It's a Jolly Holiday with Katiebell and Brrt!

[Katiebell]

Well, the title says it all:

We love MK because it is so much like DL -- which is like home to us. The place was all decked out for Halloween:

The Mickey head in front was all filled in with pumpkins -- very Halloween-y!

There were orange and gold banners and draping all up and down Main Street, and several scarecrows set up in the plaza in front of the train station.

We caught the train and rode it around the park to Toontown Fair.

I want to live in Minnie's house:

Brrt can stay next door with Mickey and come visit any time he wants:

I'm sure Mickey would let him sleep on the couch:

Since Mickey doesn't appear to have a guest bedroom:

Brrt's a handy guy and he can help out with the kitchen re-model:

Hey, just like the ones we saw in Epcot!

I needed a hat, so we checked out the shops. I didn't find one, but Brrt had some fun exploring his alternate personalities:

Brrt got a new 626 pin (his obsession):

We had kind of forgotten breakfast, so we walked over toward Tomorrowland and Cosmic Ray's for lunch. On the way the Photopass photographer stopped us:

Next: To Infinity, and Beyond!

 

[Diamondintheruff]

You look so happy in that last photopass picture.

 

[Jana49]

Katiebell, what cool pictures, and your comments are just great! Although I was just at WDW in May, now I want to go back sooooo badly! More, please!

 

[JoBird]

Awesome, KB!!!!!

we are going to try to get to Toontown at opening- to see if one of the kids can get chosen again, like Belle did, to help MM open up Toontown. I can't wait.

Jo

 

[rusafee1183]

HEEEEYYYYYY!!!!! I'M HERE!!!!!!

Awesome TR KB!!!!! I am loving it!

I was hooked when I read that you have Tink's attitude and the Alice's sense of wonder - but the deal was really sealed when I saw that you guys were dead tired and still had time for a GGLS! You're a girl of my own heart!

OK, so I didn't get to far in before I had to comment on this - If you loved the sorbet in Le Cellier (I had tangerine when I was there - so it must change seasonally) then you HAVE to try the sorbet at the Cali Grill. When we went it was Blood Orange....

It was so good I start jonesin for it anytime that I hear blood orange anything!

I am definately a sorbet kinda girl. If I don't get chocolate - I get sorbet. I also had it at the Coral Reef. )Oh, and I KWYM about the cookie thingie that they serve it with - love it!!

OK - Gotta get back to work! I'll finish catching up later!

Hey MAYers!

 

[Katiebell]

You look so happy in that last photopass picture.

Oh, we were Disney -- Land or World -- is most definitely our happy place. We actually didn't order any Photopass pics -- only had a couple taken. But since it was just the two of us, the few pics we have of us together were taken with our camera by a nice Photopass photographer, or by a sympathetic fellow Disney guest

One funny little thing happened in France, I forgot to mention. We came across a group of about...30, I think...Japanese tourists. They were all taking pictures of each other near the fountain by Chefs de France. One of the ladies took one look at Brrt with his camera, DVD camera, and heaven knows what else strapped across his chest, handed him her camera and asked, "Would you please take a picture of our whole group?" He said, "Sure" and they all got together to pose...except for one who popped out of the group and asked me, "Oh, and can you take a picture with my camera, too?" "Of course," I said...then another handed their camera to Brrt, and another camera got handed to me....and I think we took about 12 pics with 12 different cameras That's it, man, I want to move to Orlando and be a Photopass photographer!

Katiebell, what cool pictures, and your comments are just great! Although I was just at WDW in May, now I want to go back sooooo badly! More, please!

Hey Jana, welcome aboard the trip report -- glad you made it over!!! I know, I was just there last week, and I want to go back...

Awesome, KB!!!!!

we are going to try to get to Toontown at opening- to see if one of the kids can get chosen again, like Belle did, to help MM open up Toontown. I can't wait.

Jo

We weren't there at rope drop, so we missed Toontown's opening ceremony...would have been fun to see. Yeah, I realized that I posted a LOT of Toontown pics, but it's because it's really different from DL's Toontown. They have Minnie's House and Mickey's House, but the details and little touches are all different. Brrt got such a kick out of reading the titles of Mickey's home improvement books in the garage:

Funny thing I noticed: Brrt's new pin, Experiment 626 as a pirate, was a combination of the pirate and Stitch costumes he played with in the shop

HEEEEYYYYYY!!!!! I'M HERE!!!!!!

