Skipping Christmas- WDW Style! December 24-28!

[KeepSwimmingDory]

Great trip report! Enjoy your writing too.

 

[TeresaNJ]

Hey Soarin! I just started reading your TR this afternoon and am loving it! You are an excellent writer, and for some reason, I pictured you as a brunette! LOL You, your sis and bro are adorable! I had no idea you were so young either. I mean, I knew you were going to be doing the CP soon, but your posts on the Con thread are so thoughtful and mature, that you "seemed" older. Anyway, I'm getting off topic here. I can't wait to read further installments, and will be sad to see them come to an end. You'll have to keep us entertained with castmember reports under an alias, when the time comes.

 

[debbieandroo]

It's a conspiracy! Soarin', you got me so excited about the Studio Backlot Tour and I just found out that it, too, is down for refurbishment during the month of January. First Mickey's PhilHarmagic, now this! What's a girl to do!

 

[Soarin08]

Hey Soarin! I just started reading your TR this afternoon and am loving it! You are an excellent writer, and for some reason, I pictured you as a brunette! LOL You, your sis and bro are adorable! I had no idea you were so young either. I mean, I knew you were going to be doing the CP soon, but your posts on the Con thread are so thoughtful and mature, that you "seemed" older. Anyway, I'm getting off topic here. I can't wait to read further installments, and will be sad to see them come to an end. You'll have to keep us entertained with castmember reports under an alias, when the time comes.

Brunette? Noooo!!!! I'm a blondie- always have been. Yeah, I know I'm pretty young.... you think my posts are thoughtful and mature? Oh I have a blog set up for my CP experiences. I'll be PMing the link.

It's a conspiracy! Soarin', you got me so excited about the Studio Backlot Tour and I just found out that it, too, is down for refurbishment during the month of January. First Mickey's PhilHarmagic, now this! What's a girl to do!

WHAT????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dang it Debbie, that totally sucks!!!!

What's a girl to do???? Why go back to WDW when both attractions are back open, of course!

Hang on..... I pre-typed this so I just gotta copy and paste....

 

[Soarin08]

December 26, 2008​

Another Morning at DHS​

Seeing as my DM and DB8 did not get to go to DHS on Christmas, and also taking into consideration that I was about to go crazy wanting to ride RnRC again, we changed our original schedule from a full day at MK to another morning at DHS.

~ADD Moment: This portion of the report is only going to contain two pictures. That's all I took at DHS this day since I was just there the day before.

We attempted to get FPs for TSM, but the time was already *gasp* at 3:30pm at 10am!! Excuse me???? The wait time was 35 minutes so we decided to just wait it out- it wasn't like we had anything pressing to do. I was NOT getting back on ToT after it completely screwed my head up the day before- after TSM, I was simply going to haul myself back to the RnRC and ride it again!

DB8 loved TSM - much more than he loves Space Ranger Spin at MK. Not sure was DS16 thought- she was in a rather foul mood and wasn't speaking to anyone. No idea why, but oh well....

After TSM, my dad and I headed back to- you guessed it- RnRC-

Blasted off this time to the tune of one of my personal favorite Aerosmith songs, "Dude Looks Like a Lady" (anyone else think about "Mrs. Doubtfire" when they hear this song? ). I could ride that ride all day long!! It is so much smoother than the other coasters I've ridden in the past! Definitely my favorite roller coaster! Even if you don't LIKE roller coasters, go for it!! You may be surprised- and if you like Aerosmith, hey.... GO FOR IT!! One problem though- if you happen to get in the very back row..... ask to switch to something else. We were in the very back row this time (first time second to first row- it was phenomenal because we really couldn't tell when the launch was coming!) and it wasn't as fun. After the launch, I never could quite get my head settled against the seat and it was thrown around a bit- plus the backwash of the launch made the ride rougher. That's just my opinion. If you LIKE a bumpy roller coaster ride, get the back row. Me..... nah, I'm all for the first row. I like the unpredictability.

ToT pic I took in the RnRC queue; that was the closest I got to ToT that day!!-

DM, DS16, and DB8 rode The Great Movie Ride while me and DD waited for RnRC. GMR is ok, but I wasn't too sad I didn't get to ride it this trip. It doesn't bowl me over with awesome thrills nor blow my mind.

We never made it back to the Studio Backlot Tour again that day- or rode any other attractions, for that matter. Much as I would have absolutely loved another wild ride on RnRC, we left to go back to POR for lunch before hitting the MK that night......

.....More to come.

 

["Got Disney"]

Hi Soarin ...stared reading your trip report tonight and am enjoying every word. I look forward to finishing all of it

 

[MEK]

December 26, 2008​

Another Morning at DHS​

Blasted off this time to the tune of one of my personal favorite Aerosmith songs, "Dude Looks Like a Lady" (anyone else think about "Mrs. Doubtfire" when they hear this song? ). I could ride that ride all day long!! It is so much smoother than the other coasters I've ridden in the past! Definitely my favorite roller coaster! Even if you don't LIKE roller coasters, go for it!! You may be surprised- and if you like Aerosmith, hey.... GO FOR IT!! One problem though- if you happen to get in the very back row..... ask to switch to something else. We were in the very back row this time (first time second to first row- it was phenomenal because we really couldn't tell when the launch was coming!) and it wasn't as fun. After the launch, I never could quite get my head settled against the seat and it was thrown around a bit- plus the backwash of the launch made the ride rougher. That's just my opinion. If you LIKE a bumpy roller coaster ride, get the back row. Me..... nah, I'm all for the first row. I like the unpredictability.

