Nothing to See Here...

[funatdisney]

Sherry, I hope you had a fun New Years Eve! We have a huge party and I have been very busy preparing for it and then recuperating. Anyway, I finally have some time to read your TR and wanted to make a few comments.

Day 2 – December 13, 2010 – Part Fourteen​

Liza/funatdisney mentioned a similar thing as well – she was in the GCH lobby at one point and had not really taken the time to listen to the soft music that’s piped in over the speakers when the pianist isn’t playing. One day she had an opportunity to do that because she was doing something else in the lobby that kind of forced her to actually pay attention, and she realized that it was a really nice instrumental version of a Christmas song, and very fitting with the sort of ambiance of the GCH itself.

It was the morning of the special sale at the WoD at 5:30am. There were no guests in the lobby and I was putting on my shoes (I put them on outside my room so I would disturb my family as little as possible while they are sleeping). It was quiet and I could hear the music. At first I couldn't figure out what it was. We stay at the VGC at least twice a year, but rarely during Christmas time. I am very familiar with GCH music because I love it so much. It took a while, but I began to realize that it was the Nutcracker Suite played on classical guitar. It fit so perfectly. I wished that they sold it or I could get a copy of it. It was wonderful.

Just like it doesn’t feel right to enter Disneyland in any other way except via Main Street, for some reason, the holidays just aren’t the holidays to me without music.

One thing I liked is that some of the Main Street vehicles will beep their horns to the familiar pattern of Christmas songs. Even when there are no songs playing from the speakers, you will hear “Jingle Bells” carefully executed by a driver of a Main Street vehicle. You can just imagine it now, I’m sure – the beeps in time to the chorus of “Jingle Bells” (Beep-beep-beep…beep-beep-beep…beep-beep-beep-beep-beep…) or “Deck the Halls.” Very clever. Another nice touch. They really do a lot at DLR to bring you into the whole holiday feeling. Even if you are rushing, rushing, rushing to and fro, eventually, if you sit down long enough you will get caught up in the merriment of it all.

Yes Holiday music does bring on the holiday feeling. It wouldn't be Christmas without it. One of the things I love Disney so much during Christmas is the little details that make an experience at DLR so exceptional. They surround you and envelope you completely, submerging you with the joy of the season. Very few places can do that.

 

[funatdisney]

Day 2 – December 13, 2010 – Part Fifteen​

I absolutely adore this – I like the Halloween version too, but the Christmas version of this box is so awesome. Notice the detail – the ‘I’ is from IASW Holiday, and the ‘A’ is the DCA candy cane-striped letter A!:

And the Halloween version of the framed box thingy:

And the Pirates version:

And the Tiki Room version:

I don't remember ever seeing these before. Do they sell them?

 

[funatdisney]

Day 2 – December 13, 2010 – Part Seventeen​

The very underwhelming snowflake display that adorns the turnstile area of DL – I think they should put character snowmen/snow people or character gingerbread cookies above the turnstiles. I think this is the one area where Halloween Time has the advantage over the holiday season at DLR. Halloween Time has the character pumpkins greeting you as you enter DL. It seems like it would be so easy to make character snowmen, wouldn’t it? This snowflake business is really kind of anti-climactic:

Isn't that the truth. I totally agree with you. You can't even see what they are very clearly. They need to improve this area, especially since this is the first thing a guest sees f the park.

 

[kaoden39]

Your pictures of the DLH made me nostalgic, this is Kody horsing around in the lobby. Sigh.

Thank you for the pictures and the trip report Sherry. I am loving it all. I love the bright, out there signs and such of DTD, that is the draw for me.

 

[funatdisney]

Well I am all caught up now and ready for the next installment. Just Few more comments.

Sherry about your descriptions of the characters waving to you outside of the PPH windows, I had that lovely conversation with Mickey at the very same windows when we were walking back to the PPH parking. He was "commenting" on my Pooh Christmas hat. It was really cool and one of the nice surprises of the day for me.

Mariezp, about taking pictures of inside the bathrooms, I have a confession to make. I absolutely love the flooring inside the bathroom near the Village Haus in FL. I have taken a picture of it so I can have the pattern to refer to when it is time to redo my floors in my kitchen. I feel so silly to use that as an inspiration for a floor pattern for my house, but I can't help it. I like it too much.

Which reminds me of something that my DH did and still does when we visit DL, which may make a good quest. He is the real photographer of my family and so takes some interesting shots while at DLR. On one visit, he took pictures of stone and brick patterns. In fact, if he found any pattern interesting enough, he took a picture of it. He found patterns, not only on walkways or buildings, but on planters and entryways. They are kind of neat. I used one brick pattern for my back round on my twitter page (not that I am on twitter much).