Awesome TR KB!!!!! I am loving it!

I was hooked when I read that you have Tink's attitude and the Alice's sense of wonder - but the deal was really sealed when I saw that you guys were dead tired and still had time for a GGLS! You're a girl of my own heart!

OK, so I didn't get to far in before I had to comment on this - If you loved the sorbet in Le Cellier (I had tangerine when I was there - so it must change seasonally) then you HAVE to try the sorbet at the Cali Grill. When we went it was Blood Orange....

It was so good I start jonesin for it anytime that I hear blood orange anything!

I am definately a sorbet kinda girl. If I don't get chocolate - I get sorbet. I also had it at the Coral Reef. )Oh, and I KWYM about the cookie thingie that they serve it with - love it!!

OK - Gotta get back to work! I'll finish catching up later!

Hey MAYers!

Yay RF!!! Glad to see you too I am hearing Pink's "Get This Party Started" in my head now

Oh wow, cherry sorbet...it was incredible. I will definitely keep my eyes open for other flavors next time. Blood orange would be fabulous, I'm sure... WDW serves more varieties of creme brulee than I even knew existed! I had maple at LC, milk chocolate at the F&W booth, last trip I had orange at Sunshine Seasons, I saw that Chefs had vanilla on their menu (although I ordered the chocolate tart instead), both Raglan Road and R&C had some kind, I think with Bailey's, and I know Kona serves one with carmelized banana... can you imagine the trip report -- sorbet and creme brulee around the World!

 

[Jenvenza]

I love your trip report! And we were there at almost the same time! Waiting for more!

 

[Katiebell]

I love your trip report! And we were there at almost the same time! Waiting for more!

Welcome, Jenvenza! Which resort did you stay at? Did you go for Free Dining?

OK, off to Tomorrowland...

 

[Katiebell]

We strolled past Fantasyland (oh, I wanted to go that way, but Brrt had his sights on Space Mountain). We did see two of my favorite characters on the way:

The line was closed, as they usually were when we saw characters out and about (it was so hot and humid, I'm sure they were being given frequent cool-down breaks). Funny, but I usually get lots of character pics and autographs, and we really didn't get many this visit at all Part of it, I'm sure, is that I only scheduled one character meal -- usually we have two or three. Next time I want to do both breakfast (Alice and Mary Poppins) and dinner (Cinderella, the Prince, her step-mom and step-sisters) at 1900 PF.

We had lunch at Cosmic Ray's -- didn't get pics of the restaurant, but the patio has a wonderful view of the castle:

Brrt had a bacon double cheeseburger with fries, I had the BBQ chicken and rib combo. Both were really good, excellent value for a CS credit. We could easily have shared either meal, but Brrt wanted his burger to himself and he is not fond of BBQ meat on the bone. I, on the other hand, ate the ribs like a cavewoman and savored every bite

Off to Tomorrowland! We grabbed Fast Passes for Space Mountain, and it was temporarily down for repair, so we rode the TTA (nice relaxing ride), took in the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor show, went on Buzz Lightyear and Stitch's Great Escape. Now about Stitch...it really is too scary for some little kids. One kid was crying and a CM came in during the show and escorted him out with his mom. I think they should have some warnings posted because the movie Lilo and Stitch is fun for all ages and not scary at all -- I think a lot of families don't expect the ride to be dark and jump out and "gotcha!" Experiment 626 is Brrt's very favorite character, so we had to go on this. If you've never been, two pieces of advice: sit up very tall when the shoulder restraint is lowered -- then you can relax and scoot down a little and the shoulder bars won't bang into your shoulders so hard later on. Also: hold your breath during Stitch's chili dog burp...bleah... We went back and Space Mountain was open, yay! Then Brrt stopped to say hi to a couple of old friends:

And notice the resemblance, here:

I think he might be a distant cousin...

I still needed a hat -- I am very fair-skinned with freckles, and was worried about burning (fortunately, the sunblock we brought worked really well!) So...off to Main St to shop for some sun protection...

Next Installment: Brrt Doesn't Do Parades, and a Fabulous Dinner at the Wave

 

[Brrt]

I keep feeling like I'm co-starring in some epic, something with stop-action...and I keep hearing the Indy music...great job, Katie.

