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

Hey am back and catching up on the boards :goodvibes

Thank you for your kind words over the past week :hug:

I love AK and it looks even better at Christmas time - love the family shot with Mickey :thumbsup2

Yay you got to meet Daisy - am so jealous!!! :lmao:

OMG the Christmas parade looks amazing!
 
Love all the great character pics from Camp Mickey -- I bet your Christmas cards were adorable!!!

I am longing for Tusker House now. LOL!

Wonderful parade shots! Don't you just love all the princesses in the Christmas finery?

What a shame that you weren't able to make it to MK for the late night, but your Epcot morning is lovely. How cool to see the storytellers!
 
Just read through your whole TR. Good reading for a Sunday morning! Looks like you had a great time. Disney is so beautiful at Christmas! I took a trip early in Dec. a few years ago with my DS and when the parks were too crazy we just toured around the resorts looking at the decorations catching some entertainment like a brass band playing Christmas carols at the BW.
 
Just read through your whole TR. Good reading for a Sunday morning! Looks like you had a great time. Disney is so beautiful at Christmas! I took a trip early in Dec. a few years ago with my DS and when the parks were too crazy we just toured around the resorts looking at the decorations catching some entertainment like a brass band playing Christmas carols at the BW.
 

Great birthday party/sleepover for the girls! Sounds like they had a lot of fun...you can see it on all their faces too!:thumbsup2

It definitely looks like he is praying over the car.....it goes down at least once when we're in line every trip:rotfl2:

They did have a blast.

It will be interesting to see what Test Track is like after the refurb. It sounds interesting, but I can't quite figure out how they will make individual experiences.

Hey am back and catching up on the boards :goodvibes

Thank you for your kind words over the past week :hug:

I love AK and it looks even better at Christmas time - love the family shot with Mickey :thumbsup2

Yay you got to meet Daisy - am so jealous!!! :lmao:

OMG the Christmas parade looks amazing!

Hope things keeping looking up! :hug:

I love Daisy...I might have to stop in the middle of the Toy Story Dash this next trip to say hi!

Being there at Christmas was a great experience!

Love all the great character pics from Camp Mickey -- I bet your Christmas cards were adorable!!!

I am longing for Tusker House now. LOL!

Wonderful parade shots! Don't you just love all the princesses in the Christmas finery?

What a shame that you weren't able to make it to MK for the late night, but your Epcot morning is lovely. How cool to see the storytellers!

It worked out really well that we didn't go for EMH--our next night at MK we accomplished everything easily.

I would have loved a shot of Belle in her holiday garb, but I just couldn't justify the cost of the party tickets!


Just read through your whole TR. Good reading for a Sunday morning! Looks like you had a great time. Disney is so beautiful at Christmas! I took a trip early in Dec. a few years ago with my DS and when the parks were too crazy we just toured around the resorts looking at the decorations catching some entertainment like a brass band playing Christmas carols at the BW.

Thanks for reading!! I am the same way; I read trip reports in one sitting. (Much like I read books)

I think those special unexpected events make WDW such a great place! Also, the fact that there are other options than the park when you need a break that don't feel like you are missing out! How old is your DS?
 
I had 27 pictures and much commentary finished when I paused...I had to go back and move pictures to get under 25.

I took my laptop to my mom's (details as to why soon), and I shut down completely forgetting about the unsaved post! UGH!!!


So, I have been cheating on the DIS. I have been reading "reviews" and posts on Cruise Critic. My mom decided that since my brother, SIL and nephew were vacationing in May with SIL's family and wouldn't be able to vacation with us in June, that she wanted to go on a cruise. Intially, I balked at this. My mom pays for the girls and I to vacation with her --she and my dad paid for a condo rental for years for all of us to be able to spend time together. (I am a very spoiled child. :goodvibes) I told her a cruise would be too much money.

Then, I researched it and found it will be about the same, if not a little cheaper. So, I agreed with two concerns: one my brother being annoyed that mom is taking us on a cruise, and two - I am nervous about a cruise. I would be less nervous if dh was present, but someone has to work in the summer to pay for my extras... :rotfl:

I determined that bro would have to understand. Without dad, mom doesn't have anyone to cruise with. Also, I would have to get over my irrational fears.

So, on Sat. we booked our Carnival Cruise from Balt to the Bahamas. I have been researching since, and I found that their is a population out there as crazy about cruises as we are about Disney!

I didn't look into a Disney Cruise since I knew it would be more $$ and dh would not be okay with us doing this vacation without him. He has no interest in cruising, but every interest connected to Disney! Since he is very supportive about the girls and me having an extra vacation, I wouldn't push it!
 
On our last day, I had a quiet moment alone with our room to say goodbye. Pictures posted on page 4, I think. Dh took our luggage to the Unmagical Express area.

As we were headed to HS, one dd had to use the restroom. I was going to go get us breakfast at the Boardwalk Bakery, but discovered that the line was outrageous! I headed in to Boardwalk to meet my family.

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Wouldn't this picture be better without people? Well, the guy sat down, with no signs of moving. Then, this family came. We had places to go, attractions to see!
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On our way over to HS, we saw this guy of interest.

