This trip was just for my husband and I. We have had a Christmas Tree farm for the last 16 years and could never go away between Thanksgiving and Christmas. We sold our farm last fall and i planned a getaway to Florida! 
Thanks to SouthWest Airlines - our tickets were $45.oo each way to Orlando from Chicago. We have a vacationhome / rental home 10 minutes from Disney World.
We flew out Wednesday nite on the 8 pm flight. I worried all day because they were predicting 5 - 8 inches of snow. It missed us and stayed North - thank goodness!! Our plane arrived in Orlando on time and we got to the house about midnite.
No real plans for Thursday. Swam in the pool / lounged in the spa and just enjoyed being in Florida and out of The Cold from Chicago!
Decided to go resort hopping in the afternoon. Had a great time. The decorations were breathtaking and the life size gingerbread houses outstanding!! We had dinner at Cape May Cafe's. We did not have reservations - but only had about a 30 minute wait. Food was delicious and our server did a great job. In the lobby was a life size carousel made out of chocolate. It was awesome!! Such talented artists to put that all together!
We ended the evening at Downtown Disney. It was really crowded - so just looked around a bit and headed home.
Friday - Spent part of the day in Clermont visiting friends. We had tickets for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party - arrived at the park about 4 and went right inside. The crowds were big in some areas - but tolerable. Loved the stage show at Cinderella's Castle. Went on all the rides - the rides that were closed during the party - we went on before the park closed. Walked over to Frontierland for the parade. We were on a corner with a mom and her 2 girls
and a young couple on the other side of us. The rope was in front of us and we were all sitting / standing againt a fence. There was really only room at this point for one line of people / it got wider as it went past the corner. We were in line at least 45 minutes or so. About 5 minutes before the parade started a mom with a stroller and a teenage daughter lifted the rope and cut right in where we were. There was really no room. I thought my hubby was going to lose it! He didn't and i was very proud of him.
He said - Ma'am - there is really no room here. She said - the baby is sleeping so you won't be in her way!! So we all stood up and stood side by side and there was room for her behind us - but we were squished! After about 10 minutes - she left. Very rudely. It wasn't our fault she hadn't gotten a seat earlier. Off my soapbox! The parade was fabulous - the music, dancers,characters,performers all did a great job. We were all thoroughly entertained. Fireworks were spectacular! We stayed until midnite and enjoyed all of it. Just got our free pics yesterday. They turned out cute.
Saturday - it was a rainy day all day. Went to Kohls (a new store that just opened in Clermont) and did some shopping. Went to Beef O'Brady's for lunch
(chicken wings and beer! YUM!) Met some friends for dinner at outback in Formosa Gardens. Ran into some neighbors from the UK - had a great time!
Sunday - the day i had looked forward to the most. As a Christmas present for Jeff - i had reserved a Segway tour. I could only get him in the 8:30 class
and then it was full. They take 10 per class - twice a day - 8:30 and 9:30.
The first hour is classroom training and the second hour you drive them around Epcot. My kids had been down in November and took the tour. They were in the 9:30 class and said it was more fun than the 8:30 - because Epcot opened during their tour. From 11 - 11:30 they waved at all the people coming in while they were driving / people took their pics / and it was so much fun!! I tried every day for weeks to get me on the tour - finally - one opens for the 9:30 tour!! I now keep trying to get my hubby and i together on the tour - the day before we left - one opened for the 9:30!! We had an absolute blast!! I would love to do it again and recommend it for everyone to try! Right before Epcot opened in the countries - a huge group of Disney characters came out and took pics with us. Can't wait to get those pictures back.....
I was on a Disney cloud after that. We went on Soaring - about an hour wait.
But it was worth it. Did some people watching and just enjoyed being at Epcot. We had dinner reservations in Italy for 5. Food was great and sevice excellent. We were on the dinner package for Candlelight Processional.
Got out in plenty of time for the show. Our narrator was Harry Hamlin from LA Law. I met a mom / chaperone in the bathroom and our chorus for the night was from Aurora, Ohio. The show was awesome. I bought the CD when i was down in October and this show was just as good!
After the show - fireworks started about 9:30. Crowds weren't too bad and they added special Christmas fireworks at the end. It was a great day and nite - I had waited and planned for so long...........................and it was all so worth it!
