Ho! Ho! Ho! Away we go - A Disney Christmas - 2/15 Dec TR final thoughts and FEB TR!

[jeremysdisneymom]

Happy Dog,

I just got caught up on your report. How magical-Christmas at the Magic Kingdom. That would be awesome!

Your boys are absolutely adorable. I loved their Christmas outfits.

DH and I dediced to look into DVC ownership. We get the packet Wednesday so I am getting super excited. If we purchase, our plans are now a trip this summer and a 7 day cruise next February. Wish me luck!

Erika

 

[eandesmom]

what a magical Christmas morning! It had to be just lovely after you survived the crowds on the 4th, what a change.

We would have been still sleeping, no doubt about it and it wouldn't be because of the rain.



What a special morning, it really sounds like it was one of those moments (ok hours!) that will just stay with you and stand out as a truly special trip experience no matter how many times you go back.

Space mountain 6 times! I love that.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

What great updates! I have to say that I've never really considered spending Christmas away from home but you make it sound so magical!

I share your hubby's love of Le Cellier. I bow down to your ability to get ADRs there. I wasn't successful last year, even at 180 days. But I will try again for Oct!

The boys are so cute in their matching mickey plaid pjs.

I cannot get over the lack of crowds that morning! What a Christmas present, indeed!!!

 

[Happydog]

Yes, this is the first trip where both kids are considered adults. Connor is pleased, but I am not loving paying adult prices on tickets or meals. However, I do think it will come in handy when I insist that everyone has to order a different dessert at Le Cellier so we can try them all.

That will be my logic in a few years!!!!

Great pictures! A lovely way to spend a Christmas Day.

Glad you got to see the mosaics. Aren't they something else?!?!?

Oh yes! SO pretty! It was a great thing to actually see... surprisingly there were not gobs of people walking through, and I thought that was special enough!

WOW!!! I had to quickly read through 21 pages!!! LOL When we got back last month, Christmas kept me from reading anyone's reports and from starting my own. Then, I spilled wine on our laptop and had to wait to get a new one. Hence, I am sooo behind! All caught up now...looks like a great time so far! Can't wait for more! I will be starting my TR I think tonight!

Oh rats! Well glad you are back in order, and I look forward to reading your TR!

I love the pictures of the kids opening their Christmas presents. Since we flew Santa filled their stockings, but left the rest of their presents at home. Wow!! Your pictures from MK this morning looks great! Thanks goodness for the rain. It really is a mixed blessing. at WDW We had dinner at LTT on Christmas Eve and it was great! But I can understand how you wouldn't want something that heavy for lunch when you had a great dinner planned. I want to try LTT for lunch sometime. It looks so yummy!

Yes, LTT does look great for lunch!! That menu sounded so good and I was really looking forward to it... I had heard they served a Christmas dinner, but It didn't click it would be the ONLY thing they served. Actually our waiter for 30 seconds even said he was surprised and had only become aware when he got there... AH well NEXT time!

We told them that Santa left the loot at home, too... but since we could, we did bring a few items. Needless to say there would not have been a tree if we flew, but since we had always planned to have the car, it wasn't an issue.

The rain was not too bad, because it stopped. However, about lunch time it came back with a vengance! WE watched it from the Contemporary!

 

[Happydog]

Ho Ho Ho Jennifer!
Great update!
You did very well in the rain on Christmas morning! I don't think we would have been brave enough to have tried that. Especially with Harper...
Maybe without such a little one though!
We were getting packed up that morning for our move and the big kids were going back to Kansas.
The boys looked like they had a fun Christmas morning at the villa and looked so cute in their peppermint mickey shirts and Santa Mickey hats! I love it that you got to ride Space Mountain and Buzz so many times what a treat!
Looking forward to more!

Oh yea!
Do you have Kroger?
Just found something that made me think of Matt. They have a pretzel nugget in the freezer section. It's filled with pepper-jack cheese.... now it's not quite the same as AK but not bad either.....

Thanks WigD! I would never had considered going anywhere if some of my family was flying out! AND no we would not have been braving the rain if my DS was 2!!! But yes, we did have fun considering, and I am glad we went ahead with our plans!!!

Kroger? Is that a grocer? Hmmm Pretzel with pepper-jack. Are you kidding??!! That is right up his alley!!!! I wonder if there is a brand out there that I can get! Hmmm....

I will have a few posts because I have so many photos and events to sift through... Hopefully another this week. I am excited to continue reliving Christmas... but I also have two trips to plan! AND I have to take an interlude to ask you all about Vera Bag selections!!!

