Pre-Trip Planning: Danielle's 2008 WDW Christmas Adventure

[joelp]

I'm baaaack!!

Been awhile - not sure why ... but here we go again!!

Day 7 – Dec 12: Part II – I Love a Parade!​

Heading back onto Discovery Island we found a good spot to watch the parade right outside the entrance to “It’s Tough to be a Bug”. We had never seen the parade before, and thoroughly enjoyed it …

After that – even though it wasn’t one of our “priorities” – but since we were right at the entrance – we took in “Bug” …

That’s the alli-croca-thingy Danielle won in Dino-land USA …

Vicki toyed with the idea of going on “Expedition Everest” – but we were still full from lunch and all the screams we had heard from the mountain while having lunch earlier in the day further dissuaded her – but it will be a priority (for my DW – not me!) next trip …

So instead we took a relaxing stroll into Asia and then turned left towards Africa. It was nearing closing time, so the pathways were pretty much empty, which made for a nice and relaxing end to the day. And along the way, we came upon a Photopass photographer:

Africa was also pretty empty and we did some shopping in the Mombassa Marketplace and then headed back to Discovery Island. But just before leaving Africa there was a merchandise cart that just happened to have a complete set of Fairy pins … so Danielle had a BIG smile on her face because she had finally gotten a Rosetta pin (not to mention Tink, Iridessa, Silvermist, … yes – I know all their names!!) …

After another short and pleasant bus ride we were back at the AKL – for dinner at Boma! Boma! Boma!

Another wonderful food-fest – but I was a bit disappointed because Palaver Stew wasn’t on the menu (so I missed having it this trip, even though the odds were in my favor …) … and at some point during dinner Danielle laid down on her bench and fell asleep (seems like she’s started another tradition …)

So, on her last night in WDW – no PJs for the DD – again … And that makes her a clean 0-for-7 … (why did I bother packing them???)

Next Up: Our Last Day – and another Magical Moment!!

 

[joelp]

We're coming into the home stretch here ... !!!

Day 8 – Dec 13: “A Magical Moment!”​

This was it – after all (well – my!) planning, saving, agonizing, waiting … waiting some more … dreaming, more planning … more waiting – and eventually counting down … revising the plans … packing … un- and re-packing … more waiting/counting down … more planning …[well – you get the idea …]

… we were finally repacking for the trip home.

Although it can be safely said that the AKL sure felt like “home” for the past week … (and Vicki really doesn’t want to hear about staying anywhere else in the future … )

So we repacked – which wasn’t toooo bad – largely because I had brought an extra suitcase with us and we had been continually filling it with our “dirty” clothes as the week progressed … and so the other suitcases were filled with the remaining “clean” clothes (yes – we overpacked! – but not too bad) and a treasure trove of Christmas ornaments and other trinkets …

And called Bell Services to come and get our bags … had a leisurely breakfast at The Mara … checked out … took Danielle for a last jaunt on the playground … went for a “walking safaris” around the resort …

… and then jumped on a bus to the Magic Kingdom!!

[Gotcha – you thought we were heading to the airport – didn’t you???]

Nope! Usually – by the last day of our vacation – Vicki is itching to get home (whereas Danielle and I would much rather stay at WDW!!) – and this trip was no different. So she was not thrilled that our flight was not leaving until 9:30 p.m. – yes p.m.!! This was through no fault of my own – the airline had changed our original departure time 4 or 5 times … I was concerned, too – the thought of dragging four big pieces of luggage, a half-dozen carry-on bags, and a sleeping Danielle through MCO – and then to our car at ACY around midnight – looked to be a disastrous end to our trip!!

But you have to play with the hand your dealt – so we headed off for one last day at the Magic Kingdom – where we arrived at a most unlike-us hour of 11:00 am … without a touring plan! [Yep – I hadn’t made any plans for this final day – not even deciding until this morning what park we were going to visit … although I suspected it would be the MK …]

So we had a very relaxed attitude going through the turnstiles – we would see and do what we could, as this day was just “icing” on the previous week … And the weather was perfect, too …

A quick look at the Events Guide showed us that the “Dreams Come True” Castle forecourt show was going to start in a few minutes – and Danielle really likes it (and we hadn’t seen it yet this trip …) … so … while Vicki and Danielle found a good spot right up front, I hurried off to Frontierland to get Fastpasses for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad!!

