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

[Poolrat]

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.

As I enjoyed strolling with you earlier today while I caught up on yours.

I just remember the now "small" bathroom being larger , but after my tour in 2009 of all the tiny bathrooms that one is bigger.

The storytellers are nice holiday atmosphere. I do think the schedules are a bit haphazard so it can be hard to catch them in a row so to speak, but they really do add to the atmosphere and so many are very enthusiastic so it is really a treat.

I didn't get one in Oct. after always, even before I stepped on property sometimes, always getting one. I do not like this trend one bit, I will admit I am spoiled by my text.
I hope to have a ready room or a text next time.


The "surprise " at the land was nice. You see if they had not said anything about the " Jingle " jungle cruise for the holidays then expectations wouldn't be so high. Sometimes a surprise is nice.

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 !!

I know I learned a couple of things myself about both Holidays. I am glad I made the time to see them both.

That New Bathroom is HUGE- don't get lost in there!!!

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

I've GOT to back there for Christmas!

Somehow last time I never noticed????? Guess I need to look at pictures from past trips.

A Christmas trip every few years is needed.

I'm shocked!

Hey if it is Disney and relatively new ( at least for me ) I am taking pictures...

You are quite the Disney completist!

Just OCD!!!! I guess I have always started from either side and by the time I get to AA I am tired.

Even with the rain - I pushed through to complete my list.

I couldn't resist when I saw it.

Almost a private showing!

I would settle for a low crowd day crowd. Still didn't get a seat but I may have not been trying for one, I forget. So get there for the first performance and have some room to wiggle.

I liked the empty pictures a lot better!

Totally different vibe right???

I think I am on the Kathy list of don't text for room readiness.

That display is awesome!

It was a very small area they had to work with but I can't do that with gingerbread so they get a .

I am trying to think of a better place to show them but only the back of the character connection comes to mind. There is some room in the hallways behind club cool and the Starbucks now and the character connection but I guess they wanted a real high traffic area. I think the display could have been arranged a bit better and being high traffic it was hard to find a time and place to stop and enjoy them.

The actual masterpieces were great though.

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

I don't remember them decorating the LwtL area before so it was neat and a great surprise.

 

[englishrose47]

Hi Pat just keeping up!!! Have to read the Captains commentshere as he never posts on mineOf course Marv doesn't much anymore either !!Too busy stalking Glenn's thread for more Judy sihtings

 

[Flossbolna]

Wow, those American bathrooms must have more than doubled the previous bathroom capacity in the World Showcase!! I love the floor tiles that look like wooden flooring! Very nice bathrooms!! Of course I would have loved some more frills, these still are nice, bright, clean, modern looking and slightly themed. I think they will do!

And reading your tales about the storytellers made me think once again that I need to be at WDW at some point for Christmas.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Hi Pat just keeping up!!! Have to read the Captains commentshere as he never posts on mineOf course Marv doesn't much anymore either !!Too busy stalking Glenn's thread for more Judy sihtings

Well, you never tell anybody where your TR is.

I always feel guilty about trying to keep track of TR's. I feel like I can only handle so many at a time, and I like to reciprocate with the people who read mine too. But there are so many fun people around here...

 

[jenseib]

We saw that bathroom last week and I wondered where the heck it came from, but we had just used the old one, so we never went in to check it out.

 

[IheartDDuck]

Wait, they don't check people in at the normal front desk at the Beach Club anymore? Weird.

You know that we're weird Disney people when we like checking out new bathrooms. It fascinates me when I'm like "I've never been in this bathroom!" That bathroom is fancy!

Man, no text for your room being ready? How annoying!

 

[Poolrat]

Hi Pat just keeping up!!! Have to read the Captains commentshere as he never posts on mineOf course Marv doesn't much anymore either !!Too busy stalking Glenn's thread for more Judy sihtings

I am popping in on my own TR.

I am just glad I have any readers since I am moving so slow.

 

[Poolrat]

Wow, those American bathrooms must have more than doubled the previous bathroom capacity in the World Showcase!! I love the floor tiles that look like wooden flooring! Very nice bathrooms!! Of course I would have loved some more frills, these still are nice, bright, clean, modern looking and slightly themed. I think they will do!

And reading your tales about the storytellers made me think once again that I need to be at WDW at some point for Christmas.

Those bathrooms are huge. And empty. They were badly needed so I hope they ease the crowds at all the smaller ones.


