Hi it's me- you want some pretzel?- a sisters' Dec 2019 USO/WDW trip! new 1/24!

[dwonderz]

one of them just started screaming about how much she loved Shrek and pushing into us with her phone to take pictures.

Oh noooo

reminded me of watching the Macy's parade on tv as a kid.

That's exactly what I thought of when I saw all of the float pics! It looks like such a fun parade!

 

[pkondz]

When I left off (about a month ago

Yeah! What the heck, Courtney!!!

life has gotten in my way recently!)

Okay, I was just kidding. I totally get that life gets in the way. Just glad to see you back.

I had read online to get a spot near the Mummy, across from the Christmas tree because during the parade, Santa does a tree lighting there so that's where we were!

Good tip!

I was enjoying playing around with my new camera lol.

Lots of great shots and some really cool floats, but that one especially caught my eye.

At this point in the parade, a group of women- probably in their 40s, ran up behind us and one of them just started screaming about how much she loved Shrek and pushing into us with her phone to take pictures. I'm all about liking characters but I'm 100% not about being pushed and may have pushed back.

"Group" of women... and not a brain shared among them. Tragic.

Is there anyone out there who isn't instantly excited for fake theme park snow? Because it wins me over every time!

Well... I do think it's pretty cool, but...
I go south to get away from snow and frankly... it triggers me just a little bit.

SANTA- I know him!

Here's a video of Santa doing the tree lighting ceremony.

Nice! I like how it lights from bottom to top instead of all at once. Also notice the smoke coming out of the chimney! Nice touch.

The parade was really adorable and reminded me of watching the Macy's parade on tv as a kid.

Sadly I never got to do that.

You both have the same head tilt and smile!

 

[missangelalexis]

The parade looks soooo fun! You got some great pics!!

 

[amazingact21]

Your parade pictures are great! I especially liked the one with the minion float in front the Christmas tree. You were definitely capturing some good shots with your new camera.

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Oh noooo

That's exactly what I thought of when I saw all of the float pics! It looks like such a fun parade!

It was! I definitely recommend seeing it if you're there for the holiday season!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Yeah! What the heck, Courtney!!!

Okay, I was just kidding. I totally get that life gets in the way. Just glad to see you back.

Life is kicking my butt recently but thanks for sticking with me!

Lots of great shots and some really cool floats, but that one especially caught my eye.

Thank you

"Group" of women... and not a brain shared among them. Tragic.

Well... I do think it's pretty cool, but...
I go south to get away from snow and frankly... it triggers me just a little bit.

That's fair lol. We didn't get much snow this year at all but uh if we could swap corona for snow, I'd never complain about it again.

Nice! I like how it lights from bottom to top instead of all at once. Also notice the smoke coming out of the chimney! Nice touch.

It was really a cute little ceremony! I'm glad I saw the tip on where to stand to watch it.

Sadly I never got to do that.

You both have the same head tilt and smile!

I never noticed that before but you're right

 

[lvcourtneyy]

The parade looks soooo fun! You got some great pics!!

It was a great parade! Thank you!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Your parade pictures are great! I especially liked the one with the minion float in front the Christmas tree. You were definitely capturing some good shots with your new camera.

Thank you so much! I still have a lot to learn about the camera but I enjoy playing with it lol

 

[pkondz]

Heh. Better get used to stuff like that.

Life is kicking my butt recently but thanks for sticking with me!

That's fair lol. We didn't get much snow this year at all but uh if we could swap corona for snow, I'd never complain about it again.

Oh! Yeah, I'd take that trade too!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Saved by the Churro!

We decided to start our night in Diagon Alley and make a complete lap of the park before taking the Hogwarts Express over to Islands of Adventure.

Of course, we stopped for some pictures on the way in.















We stopped for pictures in the back of the Knight Bus because we've always posed for pictures in front of it but this was a fun new angle.





Then we finally headed into Diagon Alley!







There was still about 30 minutes before the park closed and the event started but Escape from Gringotts was only posted at a 20 minute wait so we decided to go for it.











No matter how many times I go on this ride, I still need to take 1000 pictures walking through the queue. It's just so amazing!



We got off the ride at 6:58 and were excited because with the start of the event came free food!

Or so we thought...



We walked into Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour very excited to start the night with free butterbeer ice cream and discovered our fatal error.

The food didn't start until 1 hour after park closing (I assume so they had time to finish out with the regular customers).

SO CLOSE BUT SO FAR!

You see, the last thing we had eaten were those Voodoo Donuts before our nap and when we started to get hungry, we decided to ride it out until the event. Well now we were HANGRY. We were now even willing to buy a snack to hold us over for the hour but of course, with the park closing, that wasn't a choice.

Things were looking pretty desperate and I was trying to keep the mood positive but Kim was downright grumpy.

With no other solution, we continued on with our original plan to continue our lap around the park.

I continued taking pictures to distract myself from my hunger.







As we walked towards Men in Black, we spotted something spectacular.

There was a team member at a churro cart serving someone a churro! And I have to tell you, churros aren't usually at the top of my snack list but I'd never been so happy to see one in my life.

