Snow to 80 in 8 days–A spoonful of Holiday Cheer (2/5 update Ch 36 - Final Thoughts)

[Flossbolna]

Great morning at the MK! I have vague memories of guessing that you headed to Frontierland, but I am not sure wether I said BTMRR or Splash...

But it seems like you had a good time in Frontierland. That's the advantage of the cold season, if you are brave enough for Splash, the lines are never too bad. Some people seem to dislike getting wet in cold weather...

I liked your crowd shot! When I was on the Keys to the Kingdom Tour, our guide explained to us that if you stand in front of the parade gate in Frontierland and you can still see pavement ahead, the MK is still considered uncrowded. So I guess you still had an empty morning!

 

[Poolrat]

I am glad you got the Cinderella Picture.

I was not counting on you cutting through Fantasyland so I know I did not guess the Steps.

Glad you conquered the mountains relatively early.

Can't wait to hear what you had for lunch

 

[chloe770]

great update. Congrats on having your computer back! Now I'm going to have to go back and search for all of those HM's before my DD wakes up.

 

[that's nice]

Great updates Marv!

It must be wonderful walking out and seeing those animals at AKL in the morning. I really think I need to stay in a savannah room someday... I am just to cheap to do it! LOL

WOW... those crowds in MK looked terrible! Glad you got there early to hit some of the BIG rides! I haven't done Splash in a few trips... I need to go on that next time! I hope you had a chance to play the games in the SP Que.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Awesome udpate Marv! Ack, those crowd pics! Yowza, that's crowded. Seriously, I'd have been claustrophobic!

You got some lovely shots, I love all the Christmas decor. It looks so festive!

OMG, your redneck Splash pic is hilarious! You looked like you were either praying or crying. I'm going to go with crying.

And yes, I totally see the monster face in that rock formation on Splash!

Ugh, just from reading this update I can tell I did horribly in the contest. You know, that one from what, February or something?

Looks like you and your boys had a blast together!

 

[glennbo123]

Yikes, I don't think I did very well with my guesses for this round.

From your Hidden Mickey pictures, I only see the mickey in the Philharmonic picture. The others....

Nice redneck picture, but I want to see the redneck picture from your first ride down Splash.

Very cool about that Cinderella picture. I never knew about lining up the crown.

 

[englishrose47]

Hey Marv I won there were NO Ali's in your update cuz she was in bed !!!!As for the Hdden Mickeys, I'm with Glenn they are HIDDEN!!!!So how did I do on the last contest, it's been soooooo long I have forgotten the questions !!So just say I was 100% RIGHT!!!

 

[marvali]

Marv I love the Cinderella with the Crown !!!Can't believe I am first !!!By the way 0 Ali's

You were pretty quick on it Rosie! Too bad the Ali-do contest was a one time thing.....unless I see I have a number of pictures with her later in the trip and decide to give it another round....

Oh man, you're up late! I'll have to re-visit this tomorrow,as I'm headed off to sheetier places now. Looking forward to reading it all tomorrow, Marv! G'nite.

Funny that you thought it was late when you were three hours "earlier" than me. It was rather late but I wanted to get that update done. And I've been in some "sheetier" places lately myself.....but there wasn't much sleep involved!!!

Great morning at the MK! I have vague memories of guessing that you headed to Frontierland, but I am not sure wether I said BTMRR or Splash...

I think you had a few answers that were dead on that nobody else seemed to guess. I will post an update on the latest scores soon!

But it seems like you had a good time in Frontierland. That's the advantage of the cold season, if you are brave enough for Splash, the lines are never too bad. Some people seem to dislike getting wet in cold weather...

We never seem to get very wet on Splash. I think it is because we usually have most of the weight in the back, which keeps the front of the boat up out of the water more and you tend to skim over the top of the water creating less splash. I know during colder weather they don't have the cannon shooting spray up in the air when you come down the big hill, so didn't have to worry about that either.

I liked your crowd shot! When I was on the Keys to the Kingdom Tour, our guide explained to us that if you stand in front of the parade gate in Frontierland and you can still see pavement ahead, the MK is still considered uncrowded. So I guess you still had an empty morning!

Yeah, it was REEAAALLLL empty!!!

I am glad you got the Cinderella Picture.

I was not counting on you cutting through Fantasyland so I know I did not guess the Steps.

Quite a few people did. I was suprised at that one!

