Magic in the Kingdom 2012! BIG 2/16/2014 FINAL UPDATE!

[DISNEYaddict4evr]

I just love when you show the previous years trip… It is so wonderful to see Katie's transformation into a beautiful young lady. I think you should make a scrapbook with pictures using only one you have "duplicates of" what a fun book that would be for her to have when she is older

 

[mom2rtk]

The girls look so great in their costumes, I love all the pictures with the characters! I'm sorry the interaction wasn't that great though :-/ Also love seeing the pics of the girls throughout the years, such wonderful memories for you guys!

Thanks! Definitely a lot of great memories.

I just love when you show the previous years trip… It is so wonderful to see Katie's transformation into a beautiful young lady. I think you should make a scrapbook with pictures using only one you have "duplicates of" what a fun book that would be for her to have when she is older

Thanks! I actually have had plans for some time to do just that very scrapbook...... a layout for each character, with one of my favorite shots blown up large, and a series of small shots taken over time. I hadn't wanted to do it yet, in case I had more to add.... but I think it's safe to start now. Sigh.

 

[fabulousfive]

Thanks! Definitely a lot of great memories.

Thanks! I actually have had plans for some time to do just that very scrapbook...... a layout for each character, with one of my favorite shots blown up large, and a series of small shots taken over time. I hadn't wanted to do it yet, in case I had more to add.... but I think it's safe to start now. Sigh.

I love that idea! And yes, your post about 1900 PF and the girls getting older made me think of my own girls. I guess it's always about finding new traditions and special things as they grow. I SO loved your photos from the breakfast though and think the idea of your album is awesome!

 

[mom2rtk]

I love that idea! And yes, your post about 1900 PF and the girls getting older made me think of my own girls. I guess it's always about finding new traditions and special things as they grow. I SO loved your photos from the breakfast though and think the idea of your album is awesome!

I totally agree. We always have several favorite traditions we feel compelled to follow, but without a doubt the most magical moments always seem to sneak up on us when we're not expecting them!

We did all of the character meals at DLR this time but I told Katie that next time we go we'll probably cut back to just a couple (whether it's DLR or WDW) she looked at me like I had grown a second head. Good thing I'll have all year to prepare her!

 

[francis6306]

I just love the Stepsisters dresses for the girls! Sorry that the interaction wasn't up to par, but it still does look like a lot of fun.

I don't want to think about my girls being "too big" for some things… I'm sure it will happen, but I hope I get a lot of time before then!

 

[scrapbookersdis]

We had exactly the same kind of character experience that you had -- they did not even break stride the second time around the dining room at Chef Mickey's. Since this wasn't the case in the past, I wasn't ready -- and I missed some shots that I didn't get on their first round.

I don't see the point -- the characters have to be there the whole meal period in any case. How is it saving them money to skip second visits to tables?

Sometimes you get a low-energy character who is just going through the motions. (Who can blame them -- it must be very draining.) If you get a second visit, you may have a different experience. Not all Mickeys were created equally!

Here is the gray stuff cupcake. I'm never sure what to do with wrappers like that -- they don't come off easily. Evidently you're supposed to eat the cupcake from inside the wrapper with a spoon?



Looking forward to more and to your California TR!!

 

[mom2rtk]

I just love the Stepsisters dresses for the girls! Sorry that the interaction wasn't up to par, but it still does look like a lot of fun.

I don't want to think about my girls being "too big" for some things& I'm sure it will happen, but I hope I get a lot of time before then!

Thanks Christen! Thankfully the girls we brought with us made their own fun.

It really does go way too fast. Don't blink. And take lots of photos. That's really all I've got.

We had exactly the same kind of character experience that you had -- they did not even break stride the second time around the dining room at Chef Mickey's. Since this wasn't the case in the past, I wasn't ready -- and I missed some shots that I didn't get on their first round.

I don't see the point -- the characters have to be there the whole meal period in any case. How is it saving them money to skip second visits to tables?