We approached the cart and asked for a churro and expected to pay for it but were even more happily surprised when he was already serving them free for the event!

Suffice to say, that churro man quickly became our hero. We scarfed down our life-saving churros faster than you can say churro and shoved our belongings in a locker, 1000 times happier than a minute before.



And let me tell you, that magical churro gave me the strength to get the highest score I've gotten ever!



I know people score a gazillion times higher than that but this was a major accomplishment for me and I made sure to make it known to the social media world.



We found another tree from the Christmas tree hunt in the gift shop!



You'll never guess where our next stop was....

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BACK TO THE MAGICAL CHURRO CART!



We shared another churro and a diet coke for some caffeine and good measure!
​

 

[pkondz]

Of course, we stopped for some pictures on the way in.

Of course!

Escape from Gringotts was only posted at a 20 minute wait so we decided to go for it.

With a wait time like that, you have to!

No matter how many times I go on this ride, I still need to take 1000 pictures walking through the queue. It's just so amazing!

We got off the ride at 6:58 and were excited because with the start of the event came free food!

Or so we thought...

Ruh roh...

The food didn't start until 1 hour after park closing (I assume so they had time to finish out with the regular customers).

Oh, no! But you need food now!

SO CLOSE BUT SO FAR!

Things were looking pretty desperate and I was trying to keep the mood positive but Kim was downright grumpy.

Feed her! Quick!

We approached the cart and asked for a churro and expected to pay for it but were even more happily surprised when he was already serving them free for the event!

Yusss! Saved by churro!

And let me tell you, that magical churro gave me the strength to get the highest score I've gotten ever!

BACK TO THE MAGICAL CHURRO CART!

 

[disneyAndi14]

Hangry is no fun! We have experienced this first hand on some of our trips!
Andi becomes a bear haha
I’m so glad you found the churro cart open and it gave you the sustenance needed for MIB!

 

[buzzrelly]

No matter how many times I go on this ride, I still need to take 1000 pictures walking through the queue. It's just so amazing!

It is! And I love all the pics of Diagon Alley at night!

The food didn't start until 1 hour after park closing (I assume so they had time to finish out with the regular customers).

SO CLOSE BUT SO FAR!

Oh, no!

We approached the cart and asked for a churro and expected to pay for it but were even more happily surprised when he was already serving them free for the event!

Thank goodness! Nothing ruins a fun time like being hangry! When Mike and I were at HHN, we couldn't find much to eat either.. I ended up being saved by a pre-made sandwich at Starbucks, and nothing had ever tasted so good!

 

[missangelalexis]

That stinks about the free food not starting until an hour into the event! Especially when you held off so long without food! I'm glad you found that churro cart!!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I'm terribly late, but here! I'm all-in for a sisters trip - my trips with my sister are some of my favorites!

Goodness, did you pack all of that into the first day?! How were you not collapsing by the beginning of the Orlando Informer event?

I really enjoy Seussland, including The Cat in the Hat and the Car-seuss-el. I do love carousels! I'm also a fan of the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride - hopefully you had a chance to ride that on your trip, too.

I visited the original Voodoo Donut a few years ago when I was traveling for a wedding. It was quite delicious!

The Orlando Informer event sounds AMAZING - short lines and free food are two of the best things that could happen in a theme park. I'm so glad you found the churro cart as I'm sure you were starving! It's funny how usually "okay" things taste incredible when (1) you're hungry, and (2) when that's your only option. As for Gringotts, I also take 1,001 pictures of teh queue EVERY TIME I RIDE. It's impossible not to!

 

[eliseisawkward]

Hope things are calming down at least a little for you work wise. Things are starting to get back to “normal” here, I’m even going into work 3 days a week (our building is at 20% capacity for “phase 1”).

Holiday parades are always more fun than other parades! What a great tip for where to stake out a spot for the tree lighting!

I am very good motivated, so I would have been with your sister on the hangry train... so glad you found churros! And that’s a pretty impressive score on MIB in my books!!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

With a wait time like that, you have to!

Exactly! It's practically a law.

Oh, no! But you need food now!

Yess actually probably like an hour before now

Yusss! Saved by churro!

I never knew a churro would be a life saving object

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Hangry is no fun! We have experienced this first hand on some of our trips!
Andi becomes a bear haha

No fun at all! I'm not pleasant when I'm hangry but Kim is even worse lol

I’m so glad you found the churro cart open and it gave you the sustenance needed for MIB!

Me too! There's no telling how the night would've went without those churros!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

It is! And I love all the pics of Diagon Alley at night!

Thank you! I love the parks at night!

Thank goodness! Nothing ruins a fun time like being hangry! When Mike and I were at HHN, we couldn't find much to eat either.. I ended up being saved by a pre-made sandwich at Starbucks, and nothing had ever tasted so good!

Ugh hangry is the worst feeling. It's funny how food we wouldn't want to eat at other times can be life saving at these moments lol!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

That stinks about the free food not starting until an hour into the event! Especially when you held off so long without food! I'm glad you found that churro cart!!

Ugh it was such a planning fail! I'm glad we did too- it really saved the day.