Glad you conquered the mountains relatively early.
Can't wait to hear what you had for lunch

I know I am going to disappoint some people, but we didn't do a whole lot more that day! The boys did a few other things, but by the time DW got there, she wasn't really in the mood to do much and we were still in the relax and enjoy mode. It picked up following our MK day though with three days left and three other parks to hit hard from a ride standpoint!

great update. Congrats on having your computer back! Now I'm going to have to go back and search for all of those HM's before my DD wakes up.

Well, the computer isn't really back yet. I used an older laptop we had and got the internet working on it, but it is very slow. Took quite a while to get that update posted but I wanted to get things moving again! Still have to go do some shopping for a newer more powerful one!

 

[marvali]

Great updates Marv!

It must be wonderful walking out and seeing those animals at AKL in the morning. I really think I need to stay in a savannah room someday... I am just to cheap to do it! LOL

WOW... those crowds in MK looked terrible! Glad you got there early to hit some of the BIG rides! I haven't done Splash in a few trips... I need to go on that next time! I hope you had a chance to play the games in the SP Que.

Thanks Tim! We did the Savanna View once when we had a lot of developer points about to expire and wanted to use them up. I know some people will argue this, but I personally don't think using the extra DVC points are worth it, at least right now. We aren't in the room enough to get very much benefit from it. And at Kidani (and somewhat also at Jambo) there are so many viewing areas you can see the animals really great from, I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything as far as the animals are concerned.

We usually get to the MK for EMH rope drop and get a lot more done before the crowds build like that, but this trip we just didn't feel like hurrying yet. That changed after our MK day though!

Awesome udpate Marv! Ack, those crowd pics! Yowza, that's crowded. Seriously, I'd have been claustrophobic!

You got some lovely shots, I love all the Christmas decor. It looks so festive!

OMG, your redneck Splash pic is hilarious! You looked like you were either praying or crying. I'm going to go with crying.

And yes, I totally see the monster face in that rock formation on Splash!

Ugh, just from reading this update I can tell I did horribly in the contest. You know, that one from what, February or something?

Looks like you and your boys had a blast together!

Yeah, the crowds were pretty big, but we knew they would be, especially with the later start. I was getting as much joy from just taking pictures and enjoying the atmosphere as anything else that day, so didn't try to do much more than we had already done.

Our previous New Year's trip we did 8:00am rope drop for MEMH, hit up Space for FP, rode it standby, did Buzz twice, and were at the Liberty Square rope drop at 9:00am when the gates opened for everyone else. After that two rides on BTMRR, one on Splash, one on PotC, HM, Philharmagic, back to space and we were eating by 11:30.

This time around, being behind the crowds some, we never even did Buzz Lightyear because every time we were there the wait was 30-45 minutes and none of us was interested enough to stand in line that long......

We were just relaxing and enjoying being together! It was a lot of fun taking a day like that instead of the usual running all over the place to max out on rides!!!

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

enjoyed the update and kudos for having the nerve to ride splash early in the morning on a cold day, you never showed your after pic to show how wet you got?



i wonder if they tame down the wetness on certain days if it is cold.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Yeah, the crowds were pretty big, but we knew they would be, especially with the later start. I was getting as much joy from just taking pictures and enjoying the atmosphere as anything else that day, so didn't try to do much more than we had already done.

Our previous New Year's trip we did 8:00am rope drop for MEMH, hit up Space for FP, rode it standby, did Buzz twice, and were at the Liberty Square rope drop at 9:00am when the gates opened for everyone else. After that two rides on BTMRR, one on Splash, one on PotC, HM, Philharmagic, back to space and we were eating by 11:30.

This time around, being behind the crowds some, we never even did Buzz Lightyear because every time we were there the wait was 30-45 minutes and none of us was interested enough to stand in line that long......

We were just relaxing and enjoying being together! It was a lot of fun taking a day like that instead of the usual running all over the place to max out on rides!!!

Sometimes taking it slow is sooo much better a plan than rushing around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off! Our past Feb. trip, I made a real, conscious effort to slow down and enjoy those little things that often are overlooked in the mad dash for FP's or stand-by lines. Sounds like you had the right attitude for your trip. (DH still makes fun of me for our first Disney trip together with our girls in 2008, I was running them ragged and by the third day, we were all exhausted, grumpy and had blisters)

 

[marvali]

Yikes, I don't think I did very well with my guesses for this round.

Don't feel bad, there seemed to be a lot of that for the most part! Still lots of chances to make up ground.

From your Hidden Mickey pictures, I only see the mickey in the Philharmonic picture. The others....

