It's all smooth sailing from here... right? ALL DONE AND NEW TR LINK UP

[MEK]

Nope Never can - so I just keep taking them and more coming up soon.

Yay - Cause I keep checking back for a new update. I need more poinsettias.

 

[Poolrat]

So now I was released and the question is: Where to?

Why here of course.



There was a new bathroom I had to check out.

The “other “ EPCOT tree



This was a new addition. And very much needed I might add.





As you cross the door way you have the wall and 2 entrance design. Either go left or right, no wrong choice there.



This place is HUGE.



Lights to go along with the AA.





You have the 2 full rows, one on each side and then if you go all the way back, further back where the center is it goes back some more. Much bigger than the hidden ones on the other side.

Back outside I thought of KatMark.



Why did I come back here?

Well in the few times I have been during the holidays I have never stopped to hear the story of Kwanzaa or Hanukkah. Since I believe those are the only storytellers I have never heard, I made a point of getting there.



They both shared a stage and alternated mostly.





In keeping with the traditional opening time of 11, and during this peak time WS opened at 10, I again had some time to kill. Let’s wander and enjoy a mostly empty World Showcase.





The special set up for NYE







Part of the Holidays around the world.



I never did taste anything from there.



More to Come.....

 

[Poolrat]

Continued from last post...

Germany and the trains..









Ahhhh Godzilla….



Look at the detail for something so small. Even the doorway has 1792.



Inside Germany to get my passport stamped.









Working my way back to AA I had to compare the 2 restrooms. This is one on the left side of the building.



Another typical entrance – the zig zag.
And this is it. I always thought this was a big one but the new one makes this look almost private.


I make my way back to wait for Kwanzaa and see another jolly visitor.




Out walks a CM and sets Up. This booth is shared with Hanukkah and everything is kept in a trunk inside the booth. Out comes the Kwanzaa stuff.


The storyteller comes out singing.









She goes on to explain the 7 principles and all that Kwanzaa has to offer. In about 6 or 7 minutes. She really was fun to listen to.

The Hanukkah story teller was due out in a few minutes for the 11:15 show. The CM once again swapped all the decorations out for Hanukkah for an 11:30 show. I did make a comment to him to praise him for his detail to be sure everything was neat and pretty. We both looked up at the sky and could tell rain was coming. The CM took care to make sure everything was under cover. The Storyteller would not come out in the rain.

What to do?

 

[Poolrat]

I had taken refuge from the sprinkles in here.



Voices of Liberty was going on at 11:45 inside. Score!!!



Good gracious these are blurry- blame the shoulder


Apparently I noticed. This time.






With wonderful Holiday songs in my head, I was going to go back outside since I knew Hanukkah was again at 12:15
But wait!!! The Fife and drum corps were out at noon.



And the decorations were out and straight…



I have no idea why it bothers me that there are several different spellings of Hanukkah. But the Sign and now this banner were different.
And here you can see 2 different spellings.




Now the Hanukkah storyteller comes out singing.




Another great storyteller, she really kept everyone’s attention. She engaged the children in the audience.

Once she was done it was about 12:25 or so. Mission accomplished and no text yet. My feeling was I was there ready to check in at 8am . Check out is at 11am. My assigned room was flagged to be cleaned so maybe it was close to being ready.

As I walked by France the Storyteller Pere Noel was getting ready to start at 11:55.



I was curious as I had heard this storyteller before but, I also heard or read that the story was updated. In the end nope, same story. That would at least knock the others off the list.
My what a difference a couple of hours makes. Same stretch as this morning but Holy Crowds!!!!!



Still no text but close to IG so I thought I would check and force the issue a bit. I had FP+ for later and then the plan was to meet up with the Memom and Anita clan at the Grand Flo. No room now would mean unpacking late tonight.

Next time: Should be smooth sailing right???

 

[Poolrat]

Yay - Cause I keep checking back for a new update. I need more poinsettias.

Maybe not poinsettias but some trees.

I hope it won't be so long before I can update again.

 

[glennbo123]

Nice photos around the World Showcase Pat. It looked like almost no one was in watching Voices of Liberty with you. Wow, the crowds sure picked up later!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Cool pics from around WS. Thanks for the work and recon on the new bathrooms at AA too!

Wow, it got crowded fast, huh? Like I told Cynthia on her TR - we are booked to be there for NYE this year! I'm a little nervous and a lot excited, so I'm paying close attention to the TRs from last NYE. It's gonna take some planning and patience!

Why do I get the feeling that your room is not going to be ready?

 

[MeMom]

Would it surprise you if I told you I have a picture of a fish door handle, too?

Good for getting to hear Voices of Liberty. I really enjoy their shows. I haven't gotten to see the new AA restroom yet. It was much needed.

I will be interested to see if you had a room waiting on you...and if you met up with everyone at Grand Floridian.