Sometimes you get a low-energy character who is just going through the motions. (Who can blame them -- it must be very draining.) If you get a second visit, you may have a different experience. Not all Mickeys were created equally!

Here is the gray stuff cupcake. I'm never sure what to do with wrappers like that -- they don't come off easily. Evidently you're supposed to eat the cupcake from inside the wrapper with a spoon?



Looking forward to more and to your California TR!!

I think it's pretty clear they have changed the way they tour the characters through the room in those character meals. We used to always get a second stop, even if it was brief. What really frustrated me is that the first time they came through we were just getting seated. So I didn't worry about getting all the shots I wanted. I thought they'd be back by.

I'm guessing they are trying to turn their tables over faster. If you know they won't stop again, you won't wait around hoping to see them again.

Thanks for the photo of the gray stuff cupcake. I really need one of those! And too funny that you mention the wrapper. We at there several times..... and I never did figure out the trick for removing it.

I edited more photos last night so hope to get the next update posted soon!

 

[mom2rtk]

Saturday December 15, 2012:



It was really important to be out the door on time this morning. Probably not the best plan to save this big day for our very last full day at the parks. We didn't initially plan it that way, but once we scheduled our long awaited Be Our Guest ADRs it sort of turned into our "Day of Castles".

Our appointment at the Boutique was at 8AM and just like last year the park was opening at 8. If we were lucky, we might get a 10 minute head start on the crowds.

When I woke up and looked out the window it was still dark. But as the sun came up, it became obvious we were going to get the same thing we had most of the mornings this trip. Gray skies. Only today was even worse. It wasn't just gray ...... it was foggy. So much for those gorgeous empty park Castle pictures I had look forward to.

We made it through the turnstiles at 7:45. Within 3 or 4 minutes they let us into the park. We stopped at several photopass locations along Main Street and made it to the Boutique just ahead of the crowds like last year.




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QUICK! The crowds are coming!



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WAIT! One last shot..... Look this way!




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The girls chose the Disney diva hair style. It's the only one Katie had never done. Kim wondered if I felt sad as we watched them get their last makeover at the Boutique. Really I didn't. I think we have just run the course with it and are both ready to move on. Still it was nice to do one last time.




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[jenseib]

I personally love the foggy pictures...It's a bit different than the normal ones you see.

I remember when you got those shoes for Katie...they look great!

 

[mom2rtk]

Saturday December 15th, 2012 Continued:




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When we were done at the Boutique, the girls posed for some fun pictures out in the courtyard and around the fountain as we waited for the Tremaine family to show up. We did some more photos in the studio then headed down past Cinderella's wishing well for some more photos. I think the girls finally woke up and they had a ball posing for those photos.





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Anastasia wanted a closer look at Katie's glass slippers........




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Now it's Drizella's turn to check out the shoes........






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[mom2rtk]

I personally love the foggy pictures...It's a bit different than the normal ones you see.

I remember when you got those shoes for Katie...they look great!

Thanks Jen. I'm so glad I got the shoes. They really did add a lot of fun.

I'm back and forth on the fog. If I had my choice I would have gone for a pretty blue sky. But you are right that it added an interesting different look. I will say that the photos did take a lot more processing to lighten up and make presentable. At first glance they were really just AWFUL. I probably needed to change something in my settings but didn't. I'm just glad I shot in RAW and had the ability to do something with them.

 

[jenseib]

I love the choice of hair color..You know it matched and wasn't pink or red with blonde hair. Like someone on my family likes to do......
It makes me want to take Claire back again, but right now I do not have it in the schedule. I really want her to try the pirates league, but she won't.

 

[mom2rtk]

I love the choice of hair color..You know it matched and wasn't pink or red with blonde hair. Like someone on my family likes to do......
It makes me want to take Claire back again, but right now I do not have it in the schedule. I really want her to try the pirates league, but she won't.

WHAT? She really needs to do the PL. She would have a ball. And word is you have access to a great Pirate costume.

And LOL on the hair color. I seriously cannot visit BBB without picturing Claire in her pink hair wearing that beautiful red dress. Ahhh.... the memories. At least you have a few more years before she's cut off officially.

