Nothing to See Here...

[amamax2]

amamax2 - I just wanted to reply to a few things real quickly..

I can't imagine that the characters come out and wave goodbye/goodnight in their pajamas every night, unless we have totally been clueless this entire time! We would have heard of this by now, I'm sure. More folks would be posting photos of it on the DIS. I realize that not everyone can stay awake until midnight, so a lot of people would miss it. But surely someone would have caught a photo or two before now. Maybe it's something they only do on certain nights? Maybe they only do it on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day night? Maybe a few nights a year? Whatever the case, I think it's adorable and a very nice touch to end the day with. I don't know if I could ever stay awake long enough to see it, but I think it's so sweet.

Ok. Yes, I agree, we would have heard before now about this if it was a common occurance...just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing the most awesome of photo ops possible. I'll have to go pester lapdwife for the deets on it.

And I cannot believe I forgot to comment on the Peppermint Ice (Cream) Capades incident! Good catch all around! I would have gone to save the camera, ended up with ice cream all over my shirt, and trash half-way across Main Street. Have you tried You-tubing it to *make sure* no one witnessed your amazing feat?

 

[bumbershoot]

they throw tantrums for a reason - figure it out; be willing to leave wherever you are if necessary

So dang true. It's nice to know that others realize that tantrums do mean something, that they aren't just done to "control" us.

 

[PHXscuba]

Have you tried You-tubing it to *make sure* no one witnessed your amazing feat?

... because if it's not on YouTube, it didn't actually even happen, right?!

PHXscuba

 

[amamax2]

So dang true. It's nice to know that others realize that tantrums do mean something, that they aren't just done to "control" us.

Learned the hard way...but finally learned. Now if only my kids could learn the same about me!

... because if it's not on YouTube, it didn't actually even happen, right?!

PHXscuba

 

[Sherry E]

Hmmm....haven't checked YouTube yet!! The whole Ice Cream fiasco seemed to happen in the blink of an eye, so someone would had to have already have their camera trained on me to catch it, I suppose. But these days, I don't put it past anyone to post silly stuff on YouTube!! I was kind of sheepishly looking around to be sure no one was pointing and laughing, though!

Okay, I’ve got four more installments for you!!

Day 2 – December 13, 2010 – Part Ten​

I am glad to know that I am showing everyone a little something they haven’t seen before, whether it’s specific details, light fixtures, or whether it’s a whole place (like the Round-Up or the Grand Californian) that they just couldn’t get to on their last DLR trips. I missed a lot, but I’m glad to know that there are some surprises in here. That was my goal. When I took a lot of the pictures that I took, I thought to myself, “Hmmm…I know I haven’t seen some of this stuff on the DIS, so chances are a lot of other people haven’t seen some of it either.”


We're going back to the Reindeer Round-Up:

So cute…they’re sleeping! I was observing that the reindeer seem to have very rapid breathing. If a person were breathing that rapidly, you would worry about them. I guess the reindeer are used to it, but it still troubled me. I wondered if they were having difficulty adjusting the climate.

One other thing I noticed is that the reindeer are not as accessible now as they once were. There are more things (cleverly decorated in Round-Up style) in front of the walls to the area where the reindeer live, and you can’t just reach in as easily. A couple of years ago you could wander on up and get pretty close to where the reindeer were. By putting up things to block access, DLR is hoping that people will stop trying to pet the reindeer (because the reindeer are not very friendly, apparently, but you wouldn’t be friendly, either, if you could barely breathe). Still, they climb up on things and try to get a ‘better look.’ People can’t leave well enough alone.

This is the cutest little tree:

Two different kinds of ‘tree plants’:

 

[Sherry E]

Day 2 – December 13, 2010 – Part Eleven​

You can see why I need to be by myself at DLR – for several days on end! There is no way I could get all of these photos (and all the ones you will see that are still upcoming in this TR) if I had anyone with me. It’s not even so much a feeling that I am burdening someone else with my photo-taking. It’s more that I don’t want them to slow me down or break my concentration! LOL! Once I get on a roll, I need to stick with it!!

One of my favorite trees at the Round-Up:

 

[Sherry E]

Day 2 – December 13, 2010 – Part Twelve​

See, what I did at the Round-Up was focus on all the stuff that most people were not paying attention to. While they were all lining up for Santa or trying to step over themselves and everyone else to see the reindeer, I got into the other details of the area.

I never even made it in to see the Big Guy because the line was longer than I was prepared to wait in. That’s okay! I think I kept myself occupied!

Really, the entire Round-Up is a Tree Quest, Plant Quest and Wreath Quest bonanza!