 

[Poolrat]

Nice photos around the World Showcase Pat. It looked like almost no one was in watching Voices of Liberty with you. Wow, the crowds sure picked up later!

VoL was busy but not overly crowded. Guessing the early hour of 11 maybe??

Cool pics from around WS. Thanks for the work and recon on the new bathrooms at AA too!

Wow, it got crowded fast, huh? Like I told Cynthia on her TR - we are booked to be there for NYE this year! I'm a little nervous and a lot excited, so I'm paying close attention to the TRs from last NYE. It's gonna take some planning and patience!

Why do I get the feeling that your room is not going to be ready?

I figured a new bathroom needed some reporting on. They did good with that addition, it is huge.

I saw you booked for NYE next year. It is a magical time but yes it can be crowded.
Up early , get done what you want and then enjoy and now with FP+, book for the afternoon.
Hardest decision is which park to watch fireworks from.

Would it surprise you if I told you I have a picture of a fish door handle, too?

Good for getting to hear Voices of Liberty. I really enjoy their shows. I haven't gotten to see the new AA restroom yet. It was much needed.

I will be interested to see if you had a room waiting on you...and if you met up with everyone at Grand Floridian.

Would not surprise me one bit to find out you have 10 fish door handles.
AA needed a big restroom. Back in 2009 I think is when my friends and I made the rounds in EVERY small bathroom in EPCOT.

Ahhh The Grand FLo- I did meet up with some but a VIP was missing in action but was THE topic of conversation.

 

[MEK]

She goes on to explain the 7 principles and all that Kwanzaa has to offer. In about 6 or 7 minutes. She really was fun to listen to.

The Hanukkah story teller was due out in a few minutes for the 11:15 show. The CM once again swapped all the decorations out for Hanukkah for an 11:30 show. I did make a comment to him to praise him for his detail to be sure everything was neat and pretty. We both looked up at the sky and could tell rain was coming. The CM took care to make sure everything was under cover. The Storyteller would not come out in the rain.

What to do?

Wow - her dress in really gorgeous.

So I must have been posting here the other night while you were doing updates. How do I miss them? Oh never mind!

Beautiful detail pictures of the World Showcase. I just love all the Christmas decorations.

Pretty funny that they used the same space for Kwanzaa and Hanuakah (which I can't spell either). Don't they each deserve their own spot?

Love of the VOL. I didn't know they stopped sining at 5pm. Denny and I missed them during our last visit.

Someday I would love to stop and listen to all the Story Tellers during Christmas.

 

[Poolrat]

Knowing I would be lugging my bags up in the dark late if I didn't go now, I left the increasingly crowd swelling World Showcase to see if my room was ready, despite being on the NO TEXT List.

Back at the Beach Club.



I make my way back to the DVC kiosk to find a family in front of me. So I wait. And catch Santa checking me out.



Of course the family in front of me had a mix up with their bands and a split stay. Seems the bands were sent to the wrong resort. Now if the band is like the cloud, shouldn’t a retap fix that?

In any case I wait. And wait, while they check each one of the six bands to be sure the numbers match . Then she says…. What about FP+?

I almost said out loud- “ Oh No” Then the CM says – Oh we are having trouble right now with FP+ so you should check in the park. Sigh of relief.

After still more conversation they finally go on their way. I go up and ask – no text yet but just wanted to be sure my number was right since the last time I did not get a text.

He taps away and looks and goes Yes your room is ready…….





REALLY? No text again? Then he uttered the biggest lie I ever heard. “ It was just released.” Now it is possible and I could tell from his reaction that when he checked on the computer it was ready and probably was for some time. I was a bit ticked maybe even the snit of the trip, but my room was ready and when I needed it minus about 10 minutes or while waiting. Just didn’t appreciate being lied to. And the rest of the day I never got a text either so it was not like I beat them to it. Luckily I went on my gut and checked. Not so sure I can ever trust that system again…



I had requested the same room I had in Oct. 461. This time – well I can’t remember… and I took no picture of it go figure. But it was either 463 or 459 because I do remember it was next door to the room I requested.
** I looked it up and it was 463. ** In fact the room I requested was right across from the elevator and I may or may not have walked up to that or by mistake a time or two.

Well luckily my luggage has wheels and I was able to get it to the room pretty easily. I quickly got out some things to feel a bit settled and set back out to the park.





I was back in the park by 2:30.



I made it all the way to front to see the entrance Topiaries



Time to use that first FP+ for Mission:Space.



The plan was to book and use FP+ in the afternoon or evenings when the lines were at their longest. Also using FP during the morning as you normally did.
Using the FP+ at the end of the time slot put the next FP+ in a perfect position to be used as soon I was off M:S.
That would be SE.










This was the next picture in the sequence so my guess is a stop in Club cool was in order.




The last FP+ was the day was Soarin’ and there was time to kill. The Land had a gingerbread display.



















Continued next post ....

 

[Poolrat]

Even enough time for Living with the land which had a wait…. Posed at 30 minutes maybe but really about 20.