 

[Happydog]

That sounds like a perfect MK morning!! I love that you got out there even though it was rainy. I bet it was great with the low clouds, and you got to do sooo much. If I have learned nothing else from Mike, it's how to stay away from THEM!

Love your peppermint shirts! Your boys are so stinkin' cute!!

Thanks! IT was as near perfect as I think we could get our first Christmas there! Believe me the rain did really give me pause, but I just wasn't going to give up my plan... We did get to do a lot, and that was one great plus... YES, I know!!! TGM, he makes me laugh!! How he always writes with your name included... Cracks me up... I ordered it again for this summer... probably don't need it, but I enjoy it!

Great update! It sounds like you had a fabulous morning. The pictures of the boys opening their presents Christmas morning were so cute, I miss that age!

When they are not clobbering eachother, it is a wonderful age... And yes, we had a fantastic start to our Christmas Day! Especially the parade!!!

Yay! Santa came!! What sweet pictures of Christmas morning. Your little one hugging his iguana was too cute!
That is so awesome about all that you got to do at MK! Maybe I'll cross my fingers for a littlebit of rain next year!

Can't wait to see more!

Yes it was a fun morning, I was impressed they were able to get up and go! You will see that one takes a nap later on, just like puppies.... play play play, drop dead asleep. We did get to do plenty... AND of course there was way more to do, I think we may have stayed later, but we left around 2pm, and so in my mind we had already had a full morning, you know? We hit the rides that mattered to us on that day, which wasn't too many, but we had already done the others, too... So we didn't feel like we missed stuff...

What a great Christmas. Your boys are too darn cute! I am super impressed at your MK time too... you sure do good on crowded days.

I know! It is a coincidence, I guess... Just dumb luck, really! That was a great gift Christmas Morning. I would do it EXACTLY the same way, but try to get there a little earlier... I know, nuts, right? But ironically the bad weather was a great asset to us this time -- not sure if it would have been as favorable if it was sunny...

Happy Dog,

I just got caught up on your report. How magical-Christmas at the Magic Kingdom. That would be awesome!

Your boys are absolutely adorable. I loved their Christmas outfits.

DH and I dediced to look into DVC ownership. We get the packet Wednesday so I am getting super excited. If we purchase, our plans are now a trip this summer and a 7 day cruise next February. Wish me luck!

Erika

Neat! That is exciting news! I don't see us owning DVC anytime soon, since we have been lucky with our rentals and exchanges. BUT, I still consider it from time to time, so you never know. Christmas was a special time to be there!!!

 

[DisMomAmy]

What a great morning!!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Jennifer, was that a mailbag you were carrying?

 

[Happydog]

what a magical Christmas morning! It had to be just lovely after you survived the crowds on the 4th, what a change.

We would have been still sleeping, no doubt about it and it wouldn't be because of the rain.



What a special morning, it really sounds like it was one of those moments (ok hours!) that will just stay with you and stand out as a truly special trip experience no matter how many times you go back.

Space mountain 6 times! I love that.

Hey! Well you know the crowds we felt that one night in July at the MK (July 3) was the worst I had seen, and it compared to the night at the MK on this trip, on the 23rd, when we took the back exit to get out of the human gridlock! BUT I will take a December crowd anyday over a hot July crowd... At least in Dec everyone is in a good mood and no one is sweating!!! So you can smile through the crowd!!! BUT it just didn't seem crowded to me, until we were getting ready to leave. Then I saw crowds....

I think you are right -- it will definitely be a special trip moment(hours!) for me. Just a "remember when...." memoir. AND yes, Space Mountain SIX times. No wonder he is so goofy...

What great updates! I have to say that I've never really considered spending Christmas away from home but you make it sound so magical!

I share your hubby's love of Le Cellier. I bow down to your ability to get ADRs there. I wasn't successful last year, even at 180 days. But I will try again for Oct!

The boys are so cute in their matching mickey plaid pjs.

I cannot get over the lack of crowds that morning! What a Christmas present, indeed!!!

I am glad we did, and we had so much fun! I loved trying to recreate a little christmas in our villa, and there certainly was no short supply anywhere else!!! SO that was the best part in my opinion!

You'll get that ADR, I can feel it! I am so looking forward to going twice! I got those PJ's on a whim, but am glad I did. They are super cute, and are pretty well made all considering! Yeah the rain really must have slowed people down a bit... I am grateful we got there earlier than the official opening time... it definitely made a difference. It reminded me of July 5th! Not a soul in sight!

 

[Native NYer]

What a great Christmas day!
I def need to book a Christmas Disney trip.

 

[Happydog]

Jennifer, was that a mailbag you were carrying?