This show really inspires little kids, and I get a kick when I here them say “Dreams Can Come True!” as we walk around the parks …

Danielle (and Vicki) love roller coasters – I do not! – BUT – I really like BTMRR (but don’t get me started on Space Mountain!). So while Vicki and I were psyched for the ride, Danielle was a bit trepidatious to go on her first “big” coaster. Even with the FPs, the line was about 20 minutes long – and the more we waited, the more fearful Danielle got … So she wasn’t a happy camper when we finally squeezed into a car …

In contrast, when the ride was over she screamed “Again!! I wanna do that again!!” – and had a BIG smile in her face!!

But I told her we had another ride to do first – Splash Mountain!!

Not surprisingly there was a long queue for SM – but there was a 1 hour “delay” for the Fastpass entrance time with only a 15 minute wait – so we grabbed FPs and headed over to the Columbia Harbour House for lunch (another first for us).

Did I mention the MK was crowded – not as bad as our MVMCP night – but pretty close … so the CHH was also jumping … The CM at the register told me that 58,000 people were in the park!! We ordered our food and then – putting some tour book advice to use – went up the stairs and out of the crowded and noisy downstairs dining room to the much less crowded, quiet, and more relaxed upstairs dining room.

We had a nice, relaxed meal – and the food was decent, too (not great – but more than acceptable) – and by the time were done – we were ready to get wet!!


As we walked towards Splash Mountain I noticed that there weren’t any logs coming down and a lot of people were walking AWAY from SM, and I had a bad feeling … and yes, the ride had shut down because of “technical difficulties”, the CM didn’t know when (if!!) it would be back up and running, and –yes – we could use our FPs whenever it got started again … Bummer!!

So we made the best of it – and while Danielle started having a blast in the “Laughing Place” play area by SM, Vicki took a break and I walked over to BTMRR to get FPs – but the FP “delay” was like three hours later at this point (a BIG change from about an hour earlier in the day!) … so we opted to drag Danielle away from her new friends and head over to “Peter Pan’s Flight” … which had a 4 hour “delay” and a 60 minute FP wait!!

So – even though there was a posted 45 minute wait and a REALLY long line – we queued-up up for the “Haunted Mansion”. And actually had a good time in the queue, as it wound around and up and down along the “Rivers of America” and we got to see areas of the MK we hadn’t really “seen” before … and the wait was actually only about 30 minutes …

Danielle doesn’t know quite what to make of the ghosts – should she be scared? Laugh at them? Squeeze her eyes shut, cram her face into my shoulder, and cling to me for dear life? (No …) … but she’s a trooper …

We then walked around a bit and ran into these two guys:

We didn’t have all that much time left at this point, so we headed back into Fantasyland to do one last ride – and ended up in line for “Snow White’s Scary Adventure” … yet another first for us, as the reviews and warnings I’d read did not put this on our “priority” list … (Everything else was packed!! – or we had already done it …)

And as we turned the final corner of the queue, a fifty-ish male CM (from New Hampshire, if I remember correctly) was hanging out there – and Danielle spotted the Toddler Snow White pin he was sporting – and she totally started freaking out and was over-the-top excited about trading for it!! But then realized – “I have to go to the potty!!”

[Of course! – one possible alternative title for this TR was “WDW – One Restroom at a Time …”]

But she wanted to trade – but she really had to go – but she wanted to trade – but she REALLY had to go … but … and she was jumping up and down and literally beside herself trying to figure out what to do!!

So I stayed in position in the queue, Vicki took Danielle to the restroom (with Danielle shuffling sideways and looking back at the CM the whole time!) – and the CM and I started chatting while the line moved passed me … And I traded him Danielle’s last Mickey pin for the Toddler Snow White pin (notice the coincidence with the ride we were waiting for …?) – and then he asked me Danielle’s name, pulled a certificate out of his pack – and started writing on it …


About ten minutes later Danielle comes running back to the ride, with Vicki panting on her heels, screaming “Did you get it?!? Did you trade for it!?!”

And she was ecstatic when I showed her the lanyard with her new Toddler Snow White pin …

Then the CM bent down and told her that – although some kids think “Snow White’s Scary Adventure” is REALLY scary – too scary – he knew that Danielle was a brave little girl and wouldn’t be scared at all – So he had a special certificate for her – a “Certificate of Bravery” signed by Snow White and all seven dwarfs!!

And so – in the line for our last ride in the Magic Kingdom – we had not one – but TWO!! Magical Moments!!

And – of course – Danielle was not scared in the least!!

