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

[KathyRN137]

Hello Happydog!

I've just decided to take my family to Walt Disney World for Christmas vacation in 2011... DisMomAmy suggested that I come check out your report so, here I am!!

I loved all the pictures from the parade and I agree; how special to see it on Christmas Day!!

Looking forward to more,

Kathy

 

[Happydog]

OK, now I'm even more bummed about missing the parade!

We should have used your lunch strategy on our MK days as those CS places were

Looking forward to your review of Flying Fish!!

Oh dont be! You got to see so many other things too! I suspect that it happens to everyone! So you gotta go back some time!

I think it is a great strategy -- but you have to go back into the park if you are staying there all day, so it makes a good plan if you are leaving to go to the pool or another park, etc., best.

Nice parade pictures. The wooden soldiers are just the coolest with their choreographed clomping around. The gingerbread men are so cute.

It is good to give credit to all of those in-between characters/floats CM's. I try to do the same when I am parade watching.

Maybe we'll get a chance to try the Contempo Cafe this summer. We only have three ADR's, so we're going to do lots of counter service, and I am always up for something new.

Oh definitely! The parade is really cute isn't it? The soldiers and the gingerbread men were my favorites! And I think the CMs are the best!

I would consider the contempo cafe if you are up to trying something new... they have great salads, great sandwiches, and flatbreads, and burgers. Nice portions and definitely not as crowded as the park, and you get better selections hands down, for your QS meal...

We missed the parade too. It looks like fun! And it looks like y'all had the plan~ it's always get to get in in the morning and out before the crowds get too bad. (and, in this case, before the rain comes!)

I want to take another Christmas trip as well. Maybe one of these days I can convince my family.

We have to have a plan, or we would get disoriented I think. It worked pretty well, even with the rain!

The parade looks like such fun. I agree, it is especially special that you saw it on Christmas morning!

Holy crowds!

Your son sleeping w/ his iguana is just adorable!!

Contempo Cafe has never even occurred to me as an option. I will have to keep that in mind. Thanks for the tip!

Love that you guys still preserved some regular Christmas traditions in your home away from home!

Cannot wait to hear about Flying Fish!!!!

Oh do, Christine, it is a great place for a nice lunch and a relaxing atmosphere... They have a great breakfast burrito too!!! The boys loved the french toast! Yes, well we had to do something that afternoon before dinner, and getting out of our wet park clothes, and putting on some lounge wear was perfect! We polished off the eggnog and Christmas cookies!! It was fun.

DS4 really loves that Iguana -- makes me laugh, he is still sleeping with it now!

 

[Happydog]

Awesome parade pics! Ummm Prince Naveen is doing the universal rock band thing with his hand!
Love the soldiers and the gingerbread man...I bet they look even cuter in person!!
Chip and Dale's earmuffs were cute! They are very well placed!
How special that you were able to see the parade on Christmas morning!
I remember you saying that the Contempo Cafe was really good..
Mmmmm FF! Haven't been there in awhile!

Tracy

YES!!! I saw that hand gesture too!!!! I was wondering about that! ODD! The parade has many cute elements to it! It was a neat thing to get on Christmas morning, I was happy that we saw it then.

Flying Fish coming up!

Oh I want to see that parade!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What wonderful wonderful pictures, they actually gave me goosebumps!

I do need to remember about Contempo, that is easy on the way out of the park and since we will be taking mid day breaks will work if the park is too crowded to deal with CS inside!

It is so neat in person. Not the same as watching it on TV.. just like the Macy's Thanksgiving parade, also something really neat about seeing that in person, too! DO try it! You won't be disappointed with the Contempo Cafe!!! Great sandwiches, great salads, flatbreads, etc... the Dulche de Leche cupcake and the "worms in dirt" cupcake.... and the Black forest cupcake.... and The burgers are good too, I had a fab sandwich with brie cheese, apples, turkey, and arugula on toasted challah bread... it was a hot sandwich, FABULOUS. DH had their club sandwich on an awesome grain bread stuffed with avocado, lettuce, tomato, turkey, ham, cheeses, and bacon.... you could get these home made chips or fries.... my DBIL had the angus chuck burger with cheese... they had a nice steak and goat cheese salad I had last time... and they have another salad with apples and walnuts if I recall... Anyhow, great CS options!!! and right, NOT crowded.

Hi there! I've missed all the chatter in between but have had the lovely advantage of seeing all your updates since New Years day all at once!

To sum it up ....

