the new year wishes,everyone! So far it hs been pretty good. And since I made it through Christmas and New Years, I am rewarded with three days off in a row!!
We went out and spent Christmas money today! We got Rock Band 2 and Animal Crossings: City Folk for our Wii. Jake is an awesome drummer. The rest of us....not so much! Anyone else have these games?

 

[nts4wdw]

Hi Chuck and Lynn,

Just found your TR, wish I had found it before my trip, I would have loved to count down with you!! We were in Pop (you could probably see us from your room!! lol!) 12/7-14th...we were the ones with the 6 kids? Did you see us?

Great TR, looking forward to the rest of it and seeing how many times we crossed paths!

Happy new year!!
Kristen

Hey! You can over!! I wish you had counted down with us. It was fun. I'm ready to start counting to the summer trip, but I guess I better finish this trip report first.

I think I did see you waving at us from the POP!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Thanks for all the new year wishes,everyone! So far it hs been pretty good. And since I made it through Christmas and New Years, I am rewarded with three days off in a row!!
We went out and spent Christmas money today! We got Rock Band 2 and Animal Crossings: City Folk for our Wii. Jake is an awesome drummer. The rest of us....not so much! Anyone else have these games?

Sounds like fun! I am dying for a Wii. I've heard Animal Crossing mentioned a lot but have no idea what kind of game is it? Enjoy!! Work reality is coming soon enough.

 

[nts4wdw]

Day One Part Three

There is a bus stop right behind Port Royal, so we caught the bus to MK there. Quite a few other people did, too. It was so good to be on Disney Transportation again.
It may be just a little thing but I like how the buses have music themed to the resort when you are headed back and to the parks on your way there. There’s nothing better than turning at the light and into the MK buslot and hearing the “Mickey Mouse March” begin. I get chills thinking about it.
After the security check, our first order of business was to activate our APs! Yeah! At the window, the lady commented on the USA flag Mickey head pin Chuck had on his lanyard. She said, “I’ve got someone who’s got to see this!” She brought over another cast member who collects patriotic Mickey pins. He liked it so much, Chuck gave it to him. I could tell it made his day! I wish I could think of more fun and creative ways to thank the cast members. The lady gave us a Evil Queen pin in return.

I told her it was my birthday and got the customary button. She also gave us a Priority Entry pass that allowed us to go to the front of the line on any one attraction that day!! What a nice lady!!

A quick trip through the turnstiles and we were in the Magic Kingdom. As we went under the train station and came out into the sunlight, there was the giant Christmas tree towering overhead. Snow White was greeting guest in the little covered walkway next to the Exhibition Hall. My favorite character was the first one I saw! Chip and Dale and others were all around the square. Christmas music filled the air. The train whistle sounded behind us, off to take guests on the grand circle tour. The Mayor himself and some of the townsfolk were shaking hands and offering help. I was overwhelmed. Just two days before I thought this trip was totally impossible and yet here I was. I was so happy and grateful and excited that I started to cry right there in the street. And we hadn’t even seen the castle yet! One of the town’s ladies came over and said, “Oh dear, she is crying already!” Chuck, being a gentleman, had a handkerchief at the ready and I tried to pull myself together. I just felt like sitting down and weeping from joy. (of course, it may also have been from exhaustion and sickness, but I prefer to think it was joy!) I wanted to go slowly and look and touch everything. The windows of the Candy shop, the Indian statue, the smell of popcorn and ice cream, that beautiful, magical castle in the distance.

Chuck, always practical, and hungry, suggested we get some hotdogs at Casey’s and sit for awhile. It had taken a lot out of me just to get there that morning. Unfortunately, I wasn’t at all hungry, but sitting down sounded really good.

There weren’t many people down on the old Swan boat dock so we took our food down there. It was a wonderful spot.

Chuck wouldn’t wait to eat long enough for me to take a picture.

Our view on one side.

I never noticed the darker house around the corner in the above shot. I like it!!

Our view on the other side.

Chuck especially enjoys the hot cheese.

We called Meme to let her know we made it and our room number. She said she had successfully gotten Em off on her field trip and Jake onto the bus for school. She seemed to be adjusting to suburban life (my parents live on a small farm in the middle of nowhere) pretty good, but we promised to check in often. Not only was she sweetly dealing with the many journeys of Jake and Em, but also our very bad cat Maddie’s exploits. We owed her big!!

We really didn’t have to discuss our first ride of the day. It had to be Pirates!! It was closed during our last trip and I was ready for a ride.

Continued in next post...

 

[nts4wdw]

We had to get some pictures along the way.

It was so good to be back in MK!

There was only a five minute wait for Pirates because everyone was watching the Captain Jack pirate tutorial (which I never have gotten to see). We were heading down the dark hallways to board our vessel when I turned to say something to Chuck and he was gone. I backtracked and found him trying to take a picture of a light fixture in the queue. I asked him what he was doing and he said he was taking a picture of the light fixture, “you know, for that Lady girl.” Here’s your picture, LL!

He really got into the light fixture thing. You are going to see a lot more pictures.

Here’s our ride.

We sat in the front, which was a first. It was very cool getting to see everything without other people’s heads.. I think Chuck was enjoying it too. He only took two pictures.

We decided to head over to the Haunted Mansion next, but had to take a stop in one of my favorite pin stores in Frontierland. It’s always quiet and the CMs there are always really friendly (I think it’s because it’s always quiet in there.)

I found one pin I had on my list. I have one from all the resorts we’ve stayed at and I like to try to find one with Mickey on it. Look what I found.

Haunted Mansion line was kind of long, but it moved quicky.

Once we got inside, it was packed. We could barely get out of the Stretching Room before the door closed behind us. I am blind as a bat inside the queue so I tried to hang onto Chuck, but it was madness. I was glad to get into a Doom Buggy.

We got one in the library for you, LL.

I like this shot.

I got this one for my boss. (His name is Fred.)

Afterwards we just kind of wandered through Fantasyland. Waits were long (Small World was 20 minutes) so we just enjoyed being there and I tried to see things I hadn’t seen before.

The Castle was open to walk through so we took a look down Main Street. What a pretty sight!

I saw a cast member working outside the castle with a pin I loved so I did a trade. What do think? Is it me?

We took a ride on the TTA and discussed our options. We wanted to go over to the Grand Floridian during our trip. Last time the children and I went over there on the weekend, it was crazy and took forever. We decided a nice Wednesday afternoon would work better. One more look at the castle and we were on our way.

And we didn't even use our priority pass!

 

[nts4wdw]

Sounds like fun! I am dying for a Wii. I've heard Animal Crossing mentioned a lot but have no idea what kind of game is it? Enjoy!! Work reality is coming soon enough.

We love our Wii! It's hard to describe Animal Crossing. You are a little person and you have a little house. You can make money, buy things, meet up with other people from other Wiis. It was kind of wierd at first, but it's fun.

Monday is going to be the best. Everyone goes back to school and work and I will be alone. I haven't been alone in weeks! I might just sit and listen to the quiet.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Awww, what great first moments at Magic Kingdom.

I feel so special that everyone is taking pictures of light fixtures for me!!

I love the pink Mickey Pin, so very cute!!