Holiday touches even in the land.





















Nice touches and they were not advertised and the Living with the Jingle land.

Finally the final FP+ window was open.

While there was this:



Nope not for me. Touch the band and go.



My FP+ done it was time to monorail it to the GF for a DISmeet that just didn't happen.

 

[Poolrat]

Wow - her dress in really gorgeous.

So I must have been posting here the other night while you were doing updates. How do I miss them? Oh never mind!

And you must be psychic, because you did it again.
I didn't update the title until after I did the update which I usually do it before.
Anywho - glad you stopped back by,

Beautiful detail pictures of the World Showcase. I just love all the Christmas decorations.

Pretty funny that they used the same space for Kwanzaa and Hanuakah (which I can't spell either). Don't they each deserve their own spot?

Maybe it is a space thing? They stopped the gingerbread house right near the entrance of the CS place. Or a traffic flow thing?

It worked out well and like I said the guy was meticulous about making sure it was set up straight and proper. I think they had it so Kwanzaa would do 2 then Hanukkah twice so it wasn't being switched every 15 minutes.

Love of the VOL. I didn't know they stopped singing at 5pm. Denny and I missed them during our last visit.

Someday I would love to stop and listen to all the Story Tellers during Christmas.

During the holidays doesn't the VoL sing with the CP? Maybe that's why.

The storytellers are a must do. The one in Norway is my favorite. They are neat ways to learn and fun to watch.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I saw you booked for NYE next year. It is a magical time but yes it can be crowded.
Up early , get done what you want and then enjoy and now with FP+, book for the afternoon.
Hardest decision is which park to watch fireworks from.

We are sitting here RIGHT NOW watching videos of the fireworks from MK and Epcot and discussing where we'd want to be! They both look so cool! I am "worried" about where we actually stand to watch and making sure the kids can see etc. I KNOW it's going to be shoulder to shoulder, so they will have to be up front to see much since they're so short (well me too!)
I hope they let you have a couple more FP+ by the time we can book…

Oh - how COOL that they have a gingerbread display in the Land! Is it inside the ride?

 

[MEK]

I see you wrote MORE!

I'll catch up on that tonight so I have more time to digest it!

 

[KatMark]

Great updates, Pat. I enjoyed strolling WS with you. I LOVE that new bathroom in America. I guess I didn't realize the old one was still open though.

I really wish we had spent more time with the storytellers, especially since I don't know when we'll get another Christmas trip.

I hate NOT getting a text. As you know, that has happened to us several times even though they insisted they sent the text. LIARS!

Glad you got to get back to the park in time for your FP+'s. I loved that snowman in the Land. I thought the gingerbread thing was a little lacking by the Garden Grill however.

 

[englishrose47]

All caught up !!!I did not know the history of Kwanzaa !!I honestly thought it was an African Tradition !! I will have to check out the new restroom in May !!

 

[MEK]

I love how LWTL gets decorated for Christmas. I think they add something new every year.

I've GOT to back there for Christmas!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

So now I was released and the question is: Where to?

Why here of course.

There was a new bathroom I had to check out.

I'm shocked!

Why did I come back here?

Well in the few times I have been during the holidays I have never stopped to hear the story of Kwanzaa or Hanukkah. Since I believe those are the only storytellers I have never heard, I made a point of getting there.

You are quite the Disney completist!

Ahhhh Godzilla….

Voices of Liberty was going on at 11:45 inside. Score!!!

Almost a private showing!

My what a difference a couple of hours makes. Same stretch as this morning but Holy Crowds!!!!!

I liked the empty pictures a lot better!

REALLY? No text again? Then he uttered the biggest lie I ever heard. “ It was just released.”

The Land had a gingerbread display.

That display is awesome!

Holiday touches even in the land.

I love these as well. Haven't seen pictures of this before.

 

[Poolrat]

We are sitting here RIGHT NOW watching videos of the fireworks from MK and Epcot and discussing where we'd want to be! They both look so cool! I am "worried" about where we actually stand to watch and making sure the kids can see etc. I KNOW it's going to be shoulder to shoulder, so they will have to be up front to see much since they're so short (well me too!)
I hope they let you have a couple more FP+ by the time we can book…

Oh - how COOL that they have a gingerbread display in the Land! Is it inside the ride?

I don't think you can go wrong with any of them...

I have done NYEE and NYE on Poly beach- however right about now construction is a bit bothersome to be there.

I have done NYEE right in MK hub. Crowded - oh yes but fireworks are UP so you can see. Thing that bothered me was the perimeter ones. You need to swivel around to actually catch them all but the vibe is amazing.

Cynthia can weigh in on EPCOT and I might be able to round out the final park review for you .

I see you wrote MORE!

I'll catch up on that tonight so I have more time to digest it!

Sorry about that - I try to catch it when I can. I need to write more and I thought I could this weekend but so far.. : not happening.