 

[Katiebell]

Alrighty...probably now is as a good time as any to explain...

Brrt and I have very different temperaments. I see the glass half-full; Brrt sees the glass half-empty. I love being around lots of people and strike up conversations with perfect strangers; Brrt hates crowds. I love a parade; Brrt...uh...does not.

Soooo...we were in the Emporium, and heard parade music outside. "Brrt, it's the parade!" I squealed...and he gave me the look. You know, the one he gave me for belting out "Oh Canada!" at the American pavillion in Epcot. *sigh* So I contented myself with peeks out the door:

while Brrt stayed inside, ducking the crowd, and channeling his inner

But then...Brrt surprised me...he whipped out the DVD camera and started filming the end of the parade at Main St, right where the floats were turning to end the parade route! Awww...so I have a couple of minutes on DVD with the parade music and some really good close ups of the characters...thank you Brrt

Still no hat for me. I wanted a bucket style hat like Brrt wears in most of the pics (I had one and lost it on our last trip), but couldn't find anything like it in adult sizes. I settled for a baseball cap with pouty Tink that said "Mood Subject to Change Without Notice." Not exactly what I wanted, but it would do for now.

We saw a little of the Dapper Dans performance:

Then for some reason...I'm not really sure why...we walked all the way to Adventureland We rode POC and then rode the train all the way around the park to the main station, and then caught the monorail to the Contemporary for dinner at The Wave.

The entrance is beautiful, but my camera took a lousy pic Brrt ordered a Newcastle, and I had some kind of fruity, tropical drink with a glowing ice cube. That's the way I like my alcohol -- sissy girly tropical drinks with lots of rum, pink if possible, serve it in a hollowed out pineapple with a big shishkebab of fresh fruit, stick a full sized parasol in it, and a live parrot on the rim -- tail on the outside of the glass preferrably... oh yeah, and I'm in heaven

We both ordered the beef tenderloin, yum, served with a cabernet sauce, roasted fingerling potatoes, oven dried tomato, and a salad with a vinagrette dressing:

Dessert was...amazing. They serve three mini desserts -- you used to be able to mix and match any on the menu you wanted, but now you have to pick one sampling of three and stick with that. That's ok, Brrt ordered one, I ordered another, and there was enough for each of us to have two yummy bites of each dessert. What fun!

Here's the description from AllEars:
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Creamy Indulgence - cheesecake with raspberry coulis, coconut panna cotta with passion fruit drizzle, chocolate pasion fruit mousse with pecan-olive brittle (that's the one on the right from bottom to top)
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Decadent Flavors - blueberry compote with yogurt gelato, lemon cornbread with vanilla panna cotta, chocolate mousse with salted caramel sauce (that's on the left, top to bottom).

OMG, it was unbelievably, slap-your-mama good! Our waiter, Jimmy, was a hoot -- knowledgeable and chatty, wry sense of humor. He said he was from the South, and couldn't believe they drizzled some lemon syrup on cornbread and called it dessert Over all, fantastic dinner, and we'd love to go back again next trip.

Next up: The Night's Not Over Yet -- Back to MK for Wishes!
[/FONT]

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Hi Brrt!

That's the way I like my alcohol -- sissy girly tropical drinks with lots of rum, pink if possible, serve it in a hollowed out pineapple with a big shishkebab of fresh fruit, stick a full sized parasol in it, and a live parrot on the rim -- tail on the outside of the glass preferrably... oh yeah, and I'm in heaven

You said it sista!

 

[Katiebell]

You said it sista!

I think my favorite non-Disney drink is the Wallaby Darned at Outback Steakhouse -- champagne, vodka, peach schnapps, and frozen peaches all whirled into a decadent smoothie

 

[rusafee1183]

I feel ya girl! Those are my kinda drinks too. My family always makes fun of me because I never go to bars, so on the rare occasion that I do go - I never know what to get. So, I ask the bartender give me something "fruity and delicious"

I've got to try some pretty interesting (and most of the time amazing things that way )

My fav non-disney drink is a "Pineapple Upside Down Cake" OHHH - or the Cherry Raspberry Margarita from Friday's ...... or plum wine....... The list goes on and on.....

