I keep forgeting that it's Christmas time! Dec 2011 TR (*2/20*)

[disneydreamingdebby]

Hello to all of my friends and to the new friends I hope to meet!

My name is Debby and my wonderful Dh is Gregg. He is just as crazy about being in Disney world as I am.

We have twin girls who will be 10 in February...where did that time go?

(This is a picture from summer which explains the glow...)

This trip was very exciting for me. Dh and I want to go to WDW for all of the different events, but our work schedules prohibit us. I am a high school teacher, and he is a mailman, so when I have school breaks, he is unable to take off. I can't complain though; we go in the summer and find a long weekend in Jan/ Feb that isn't too disruptive for me to take off a couple of days. Our girls are very good students in fourth grade so we can still pull them out for a couple of days.

Due to major cuts to PA's education budget, my district decided that it would save money by closing the school a week early for our holiday break. Hence, dh was able to take off without running into any problems at work. I requested three days vacation for my girls and planned our Christmas Disney trip!

Trip dates: 12/16 through 12/21
Resort: Pop Century 12/16 and Beach Club Villas 12/17- 12/21
Transportation: all modes Disney
Tickets: Annual Passes
Dining Plan: 12/16 - counter; 12/17-12/21 regular

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

I'm here!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Here and ready for all your Christmas fun, Debby!!!

 

[DMGeurts]

I followed along with your PTR (not sure if I ever posted)... Just wanted to let you know, I am tagging along on your TR too.

D~

 

[NMW]

Subscribing

 

[Disneyfreak616]

I'm here!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Megan - Welcome - here's your Mickey Bar for being first...

Jackie - Glad you are joining the Christmas fun as you plan for Independence day!

D- I saw your wonderful handmade bag over on Steph's report. I can't remember when your trip is, but I look forward to getting to know you!

NMW - Thanks for joining! I am curious how old your pirates and princess are....

Hello Kristen! I see that very exciting DVC trip planned! I am excited your family bought into the magic!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

All of the events leading to Disney were mundane...so I will jump right to the trip. Even the mundane in Disney is somehow exciting!

We arrived at MCO around 10:05, so we had to get our luggage. The wait wasn't awful, but it felt long...we had a bus to catch!!!

We arrived at Pop sometime around 11ish. (I promise the pictures get better and better...)

Dhs retrieved luggage while bf and I went in to check in. I went first, and we were assigned the eighties building room 71## - can't find paperwork right now...dh picked up mugs to get something to drink before heading to room.

Since we were only staying the night, we had no preference on room assignment. We of course took the longest route to our room because we had difficulty finding it. (This meant that we took a nice stroll along Memory Lane and Hourglass Lake.)

It didn't seem to bother any of us as we were in Disney, and it was a nice evening! (Bf's family was assigned to the fifties building. They enjoyed it, but she said she will request a different building in the future.)

Once we found the room, the girls immediately ran outside to check out the pool, and I checked for bedbugs... then I joined them for some picture taking...

After taking some pictures, we talked our girls out of a swim (it was well past midnight, they'd have to get showers, we needed to be at bus for HS by 7:15). I had dh call bell services to arrange for luggage pick up. I told him 6:15. Then, I reconsidered and thought that wasn't going to work. I called bell services and asked them to make it 6:45. (Dh must have been annoyed, but he didn't mention it--it helped that I called and didn't ask him to do it again.) Close to 1 AM, we turned in for the night.

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

A long night but it looked like a good time! You're right, one night in 80s isn't horrible but a whole week in 80s would not be my cup of tea!!!

 

[NMW]

Our kids are 15 13 and our little princess is 10

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

I remember reading your last trip report. I'm here for another round.

 

[JessicaKnits]

Late night for you all! Great start, looking forward to reading more.

 

[__disneygirl]

Great start!! Your title attracted me b/c we were there from Dec 5-14 and I also didn't feel like it was Christmas at all! I've never been to Disney during the holiday season before and it was just too warm for me to feel Christmassy! It was odd hearing Christmas music in place of the regular area music in some areas of WDW, I have to say. The decorations were so beautiful though.