I completely agree with your perceptions of RnR. I love the ride, but hate the back row. Every time I get in line, I pray that I don't get seated in the back of the ride. Whiplash city back there!

I also love your review of the Candlelight Processional. How GREAT to be able to see that on Christmas day!!!!!! I think the Christmas story is so inspiring. It really gives all believers such a lift!

 

[onelilspark]

I completely agree with your perceptions of RnR. I love the ride, but hate the back row. Every time I get in line, I pray that I don't get seated in the back of the ride. Whiplash city back there!

Agreed! My Mom & I do single riders and she was going to be stuck in the back one time. I took one for the team and had to switch with her (my 20-something body can handle it a little better than her xx-something body.) We love RnR though! I can ride that all day

 

[TeresaNJ]

I'm so happy you will be chronicaling your castmember experience. I was a castmember from January 2007 until September 2007, when we had to move back to NJ so I could take care of my mom, who had complications after surgery. I loved being a castmember. It was a feeling like no other. I'm not saying it was all sunshine and roses, but the positives definitely outweighed the negatives, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Here are a few pics taken during my training.

This is a pic of "Team Simba", the newest DVC Advanced Sales Associates, during our training. There were ten of us on our team. The gentleman on the far left in the first row, and the first two people on the right in the back row were DVC staff, but not on our team. I'm in the middle row, second from the left.

Here we are on another day of our training, at All Star Music. That's me front and center.

My cousin did the CP, and then after graduating, went back and became a full-time employee for the next five years. I'm sure you are going to love the CP experience. In fact, my cousin just recently got married, and two of her bridesmaids were her CP roomies!

 

[IWantMickey]

Soarin', I love your TR! Keep up the great work. I agree about the RnR! The combination of the Aerosmith music and the blast out to the coaster keeps it up at the top of our list of favorites at WDW.

I completely agree with your perceptions of RnR. I love the ride, but hate the back row. Every time I get in line, I pray that I don't get seated in the back of the ride. Whiplash city back there!

I don't care for the back row, so if I see that I might get stuck there, I have no problem asking the CM for a row up front or in the middle.

her xx-something body

I have one of those too!

I'm so happy you will be chronicaling your castmember experience. I was a castmember from January 2007 until September 2007, when we had to move back to NJ so I could take care of my mom, who had complications after surgery. I loved being a castmember. It was a feeling like no other. I'm not saying it was all sunshine and roses, but the positives definitely outweighed the negatives, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Here are a few pics taken during my training.

This is a pic of "Team Simba", the newest DVC Advanced Sales Associates, during our training. There were ten of us on our team. The gentleman on the far left in the first row, and the first two people on the right in the back row were DVC staff, but not on our team. I'm in the middle row, second from the left.

Here we are on another day of our training, at All Star Music. That's me front and center.

My cousin did the CP, and then after graduating, went back and became a full-time employee for the next five years. I'm sure you are going to love the CP experience. In fact, my cousin just recently got married, and two of her bridesmaids were her CP roomies!

Teresa, that is so awesome! I would love to be a cast member involved in DVC. I would be Disney's best advocate for DVC. We love being members. I have talked several co-workers into buying DVC. So far, they appear to be happy with their purchases (well, at least they're still talking to me so I have to assume they're happy.)

 

[Dolce27]

Woo-Hoo! I'm caught up on Soarin's TR!

Other than Christmas evening at EPCOT, it doesn't look like we were ever at the same park on the same day. I didn't go to a theme park on the 27th and you said that you left on the 28th. It would have been great had we met up.

However - we were in Italy at the same time. While you were over taking pictures before the CP, I was already camped out in my favorite spot on the Isola waiting for Illuminations.

(Yes, I camped out for Illuminations around 6:30 pm. I had nothing better to do anyways. You saw the wait times by that time of the day for attractions.)

I listened to your CP from my camped out spot.

Yeah, rub it in about Mickey's PhilHarmagic, will you?!?!?? That's going to be down for refurb during the month of January!

Start planning your next trip NOW. That is one of my three must do's at the MK. The other two are the TTA and Big Thunder Railroad Mountain.

It was now around 4:30pm and we decided to try to see if GG would let us eat early, as we were all absolutely starving! Sure enough, our table was ready and we got in to eat at 4:45pm. For some reason, GG wasn't revolving that night. Anyone know why? The last time we ate at GG was 11 years ago! I was glad to see, however, that nothing had changed much.

What?!?! My ADR was at 4:45 and I had to wait for about 10 minutes to be sat. Now I know why - Soarin and her family took my table! Humph! And no idea why it wasn't revolving. I was disappointed with that.