 

[Katiebell]

So, back on the monorail, around the resort loop, to MK in time for Wishes. We joined in with the crowd at the beginning of Main Street:

And I know most of you can already hear the music in your head, so here's a visual to go with it:

My camera is really bad in low light, so I took these with Brrt's camera (since he was busy with the DVD camera). I feel kind of silly, but I always tear up a little during Wishes...

Now, back to the difference in Brrt's and my temperaments. Brrt's idea of a great vacation is to sleep in every day, be spontaneous and do whatever comes up, or sometimes just do nothing at all. My idea of a great vacation is to have a plan, know what's out there to do, and if advance tickets or reservations are required, by golly, I'll know about it and get 'em before they are sold out -- just call me Tour Guide Barbie. (And when I retire from my current job, hopefully in about 10 years if there is anything left in my 401k, I'd love to be a Disney travel agent). In the interest of a happy marriage, we have learned to compromise a bit. I have learned to schedule in free time, and he has learned to get with the program, buddy.

It was EMH that night, but I had figured after our lonnnnnng day, Brrt would probably want to go back to the resort and relax. And when I saw the vast sea of people heading toward the exit -- toward us -- I figured Brrt would want to get out of that right quick and go back to the resort and hide. So I said, "Well honey, we can head back to the hotel, or we can stay here a while since it's EMH...whatever you want to do..." He rolled his eyes at me, grabbed my hand, and stated (a bit grimly), "C'mon, I know you want to stay," and like salmon swimming upstream, we somehow made it to Liberty Square (I could hear the Indy theme in my head, I'm just glad he wasn't using a machete!) After getting through the exodus crowd, there weren't that many people left on the streets. We ducked into the Hall of the Presidents (we like Mr. Lincoln better at DL) and rode on Haunted Mansion. Our next pics are of IASW, so somehow we wandered into Fantasyland?

I have very fond memories of this pretty ride; my dad used to take me on IASW at DL when I was little. Brrt bites the bullet and usually agrees to go on it with me -- once per trip.

I really wish we'd gone on Peter Pan, but we left Fantasyland and ended up back in Frontierland. I'm pretty sure we rode BTMR, but no pics so I'm not positive We did go to Country Bear Jamboree. Now...Brrt does not like country music in any way, shape, or form, but it's part of Disney history, you know? It used to be at DL, and I hadn't seen it for...probably 30 years? Well, Brrt loved it. Especially Big Al's song:

In fact, for the next five days, whenever there was a lull, Brrt would serenade me with, "Oh there was....blooooooooood on the saddle....blooooood all around....and...threeeee big puuuddles of....blooooooood on the groooooound..."

At this point, I think we hit the wall and staggered out of the park, exhausted:

Goodnight, MK, see you in a few days:

Next up: Breakfast at Boma is at WHAT Time???

 

[Katiebell]

I feel ya girl! Those are my kinda drinks too. My family always makes fun of me because I never go to bars, so on the rare occasion that I do go - I never know what to get. So, I ask the bartender give me something "fruity and delicious"

I've got to try some pretty interesting (and most of the time amazing things that way )

My fav non-disney drink is a "Pineapple Upside Down Cake" OHHH - or the Cherry Raspberry Margarita from Friday's ...... or plum wine....... The list goes on and on.....

Never heard of a Pineapple Upside Down Cake drink, so I Googled it and found a few different recipes -- they all sound wonderful, so I'll be sure to try one! Sounds just my style Especially if they stick a parrot on it

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Those are great pictures of Wishes Katie! Mine never come out very good, I don't know why. Must be my camera.

Still loving the report!

 

[Katiebell]

Those are great pictures of Wishes Katie! Mine never come out very good, I don't know why. Must be my camera.

Still loving the report!

Good morning, Shelly! Yeah, our old Sony Cybershot has been a great camera for us. I like the little HP Photosmart I got because it's more no-brainer point and shoot, but it's not nearly as good for low lighting, night time shots or action shots.

Alrighty, my vacation is over, back to work for me today So I'll try to post another installment tonight...glad you are enjoying the report!

 

[sulleyfan]

Lovin' the TR KB!!! Can't wait for more!

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Ohh all those drinks sound loovaleee! I'm sure that's how I would say it after having one of those drinks!

Love the Wishes pictures. I've never seen it. My kids get too freaked out with loud noises.

I think my husband and brrt have the same vacation philosophy. I find it very hard to chart his freedom of choice in my planning spread sheets.