I want to ride the cotton ball--A 4th of July family celebration! NEW PTR 8/31!!!

[Happydog]

What a perfect 4th of July! Your report has now added that holiday to my list to go to Disney!

I read in one of your post that you are going to be there over Christmas! I am sooooo envious. That would be amazing. We were there at Thanksgiving last year and had a ball. It really started the Christmas holiday for us.

Oh, I loved your sons 4th of July outfits--too cute!

Le Cellier is on my list. We are not doing it this next time around. We are actually eating at a lot of the places we did on our last trip. We are taking my mom and my DS7 wants her to experience Chef Mickeys, Garden Grill, etc. Oh well---there is always next trip!

Look forward to the next update!

Erika

Hi!!!! Thanks! So glad you jumped in! You know it really was great! I was truly worried about the 4th... not sure what to expect never gone in the summer before, but I was sold! Well we have never eaten at Chefs or Garden Grill, so I think both of these choices are great!!! I want to experience Chef Mickey's myself!!!! And yes, it is fun to say that there is always NEXT trip!!!

Score on the Le Cellier walk up! That is amazing! How fun for you! And then to have your break for the fireworks and finish up with dessert, perfect!

Sounds like an absolutely lovely way to spend the 4th O' July and love that last shot of the ball!

Allyson

It truly was, and I can't believe she let us!!! There were a few parties that stayed in the restaurant and ate while we got up to see the fireworks, I was surprised, but maybe their server didn't give them the same offer. We of course gave her a nice tip!! We chatted about the fireworks after! Dessert was so nice!

The Earth with the US flag image was really really neat especially since it spins! And they had "America" all awash in red, white, and blue, even after the show was over.

Love your boys' boypris and their little keens! So adorable!!
That was quite a coup getting Le Cellier on a walk up. I didn't (and still haven't eaten there ) make a ressie there for October because I didn't think my niece was a big steak eater (she is 13 and eats everything that is not nailed down and you would never know it...now if I did that ) and guess what....she has been eating steak like mad all summer!! I had scheduled Tutto for our first night and so I changed that to The Wave after hearing great reviews (from Lynn ). At least I will be able to try the soup during F&W...I hear they have it outside.

Tracy

OH OH!!!! To the WAVE!!! A MOST excellent choice!!! Very good! Ate there in Nov, and this last trip, and DH loves it so much he wanted to go twice!!! Definitely go!

About the boys, THANKS!!! They are cute, I was able to get a great Tshirt dISign from Natalie (she does shirts on the DISign thread) and I made them to go with the shorts which I had already purchased... Crocs and Keens -- footwear of children!!!!

Such an amazing day you guys had!!
I can only imagine how wonderful the fireworks were!!
What a great waitress at Le Celliar

We really did!!!! And they were AMAZING. She was super nice, it was funny how we all wanted to see them!

 

[Happydog]

HOW DID I MISS THIS!?!?!?!

Your family is just precious. (And I agree with an earlier poster - DH is a Hottie - but then, so are you!)

Love the boypris, the handling of the meltdown, the train, AND THEN LE CELLIER?!?! As a walk-in? I thought that was illegal! I thought you would get thrown in Disney jail just for asking!

Thanks for sharing this with us!

Mrs. Spratt

HA! Well first WELCOME !!! You can come and lavish these sweet compliments about me, my DH, and my family on my TR or my new PTR ANY TIME No seriously, thank you! That is very sweet !!

YEAH, we still can't believe it. Which is why I want a real ADR so I can be EXCITED in advance!!! LOL about the Disney Jail... the CM seemed to think so in a few cases, like I said she didn't tell EVERYONE that they were taking walk-ins after 9pm.... Not sure why, trying to keep it down in numbers I guess, but we were the only party with kids... so I am glad mine acted appropriately

WOW! I am in awe of your 4th of July day! back to July 3rd though! The boys looked adorable with the Star Wars vehicles! 50's prime time looked fun too, I loved your DS face when he was told to eat his veggies, too cute! OK back to the 4th! LOVE LOVE LOVE the boys outfits....so adorable! I remember it being super hot that morning too! Eric and I hit DHS without Bryan and Matthew. HOW COOL that they squeezed you in at Le Cellier! That is so great that you got to go out and watch the fireworks and then come back for dessert! LOVED the empty restaurant pictures! I think your boys are SO STINKING CUTE!!!