The meal was FABULOUS!!! We had catfish, roast beef, turkey and dressing, fresh vegetables (carrots and broccoli), mashed potatoes, green salad, rolls, and apple bread pudding for dessert.

For this I must disagree. This and the dinner that I had at the Liberty Tree Tavern the night before were my worst meals of the trip. I'll give LTT a second chance but I can't stomach GG again. Every time I went into the Land pavilion that week to go to Soarin' and smelt the GG, I'd feel nauseous.

IllumiNations was wonderful as well.... no pics. Grrrrr..... blame the camera. Enjoyed the fireworks tremendously.

I will agree with this one. The show was awesome. I love the special holiday ending.

And Rock n' Rollercoaster is my favorite coaster. I worked at MGM *sigh* DHS the summer it opened. I was one of the guinea pigs... I mean, one of the first people to ride the coaster during Cast Preview Week. Oh, and I love sitting in the back. The front is waaay too tame.

 

[Soarin08]

Woo-Hoo! I'm caught up on Soarin's TR!

Other than Christmas evening at EPCOT, it doesn't look like we were ever at the same park on the same day. I didn't go to a theme park on the 27th and you said that you left on the 28th. It would have been great had we met up.

However - we were in Italy at the same time. While you were over taking pictures before the CP, I was already camped out in my favorite spot on the Isola waiting for Illuminations.

(Yes, I camped out for Illuminations around 6:30 pm. I had nothing better to do anyways. You saw the wait times by that time of the day for attractions.)

Crap I prolly saw you then and didn't know it! Did you happen to see me????? Some blonde girl with glasses in a purple sweater and blue jeans.... if soooo, that was me!!

Next piece coming up in a few....

 

[Dolce27]

Crap I prolly saw you then and didn't know it! Did you happen to see me????? Some blonde girl with glasses in a purple sweater and blue jeans.... if soooo, that was me!!

Next piece coming up in a few....

I didn't know what you looked like. I bet you anything we were standing right next to each other at the check-in for the GG if you were sat at 4:45 and I'm sure I was there by 4:40 at the latest. Actually, I do think that I have a vague memory of your family being seated now that I think about it...

 

[Soarin08]

I didn't know what you looked like. I bet you anything we were standing right next to each other at the check-in for the GG if you were sat at 4:45 and I'm sure I was there by 4:40 at the latest. Actually, I do think that I have a vague memory of your family being seated now that I think about it...

Hmmmm.... if it was five people- parents (duh), blonde girl (me), brunette girl (sister) and a little boy (brother) then maybe so. Who knows. We prolly saw each other and didn't realize it. We got lucky to be seated early.... didn't expect our table to be ready but it was.

 

[MEK]

Agreed! My Mom & I do single riders and she was going to be stuck in the back one time. I took one for the team and had to switch with her (my 20-something body can handle it a little better than her xx-something body.) We love RnR though! I can ride that all day

You are a kind daughter! I have an xx-something body now and it is NOT pretty!

 

[Family Fun Mom]

Great TR so far, Soarin! I'm loving it.

I absolutely love the quote by Glenn Beck. I do not believe in soulmates but if I did, he's be mine. I told my sister about his show and after watching it she said "he's waaaaaaay to theatrical and overdramatic for me... I see why you like him, though. He's YOU in male form" LOL I almost never disagree with the man and spend his entire show nodding my head saying "yeah, uh huh, yep, he gets it." And he does. He really, really does.

You are just adorable and so is your family. I know exactly what you mean about gross little boys. I have two of them. They are weird creatures, but very entertaining.

Your report is very entertaining, too. I can't wait for more!!!

ETA: I'd love to get the link for your CM blog.

 

[chrisw127]

Soarin', I'm enjoying your TR, your family is very cute. When are we going to get an update?

PS: Don't tell anyone, but I feel the same way as GB about Main Street. Don't tell anyone! I mean it!

 

[wardfamily1]

Umm, shouldn't you be giving us an update before you start your next semester? Just sayin...

 

[Dolce27]

 

[Soarin08]

Great TR so far, Soarin! I'm loving it.

I absolutely love the quote by Glenn Beck. I do not believe in soulmates but if I did, he's be mine. I told my sister about his show and after watching it she said "he's waaaaaaay to theatrical and overdramatic for me... I see why you like him, though. He's YOU in male form" LOL I almost never disagree with the man and spend his entire show nodding my head saying "yeah, uh huh, yep, he gets it." And he does. He really, really does.

Well I'm glad you don't believe in soul mates because I've decided that despite the fact he's married and older than me (ok, alot older), he's pretty much mine. I'm never gonna find a guy for myself who thinks like he does... considering that I sit here and talk back to the radio or TV, whatever he's on at the moment... it's not like he's hearing me or anything. But it's nothing but me agreeing 1000% with whatever he says.

PS: Don't tell anyone, but I feel the same way as GB about Main Street. Don't tell anyone! I mean it!

Your secret's safe with me!!

Umm, shouldn't you be giving us an update before you start your next semester? Just sayin...

Sorry.... I've just been busy the past couple days getting ready to go back to school. Plus I've sorta been a little.... preoccupied the past few days with.... something.