Well, I don’t want to overstay my welcome at the Round-Up…LOL… I guess I had to make up for not getting to be there during Halloween Time by taking even more photos for the holidays!

Time to mosey on along and see what else I could rustle up…

Yep. Just came from there…

 

[Sherry E]

Day 2 – December 13, 2010 – Part Thirteen​

Around this time I was getting tired. And thirsty. That Round-Up endeavor took a lot out of me. I gulped down my handy water while I plopped down somewhere in Tomorrowland. I looked around. Tomorrowland is so lacking in any kind of holiday decorations. I mean, this is one land that completely goes untouched during the season other than some merchandise items. I don’t know exactly what they could do, but it seems this would be an area where DLR could really get creative. They could put in some sort of retro-futuristic holiday decorations. I don’t know why they don’t even try. It’s very puzzling to me. ToonToon has stuff. Fantasyland has stuff. Frontierland has stuff. Critter Country has stuff. Main Street is fully decked out and New Orleans Square is decked out. The only other land that seems to be void of decorations is Adventureland, and that strikes me as odd too. Couldn’t they, maybe, make some cool wreaths out of fake bananas and other fruits? Maybe make some jungle leaf wreaths? Maybe hang some wreaths that have little tiny zebras or hippos or elephants? I didn’t see anything.

So, I just had to amuse myself with other stuff…I just love the fruits, vegetables and herbs planted around Tomorrowland – that is one of the few remaining gems of TL – but I didn’t have the incentive to get them all in photos on this trip. I only got a few, but that leaves something for next time!!

(By the way, I think I must have made my way to the China Closet on Main Street at this point – this is one of my favorite shops. It’s very pretty.)

Coming up in the next few installments…more holiday merchandise, Main Street at dusk, my pitiful attempt to capture fake snow on camera, and…getting all up in the Window Displays (causing grown men to move out of my way so I could get more detailed photos!!)

 

[kaoden39]

Absolutely lovely Sherry!! I think you mange to get all of the little details that a person might miss. Thank you, I really love this. I even love the cabbage garden in Tomorrowland. Maybe they are implying that there will be no Christmas in the future.

 

[bumbershoot]

Now see I like that they leave TL alone. TL makes my eyes happy just as it is, with the neon...to me, wreaths and neon don't go together, unless you made a neon wreath, and that would be difficult to store year after year.

 

[funatdisney]

There was lot that I missed at the Round Up. Then, again, I didn't spend that much time there. I tried to get some good shots of the reindeer, but didn't get one without a back end facing me

I so appreciate all the little things your pictures show.

For something a little different, this would be great place to take a family photo for a Christmas card.

 

[amamax2]

Awesome Sherry!

You really did get all the details...While I took pictures of the Comet et all signs and the bags of reindeer food, I didn't even notice that each one was different (besides the reindeer's name, obviously), like Prancer's Popcorn and Blitzen's Barley. Gosh, I feel so....stupid? old? unobservant?

Can't wait to hear more about the people wondering about your picture taking. I only had one, and really she was just trying to get out of my way, so I told her that she wasn't in my way, I was trying to get a picture of a little tree way up high. When she looked puzzled, I explained about the 700 trees and the Tree Quest, and she was actually quite intrigued by the whole thing. Though, maybe when others saw me with my THREE cameras, they thought better than to question me.

As for the Quests:

Tree Quest:
Wreath Quest:
Unintentional Bow Quest:
Most Overlooked Detail Quest: (Yes, Funball, I am making them up again! )
Queen of the Quests:

 

[PHXscuba]

Sherry, our tour guide on the Holiday Tour told us we were going to walk by 100 Christmas trees on the way from Reindeer Roundup to Frontierland (near Rancho del Zocalo) and all I thought was "Tree Quest!" I did not attempt pictures or counting because we were trying to stay in the group in packed crowds.

Glad you captured the Roundup details. I still want to make a rope sign like the reindeers' for DS5's room. Maybe for his March birthday ...

PHXscuba

 

[TheColtonsMom]

I tell ya…I don’t know how parents do it. I have seen some major meltdowns from kids in the middle of Disneyland, and the poor mom or dad has to try to calm them down and not draw all kinds of attention to themselves in the process. I feel for them.

Here's how that one works...A six year old boy melts down completyely in the Lego store after Mom says $400.00 is WAY TOO much money for the Death Star lego set. At that point said Mom is going WHY didn't DH & I do the Disney trip alone I am DONE. 20 minutes later the SAME 6 year old boy is on his knees talking to the 4 year old girl in line behind us on POTC telling her how it is OK to be scared but that Mr Disney would never make anything that would hurt a little kid so everything will be OK. Or 30 minutes after that he is regailing the CM dressed as Brer Bear with how he loves Splash but thinks he should stop hanging out with Brer Fox since he is a bad influence. Or later that night at Fantasmic when he says that was awesome! Can we do it again? Thanks for taking me here!