The storytellers are great - they really add to the holidays at EPCOT.

 

[Poolrat]

Well, you never tell anybody where your TR is.

I always feel guilty about trying to keep track of TR's. I feel like I can only handle so many at a time, and I like to reciprocate with the people who read mine too. But there are so many fun people around here...

Poor Rosie - she has real links now...

I struggle to keep up. I try to comment when I can but I do read on my phone when I can sneak a peek during work.

We saw that bathroom last week and I wondered where the heck it came from, but we had just used the old one, so we never went in to check it out.

Pop up bathroom!!! I am glad to give you a tour.

 

[Poolrat]

Wait, they don't check people in at the normal front desk at the Beach Club anymore? Weird.

You know that we're weird Disney people when we like checking out new bathrooms. It fascinates me when I'm like "I've never been in this bathroom!" That bathroom is fancy!

Man, no text for your room being ready? How annoying!

At least in Dec. they attempted to do it at the kiosk. not sure if that was permanent or just during the holidays.

I just like how even the bathrooms are themed. Shows the level of detail that Disney goes to. I mean they could all be the same and clean and no one would care. Except us.

The No text thing 2 trips in a row now is getting old. I hope it was just a 2 time thing and I start getting them again.

 

[Poolrat]

It was time to make my way to the Grand Flo for a DISmeet. Now everyone knows if there are no pictures it didn’t happen. Well maybe I made this up then….

I took the monorail because well that is just logical and when in EPCOT and going to the Grand Flo there are not many other choices if not using the car.
Apparently it was without incident since once again I have no pictures or was it?

I got there and made my way to the tree by way of staircase.





Being that there had been no contact with Memom and for now obvious reasons I knew GF and near the tree but not much more. I also knew she was sick and trying to suck it up for the trip and even getting on the airplane was extraordinary feat.

Looking around is fabulous as always as the decorations are great. I do believe I bumped into almost quite literally to UNCW89 and her family and we said hello and chatted about Memom and both were concerned about her and wondered if anyone else was coming. I think they went one way and I was hanging around looking around and then going to decide what was next.


As I was heading back upstairs to catch the monorail I spotted Ms. Anita Wigd and Marc and Harper. They were heading to 1900 Park Fare and were meeting Jill and the family for dinner. We talked and caught up and it was either Elena or Anita that told me Memom was picked up by ambulance and taken to the hospital. MeMom can share the rest of the details as they are hers to share but she was one sick woman. Finally Jill and the family came running through and I chatted with them too but just a bit as they had an important date with some Steps.

I figured a round on the monorail was needed since well that is where it was going.

The smaller tree upstairs



I got off at the contemporary to count Mickeys and visit the five legged goat. There were no pins to be had this year so I got not a one for any of the gingerbread creations.

I thought this was neat.



An even the 5 legged goat.



I assume I made it back okay- not sure how though- I assume monorail back and walk through EPCOT? Sure I will go with that since either my shoulder was tired, it was cold, or all of me was tired. I did not stay for fireworks, did not ride anything so I guess it was straight to bed for me.

A couple of the Contemporary tree – the first one is better but not centered and that darn bush/tree is in the way in front.


This one is blurry but centered better.


Hopefully sometime soon, A blustery rainy day.

 

[Poolrat]

I will take this as a sign I should at least start the next day...

Sunday the 29th was going to be a wet day.

The prediction was for heavy rain most of the day. So much so that I left the “good “ camera in the room and took the waterproof one.

Today was



MK day. Pictures show an 8 am arrival by time stamp I think I did not reset my camera after DST so it was 7am? Since I have none of the opening show, I am not sure I made that or was just in a position where all I would have gotten were crappy pics with the other camera.
Remember the time stamp thing. Mickey and Minnie up there are at 8am which I thought was 7 am.

Now where to you ask? Well there were some FP+ choices already made way in advance- I know One was for BTMRR but now the weather was not conducive for that . More on that later but first what was my must do?
Well actually I guess I thought to get some of the outdoor rides out of the way first since it was not raining yet but very threatening. So because I could, I picked up some paper FP and hit some rides.

I am guessing this is Dumbo listed at 8:45 but in image order is BEFORE M & M so I think I realized and changed the time on the camera. Yeesh.

Nice finger in the picture. I guess I was having trouble holding the camera.



You can barely make out the Mine train mountain in the back of this dreary picture.