So we headed back to Main Street and out of the MK, with a last Photopass shot (or two…) and a swing through some of the shops – where we found that all of the Christmas ornaments were on sale at 50% off !! So we stocked up on some more stuff to bring home …

And bid the MK a very fond and bittersweet farewell – because we had just had a fantastic day! And even though we were happy to be going home – we really didn’t want to leave …

Back at the AKL we went into the Zawadi Marketplace for a final bit of shopping and Vicki used our remaining DDP snack credits for some cookies and stuff to take home. And Danielle noticed one of the CMs had a Toddler Mulan pin … and after much thought she VERY reluctantly decided to trade her Minnie Footprint pin for it …

We had a final dinner at The Mara … and after a final stroll around Arusha Rock and the lobby (savoring the wonderful aromas coming from Boma! Boma! Boma!), we retrieved our luggage from Bell Services and repacked – cuz we had bought a lot of stuff today (at 50% off!!) …

And with a last look at the magnificent Christmas Tree in the AKL lobby, we turned and headed out into the night …

We were the only guests leaving the AKL, so it was very quiet when we went outside and we had the bus to ourselves until Pop Century, when another 4 or 5 families joined us. And it turned out the whole bunch was from NJ and we were all taking the same flight home!!

And despite our misgivings, getting to the airport, through security, and onto the plane was a breeze … and Danielle stayed awake, was in a great mood, and even helped with the luggage!!

There were a bunch of cheerleaders on our flight – and it turned out most of them had taken First Place in their various Pop Warner competitions – so the flight home started off with a big round of cheers and congratulations!


Danielle fell asleep on the plane, but woke up when we landed – and in a good mood!

We were the only flight arriving at ACY, so getting our baggage only took about 15 minutes.

We put on our winter coats, bundled up (it was cold out there!) and made the 50-yard walk to the parking garage and our car … for the hour drive home …

Danielle fell asleep in the car and Vicki and I started talking about how taking the late flight home – and having a full last day at a park – worked out wonderfully and was the perfect way to end a trip to WDW … and we actually started planning our next trip to WDW …

… for my birthday (which will be a BIG one!!) in September .. and with enough family members to put together a “Grand Gathering” … But that’s a tale which will start with a forthcoming PTR …

Next up: Dec 14: “A Magical Moment (reprise)”

 

[princess&her4princes]

Great last day!!! I love that you had a FULL day at MK and took your time...sounds wonderful!! And I'm excited you're going again in September!! Will you do a PTR for that? Our trips our coinsiding....we were there in December and again in September, too!!

 

[joelp]

Just took a quick peek at your PTR - we'll be at WDW Sept 17-20, so we're gonna overlap a bit ...
PTR to get kicked off once I finish this TR ...

Speaking of which ...

 

[joelp]

Dec 14: “A Magical Moment (reprise)” ​

It’s Sunday afternoon – back home in the “real world”: we’re tired, depressed, not looking forward to unpacking and doing laundry, going to work tomorrow … The only one in the entire house who seems to be “happy” is the dog – Ranger. (Who can tell if Mel – the cat – even missed us …?)

I’m in the “office” trying to catch up on all the Ears-to-Ears and DIS Board posts I’ve missed the past week, and thus retain a few lingering threads of Disney magic … Danielle is downstairs catching up with the Disney Channel … Ranger is at his usual spot at the top of the stairs … Mel is – somewhere … the fish are in their aquarium … and Vicki is in our bedroom unpacking her suitcase, and complaining about unpacking, the cold weather, her sore feet …

When - suddenly – I hear Vicki exclaim from the other room: “I don’t believe it!!”

OK – take a quick flash back to my March 11 post – Thursday morning at Epcot …

Got it? (C’mon – take a few minutes and scroll back ….!! I’ll wait …)

(la di la-di la …. di la …“It’s a Small World After All … It’s a Small World … ” …. “In the tiki-tiki-tiki-tiki Tiki Room .. In the …” )

OK … (You didn’t “cheat” did you …?)

Vicki walks into the office holding one of her sneakers: “Look what I found!” she says with a smile.

Now – considering we live in a house with a dog, a cat, and a five year-old girl, when I do happen to take a glance at the bottom of a shoe, I’m usually looking for something I don’t really want to find there …!! So, I was expecting to see something in the genus “gross” and species “smelly” when Vicki thrust the bottom of her sneaker in my face.

But I was very pleasantly surprised and simply astounded when – instead of finding something brown and gelatinous – I saw something small, solid, and gold …

Yep – amazingly – the Toddler Princess Belle pin that Danielle had lost on that rainy morning in Epcot three days ago – was stuck into Vicki’s shoe!!

And even more incredible, despite walking around Epcot that morning and then back to the AKL for a break – there wasn’t a scratch on it!!