I love the Christmas Tree with the Sorcerer Mickey's hat for a tree topper. Sorcerer Mickey is my favorite, so I just had to comment on that.

 

[amamax2]

Sherry,

Finally caught up!

Just a couple of quick comments before I tend to a sick child and get the other kiddo started on school....

Gorgeous pictures!!! You got so many details - I know I sound like a broken record - but I kept thinking 1. Wow - I've never seen/noticed that before and 2. Darn, wish I'd thought to take that shot! The lighting, composition, interesting angles, and focus on small parts is wonderful and just gives a whole new dimension to many of the pictures - like the ones inside the Sorcerer's Hat - would never have thought to do that (but I'm gonna on our next trip.....)

And the full range of pictures! This trip report should be a sticky that gives a first-time visitor (or a lurker or a dreamer) a comprehensive overview of the whole DLR. I truly feel like I am walking through DTD and the hotels with you.

 

[TheColtonsMom]

I guess what happens is, when there are not too many people in the restaurant to entertain, the characters go up to the window and jump around and wave at the passersby! I love that! It made me feel bad for them that they had no one to play with, but it was a gesture that made me smile!

The characters at the PPH character meal are by far the most interactive of the 4 we visited. We had a wonderful time there which you will hear about later. I just wanted to comment on the window thing real quick. The day we were there it was far from quiet in the PCH grill all tables were full,(remember it was Christmas week very few places could be deemed quiet) however every time the characters passed those windows in their rounds of the restaurant they stopped to wave & make faces to the passerbys. Makes you wonder about those higher ups that check the message boards...did this start to keep the characters busy and become part of their routine due to feedback that people like and look forward to their antics at the window?

 

[tdashgirl]

Sherry - reading and enjoying

I absolutely love the flooring inside the bathroom near the Village Haus in FL. I have taken a picture of it so I can have the pattern to refer to when it is time to redo my floors in my kitchen. I feel so silly to use that as an inspiration for a floor pattern for my house, but I can't help it. I like it too much.

I don't think it's silly at all Can you share the photo if possible? I don't remember the floor there and would love to be reminded

 

[funatdisney]

Sherry - reading and enjoying


I don't think it's silly at all Can you share the photo if possible? I don't remember the floor there and would love to be reminded

I'll see if I can find it. It is in DH's file (he very well couldn't take it, so I took it the day he was taking the patterned pics he took). He has a very funny way of organizing his files and I can't always find everything I want. I am starting to take my own pictures and load them onto my own files. I was just thinking that I should take that picture again and keep it where I know I can get it.

 

[amamax2]

I love all these shots - the dusk lighting is perfect.

​

This is my favorite so far of all your shots.

Where was this? So cute!!!

/QUOTE]

 

[PHXscuba]

Sherry, can you believe your never-ending Trip Report is 100 pages?? Yowza!

PHXscuba

p.s. Were you able to use the receipt/coupon I sent you?

 

[Sherry E]

Hey, everyone! I just met Jazz (Belle Ella)! She's adorable and very sweet, as we all already know on this board!

Michele, your Christmas tree antenna topper is now safely in her hands. I wrapped it up and shoved it into a box that would keep it from flopping around. So hopefully Mickey's head will stay put!

I have to go deal with my client for a bit, but I hope to be back on later with more TR installments and a few replies to the recent posts!

 

[kaoden39]

Hey, everyone! I just met Jazz (Belle Ella)! She's adorable and very sweet, as we all already know on this board!

Michele, your Christmas tree antenna topper is now safely in her hands. I wrapped it up and shoved it into a box that would keep it from flopping around. So hopefully Mickey's head will stay put!

I have to go deal with my client for a bit, but I hope to be back on later with more TR installments and a few replies to the recent posts!

And she's so petite isn't she? Thanks Sherry and Jazz!! Maybe when I am down your way next maybe we'll do a little meet.

 

[amamax2]

Hey, everyone! I just met Jazz (Belle Ella)! She's adorable and very sweet, as we all already know on this board!

That's so cool!!! (Am I dating myself with that expression?!?)

 

[tdashgirl]

Hey, everyone! I just met Jazz (Belle Ella)! She's adorable and very sweet, as we all already know on this board!

 

[TheColtonsMom]

Hey, everyone! I just met Jazz (Belle Ella)! She's adorable and very sweet, as we all already know on this board!