Hey! Yes. It is (I have two -- that and the Bali Gold one... ) I like it well enough, it does kinda flop over in the front a little, but it is a good style for me, so it works... I have a Vera Dilemma! Coming up...

 

[SoonerGirl]

When they are not clobbering eachother, it is a wonderful age... And yes, we had a fantastic start to our Christmas Day! Especially the parade!!!

I don't know if boys ever get over clobbering each other - mine still do it on a regular basis!

I really, really wanted to see the MK Christmas parade, but didn't, so I'll have to live vicariously through you

 

[praisehisname]

So cool that you got to meet up with Wigd!

I love the flask!!!

We LOVED Storm-a-long Bay! My kids would have been content staying there all day!

You had a beautiful day in Epcot!

That must be so awesome to wake up in Disney on Christmas morning!

Wow, who would have thought you'd have MK practically to yourself on Christmas Day???

 

[Happydog]

Okay, so as you all know, I am going on a short Disney Cruise followed by a night at Disney's Hilton Head Resort in a little over a month! I am looking for a nice carryon bag, something that isn't my "luggage" carry on, because that is too small... AND too luggage-ish.... So I have a bag problem to cure... OH why do I do this when LL is on vacation!!!!

So I went to my local Hallmark yesterday. They had 40% off some VB patterns. I ended up NOT finding what I wanted for sale, but I did find a new bag/design that I took home... Now I chose it because it had a zip close, and because it was larger, and NOT a duffel. I really liked the "Weekender", but regular priced it was more $ than this style...
I realize that the photo is super small! It is called the "Get Carried Away" tote... if you go to the website you can see it better.

So I bought it, and brought it home, then thought to check the VB site to see if any weekenders were to be had for less... And there were! Now I think this is a neat pattern. It does have a black background, but I think it still has some flair to it, and would work in the spring... DO you all? The plus, is that it was on sale, and for the price of the other tote -- new pattern new style = none on sale! I could get it and a medium cosmetic bag... which I was excited by... and then this morning I see all sale is an extra 10 % off... You dont have to check with me twice! So I grabbed these two items and they are on order to me...

If you have ever seen the Weekender in person, It has those hard rounded handles, and it has some shape and interesting design to it... the tote is nore "tote" style, but has lots of pockets, and stands on its own.. It is a few inches bigger, but I felt both would hold what I need for my Cruise carryon... I like that the Weekender can be held by the handles like a satchel, or, can use the shoulder strap, for ease...

NOW I LOVE this new pattern... but I was looking for something with Black, to go with my black sandals, etc... the new pattern has the turquoise color with taupe brown and bits of black, but brown is decidedly more prominent. These are all good colors for me, too, very spring/summer... but I am not sure which I should keep... Two is out of the question!!! TOO much $.

SO, what do you think? I can return either when the one gets here, but any initial reaction to either? Has anyone seen the new "Get Carried Away" tote? Lots of great photos on the website...

 

[Charleston Princess]

What a wonderful Christmas morning! I don't know which part is my favorite! Waking up at Disney on Christmas morning, how cute your boys look in their peppermint t-shirts, an almost empty Magic Kingdom, your boys trying to pull out the sword in the stone, or the fact that there was pink ice cream in your cappucino float!

Boo about the rain, but like you said, if it kept the crowds away, it was awesome!

Space Mountain six times in a row??? Good thing DS only had dry cereal that morning. Which, by the way, is how my kids like to eat their cereal, too. I bought the new chocolate Cheerios at the grocery store this weekend, and I can't tell you how much my kids have already eaten dry!

Yeay for a Christmas parade coming up!

As far as the Veras, I have been lusting after the Weekender since it came out -- that's the one I would keep. It just screams " adult getaway" to me!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Heading off the ebay.....

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Lots of nice weekenders over on ebay...

 

[Charleston Princess]

Lots of nice weekenders over on ebay...

You are bad, bad, bad, Anita! I am saving my Vera budget for the large backpack in Paprika for this summer in the parks.

 

[IluvXU]

I saw that their was Vera talk over here from Anita's thread... and I can't miss that.

I have no experience with either... but have a gift card that is really burning right now in my purse. Off to the Vera website I will go....


Jackie the big backpack is totally awesome for park touring. It will be my park bag for sure for a long time!

Anita... I don't Ebay... but you could sure be a commerical for them. I don't text, ebay .... I know I date myself too much.

 

[wigdoutdismom]

You are bad, bad, bad, Anita! I am saving my Vera budget for the large backpack in Paprika for this summer in the parks.

Speaking of that, have you seen the frill backpack in paprika? They had it at my Vera store for 50% off. Very cute and water proof!