It's my Birthday & I Celebrated! Lots of photos, food and fun! Updated 9/23

[DizNee Luver]

That parade looks so colorful & cheery!!!! Hoping to see it in October.....the twins will LOVE the drums!!! Thanx for the great pictures!!!

 

[kaoden39]

Wow!! What a great big bunch of updates!!

I love the parade!! It is so bright!!

 

[mommaU4]

I'm here, I'm here!! Better late than never. lol Now to go back and catch up on all I've missed.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Great update on your TR. Your photos from Mickey's Soundsational Parade are very nice and clear. You picked a nice spot for the parade on MS.

 

[Happy 2 B Me]

Saw your beautiful new car on facebook. I have thought about getting that one. They look so nice traveling down the street. Did you name her Black Beauty as she is . Will be following along even if i dont respond I am reading.

 

[skiingfast]

Great pictures from the Zephyr. Good idea to take in the parade in a shady spot to rest.

Super lucky crush chose to talk to you.

 

[smile4stamps]

That parade looks so colorful & cheery!!!! Hoping to see it in October.....the twins will LOVE the drums!!! Thanx for the great pictures!!!

It is very bright and cheery! They should love it!

Wow!! What a great big bunch of updates!!

I love the parade!! It is so bright!!

Thanks! I wanted to do the parade all in one day but had so many pictures it took quite a few posts to get it done!

I'm here, I'm here!! Better late than never. lol Now to go back and catch up on all I've missed.

Welcome!!

Great update on your TR. Your photos from Mickey's Soundsational Parade are very nice and clear. You picked a nice spot for the parade on MS.

It was a good spot! I enjoyed having something to lean against!

Saw your beautiful new car on facebook. I have thought about getting that one. They look so nice traveling down the street. Did you name her Black Beauty as she is . Will be following along even if i dont respond I am reading.

I haven't named the car. I am just leasing it. I'm still not happy I had to get it and wish I had done a little more shopping around first but I had to get rid of my old car

 

[tdashgirl]

Oh, how I love a Disney parade! Although I'm not sure they will ever top my favorite, the one the did in 2005 - parade of dreams maybe? I'm not too good with remembering official names ... I was so glad they got rid of the "street party" and brought back a real parade. The drummers were fantastic! Great music and floats too. We caught it twice, once on Main St. and once by IASW.

 

[smile4stamps]

Oh, how I love a Disney parade! Although I'm not sure they will ever top my favorite, the one the did in 2005 - parade of dreams maybe? I'm not too good with remembering official names ... I was so glad they got rid of the "street party" and brought back a real parade. The drummers were fantastic! Great music and floats too. We caught it twice, once on Main St. and once by IASW.

I've only seen the Pixar Play Parade, The Holiday Parade and now this one. I skipped the Celebrate Parade last fall. It sounded too much like the one I had seen in WDW in 2009 so I didn't want to waste my time lol.

 

[DisneyStitch626]

I have only seen the little Halloween one they did at the party and the Electrical Parade years ago. I miss the EP so bad! Wish it would come back!

 

[smile4stamps]

When Mickey's Soundsational Parade was complete we headed back to the PPH. No not for a break. We were just going to grab out sweater/fleece to prepare us for later in the night. I believe we also changed shoes and then we were off back to DCA.

I had hopes of using FP's we had gathered for California Screamin' but even the FP line looked kinda long and I wanted to make sure we got into line for WoC with pleanty of time so I looked for a couple that may be interested in Riding CS! They were just about to grab some FP so I offered them ours. They looked at them kinda strange as the time slop was something like noon. I said don't worry! You can use them!

And from there we went and checked into Ariel's Grotto. We checked in about 20 minutes early and they told us to have a seat. Strange since it didn't look like they were all that busy. Our pager buzzed not to much longer and we were escorted downstairs.

We were given out menu's and we ordered. I at first thought I would want the Ciopinno but I asked if it was spicy and the waiter said it is a little. Well a little is too much for me. Kim ended up getting the Ciopinno and I got the Tri-Tip.

But I got ahead of myself!

We ordered the Appetizer with the Seafood on it.

Kim ate the olives! (Me no likey olives!)

We also enjoyed the bread and dips (which you can see in one of the pics above.)

I actually enjoyed more of the bread than I had inteded as our main course took FOREVER!

We were done with our appetizers for quite some time so I took some pictures...

Finally our Food arrived!

Kim really enjoyed the Ciopinno. She said it was just mildly spicy but that the heat built as you ate it so i am glad I did not get it!

The Tri-Tip was delicious! I also really liked the Mashed Potatoes! It is a meal I would have again.

I want one of these again!

Out of the little birthday treats I received this trip this was the best! The brownie was moist and yummy!