You are so very sweet!! It is easy to be a mom of two boys and see the same type of antics in another mom and her two boys!!!! I think the same thing when I read your TR!!!! and the PTR before! Thanks for all the nice comments! It really was hot, I agree! The pm on the 3rd, and the am on the 4th were quite warm... The restaurant to ourselves was really weird and funny! And yes, I enjoyed my smores so much more because I wasn't worried about missing fireworks!!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Well, I have to say that your Fourth was a lot more spectacular than my Fourth which consisted of setting of fireworks in a friend's backyard!

Really, what a wonderful day you had from start to finish -- a leisurely morning at Epcot, pool time, and a grand ol' time back in Epcot -- I am particularly impressed with your two slushies and the walk-up to Le Cellier! What a score that was!

So, which fireworks did you like better -- MK or Epcot -- or were both wonderful in their own way?

 

[Happydog]

Well, I have to say that your Fourth was a lot more spectacular than my Fourth which consisted of setting of fireworks in a friend's backyard!

Really, what a wonderful day you had from start to finish -- a leisurely morning at Epcot, pool time, and a grand ol' time back in Epcot -- I am particularly impressed with your two slushies and the walk-up to Le Cellier! What a score that was!

So, which fireworks did you like better -- MK or Epcot -- or were both wonderful in their own way?

Hello!!!! Well, they were both really fabulous in their own way, but Epcot's show was very much an all out explosion -- I think b/c of the way they set them off.... at MK, it was more choreographed... I would relive these two days any 4th of July Holiday...

Those SLUSHIES -- my goodness. I just needed to stick my head under that Grey Goose machine....

Thanks, CP!!! It was a very special 4th!!!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

We are planning to go to Candlelight Processional on Christmas Eve too! I'm thinking Biergarten for our dining, I'm just afraid that most of our gang won't love the food. I just thought it would be nice for our German exchange student.

 

[IluvXU]

WOW! Walking up on a holiday at LeCellier---

Good for you for letting the boys have fun instead of hurrying to the ride, I think we all could learn from that message, I sure could.

What a fun 4th!

 

[cjackearl]

Wow, what a wonderful 4th! I'll echo everyone else's sentiments about the walk up Le Celier meal: WOW!!! Awesome stuff. And fireworks thrown in for good measure! What an amazing memory.

Your boys really are just adorable.

 

[Happydog]

We are planning to go to Candlelight Processional on Christmas Eve too! I'm thinking Biergarten for our dining, I'm just afraid that most of our gang won't love the food. I just thought it would be nice for our German exchange student.

OH! WOW! Well that probably would be fun for him!! (her?) I think I remember you saying earlier that you had an exchange student! We had one when we were still single teachers, back when we lived in NM. It was great fun! They gave us the OLDEST kid -- 19 -- we were 25 at the time, so it was a riot...
Yes us and everyone else I imagine will be trying for this one.... I want to go to Epcot on xmas eve -- may do the CP on a different night if I can't get it that evening, I am looking at Le Cellier, Tokyo Dining (though I am trying to go there just to see Illuminations from the window!) and San Angel's.... We will likely look for all three ADRS, and get the CP with whichever I can, either xmas eve or another night that week...

 

[Happydog]

WOW! Walking up on a holiday at LeCellier---

Good for you for letting the boys have fun instead of hurrying to the ride, I think we all could learn from that message, I sure could.

What a fun 4th!

Well, it was late, mind you, but eating late on a hot night when we were not very hungry worked okay. I am just relieved the kids cooperated, that was lucky too!

Yes well, I held back from the impulse, let me tell you, but I think that really was because I could say, oh we'll get there and we'll be back soon, so that totally helped. I bet you'll find yourself doing this more NOW that you are a DVC member!!! really!!! Now ask me how I feel in June when my APs expire!!! I know that aint happening again!! I'll have to see how DH feels about WDW after three trips in the span of a year's time!

Wow, what a wonderful 4th! I'll echo everyone else's sentiments about the walk up Le Celier meal: WOW!!! Awesome stuff. And fireworks thrown in for good measure! What an amazing memory.

Your boys really are just adorable.

Thank you thank you!

It was, I highly recommend it. OR at least I recommend the 5th!!! That is up for tonight... THE difference was NIGHT and DAY.

 

[Happydog]

OKay, gee, I HATE even typing that, but I guess all good things must come to an end so the next BEST thing can come along!