Your Christmas day parade pictures are wonderful. I've never seen it before and now I cannot wait to see it in person this December! Thanks!

Gee, thanks!! It was a wonderful trip, and I hope you have one too!!

Hello Happydog!

I've just decided to take my family to Walt Disney World for Christmas vacation in 2011... DisMomAmy suggested that I come check out your report so, here I am!!

I loved all the pictures from the parade and I agree; how special to see it on Christmas Day!!

Looking forward to more,

Kathy

HI! Welcome!!!! There are a lot of DISers planning for Christmas 2011!!! Thanks for coming over to join the fun. It was a very special trip!

 

[stace208]

The parade looked like so much fun! Looks like you guys had a truly magical Christmas Day so far!

Thanks for the tip about Contempo Cafe. I may need to use that plan during Spring Break to escape the crowds.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Here are my 1997 photos of the same parade float:

The Christmas parade looks like it was amazing!!

 

[DisneyMom14]

You have some great updates and pics!

We have used that side exit parallel to Main street. When we had taken our school band to perform, on our way out a cast member saw all of us with our matching shirts and brought us over to that side exit. Really cool to see behind the scenes a little.

Christmas at Disney! That must have been great! We didn't stay (left on 24th) because my whole family comes to our house every Christmas and we wanted to be home, but I think one day we will have to try it. I'm so glad you guys had a good morning there. Talk about some great crowd mojo! Oh and that rain....that horrible rain...we drove through it on the way home. Hit it after dark in Mobile. Not nice at all, but I won't give everything away. I'll talk about it in my TR.

I love your Christmas parade pics because it looked so different in the daytime!

 

[Happydog]

Here are my 1997 photos of the same parade float:

The Christmas parade looks like it was amazing!!

I KNOW I saw your photos on your PTR and I said Hey!!! I saw that!!! I knew there was a reason why I thought it looked dated

 

[Happydog]

The parade looked like so much fun! Looks like you guys had a truly magical Christmas Day so far!

Thanks for the tip about Contempo Cafe. I may need to use that plan during Spring Break to escape the crowds.

Oh I would! It is a great place to get out of the crowd! WE did have a wonderful Christmas Day.... more coming up!

You have some great updates and pics!

We have used that side exit parallel to Main street. When we had taken our school band to perform, on our way out a cast member saw all of us with our matching shirts and brought us over to that side exit. Really cool to see behind the scenes a little.

Christmas at Disney! That must have been great! We didn't stay (left on 24th) because my whole family comes to our house every Christmas and we wanted to be home, but I think one day we will have to try it. I'm so glad you guys had a good morning there. Talk about some great crowd mojo! Oh and that rain....that horrible rain...we drove through it on the way home. Hit it after dark in Mobile. Not nice at all, but I won't give everything away. I'll talk about it in my TR.

I love your Christmas parade pics because it looked so different in the daytime!

Yes, enjoying your TR! I tell you it was a funny way to leave the park, but it was helpful in terms of wading through the crowd!
Yikes! I guess we all got that weather system!

 

[Happydog]

So about 5:30, we gathered in our villa, and made our way across the bridge to the Boardwalk area for dinner at the Flying Fish. I had heard very good things about this restaurant and was interested in trying it out.

We waited outside for our buzzer to let us know our table was ready. We watched some of a street performance and took some photos. Here you can see how "slap happy" or "punchy" my guys were -- after being up so early!

Here is the Christmas tree outside the Boardwalk...

Shortly they called us into the restaurant and sat us. We had a nice table in the middle of the restaurant. I loved that all the chefs in the kitchen were wearing Mickey Santa Hats! I really loved the decor of this place.. the ceiling was gorgeously painted...

We all had a wonderful meal... we enjoyed a rack of lamb off of the Holiday menu, and a great Dessert trio -- which included a peppermint cheesecake, a pumpkin spice creme brulee, and something chocolate with the winter season flavors! All of them were very good.... As you can see, DS7 enjoyed his chocolate dessert, too.... I also had a blood orange margarita. OMG. Can I just say that was divine!!! It was soooo good! I think it just might replace the blue agave margarita I have had at The Wave!!! All in all I would say it was a nice restaurant. We ordered the crab cakes and mussels for appetizers, and really enjoyed those, but the Lamb (being a Christmas Dinner special kept us from ordering a seafood entree) Though my DBIL had the Potato wrapped snapper and he said it was fab).