And of course we got our WoC Dessert Plate. (I was kinda bummed it wasn't the cool looking platter and just a plane white plate but it still had all the goodies.)

Out of the desserts I enjoyed my brownie the best!

Overall it was a very satisfying meal and I was very please with it!

From Ariel's Grotto we went to camp out to get our spot for the WoC show.

Lots of pictures while wasting time...

Finally we were let into the WoC veiwing area. I raced to the front and grabbed our railing spot. When we got to the front there was only one other couple at the railing so all the waiting had paid off!

Acckk! Out of room for pics!

 

[smile4stamps]

Some more pics as we waited....

So somewhere in the waiting process I had turned around to take pictures behind us and to the side. When I tried to face back forward I no longer had room to stand straight against the railing! The family that had taken up residence on the left of me kept trying to steal more railing space. They started cursing us out that they were there first and that we were in their spot. I said there is only 2 of us! We have been there from the start. We were waiting since before 7pm. They kept bickering and yadda yadda yadda. We held our ground and kept our spot! Eventually they became civil and we started talking but it was rather tense there for awhile!

And now it was time for the World of Color!

But!

I actually put my camera away and enjoyed the show without a single photo!

And can I say! Spectacular! Excellent view from the Preferred Viewing area at the railing! Really enjoyed the show and highly recommend the Ariel's Grotto dinner with Preferred Viewing.

 

[smile4stamps]

I have only seen the little Halloween one they did at the party and the Electrical Parade years ago. I miss the EP so bad! Wish it would come back!

You snuck in on me!

We actually missed the Halloween one! We were waiting to meet Captain Jack Sparrow! Wasn't going to skip out on that line!

I think I saw the EP one at WDW last year... I know everyone says it belongs at DL but it was nice to see it at WDW since that is where I was at the time!

 

[DisneyStitch626]

You snuck in on me!

We actually missed the Halloween one! We were waiting to meet Captain Jack Sparrow! Wasn't going to skip out on that line!

I think I saw the EP one at WDW last year... I know everyone says it belongs at DL but it was nice to see it at WDW since that is where I was at the time!

It's a nice parade no matter where it is. Disneyland is just easier to go to from here, so I would prefer it be there, lol. One day we'll get to WDW.

The Halloween Parade was just a couple little floats. Nothing big. But they didn't forget Stitch on that one at least! He was dressed as a Pirate. It was cute!

Nice update! We did Ariels Grotto for the WOC too, and I had the Tri Tip as well. I loved it! So yummy. The desserts were good too, but the appetizers I wasn't that fond of. It was ok, but I guess I like the more unhealthy snacky kind like mozza sticks! Lol.

Sorry about the family at the rail though, but at least they got over it! I did the same thing and put my camera away for the show. It was amazing.

 

[kaoden39]

You are a woman of discerning tastes. I do not like olives at all!!!!

 

[Belle Ella]

Yum, the tri-tip at AG was so delicious when I had it. Yum, yum, yum. I'm glad you liekd it too, even if your meal did take forever! Great update Paula.

 

[DizNee Luver]

I love doing the Ariel's Grotto for the WoC dining package.......I've done it twice & will do it again when I want to see the show. Mike & I did the picnic & did not like where we ended up standing. We were on the railing, but this area was just packed with people & I get a bit anxious being that close to strangers. To me, to get the full picture, you need to be in the middle area (preferred dining) to really see all the effects to their fullest. I'll pay the price for the meal....which we found to be one of our best meals last summer!

 

[tdashgirl]

I have only seen the little Halloween one they did at the party and the Electrical Parade years ago. I miss the EP so bad! Wish it would come back!

Oh, totally! I love that one. It was so fun to see that one at night when it was at DCA. I wonder if we'll ever get it back

The tri-tip at AG is yummmmmmy. I always order it when we go there

Boooooo to those peeps at WoC. That seems to happen all the time, why are people so rude?

 

[TyTysMommy]

I've been reading your trip report but haven't posted yet. I am researching Disneyland as I've been to WDW 13 times, but never been to Disneyland yet.

You have some great pictures! I am getting excited about Disneyland.

One question, is WoC something similar to IllumiNations at Epcot? I was hoping to see pictures of it, but I see you were busy enjoying your show, so that's ok.

 

[DizNee Luver]

I've been reading your trip report but haven't posted yet. I am researching Disneyland as I've been to WDW 13 times, but never been to Disneyland yet.

You have some great pictures! I am getting excited about Disneyland.

One question, is WoC something similar to IllumiNations at Epcot? I was hoping to see pictures of it, but I see you were busy enjoying your show, so that's ok.

I have pics of WoC in 2 of my trip reports listed below if interested in seeing pics. I can't help on the comparison since I've never been to WDW. Go to the first page of the Diva's TR & Summer (10 of us) TR to find out what page I have pics. Hope that helps!