I have one final post on our trip... which will then be followed up by my accounting for the trip in terms of expenses, final words on the restaurants -- a summary, if you will. For our FINAL day in Disney we were at MK... I can only say WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES!!!


I want to finish this before we leave Saturday for a two week vacation out west. My parents live in Oregon, where I grew up, and DH and I are taking a mini vacation for 4 nights to Palm Springs, as well!!! I will be sweating it out with the best! At least it is DRY heat!!! Lots of drinks by the pool... er water, water, by the pool...

Back later!!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

We're at the last day, already?! Oh well, I am consoled by the thought of a magical Christmas TR. Christmas morning in MK and Christmas Eve at the Epcot with Candlelight Processional and hopefully Le Cellier? Who's the narrator on Christmas Eve? I'll have to go check - they had some good ones listed.

Oh and maybe you can treat us to a mini TR of your trip out West? I find that now that I've started writing TRs I can't stop... no matter where I go. Everything I do is fodder for the boards!

ETA- here's the line up of Candlelight Processional narrators if you haven't seen it.

Whoopi Goldberg -- Dec. 18-20

Brian Dennehy -- Dec. 21-23

Edward James Olmos -- Dec. 24-26

Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance -- Dec. 27-30

 

[Charleston Princess]

How can we already be at the last day of your trip???

Your trip out west sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun! I hope you are planning on doing a PTR for your December trip and include lots of photos from Oregon and Palm Springs!

 

[dd50]

Last day of your trip? Aren't they always sad when you have to pack up. At least you have other trips to look forward to. Disney at Christmas has to be fun. I went the day after Christmas years ago.

Enjoy your trip out west and your mini trip.

 

[eandesmom]

Wow! what an incredible incredible 4th you had!

I the boys shorts and shirts outfits, so incredibly cute!

Major mojo on the Le Cellier, that is just wonderful! I think I could use that as an excuse someday in the future to try both of those slushies!

Wonderful update as always!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mickey_Mom]

What I saw were people having fun and giving my kids attention. They were totally in the moment, and it had nothing to do with riding an attraction, and rushing to get in line. It was what I wanted to have more of after my November trip, and I am glad that as I stood there I realized that we had been luck to have several moments like these this trip, and it felt good.

Yay! Good for you! This is exactly my goal for our upcoming trip. No rushing allowed!

We then let the boys cool off at the “car wash” why we enjoyed our morning jolt!

I didn't even know that cool area was there!

Nice!

So next we stopped in Canada. YEAH, I know… not bloody likely. (oh, wait, that is the next country’s expression – sorry I don’t know what the Canadians say!)

We'd say, "Yeah, I know... not bloody likely, eh?"

I couldn’t believe it! After losing my ADR for Le Cellier when we changed our trip dates, we would get to try it out after all!

Now UNFORTUNATELY, in the scramble to get up to see them I left my camera on the table. SO sadly I have no 4th fireworks pictures!!!

Ah but to watch them without trying to get a good picture has its advantages, eh? (more Canadianism, )

It was a Happy 4th of July!

Perfect!

 

[Happydog]

SO if WDW was a deserted Island, it would look like it did on the morning of July 5th. If Crickets (besides Jiminy) LIVED in the MK, you would hear them all that day we strolled over from the Contemporary! All I can say is WOW, what a DIFFERENCE a DAY MAKES!!!

From wall to wall crowds on the 3rd , and crowds on the 4th that I can only imagine WERE at the MK (if the evening of the 3rd was any indication) we arrived at the park entrance to, well.... WHERE did everyone go??!! My DH said, SHHHH!!! Don't wake everyone up!!!

But I get ahead of myself...

After a short sleep, I think I woke at 6 am, after staying up a bit to pack the night before, I continued to pack up the rest of our things, DH did the same, showered, and followed behind him. As he started moving things down to the car, I woke the boys about 8am. They took a short quick bath, munched some dry cereal, and we did a final quick scan of the room, and headed down to the car, leaving the fabulous villa that had been our home for the week

We drove over to the Contemporary, parked, and went up for breakfast, I think around 8:45 or so, because my receipt from the Contempo cafe says 8:53... THIS is a great place for QS breakfast! We ordered breakfast burritos, which came with two beverages, and so we got the Caribou coffees (you know, the kind in the screw top bottle/can that are not required to be refrigerated, and a Smart water and an OJ bottle (I filled my resort mug with coffee as well). The kids had french toast and bacon, with OJ and Milk. The burritos were quite good! And the Contempo cafe has a nice set up! We ate breakfast, and with SIX QS credits burning a hole in our pocket and Eight Snack credits to go, we took off for the MK... It was almost 9:30 I think, when we got over there. The bag check tables were empty. Entrance was a breeze, and we made our way up to Fantasyland while DH went to get FPs for Splash... Here is what we ran into!!!!