After dinner, we made our way to the boat launch, and took a ride over to DHS. I wanted to catch those Osbourne lights one more time, and I figured it would be a nice "night cap" activity before bed. I took so many photos, really, that I just am going to run a few for you without any commentary! Take a look!

These were just some of my favorites... I really loved the elves going down the subway stop and the dogs at the door, and the bicycles!! Santa and the snowman in the phone booth were also adorable -- he is in my first night's post if you missed him!!!

As we were leaving the park, I snapped a few shots of the decorations... these dancing Mickey ornaments make me laugh! And I loved the Santa heads in the big DHS tree....

All in all it was a wonderful Christmas. A great evening, dinner, and DHS was a good park to go to, not too crowded and again for only a quick stop, it was perfect. DBIL and Christine were flying out at 1pm the next day, so we said our goodbyes then, and then we headed back into the resort and went to bed, it was a bit before 10pm. We were all very tired after our big day and early morning, and so very happy to hit the pillows!

Stay Tuned for the day AFTER Christmas... an AK morning...

 

[Happydog]

A quick interlude about our cruise and summer trip!

We got our Cruise documents this week! YAY!

My camera strap I ordered came in the mail today (saturday)!!

My Vera Bags came in the mail earlier in the week, too!!!

We leave in 30 days for our Wonder Cruise!!!

I have lots to share about this and our June trip but it will keep until my TR is complete...

 

[ladybugmom]

Wow!! The parade looks incredible!! A must-do for when we go in Dec.!! And what a great tip to go eat at the Contempo Cafe--thank you!! The Flying Fish looks wonderful--YUM!!! And the Osborne lights look AMAZING!!! Absolutely beautiful!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

What wonderful Christmas updates! Loved them all! The parade looks like such a blast -- I wonder if those gingerbread men taste as good as the shingles...maybe not... I think I would have been just like your DS and in need of a nap after the early morning and all that fun! I love, love, love that the Contemporary Resort makes Mary Blair/Small World style gingerbread. Too cute! I adore those three-legged goats -- you know there was a special CM pin made of the goat. Leslie (LL) found one on ebay, so that made me have to get one, too.

Watching A Christmas Story on Christmas Eve is one of our holiday traditions (along with Bad Santa once the kids have gone to bed ) -- I bet the eggnog makes it that much better!

The picture of the four of you on the Boardwalk is great! You look like you are having the time of your life!

Those desserts -- the peppermint cheesecake and the pumpkin spice creme brulee -- sound delicious! I am such a sucker for holiday flavors of any sort!

Heading off to see the Osborne Lights sounds like the perfect end to your wonderful Christmas day! I love the picture of the dalmations with the bows!

Woo hoo for only 30 days until your cruise!!! So exciting!!! You will be doing a TR about that, right?

 

[Happydog]

Wow!! The parade looks incredible!! A must-do for when we go in Dec.!! And what a great tip to go eat at the Contempo Cafe--thank you!! The Flying Fish looks wonderful--YUM!!! And the Osborne lights look AMAZING!!! Absolutely beautiful!!

It really was!!! Such a highlight! Don't miss it. I would have loved to see it at night, I am sure it is very special that way -- but alas we couldnt make it in time for a MVMCP... the last one was the day before we arrived YES the Flying Fish was really good! I think I would like to try it again, but my DH was not that impressed. We are thinking The Blue Zoo next time.

What wonderful Christmas updates! Loved them all! The parade looks like such a blast -- I wonder if those gingerbread men taste as good as the shingles...maybe not... I think I would have been just like your DS and in need of a nap after the early morning and all that fun! I love, love, love that the Contemporary Resort makes Mary Blair/Small World style gingerbread. Too cute! I adore those three-legged goats -- you know there was a special CM pin made of the goat. Leslie (LL) found one on ebay, so that made me have to get one, too.

YES the Mary Blair/SmallWorld Gingerbread is ADORABLE... I bought a few to give to my grandmothers... They would make perfect ornaments!!! I have one of those pins too! It is going on my camera strap!!! VERY cute it is -- we actually made a trade for ours at the park this past October after seeing you two talk about it!

Watching A Christmas Story on Christmas Eve is one of our holiday traditions (along with Bad Santa once the kids have gone to bed ) -- I bet the eggnog makes it that much better!

OH yes we know that movie too... And yes eggnog was a nice touch!

The picture of the four of you on the Boardwalk is great! You look like you are having the time of your life!

Those desserts -- the peppermint cheesecake and the pumpkin spice creme brulee -- sound delicious! I am such a sucker for holiday flavors of any sort!