The Muskrat Moonshine Still picture I didn't get the best shot since I was slightly early and then couldn't get another one in time, but if you look you can see it. Above the "S" in Muskrat there is a corrosive "run" down the side and right in it is a place where the "paint" has worn off that makes a small classic Mickey head.

The other one inside the ride, with the front of the riverboat on the left - the rather large cloud is a profile view of Mickey laying down.

Nice redneck picture, but I want to see the redneck picture from your first ride down Splash.

Sorry, but since we didn't get off the ride until our second trip around that is the only one we saw. The other one was long gone by then.

Very cool about that Cinderella picture. I never knew about lining up the crown.

You have to get down at a lower angle to get it. I think I read that the Imagineer's made it so it was at a child's level, so children see it but adults are typically clueless of the effect. I didn't have to get down as low as I thought I would though. I was under the impression an adult almost has to sit down on the ground to see it that way, but it wasn't that bad.

Hey Marv I won there were NO Ali's in your update cuz she was in bed !!!!As for the Hdden Mickeys, I'm with Glenn they are HIDDEN!!!!So how did I do on the last contest, it's been soooooo long I have forgotten the questions !!So just say I was 100% RIGHT!!!

Hey Rosie, hope you're having a good day! And check my response to Glenn for where to find the HMs!!!

 

[marvali]

enjoyed the update and kudos for having the nerve to ride splash early in the morning on a cold day, you never showed your after pic to show how wet you got?


i wonder if they tame down the wetness on certain days if it is cold.

I'm pretty sure they tame it down. I know they didn't have that cannon shoot water up in the air which often hits us as we come around to start the ride. It seemed like less water splashing around for sure, but then we never get too wet on that ride, unlike Kali at AK where it almost always seems like I go down that one area backwards and the water just washes all down my back and over my shoulders getting me soaked!!!

No need for an after picture. Other than a little bit of water that splashed on my sleeve about the wettest part was having to sit on the seat that already had water all over it!!!

Sometimes taking it slow is sooo much better a plan than rushing around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off! Our past Feb. trip, I made a real, conscious effort to slow down and enjoy those little things that often are overlooked in the mad dash for FP's or stand-by lines. Sounds like you had the right attitude for your trip. (DH still makes fun of me for our first Disney trip together with our girls in 2008, I was running them ragged and by the third day, we were all exhausted, grumpy and had blisters)

Had some of those days before!!! We still weren't into it that much yet since we weren't doing any "full" days yet, focusing on the major rides. That would change somewhat over the next three days, but never to the extent it sometimes does...... After this MK day, I was ready to go being a morning person! I started telling the rest of them what time I was planning to leave and if they were ready to go with me great and if not, no biggie but I was heading out to beat the crowds and have some fun after that! Of course, some of that fun would still revolve around lots more pictures of the decorations. This was one I was really wanting everyone to enjoy, in whatever way they chose.

 

[PirateKate]

I'm also having a hard time remembering what my answers were, but I don't think many of them were right. Must have been an unpredictable morning.

I love all the Main Street pictures. BTMRR and Splash Mountain both look like they were a lot of fun. We weren't brave enough to risk Splash Mountain in the cold, but it doesn't look like you all got too wet.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Marv! Thanks for waiting for me! I'm glad you had such a great morning. Good to see you weren't soaked on Splash. I was getting cold just thinking about it. I see you do the "walk by" pics of the characters, too! That is what we usually do, unless there are children in our group who need to meet them.

 

[All7OfUs]

Finally found some time to comment on the update!

First of all, I LOVE the picture of Mary Poppins in her Nanny get up! NICE! YOu're right, a rare sighting indeed.

I never knew Cinderella's name in French. I wonder why they felt compelled to have signage in French. Does the story itself take place in France?? Maybe it's been too long since I've seen it?

WHOA! That's some crowd!! YUCK. It's really a good thing you didn't have a commando agenda- I fear you would have been incredibly disappointed.

Good call on the waffles. They sound yummy, and definitely a place less crowded than the bakery must have beeen- smart touring right there!

Peter Pan will NEVER grow up- stop waiting. Embrace it as irresposible but fun.

 

[Flossbolna]

Good to hear that I did well with my answers... I think I am more talented in predictions than in spottings...

I never knew Cinderella's name in French. I wonder why they felt compelled to have signage in French. Does the story itself take place in France?? Maybe it's been too long since I've seen it?