Our hair memory was 2011. It was epic!


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[mom2rtk]

December 15th 2012 Continued:

The focus of this trip really was visiting "Be Our Guest" from the get go. So when we got reservations for this night, we decided to schedule the BBB on this day, even though it was a busy Saturday. Eventually it dawned on me how novel it would be to dine in both castles in the Magic Kingdom on the same day, so I stalked the dining cancellation thread to add in breakfast at CRT. Eventually after booking and cancelling a couple of less than ideal times, I found the perfect slot...... 10 AM for breakfast. With a bit of time left to kill before breakfast the girls were more than willing to pose for a few more photos.




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The girls enjoyed checking out the details at the base of the wishing well:


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[YodasMom]

Love the photos, Janet! Katie has such natural beauty!

And, the fog…….Well, that's exactly how it was the first 3 days I was at WDW this past December! It finally burned off around the middle of each afternoon, but I would wake up and say…."nooooooooo"…. I didn't come all the way from the dark grey frozen tundra to this! Finally, the last 5 days were sunny, clear and beautiful!

 

[jenseib]

You are making my cleaning this evening more enjoyable...I sweep check the computer for an updagte...read, start laundry...check the computer and read....

They look fabulous in their photoshoot around the Castle.

 

[mom2rtk]

Love the photos, Janet! Katie has such natural beauty!

And, the fog…….Well, that's exactly how it was the first 3 days I was at WDW this past December! It finally burned off around the middle of each afternoon, but I would wake up and say…."nooooooooo"…. I didn't come all the way from the dark grey frozen tundra to this! Finally, the last 5 days were sunny, clear and beautiful!

Thanks Karen. Isn't it funny though how she'll look so grown up in one photo, then so silly and child-like in the next? Sigh. That really sums up this age.

And that fog was so frustrating. Mostly because it capped off a full week of gray mornings. I think maybe our first morning was clear..... but then we got a gray start every morning. Thankfully some days it did burn off by afternoon. I'm glad you got some great days though. We've been many times in December and mostly had beautiful blue skies.

You are making my cleaning this evening more enjoyable...I sweep check the computer for an updagte...read, start laundry...check the computer and read....

They look fabulous in their photoshoot around the Castle.

So I guess Skip wants me to keep posting then? So you'll keep cleaning?

I'm about out of edited photos again. So once CRT is over..... you can quit cleaning.

 

[YodasMom]

Thanks Karen. Isn't it funny though how she'll look so grown up in one photo, then so silly and child-like in the next? Sigh. That really sums up this age.

And that fog was so frustrating. Mostly because it capped off a full week of gray mornings. I think maybe our first morning was clear..... but then we got a gray start every morning. Thankfully some days it did burn off by afternoon. I'm glad you got some great days though. We've been many times in December and mostly had beautiful blue skies.

Yes, I noticed she looks so grown-up in some photos and still has that young, innocent face in others! She's right on the cusp but it changes so (too) fast, though!

 

[mom2rtk]

Saturday December 15th 2012 Continued:


I liked the timing of a 10AM Castle breakfast. It gave us just enough time to get some photos around Fantasyland before it got busy, then duck inside to eat breakfast. Our table wasn't the best we've ever had but I think that's because we were larger party size. There's just something about sitting in that regal environment with the girls in their gowns and having the princesses come by that I love.



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And yep....... more shoe action!






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That photo was an update of this one taken in January 2008:



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The above photo was an update of this one from September 2009:




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I order the steak and eggs and Katie ordered the classic breakfast. Her favorite part hands down .... was the cinnamon rolls. She asked for more and when the waitress brought them she said they were the last two in the entire restaurant. It's funny but Katie still talks about how much she loved the cinnamon rolls.


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That shot really reminded me of this one 4 years earlier:


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[mom2rtk]

Yes, I noticed she looks so grown-up in some photos and still has that young, innocent face in others! She's right on the cusp but it changes so (too) fast, though!

Yep. Sigh. Again.