Heading off to see the Osborne Lights sounds like the perfect end to your wonderful Christmas day! I love the picture of the dalmations with the bows!

Woo hoo for only 30 days until your cruise!!! So exciting!!! You will be doing a TR about that, right?

Thanks!! I wish we had one of everyone smiling, but that night it wasn't happening, the boys were not able to focus for a photo!!! I was lucky they ate... we did hit the arcade after dinner before Osbourne Lights (I'd forgotten that -- I had promised a few games just so we could make it through dinner!)

And yes, that night I figured it would be crowded everywhere, so no rides, just a nice stroll around made for a good cap to our evening.

Oh yes! I will definitely do a Cruise TR, why not??!!! I am anxious to start thinking about my June trip too!!!! It is funny though, now that ADRs are back at 180 days it is far less stressful... I have to put them all together in my final spreadsheet to make sure I am not forgetting anything, but there was no worry about getting what I wanted so that was a great plus -- I am sure you felt that way too!!!

 

[kschafer]

I really want to try Flying Fish, I've heard such good things! I just love the holiday decorations...I'm hoping for a Dec 2011 trip to see them (gonna have to convince hubby to take a few days off of school, or at least let me and the boys )

 

[2xcited2sleep]

YUM to Flying Fish. Blood orange margarita and that potato wrapped snapper are sounding good! Don't you just love being able to walk out of the hotel and over to dinner and not worry about buses? Ahh... the Beach Club.

I cannot get over the lack of crowds in your DHS picture. I am amazed!

Congrats on receiving your cruise documents and your other travel essentials. I am very much looking forward to hearing what you think of the cruise. By the way, saw that Travel Channel has their Disney Cruise special on a few times over the next week or so, in case you feel like getting "in the mood."

 

[SoonerGirl]

I can't help but smile looking at the pic of the four of you - your boys look like they are about to drop, but you look radiant!

A stroll through the Osborne Lights sounds like a great way to end the day. I love the little puppies by the door, it was so crowded when we went to see the lights that I totally missed some of the little details - thanks for the pics!!

 

[goofy's_gurl]

loving your trip report. you got a wonderful family. i would have loved to be there on christmas day. i bet that was the best feeling ever.

 

[Happydog]

I really want to try Flying Fish, I've heard such good things! I just love the holiday decorations...I'm hoping for a Dec 2011 trip to see them (gonna have to convince hubby to take a few days off of school, or at least let me and the boys )

Oh good for you!! If you can swing it, I totally would!! IT is just a wonderful experience. I loved it!!! I'd go with my boys along, if DH wasnt up for it... BUT I'd miss him!

YUM to Flying Fish. Blood orange margarita and that potato wrapped snapper are sounding good! Don't you just love being able to walk out of the hotel and over to dinner and not worry about buses? Ahh... the Beach Club.

The Blood Orange Marg was AMAZING.. I COULD have had two... but I refrained... Has a nice Zin with dinner instead. BUT the whole meal was quite good IMO.... the Crab cakes were yummy and so were the mussels... but yes I really liked not needing to take transportation or drive.... Yes, Christine, we know how you feel about the BC...

I cannot get over the lack of crowds in your DHS picture. I am amazed!

Congrats on receiving your cruise documents and your other travel essentials. I am very much looking forward to hearing what you think of the cruise. By the way, saw that Travel Channel has their Disney Cruise special on a few times over the next week or so, in case you feel like getting "in the mood."

Oh I will definitely tell all -- I am looking forward to it, too! I know that special, in fact I have to say we saw it just a few nights before we booked our cruise... So hows that for influence??!!!

I can't help but smile looking at the pic of the four of you - your boys look like they are about to drop, but you look radiant!

A stroll through the Osborne Lights sounds like a great way to end the day. I love the little puppies by the door, it was so crowded when we went to see the lights that I totally missed some of the little details - thanks for the pics!!

Oh yes, they were a little shell shocked, I admit! They did perk up for the Arcade however!!!

The Osborne Lights that evening were not busy at all so that was really nice!

loving your trip report. you got a wonderful family. i would have loved to be there on christmas day. i bet that was the best feeling ever.

It was great great fun! Welcome and Thanks !!! Thanks for reading along!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Oh yes, they were a little shell shocked, I admit! They did perk up for the Arcade however!!!

Funny how an arcade can zap them right back into their excited happy zone isn't it? We had to pull that out the last night of our trip as well......

 

[CanadianPaco]

What a pleasure it was to read you report! Thank you for sharing!