Joy From The World! A New Trip Report! 1/27 HUGE News!!!

[mickeysmyboy]

I was here last night but my post got stuck on my phone!!!
How sad about your knee and that woman that made you drop your phone!!!!!
What moron...

Welcome Anita!!

Ahh, this too shall pass!!

 

[Poolrat]

As a fellow Diser with knee problems, I understand you pain.
That being said, would have cancelled the DR. Appointment too!

So much drama before you leave. I sure hope you left it all behind as you left.

 

[marDgreen88]

Oooh yay, I'm here! Sorry about all your pre-trip drama! Can't wait to read along.

 

[MEK]

I'm here - two days late - but here. I hope you have lots of updates for me to read when I get back! I promise to send you wonderful drink pictures and I hope that you won't be driving when you receive them, like I was. Darn, that was SO distracting!

Nice pic of you -

 

[TanzUnited99]

Great intros...am so happy you got to redo your Christmas trip. Lol at DH always texting or being on the phone!

Oh no on the knee situation...not what you want to hear before a WDW trip. Yay on getting a brand new phone but hope that decision doesn't come back to bite you!

 

[pooh'smate]

Joining in.

 

[mickeysmyboy]

As a fellow Diser with knee problems, I understand you pain.
That being said, would have cancelled the DR. Appointment too!

So much drama before you leave. I sure hope you left it all behind as you left.

Welcome and thanks!!!

I really wish I could have kept the appointment, but I needed the phone!!

Stay tuned for more!

Oooh yay, I'm here! Sorry about all your pre-trip drama! Can't wait to read along.

Welcome! More coming soon!

I'm here - two days late - but here. I hope you have lots of updates for me to read when I get back! I promise to send you wonderful drink pictures and I hope that you won't be driving when you receive them, like I was. Darn, that was SO distracting!

Nice pic of you -

Welcome MaryEllen!!! I can't wait for drink pictures and such!! I hope you have a FABULOUS TRIP!!!!!

Great intros...am so happy you got to redo your Christmas trip. Lol at DH always texting or being on the phone!

Oh no on the knee situation...not what you want to hear before a WDW trip. Yay on getting a brand new phone but hope that decision doesn't come back to bite you!

UGH with the darn phone!!! I think the thing was attached to his hand!!!!

The knee thing is annoying!! But, I needed a phone for the trip!

Joining in.

Welcome!!!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Well, what do I spy with my little eye???

 

[mickeysmyboy]

Well, what do I spy with my little eye???

I don't know! What could it be?!

 

[GrammyJudy]

I can feel our pain. I have a torn miniscus and arthritis but I am trying to avoid a replacement. Hope it didn't slow you down on your trip

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Did you have any thing you'd like to announce that relates to that flowery ticker that both you and Christine seem to have???? I don't recall that being there before.

Then again, maybe it's just a coincidence. Or I wasn't paying attention.

 

[micandminforever]

Joining the Disney fun. I love December trip reports.

 

[mickeysmyboy]

I can feel our pain. I have a torn miniscus and arthritis but I am trying to avoid a replacement. Hope it didn't slow you down on your trip

Ack! Stupid knee!! It seems there's a lot of Disers with knee problems!! My MIL had her meniscus fixed in August but with the arthritis in the her knee it really didn't help! She said it was a waste!

Did you have any thing you'd like to announce that relates to that flowery ticker that both you and Christine seem to have???? I don't recall that being there before.

Then again, maybe it's just a coincidence. Or I wasn't paying attention.

I plead the 5th

Joining the Disney fun. I love December trip reports.

Welcome, welcome, welcome!

 

[mickeysmyboy]

Now on with Day 1!

With everything finally squared away and a short, but good, night sleep I was up at bright and early around 3:30 am!

A quick shower and getting the rest of our stuff together we were out the door about 5 am with FIL as a chauffer!

We got to the airport quickly and easily by 5:30ish! A quick curbside check-in, a quick and easy trip through security and we were soon at the gate!

We had a little breakfast and coffee and tea from Starbucks and it was soon time to board!

Our flight was easy and enjoyable! I sat next to a lovely women who was probably a little younger then I was. She was going on a cruise with her boyfriend! Unfortunately they were in the C boarding group and weren’t able to sit together! I enjoyed her company though! Especially when we chatted about the women in front of us who was with her husband and 2 tweenish granddaughters! She was toturing these poor girls with complaints etc. Poor kids! Their vacation with Grandma and Grandpa was just starting and they very obviously wanted to kill Grandma already! My new friend told me that if I saw them anywhere in WDW I needed to run the other direction! LOL!!

Soon we landed and made our way to the fake monorail! Where DH took his first of many, many, many business calls of the trip! UGH!!



We quickly made our way to baggage claim and luckily for is our bags came out right at the beginning!

With bags in hand we made our way down to get our car! With my National Rental Car Emerald Club membership we got to go right out the lot and grab a car! All we had to do was stop at a window on the way out of the lot!!