 

[marDgreen88]

Hey there! I'm joining in, we were there at the same time for a few days! I COMPLETELY agree, I had to keep reminding myself that it was December!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Yeay for arriving at Disney! Great pictures at Pop -- love that Christmas tree! Glad you were able to talk the girls out of a swim -- I would have been falling asleep at that point.

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

A long night but it looked like a good time! You're right, one night in 80s isn't horrible but a whole week in 80s would not be my cup of tea!!!

The resort didn't seem as large as I expected. I don't have a true picture of the 80s location because the only time we walked to it, we were very lost.

Our kids are 15 13 and our little princess is 10

Are your children huge Disney World fans? Does the 15 year old still enjoy it like when he was younger?

I remember reading your last trip report. I'm here for another round.

Thanks for following along!

Late night for you all! Great start, looking forward to reading more.

It was a long day since the girls and I had our normal school days; dh had the day off (otherwise, he'd never be home in time for the flight.)
Thank you!

Great start!! Your title attracted me b/c we were there from Dec 5-14 and I also didn't feel like it was Christmas at all! I've never been to Disney during the holiday season before and it was just too warm for me to feel Christmassy! It was odd hearing Christmas music in place of the regular area music in some areas of WDW, I have to say. The decorations were so beautiful though.

I was very thankful for the warm weather; it certainly was a component of why it didn't feel like Christmas. I was worried about the music. I was afraid I would miss the regular music. Luckily, I enjoyed the Christmas music.

Hey there! I'm joining in, we were there at the same time for a few days! I COMPLETELY agree, I had to keep reminding myself that it was December!

If it wasn't for the music...(which is crazy since there were decorations everywhere!)

Yeay for arriving at Disney! Great pictures at Pop -- love that Christmas tree! Glad you were able to talk the girls out of a swim -- I would have been falling asleep at that point.

I wanted to let them; I really did. I just knew it wouldn't be ten minutes bed. It would be ten minutes, shower, wet suits all the next day in a park bag, in bed at 2.

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Many of you agreed with my sentiments behind my title.

Every year, I am very attached to our Christmas tree. I love coming home every day, turning on the lights, and just hanging out with our tree! Here is this year's Christmas tree...

I considered getting a tree for our room in Disney, but I decided it would be a waste of money. We aren't in our room enough on vacation to warrant it.

Instead, these were our decorations:

I picked them up at Walgreens before our trip, and dh and the girls enjoyed them.

It didn't matter that there were decorations EVERYWHERE in the parks. The warm weather made it really hard to think December. Honestly, it was the Christmas music playing everywhere that reminded me!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Dh and I woke up bright and early at 6 am. After getting ready, we woke the sleeping beauties who were slow moving. At 6:45, bell services appeared and we essentially followed him out of the room. On our way to Everything Pop, I had to take some pictures!

We headed in for breakfast...

Dh and I both ordered Western Omelets:

We ordered a bounty platter for the girls to share:

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

After I ate (quickly to get more pictures and not hold up the family), I darted to the store

Some new merchandise

I wanted to get a new lanyard or two for school. I have to wear an ID badge everyday. I currently wear a Disney Nerds lanyard.

By this time, the family caught up to me in the store, and we headed to the bus.

Right as we walked outside, the Hollywood Studios bus was there. We wanted to make it there for 8 AM EMH, and we didn't hop on the bus until 7:30AM! How far back would we be in the Toy Story Mania Dash?

 

[wishing4PA]

Yay! The photos are here, the photos are here!
I love your tree. The monorail looks like it barely manages to get around the bottom branches, but it looks great there!

It was funny how your daughters suddenly "grew" in my mind, from the pics in front of the giant icons. They look so tall! Ironic, somehow.
Keep posting! So far I've decided I'm ready to stay in POP -- for the next next trip.