Walking right down Mainstreet U.S.A ... LITERALLY, who else was around?!! Take a look at the background. See anyone?

I hadn't taken this photo on the 3rd, so I got it this morning, it looked closed but that is just due to the absence of people!

DS's and I ran to the restroom, parked the stroller, and went to Peter Pan! Well, with no line, we got directly on, rode the ride, got off and still NO line, so, of course we rode it again!

DH was not there the first ride, but he was outside waiting for us when we got off the second time. He told me there was NO line for Splash or for BTMRR, so we headed towards Frontierland. He had FPs for BTMRR... but regarding lines, He wasn't kidding!

This said 20 minutes... it was after 10am, and that was NOOOOOOOO 20 minute wait! We got our fill of this ride!!! IT was more like three times in less than 20 minutes or about that, because we really just got on, got off, got on, got off, got on, and got off!! It was a worthy ride even that early to beat the heat, because it was coming... you could feel it! HOT! So here are a few silly snaps of our Splash overload.... A good thing since, if you recall, DS4had refused to ride it earlier! Maybe because it was at night, I am not sure, but we certainly made up for it!

We then decided to try Tom Sawyer's Island, since we had it to ourselves!

I enjoyed watching the River boat go by, festooned with the 4th of July decorations!

Well, after that running around we needed a break ... DH is suggesting we need an orange slushie in this photo, so four orange slushies used up 1/2 of our remaining credits!

MORE coming in the NEXT post!!!

 

[Happydog]

Well, refreshed from the slushies, we made a plan for the last 30 minutes we had before we needed to leave and get on our way towards the train. Both boys wanted to ride BTMRR, we were glad since DS4 had been such a fuss before, so DH took DS4 and 7 on the ride, with our FPs, while I walked towards MainStreet to get my final shopping fix. We agreed to meet at Casey's!! DH rode the railway around to mainstreet and walked up, while I got two QS meals, and we just split everything between us, the boys mostly eating, since the Burritos at the Contemporary were really quite filling. We continued down Main Street, and I took these final few photos. As you can see the 4th decorations are still up as well as the people! The crowds were finally making it into the park.

My last castle pic !!!

Now if you recall, we had purchased a stroller our first day there. We did not need another stroller and so we went to the stroller rental and I spied a woman with two small little girls, possibly twins, but certainly close in age and younger than our kids. I approached her and simply asked if she was renting a stroller, to which she replied yes, so I told her that we had a brand new stroller which we had used the past week because we left our own double stroller at home. I told her it isn’t fancy, but if you want it, its yours for $20.00. She called her husband out of the line to rent a stroller, I explained it again, and he said great! So we had a deal, and with $20.00 they had a stroller that would do the job and we had only spent $60.00 on the unexpected! They waved at us as they continued into the park, and we turned around and headed out the entrance… I got this last one of Mickey,

and of the boys now schlepped by a Daddy, as we walked back to the Contemporary…

I was dragging behind, obviously, pouting and wistful, SAD that we were saying goodbye to the MK… I KNOW, I KNOW... Disney is just a few months away again, BUT I was still sad and after my last glimpse of the castle it just struck me that we had had a very special and fun vacation, and I was looking forward to coming back to do more and experience new things!

We drove to DTD, and with two final QS credits we picked up our WPE order to go -- we called as we were driving out of the MK! It was great! And armed with pizza drinks and cookies, and the sweets I had purchased at the Confectionary shoppe with our last credits before we left the MK, we were ready to head back! WELLLLLLLLLLLLLL, more or less ready. I could have spent another week, of course

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Your last day was magical beyond words! It must have been so great having the park to yourselves...

Lucky you heading out on vacation. We report back to school on the 12th of August..

How many days until our December trips?

 

[dd50]

Wow, your last day sounds fabulous and I am so surprised that there wasn't any one there. Can't get any better than that. I also get sad the last day because you have to go back to reality.

If we don't use all our credits I am going to stop at DTD to use them up before leaving.

 

[shannon47142]

what a wonderful way to end your trip!!
I've enjoyed reading about your adventures and hope you do another report for your next trip