 

[Halloweenqueen]

I just love these pictures! It makes me want to take a solo trip! I've never even thought of taking one before, but these pictures prove I've never truely "seen" DL, or WDW for that matter.

I'm always the one deciding where to go next, or where to eat, or who needs to go to the bathroom. I would LOVE to go at my own pace and soak it all in.

 

[Belle Ella]

Hey, everyone! I just met Jazz (Belle Ella)! She's adorable and very sweet, as we all already know on this board!

Michele, your Christmas tree antenna topper is now safely in her hands. I wrapped it up and shoved it into a box that would keep it from flopping around. So hopefully Mickey's head will stay put!

I have to go deal with my client for a bit, but I hope to be back on later with more TR installments and a few replies to the recent posts!

As Sherry, you make me blush!

It was so great (finally) to meet you this morning -- even if only for a short while. And now of course Michele makes me feel silly for not even thinking to snap a quick photo before I left! Hopefully some other time I'm in the area we can get you to DLR for a day trip and have some fun there!

 

[Disgram23kids]

Hi Sherry, I was off for a few days. Sunday was granddaughter's 16th birthday and I had agreed to do her party at our house. Her Mom didn't even call her. My son was so upset. He just doesn't understand how she could walk away from the kids. The two older girls are not his biological kids but hers from a previous relationship. My son adopted them after they got married because he wanted to make sure they were a "family" and all the girls knew he was committed to being their Dad. The girls were just 3 and 4 at the time. Anyway, happier thoughts. Your photos at dusk are gorgeous. I'll be looking forward to more of your trip report. Brings back the fun time we had just a few weeks ago.

 

[Sherry E]

I was telling Jazz yesterday that there's just not enough time in the day. I've been so busy with various odds and ends that the time is just flying by. I was also telling her that my sneaky client is the type who doesn't have any work for me to do for several days, and just when I finally decide to go out and do something else like run errands, or take on another time-consuming task (such as proceeding on with this TR), or get into other stuff that I need to do at home, he suddenly has work for me that just has to be done immediately and it throws everything off in my schedule.

So I wanted to continue on with Day 3 of the TR yesterday and I got sidetracked. I can tell that I probably won't make too much progress on it today either (I'm waiting on more work from aforementioned client), but I wanted to at least get another installment or two in, and then go back and reply to some specific DIS'ers' posts I had replies for.

Somehow, despite all the stuff I'm involved in, I managed to get my PhotoPass CD ordered (the deadline for some of the photos is 1/9/11, as those few were taken in November; the rest of the photos were taken on this last December trip). I added some borders, but I didn't go as crazy with adding all the borders and doing what I normally do to get the most for my money. I didn't have the patience for it this time - maybe I would have had more patience if I didn't have to deal with stupid Photobucket and that whole ordeal in trying to get on with this Trip Report! I see that they added some new borders to their selection and got rid of most of the old holiday borders, but I wasn't that blown away by any of them. And I also just didn't have the time to fool with adding every single border to every single photo, cropping, making a B&W version of each one, etc.

Let's just say that I was glad to have a $15 discount on the CD for this order, because I would have felt guilty if I paid the full $62.90 and didn't get the most for it. I still think PhotoPass is great to have as a back-up if something goes wrong with the photos on our own cameras. And it's cute to do the silly poses for the Magic Shots. But there are times when, I suppose, we simply do not feel like sitting there and editing.

I have not yet ordered my free Snapfish calendar. That expires in February so I still have time to select photos (which can be a very draining process!). I wanted to get the latest PhotoPass CD first, in case I add any of those photos to the calendar. And I can start the calendar with any month I want, so I can even start with February if need be.



Anyway, thank you for all hanging in here patiently! I'm glad to see that pretty much everyone is still on board. Any lurkers, please feel free to jump on in here with us! I have not forgotten that there are many posts that I have to respond to, so I will do that soon. The comments are always appreciated and encouraged. I would be unhappy if nobody was commenting at all! I appreciate all the very nice compliments that you've given me, too - I know amamax2 said she sounded like a "broken record," but not to me!! I don't get compliments often at all, so it's nice to finally provide some material for you all that may warrant or deserve them!

Also, welcome to Halloweenqueen, who is a new addition to this thread! I'm glad to see you joined in. Thank you so much for the kind words. Going solo definitely has its advantages!

Disgram23kids - welcome back! I'm so sorry for all that's happening with the kids and your son. That just sounds like a huge mess. Those children need all the love and support they can get right now.


Okay, well, I am off to fight the mighty beast known as Photobucket and see if I can squeeze in a couple of installments of the TR before my client calls with work he has to have done now.