Magic, Memories and..... MCSPARKELSONS! A Christmas Grand Gathering! Update 5/1

[Cinderella's slipper]

The video montage at the beginning of the DISmoms4 trip report is great!

 

[karajeboo]

The video montage at the beginning of the DISmoms4 trip report is great!

Thank you!!!! I wish I could have made it longer but it only worked with video and we didn't have enough video for that.....

 

[karajeboo]

When we left WDW and drove to ST Augustine, remember how I told you we extended our theme park experience? I just found the pics....

Jeff was missing grandma..... As soon as we walked into the outlet mall and he saw the row of wheelchairs, all lined up, he perked right up!!!!

And who DOESN'T head to the Disney Outlet immediately after leaving DTD and World of Disney store?

Feels like we just got here!!!!! (remember? we ate at ESPN club our first night!) Stick with me now, we're going waaaaaaay back!

Look! Jeff found his hat!!!!! OK, when I texted this to my sister, she really believed me.....

"Thank you! I'd like to charge it to my room......" Can you believe the Disney OUtlet in St Augustine would not accept my KTTW card?????

And for my final food porn...... Denny's in St Augustine, FL......

And THAT, my friends.... is all she wrote.

 

[kid-at-heart]

Ahhhh, endings are sad. I guess I need to hurry over to the DisMoms report before I become depressed.

kate

 

[jenseib]

I love that you stopped at an outlet...i would too if I could

 

[anewmac]

LMAO I just clean my screen with beer... darn you for making me waste it LOL. But that was some funny stuff! you kill me! Someday Ill get to the outlets!

 

[lauren_elizabeth]

Hahahaha, I'm loving your extended Disney trip! Was it worth the .25? Should we book?

 

[CRdisMom]

what a way to end it all. It was a magical trip. Thanks for taking us all along with you and the crew. it gives us all hope that a family can do a vacation like this and not kill each other.

 

[karajeboo]

Ahhhh, endings are sad. I guess I need to hurry over to the DisMoms report before I become depressed.

kate

It's kicking into gear now!!!

I love that you stopped at an outlet...i would too if I could

We used to live only 45 minutes from this outlet, so we knew exactly what stores we wanted to hit!

LMAO I just clean my screen with beer... darn you for making me waste it LOL. But that was some funny stuff! you kill me! Someday Ill get to the outlets!

Only if you stay on site and book the dining package!

Hahahaha, I'm loving your extended Disney trip! Was it worth the .25? Should we book?

Make sure you get Outlet Hoppers and get in line early for Fast Passes. The SADP (St Aug Dining Plan) not really worth it.... but at least Denny's was included!

what a way to end it all. It was a magical trip. Thanks for taking us all along with you and the crew. it gives us all hope that a family can do a vacation like this and not kill each other.

Are you sure? Have you see or heard from my family in awhile??? Hmmmm????

 

[Wicket's Mom]

This has been a fun read.

I, too would head straight for the Disney outlet. I always stop at the one before we get to Pigeon Forge. Get my Disney fix along with the mountains!

 

[blaken09]

We began the trek along the left side of Future World to get to our 6pm ADR in Mexico.

We weaved, we bobbed (when the puddles were deep!), and we may have even had Gma's chair hydroplaning a few times, before we shot out into the International Showcase, right by Mexico.

Ole!

And let me just say, rain and air conditioning in Mexico do NOT mix. Brrrrr! It was cold once we got into that pavilion!

I'm not entirely clear about what happened next. But I do think that when I saw the beautiful sign, "La Cava del Tequila" I may have let go of Grandma and just hurdled the wall to get there.

And get one of these.....

Cause I do love me an avocado 'rita.....

Grandma? You okay???

We were a few minutes early so we decided, what the heck, there's another BOAT ride!

C'mon Grandma, you'll love it!

We got in and made the Gran Fiesta Tour!!!! Back on land, Kami and the kids saw our old friend Donald, and felt the need to shake some tail feathers....

I think they are saying "Ole" here, but it looks like something not so friendly....

Now I do love me some Mexico Pavillion. Jeff and I ate here on our honeymoon in 1998. It was just "okay" at that time. But that could be because I was expecting burritos and fajitas. You know, American Mexican food.....

So I warned everyone before agreeing to this ADR, that this would not be the Mexican they were used to.....

The kids look thrilled with the selection.....

Kami and I both ordered the Pollo a las Rajas - Grilled chicken breast served over red peppers, onions, chile poblano, chorizo (Mexican sausage) and melted cheese. - $24.00

Jeff got the Mole Poblano - Grilled chicken breast served over a bed of chicken morsels, carrots, chayote chiles, with the classic sauce of spices and hint of chocolate - $24.00

I was wanting to try some REAL mole, so we shared our two dinners.

Dad got Mahi-Mahi a la Veracruzana - Grilled filet of mahi-mahi prepared with capers, olives, Spanish onions and tomatoes, seasoned with white wine and spices, served with white rice. - $23.00

And Mom and Todd both got a traditional meal:
Traditional Mexican Dinner

(Flat fee)

Tostadas de Tinga
Pulled chicken seasoned with roasted tomato and chipotle, served on tostadas with black refried beans, green tomatillo sauce, queso fresco and sour cream

Tacos de Pescado
Mahi-Mahi fish served with chipotle-lime aioli, cabbage, lime and green tomatillo sauce, all served over flour tortillas

Crema Bavaria
Creamy bavarian mousse served with mixed berries, cinnamon and orange liqueur

Includes soft drink or iced tea. No substite on the Mexican dinner.

I could not believe how good that looked too!

I could only get the pic of the fish tacos because they scarfed down the rest too fast for me!!!!

All in all everyone really enjoyed this meal. And even though we were "hidden" behind a wall, we couldn't see the water, it was kind of nice because it was actually quiet enough that we could hear each other.

San Angel Inn - VIDEO - click to play!

We soon left San Angel Inn and the Mexico Pavillion (with rita roadies!!!!) and walked around the International Showcase just a bit. Looking at the radar we were afraid that we would not be too comfortable watching Illuminations in the rain, so we soon headed back toward the boardwalk.

Along the way, we stopped to watch a bit of the Candlelight Processional with Doogie!!! I mean, Barney!!!! He is the one I would have loved to have heard, but we just never even thought to get tickets for this night. And it's a good thing, because those poor people sat in pouring rain for most of it.....

As we stood there watching it started to pour again, so we ducked under the American Pavillion where there was NO LINE to see these two friendly folks!

I think we did a pretty good job on our first full day in the parks..... I for one was wiped out, so we wanted back in the drizzle. As soon as we got to the resort, we hit the bar fridge in our room and then Jeff and Dad decided to go have a nightcap in the Belleview Room.

Dad had more energy than all of us! He just did not want to quit!!!

Up next, Epcot and MK for the Electrical Parade!

I'm having a partial thyroidectomy on Wednesday so I may not be on for a few days.....

I was totally singing that night that you saw the Candlelight Processional with doogie, who knew that somewhere out there in the same location as me was the famous McSparkelsons!!!