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We also saw some pirate booty!

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Ahh, and in the distance...

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Then, we were a little behind the schedule, which meant a little behind the crowd...

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We had fun on the TOT...I held on to my camera and for my life! My family, as you can see, enjoys this ride differently!

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One of the girls was hungry, so we went to Pizza Planet.

Here's the cute holiday cupcake!

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Yummy cupcake...

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Emma's pizza-
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Large chix tossed salad for Hannah (she doesn't like pizza or the two could have shared!)

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On to an attraction loved by dh

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After dh and the girls headed to TOT again, and I sat on a bench and people watched, we headed back towards the BC

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We headed back to EPCOT.

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It was the time for the Gospel show at EPCOT...this was wonderful! The singers were great; the EPCOT ball was in the background. Amazing feeling to be listening to this!

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Great way to end at a park! DH and I picked up our remaining counter service meals (something like 7!) We headed back early and hung out in the breezeway waiting for our bus. We ate a snack and took the rest of the food to the airport.

When we arrived at the airport, we learned that our flight was delayed! So, the two hours wait turned into four!!! UGH!!
The girls handled it just fine...

Dh's new toy made it too...
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After we were home, I ordered these...

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They did have a blast.

It will be interesting to see what Test Track is like after the refurb. It sounds interesting, but I can't quite figure out how they will make individual experiences.



Hope things keeping looking up! :hug:

I love Daisy...I might have to stop in the middle of the Toy Story Dash this next trip to say hi!

Being there at Christmas was a great experience!



It worked out really well that we didn't go for EMH--our next night at MK we accomplished everything easily.

I would have loved a shot of Belle in her holiday garb, but I just couldn't justify the cost of the party tickets!




Thanks for reading!! I am the same way; I read trip reports in one sitting. (Much like I read books)

I think those special unexpected events make WDW such a great place! Also, the fact that there are other options than the park when you need a break that don't feel like you are missing out! How old is your DS?

DS is 19. He's in college now so we haven't gone together in about 3 years. My DH was not a big Disney fan so he was ok with DS and I taking our own trips. I have lots of great memories! I'm hoping he will be able to come with me at some point in the next couple years. I have some cousins interested in a Disney family reunion so I will probably be planning that with my brother who lives in FL a little over an hour from WDW.
 
Oh no on it being your last day but time for the next trip? ;)

Love the pics you got on the way to DHS.

Mmm more food - I really need to get off these boards and go an make myself something to eat! :lmao:
 
Oh, that stinks on losing your whole post!!! I've done that before and :headache: man!

Love the pics - I haven't been in a LOT of those rides at DHS. I think about all I've done (recently) is the Rockin Roller Coaster - I'm a thrill ride junkie, though. It's hard to pass them up when we are with DD, but I have lots of other chances to ride roller coasters when I'm not at WDW, so...

Where is that gospel show at Epcot? I'm trying to look at the surroundings and figure it out, but I'm not visualizing well - especially with the ball right there. I bet that was really cool! We love music, too.
 
How frustrating to lose that post!!!

Very cool that you are going on a cruise!! I have heard that there are "cruise" communities like our little dis community... I bet that will be fun to explore.

The cupcake at DHS... my dd tried it. Not our favorite but super cute. Worth getting just for that... but the bow was so overly colored with dye that it not only tasted like it but turned my dd's tongue a bright pink.

What kinds of cs meals did you bring to the airport? I always wonder what you can take and what you can't. :confused3 TSA just has me so nervous to bring anything!


And...:sad2: Sad that this was your last day!!! What a great trip though!
 

Yes, this was absolutely lovely! I did Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk pictures one afternoon while the others went back to the room to take naps. They were all so pretty!

I heard the holiday singers in Epcot, too, but I had a sleeping Bella in the stroller, and the music was so loud. I sat out on the wall in front of MouseGear at first, but then I moved a little further away so that she wouldn't wake up. It's nice to have the extra entertainment things like this.

Great pictures, as always! Wish I could be there now. :)
 
Can't believe it's your last day! I love the ornaments and Chip and Dale....too cute!! So when's the next PTR starting????popcorn::
 
DS is 19. He's in college now so we haven't gone together in about 3 years. My DH was not a big Disney fan so he was ok with DS and I taking our own trips. I have lots of great memories! I'm hoping he will be able to come with me at some point in the next couple years. I have some cousins interested in a Disney family reunion so I will probably be planning that with my brother who lives in FL a little over an hour from WDW.

What a wonderful way to build memories with your son! I am very blessed that my dh is a huge Disney lover. (He wouldn't be okay with me and the girls going without him. I'd feel bad doing it.) Someday that son of yours might give you some grandkids to take! Yay!

I hope your family decides to do the reunion at Disney!

Oh no on it being your last day but time for the next trip? ;)

Love the pics you got on the way to DHS.

Mmm more food - I really need to get off these boards and go an make myself something to eat! :lmao:

I think the night before the last day is the hardest! You think,"oh no, I have to go home tomorrow."