Everytime you think they have lost it completely and you are done, they surprise you, make you smile, just plain make you feel young again or melt your heart. No matter how bad the meltdown within Disneyland or elsewhere, at some precious moment they make it worth every minute.

 

[kaoden39]

Here's how that one works...A six year old boy melts down completyely in the Lego store after Mom says $400.00 is WAY TOO much money for the Death Star lego set. At that point said Mom is going WHY didn't DH & I do the Disney trip alone I am DONE. 20 minutes later the SAME 6 year old boy is on his knees talking to the 4 year old girl in line behind us on POTC telling her how it is OK to be scared but that Mr Disney would never make anything that would hurt a little kid so everything will be OK. Or 30 minutes after that he is regailing the CM dressed as Brer Bear with how he loves Splash but thinks he should stop hanging out with Brer Fox since he is a bad influence. Or later that night at Fantasmic when he says that was awesome! Can we do it again? Thanks for taking me here!

Everytime you think they have lost it completely and you are done, they surprise you, make you smile, just plain make you feel young again or melt your heart. No matter how bad the meltdown within Disneyland or elsewhere, at some precious moment they make it worth every minute.

Great story. And isn't it amazing how quickly our kids can be so grown up in a little body.

 

[TheColtonsMom]

So I'm thinking that now that the 'Shawn portion' of my TR is over with, there will be fewer narratives for everyone to have to read through, and more straight photo-posting. Most of the amusing anecdotes (i.e., Soggy Butt Syndrome, getting lost in Downtown L.A., crawling under another person's vehicle to retrieve a prized hair clip, etc.) involved her. And I've already told you all about the fiasco with the PPH and my PayPal card after I returned home.

And, really, when you think about it, there won't be much to say in most cases from here on out other than, "I walked around and took tons of photos."

And yet all by yourself you managed a VERY amusing anecdote involving peppermint ice cream, a camera & a trash can. Kudos on pulling that one off blurry or not!

 

[TheColtonsMom]

One of these days I will end up eating here: (You were refrencing surf's up)

You really should make a point of getting to this one Sherry. It was amazing!

 

[bumbershoot]

Here's how that one works...A six year old boy melts down completyely in the Lego store after Mom says $400.00 is WAY TOO much money for the Death Star lego set. At that point said Mom is going WHY didn't DH & I do the Disney trip alone I am DONE. 20 minutes later the SAME 6 year old boy is on his knees talking to the 4 year old girl in line behind us on POTC telling her how it is OK to be scared but that Mr Disney would never make anything that would hurt a little kid so everything will be OK. Or 30 minutes after that he is regailing the CM dressed as Brer Bear with how he loves Splash but thinks he should stop hanging out with Brer Fox since he is a bad influence. Or later that night at Fantasmic when he says that was awesome! Can we do it again? Thanks for taking me here!

Everytime you think they have lost it completely and you are done, they surprise you, make you smile, just plain make you feel young again or melt your heart. No matter how bad the meltdown within Disneyland or elsewhere, at some precious moment they make it worth every minute.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

And the Lego Store passerby will have only seen the freakout moment. While the POTC/Splash/Fantasmic passerby will think he's a spectacular child with never a meltdown moment.


And then for future trips, you (or at I had to) learn to set clear and strict rules about the Lego Store! We managed to go there TWICE on our WDW trip, without a meltdown, woo!

 

[TheColtonsMom]

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheColtonsMom
Ever since Jazz mentioned it this has been on my LIST. Glad to hear you liked it too. Just can't decide if Colton's first Jungle Cruise should be day or night? Any opinions from the two of you that have done it at night?

.

A 6 year old? Daytime daytime daytime. My guy has been on it in the evening and he is NOT a fan. Spooks him way too much at night.

We actually ended up doing it both ways day & night but you will have to read our TR in order to find out how that went LOL

 

[TheColtonsMom]

So.......she offered me a complimentary one-night's stay at the PPH!!!!! And.....if I want to stay for any additional nights beyond the one night (uh....I see a 4-or 5-night stay in my future), they will charge me only $99 for each additional night!!! Yesssssssss!!! And....this offer is good for a full year (minus any blackout days, but I am sure I can find some good dates around the holidays to use that are not blacked out)!!

Karma salutes you. After years of telling us all how much you love staying at this hotel, through poopy water and stupid bathroom switches....Karma has rewarded you and about time too! Really happy for you!