So I guess it might have been FP for Space, then over to Dumbo and Barnstormer while I could then get Little Mermaid for the next FP.






Then M & M and then my MUST holiday DO
Ugh – must remember first thing make sure camera times are correct and in synch.



Here’s a hint…













Give up?











That’s right folks the infamous Jingle Cruise. Now I will say it got a bit of a bad rap. I think the bad thing was is they advertised it as new and special. Well it was but not in a billion dollar whole new type of ride way. If they went low key maybe response would have been better.
Could they have done more? Maybe. But then again what did they have to work with?

So a few decorations.









A few “holiday themed “ corny jokes and there you have it. I think if it was a surprise like the land was (maybe that was an experiment to see how each was received given the degree of reveal to the public) I may have enjoyed it more. In reality it was a nice change to acknowledge the holidays and the lion with his “sandy paws” jokes were well thought out.

Some decorations on the castle as I walked up to Starbucks.



And apparently with some time to kill I needed this at o’dark thirty.


Even Starbucks was in the holiday spirit.



After my drink and probably warm sandwich, I took this of Main street.



Pretty day right??

Time for LM and I had to peek at the progress of the mine train since now Dumbo does not get me a good view.



The details of shells in the concrete.



What is a new ride without a new garbage can.



Under the sea.













And now I find a picture of my watch which is to remind me to check camera and ”real” time and also to remind me that probably the camera was set wrong in the past.

 

[MeMom]

I love the flowers at Grand Floridian. They are absolutely beautiful all the time.

It was disappointing to miss out on the meeting of Disney friends and dinner with the Steps. On that evening, I could barely sit up, so GF and Park Fare fun was not in the plan for me. The basic details of the illness in a nutshell - some kind of serious pneumonia and every symptom related to the flu combined with an extremely high temperature. Not pretty, not fun, and not anything I ever care to do again. I am glad Jill and the others went on, though. They had some wonderful character interactions and got some cute pictures.

I was bummed to miss out on the Jingle Cruise. I hope they keep doing it until I am able to go again at Christmas - maybe in 2016.

The mine train is close to opening now. We are looking so forward to riding it in July!

 

[MEK]

Ugh - I remember when meMom was so sick. I bet she wants that to be a distant memory. I can't imagine being that ill.

At least you got to find out what was wrong when you ran into Jill and Anita. Still in all a nice trip to the GF.

OMG - those little soaps are SO cute. The 5 legged goat is so cool.

Sorry your shoulder was hurting - it sounds like a lot of the evening was a blur for you too.

The tree in front of the contempt is so cute.

Yay for an early arrival to MK. Boo for crappy cold weather. Good view of the Mine Train. Please, oh please let it be running for Cynthia and I in May!

 

[MEK]

Oh - and I think the Christmas overlay at JC is cute. But you are definitely right. It shouldn't have been announced as something special because there really is only so much you can do. It's cute though.

 

[KatMark]

Beautiful pictures around the GF, Pat. Although not a favorite resort, it really is beautiful at Christmas.

I'm sorry you didn't get to see MeMom. I remember reading all the updates and my heart just hurt for her that she spent most of the trip in the hospital so ill. I'm glad they have another trip coming up to make up for it.

Oh, that weather is frightful. I'm sorry it rained on your day. Great photos anyway and you got some good attractions in despite the weather. I can't wait to see the Mine train next month/June.

We totally missed the Jingle Cruise while we were there.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

Trying to get caught up with all my subscriptions now I'm back to harsh reality. Went to Florida for five wonderful weeks, but no wifi access.

Love the pictures of the Christmas decor, I'll never get to see them in person, so with TRs like yours I won't miss them. DH won't go when there are heavy crowds as we served our time during Spring breaks when the kids were small.

You really get around when you are alone, I know I would like to roll that way at least once. Maybe I'll get DH to nap then I can slip out on my own! LOL!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

GF is so pretty all decorated! They always have such beautiful flowers!

I like the idea of the jingle cruise - I agree that they hyped it a bit much for what it is, but cute - maybe would have been better as a little surprise!

Too bad about the rain - I hope when we go next December it's good weather!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Sorry MeMom was so sick and you couldn't meet up. That's a bummer. The weather looks like a bummer too, but I'm glad we get to see the Christmas decorations!

 

[glennbo123]

I'm sorry that MeMom was so sick, but it's good to see a post from her right after yours...so in DIS-time she made quite a rapid recovery!

Ew, what a dreary day at the MK!