Maybe we should warn people to eat before reading. :lmao:

Oh, that stinks on losing your whole post!!! I've done that before and :headache: man!

Love the pics - I haven't been in a LOT of those rides at DHS. I think about all I've done (recently) is the Rockin Roller Coaster - I'm a thrill ride junkie, though. It's hard to pass them up when we are with DD, but I have lots of other chances to ride roller coasters when I'm not at WDW, so...

Where is that gospel show at Epcot? I'm trying to look at the surroundings and figure it out, but I'm not visualizing well - especially with the ball right there. I bet that was really cool! We love music, too.

Most of the pictures were from The Great Movie Ride. Some rides just feel like Disney to me. When I sit in the buggy at Haunted Mansion, the boat in Pirates and the car at The Great Movie Ride, I think I audibly exhale. ;)

The stage was set up behind the Fountain of Nations. If you are looking at the stage, Mouse Gears is to your right and World Showcase is behind you.

How frustrating to lose that post!!!

Very cool that you are going on a cruise!! I have heard that there are "cruise" communities like our little dis community... I bet that will be fun to explore.

The cupcake at DHS... my dd tried it. Not our favorite but super cute. Worth getting just for that... but the bow was so overly colored with dye that it not only tasted like it but turned my dd's tongue a bright pink.

What kinds of cs meals did you bring to the airport? I always wonder what you can take and what you can't. :confused3 TSA just has me so nervous to bring anything!

And...:sad2: Sad that this was your last day!!! What a great trip though!

I like our community much better. :rolleyes1 The forum I found is like ours and has amazing information. Instead of Trip Reports, they do "reviews." People comment just like here, but it doesn't seem that the "norm" is to develops friendships like ours.

Wasn't that red dye ridiculous? The little bow fell off and I tried to fix it for the picture. What a mess. As good as the cupcakes looked, neither was very tasty.

You can take any food you want to the airport. Depending on the time of day, we either eat before going through security. (We do have three hours at the airport after all...) However, we have taken food on the plane. We just can't bring drinks...

On one flight, we had our sandwiches from Main Street Bakery. Oh, how wonderful! On that flight or another, a family was sharing a pizza from one of the Disney resorts...

Yes, this was absolutely lovely! I did Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk pictures one afternoon while the others went back to the room to take naps. They were all so pretty!

I thought the trees at the resorts were so beautifully decorated!

I heard the holiday singers in Epcot, too, but I had a sleeping Bella in the stroller, and the music was so loud. I sat out on the wall in front of MouseGear at first, but then I moved a little further away so that she wouldn't wake up. It's nice to have the extra entertainment things like this.

It was loud, and dh sat on that same wall. (He isn't one to sit on the ground...)

Great pictures, as always! Wish I could be there now. :)

Thanks! It won't be too long- we just need February to end...this is the longest short month. EVER.

Can't believe it's your last day! I love the ornaments and Chip and Dale....too cute!! So when's the next PTR starting????popcorn::

I thought the ornaments were great! We did bring one back, and worrying about it breaking was stressful. DH loves chip and dale. I have to try to find him non-Christmas ones. He uses that picture as his avatar for facebook.

I will be starting the PTR soon. I hate writing PTR's though. Just not as much to say/ lacks pictures except ones everyone has seen!
 
A couple of more purchases:

The girls t-shirts- they are not as crisp as new after washing them. The girls wear them once a week.

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:santa: Christmas Trip Wrap Up
What was my favorite part of the trip?
I would have to say seeing the Candlelight Processional, the story tellers in France and Japan, and the Christmas Parade. The emotions of those events were memorable and memories that I treasure.

Also, the castle lighting. It was so beautiful and my family was there.

DH: Osborn Lights

Hannah: without knowing her dad's answer said Osborn Lights

Emma has memory issues :rotfl: so no answers from her....

I thought staying on Splash and riding by themselves on it would be a high point, but Hannah said she was cold.


What was my favorite sit down meal? :confused3

Biergarten food was the best, and it was interesting to eat with other people.

Tusker House breakfast was probably the best overall experience for our family.

DH: Chef Mickey and Tusker House for both food and experience (I thought that Chef Mickey was too much up and down for characters.)

Low Points: eh, let me think of that melt down from my children that happens every trip and I respond by telling them I am not bringing them to WDW...yeah, I know bad mom moment...Can't think of it. Good. I'll stop trying.

When I overslept and we didn't make it to MK for EMH. Although that evening was horrible (2AM and guilt ridden), it turned out for the best!

DH: not getting caramels because the shop had the register issue

Hannah: Pop Century Dh and I both liked it there, but our girls did not. Maybe if they had a chance to swim in the pool.

What I learned from this trip:

If there is something I want to do, don't drag the family. Give them the choice and meet up with them later.

Seeing the decorations and special holiday events was amazing, but I am not anxious to go back before Christmas. I love Christmas and being at Disney took away from the anticipation of the holidays at home. Also, I need that break in Jan or Feb from school that I've had the last two years. This has been the longest February for me.

What will we do on the next trip?

PTR JULY 2012: I talked my way into one more Disney Day!


I only set up the link...I promise to update it by tonight though!
 







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