We called Danielle upstairs, and after complaining about being dragged away from Playhouse Disney, she was very happy and excited to fine her “lost” Toddler Princess Belle pin had been “found” …

So I pulled it out of Vicki’s shoe, found a spare pin backing, and stuck it into Danielle’s lanyard – where it remains to this day …

And thus ended our December 2008 trip to WDW – with a last “Magical Moment” …

And now it’s time to tell you about the plans for our next trip to WDW – this September – only 5 months from now!! – for my birthday!!

But before you double-click on the link in my siggie … where you will be instantly (more or less) transported to my new PTR … (as soon as I start it!!)

Thanks for reading and being a part of this Trip Report!

“See” you soon …

 

[princess&her4princes]

Dec 14: “A Magical Moment (reprise)” ​

It’s Sunday afternoon – back home in the “real world”: we’re tired, depressed, not looking forward to unpacking and doing laundry, going to work tomorrow … The only one in the entire house who seems to be “happy” is the dog – Ranger. (Who can tell if Mel – the cat – even missed us …?)

I’m in the “office” trying to catch up on all the Ears-to-Ears and DIS Board posts I’ve missed the past week, and thus retain a few lingering threads of Disney magic … Danielle is downstairs catching up with the Disney Channel … Ranger is at his usual spot at the top of the stairs … Mel is – somewhere … the fish are in their aquarium … and Vicki is in our bedroom unpacking her suitcase, and complaining about unpacking, the cold weather, her sore feet …

When - suddenly – I hear Vicki exclaim from the other room: “I don’t believe it!!”

OK – take a quick flash back to my March 11 post – Thursday morning at Epcot …

Got it? (C’mon – take a few minutes and scroll back ….!! I’ll wait …)

(la di la-di la …. di la …“It’s a Small World After All … It’s a Small World … ” …. “In the tiki-tiki-tiki-tiki Tiki Room .. In the …” )

OK … (You didn’t “cheat” did you …?)

Vicki walks into the office holding one of her sneakers: “Look what I found!” she says with a smile.

Now – considering we live in a house with a dog, a cat, and a five year-old girl, when I do happen to take a glance at the bottom of a shoe, I’m usually looking for something I don’t really want to find there …!! So, I was expecting to see something in the genus “gross” and species “smelly” when Vicki thrust the bottom of her sneaker in my face.

But I was very pleasantly surprised and simply astounded when – instead of finding something brown and gelatinous – I saw something small, solid, and gold …

Yep – amazingly – the Toddler Princess Belle pin that Danielle had lost on that rainy morning in Epcot three days ago – was stuck into Vicki’s shoe!!

And even more incredible, despite walking around Epcot that morning and then back to the AKL for a break – there wasn’t a scratch on it!!

We called Danielle upstairs, and after complaining about being dragged away from Playhouse Disney, she was very happy and excited to fine her “lost” Toddler Princess Belle pin had been “found” …

So I pulled it out of Vicki’s shoe, found a spare pin backing, and stuck it into Danielle’s lanyard – where it remains to this day …

And thus ended our December 2008 trip to WDW – with a last “Magical Moment” …

And now it’s time to tell you about the plans for our next trip to WDW – this September – only 5 months from now!! – for my birthday!!

But before you double-click on the link in my siggie … where you will be instantly (more or less) transported to my new PTR … (as soon as I start it!!)

Thanks for reading and being a part of this Trip Report!

“See” you soon …

Great ending, happy to hear the magic continued even at home!!!! The funny thing is....that happened to us a couple of times on our December trip, too! The boys would loose one, we'd be in the middle of one of the parks and surprise, surprise my DH would find it on the bottom of his size 13shoe!!!!

Looking forward to your new PTR...keep me posted!!! And thanks for sharing your holiday TR!!

 

[joelp]

The Sept 2009 PTR is now officially open for business ...

 

[joelp]

Great ending, happy to hear the magic continued even at home!!!! The funny thing is....that happened to us a couple of times on our December trip, too! The boys would loose one, we'd be in the middle of one of the parks and surprise, surprise my DH would find it on the bottom of his size 13shoe!!!!

Looking forward to your new PTR...keep me posted!!! And thanks for sharing your holiday TR!!

OK - this is getting just a little weird here ... (but at least I wear size 14 shoes!!) (well - 13 1/2 ... )

 

[KathyRN137]

Bumping so I can read this!

Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

All done! I loved all the Magical Moments!!

Great report... looking forward to reading about the next trip!!


Kathy

 

[joelp]

Thanks!! I can't wait to write about it!!