Monday - Lounged around the pool. It was time to head home to reality and finish up some Christmas shopping. I hope you enjoyed our trip report!
Mary
Thanks to SouthWest Airlines - our tickets were $45.oo each way to Orlando from Chicago. We have a vacationhome / rental home 10 minutes from Disney World.
We flew out Wednesday nite on the 8 pm flight. I worried all day because they were predicting 5 - 8 inches of snow. It missed us and stayed North - thank goodness!! Our plane arrived in Orlando on time and we got to the house about midnite.
No real plans for Thursday. Swam in the pool / lounged in the spa and just enjoyed being in Florida and out of The Cold from Chicago!
Decided to go resort hopping in the afternoon. Had a great time. The decorations were breathtaking and the life size gingerbread houses outstanding!! We had dinner at Cape May Cafe's. We did not have reservations - but only had about a 30 minute wait. Food was delicious and our server did a great job. In the lobby was a life size carousel made out of chocolate. It was awesome!! Such talented artists to put that all together!
We ended the evening at Downtown Disney. It was really crowded - so just looked around a bit and headed home.
Friday - Spent part of the day in Clermont visiting friends. We had tickets for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party - arrived at the park about 4 and went right inside. The crowds were big in some areas - but tolerable. Loved the stage show at Cinderella's Castle. Went on all the rides - the rides that were closed during the party - we went on before the park closed. Walked over to Frontierland for the parade. We were on a corner with a mom and her 2 girls
and a young couple on the other side of us. The rope was in front of us and we were all sitting / standing againt a fence. There was really only room at this point for one line of people / it got wider as it went past the corner. We were in line at least 45 minutes or so. About 5 minutes before the parade started a mom with a stroller and a teenage daughter lifted the rope and cut right in where we were. There was really no room. I thought my hubby was going to lose it! He didn't and i was very proud of him.
He said - Ma'am - there is really no room here. She said - the baby is sleeping so you won't be in her way!! So we all stood up and stood side by side and there was room for her behind us - but we were squished! After about 10 minutes - she left. Very rudely. It wasn't our fault she hadn't gotten a seat earlier. Off my soapbox! The parade was fabulous - the music, dancers,characters,performers all did a great job. We were all thoroughly entertained. Fireworks were spectacular! We stayed until midnite and enjoyed all of it. Just got our free pics yesterday. They turned out cute.
Saturday - it was a rainy day all day. Went to Kohls (a new store that just opened in Clermont) and did some shopping. Went to Beef O'Brady's for lunch
(chicken wings and beer! YUM!) Met some friends for dinner at outback in Formosa Gardens. Ran into some neighbors from the UK - had a great time!
Sunday - the day i had looked forward to the most. As a Christmas present for Jeff - i had reserved a Segway tour. I could only get him in the 8:30 class
and then it was full. They take 10 per class - twice a day - 8:30 and 9:30.
The first hour is classroom training and the second hour you drive them around Epcot. My kids had been down in November and took the tour. They were in the 9:30 class and said it was more fun than the 8:30 - because Epcot opened during their tour. From 11 - 11:30 they waved at all the people coming in while they were driving / people took their pics / and it was so much fun!! I tried every day for weeks to get me on the tour - finally - one opens for the 9:30 tour!! I now keep trying to get my hubby and i together on the tour - the day before we left - one opened for the 9:30!! We had an absolute blast!! I would love to do it again and recommend it for everyone to try! Right before Epcot opened in the countries - a huge group of Disney characters came out and took pics with us. Can't wait to get those pictures back.....
I was on a Disney cloud after that. We went on Soaring - about an hour wait.
But it was worth it. Did some people watching and just enjoyed being at Epcot. We had dinner reservations in Italy for 5. Food was great and sevice excellent. We were on the dinner package for Candlelight Processional.
Got out in plenty of time for the show. Our narrator was Harry Hamlin from LA Law. I met a mom / chaperone in the bathroom and our chorus for the night was from Aurora, Ohio. The show was awesome. I bought the CD when i was down in October and this show was just as good!
After the show - fireworks started about 9:30. Crowds weren't too bad and they added special Christmas fireworks at the end. It was a great day and nite - I had waited and planned for so long...........................and it was all so worth it!
Monday - Lounged around the pool. It was time to head home to reality and finish up some Christmas shopping. I hope you enjoyed our trip report!
Mary