On the road we were and we stopped at Publix to pick up some water, soda, beer and wine! I must say, I LOVE this store for the wine selection alone!! They had a HUGE selection of some great wine!!! It was very hard to choose what I wanted! But I knew taking too long was cutting into park time, etc. I I picked a bottle of Riesling and a bottle of Prosecco!

With goodies in hand we were on the road again! Soon we passed under THE sign!!!



And then another sign!!



And then under this!!!



We had arrived!!! Woo hoo!!

With the luggage out of the car and the car valet parked we went inside to check in! Well, I checked us in and DH went and found a chair!

Check in was quick and easy! Our room wasn’t ready but the CM who checked me in offered to try and find us a room in the same category that was ready. But, she said the room we had been assigned offered a view of the courtyard and pool. So, I opted to stick with what we had been assigned!

With check in complete and DH cozy in one of the comfy chairs on the second business call of the trip I took a few pictures around the lobby!

Camera pictures...













Phone pics...







Once the dirty looks I was giving DH finally took affect he got off the phone! We got a photopass picture taken in front of tree, which I’ll post when we get them, and we headed out!

We took the car over to DHS! Don’t you know about ½ way to DHS I got a text that our room was ready?! LOL!!

We got there quickly and easily, parked the car, took the tram to the entrance, and then got through security and the turnstile very quickly!


DHS Christmas Tree!

We stopped to have another photopass picture taken! This is one that the photopass photographer took with my camera!


I look kinda pale and tired! YIKES!


light pole tree!

After the pictures DH noticed another person wearing a birthday button and commented that I didn’t get one! We were in fact celebrating my b-day. I told him it was ok but he insisted on going to guest services to get me one! Sweet hubby!

We were a little hungry at that point, as it was now around 12, maybe a little before! But we had a late lunch/early dinner ADR at Mama Melrose at 3:30! We discussed getting a real meal and cancelling the ADR but we opted for a snack to hold us over!

DH was dying for a frozen lemonade so we stopped and got that and a soda and then went in search of a pretzels!

We sat on the wall near the hat and ate our pretzels and soon it was time to move on! But DH was busy doing this…


Either a work text or email or checking his fantasy football or hockey!! Grrrrr!

We wondered a bit, checking the wait for TSM, which was something like 80 minutes. We decided to head over to Muppet Vision 3D!



A few pictures while we waited!








pigs in space!!!






After MV we went into the Muppet shop looking for an Animal winter hat for both DS’s! DD got a Kermit hat in October and I thought they had an Animal! Both the boys would have loved one! But, I couldn’t them! Boo! While looking I tried to convince DH to go on Star Tours, he had taken Dramamine on plane after all, but he wasn’t feeling it!

He wanted to see the Indiana Jones show which was starting in 30 minutes or so. So I decided to stop in the Writers Stop (LOVE this place) and get some good coffee to wake my tired self up a bit and then we headed over to see Indy!


Cookies in the Writer's Stop

We ended up sitting toward the top at DH’s request so I skipped to pics! After a fabulous Indy show we decided to head for the Great Movie Ride!

When we got there there was a little bit of a line but as we walked down inside the CM at the line asked we were a party of 2. I told her yes and she took us right on and right to the car! Woo hoo! We ended up in the front row!

Of course, we got the gangster for the 9,000,000th time! I think I’ve only had the cowboy 1 time!

Our driver was completely wacky! So totally overly animated with a loud, squeaky voice! Yikes!! Because we were in the front row and had a crazy driver I felt kinda strange taking pictures! But it was a good ride just the same!

Up next our first dinner in WDW!
​

 

[ronnmel]

They had a photopass photographer at the resort? Awesome!

Other than that, seems like a good start to the trip.

 

[KatMark]

Love the update, Melissa. The WL looks beautiful with the Christmas decorations up.

getting to the Studios and getting a few attractions done before your meal at Mama Melrose.

Love the coffee at Writer's Shop.

 

[mickeysmyboy]

Ack!!!! I just realized my update is wrong! I said dh got me the button after the picture! But I'm wearing it!!! He must have gotten it before!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Ahhh. There's nothing like the WL lobby at Christmas. With the AKL lobby a close second.

So sweet of John to get you a birthday button!

I LOVED pigs in space on the Muppets. That was always one of my favorite segments.

I've never tried Mama Melrose so I'm looking forward to hearing what you thought!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

What a nice start to your trip! Too bad your room couldn't have been ready just a teensy bit sooner!!
I have to stop at Writer's stop next time I'm at DHS. I'm hearing lots of good things...

Is it that they have the photo pass in the lobby just around Christmas? I seem to recall that from our Dec. 09 trip they had them at AKL too. That would make for a great Christmas card picture! I remember seeing people with nice cute matching shirts getting family pictures somewhere - could have been at WL since we visited there too that trip.

Pleading the 5th??? As we lawyers like to think - you must be hiding something!!!

 

[xoktenox]

Ahhhh, the WL lobby, especially at Christmas time, is so gorgeous!! I love cozying up in a big rocking chair by the fireplace

Oh I can't wait to finally try the Writers Stop! I don't know how I've missed it on every trip!