I don't think that from the Walt Disney film you would notice that it is French? Well, maybe...

I guess you can say that Cinderella is a European fairytale. Since fairytales used to be a narration that was passed along by telling it, it was told all over Europe. Charles Perrault wrote it down in the 17th century and the Brothers Grimm in the 19th century. Both versions are slightly different. In Germany Cinderella is called "Aschenputtel" which means someone searching in the ashes. The ashes are in the English name as well, doesn't cinder mean something similar?

I am wondering wether the fountain was originally built for Disneyland Paris and then copied to the Magic Kingdom? That might explain the French name?

 

[All7OfUs]

Good to hear that I did well with my answers... I think I am more talented in predictions than in spottings...



I don't think that from the Walt Disney film you would notice that it is French? Well, maybe...

I guess you can say that Cinderella is a European fairytale. Since fairytales used to be a narration that was passed along by telling it, it was told all over Europe. Charles Perrault wrote it down in the 17th century and the Brothers Grimm in the 19th century. Both versions are slightly different. In Germany Cinderella is called "Aschenputtel" which means someone searching in the ashes. The ashes are in the English name as well, doesn't cinder mean something similar?

I am wondering wether the fountain was originally built for Disneyland Paris and then copied to the Magic Kingdom? That might explain the French name?

I guess I always assumed it was in England/UK. I have no idea why, as the setting really could be in a lot of places in Western Europe. I did know about the Brothers Grimm telling, but didn't know it was a RE-telling from someone even earlier. And as with ALL Disney versions it is WAY tame. If you go back and read the original Snow White, she was actually lured into the forest and raped by the huntsman. Apparently, that story was used as a warning to young ladies to be wise in their actions.

Anyway, I think you have a good theory on the why's of the fountain being in French. Strange to be sure.

Yes, cinder does mean ashes, or leftovers (even slightly hot ones) from the fire.

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

I'm pretty sure they tame it down. I know they didn't have that cannon shoot water up in the air which often hits us as we come around to start the ride. It seemed like less water splashing around for sure, but then we never get too wet on that ride, unlike Kali at AK where it almost always seems like I go down that one area backwards and the water just washes all down my back and over my shoulders getting me soaked!!!

No need for an after picture. Other than a little bit of water that splashed on my sleeve about the wettest part was having to sit on the seat that already had water all over it!!!

i think that is the worst sitting in a wet seat from the person before you....just just hope it is water.

now if you set in a wet set on TOT then i would ask for a new seat before they close those doors.

 

[marvali]

I'm also having a hard time remembering what my answers were, but I don't think many of them were right. Must have been an unpredictable morning.

I love all the Main Street pictures. BTMRR and Splash Mountain both look like they were a lot of fun. We weren't brave enough to risk Splash Mountain in the cold, but it doesn't look like you all got too wet.

This was a rather unorthodox morning. With the late start, and the crowds, we just made decisions as we went along. There wasn't that much we were really concerned with doing, so we just did the things that helped us avoid the crowds.

Yes, I took lots of pictures of the decorations, and even later in the week when we followed a more strict plan of park touring, I still took lots of time to get more holiday pictures.

Marv! Thanks for waiting for me! I'm glad you had such a great morning. Good to see you weren't soaked on Splash. I was getting cold just thinking about it. I see you do the "walk by" pics of the characters, too! That is what we usually do, unless there are children in our group who need to meet them.

We have plenty of character pics with the boys waiting in line to be with the characters, but these were some characters I haven't seen before (except for Peter Pan).

Finally found some time to comment on the update!

First of all, I LOVE the picture of Mary Poppins in her Nanny get up! NICE! YOu're right, a rare sighting indeed.

We have pictures of Drew with Mary Poppins, but not in that particular outfit! I couldn't pass up that shot.

WHOA! That's some crowd!! YUCK. It's really a good thing you didn't have a commando agenda- I fear you would have been incredibly disappointed.

Yeah, if people had figured out with all my hints about a late night that we wouldn't probably make rope drop, I think there would have been some better answers on the quiz. Things settle in a little more the rest of the trip.

Good call on the waffles. They sound yummy, and definitely a place less crowded than the bakery must have beeen- smart touring right there!

Yes, they were fresh, hot, quick, very good with the strawberries, and I'm pretty sure based on the picture on Splash that I got all the powdered sugar wiped off when I was done (or the ride on BTMRR blew it off).

Peter Pan will NEVER grow up- stop waiting. Embrace it as irresposible but fun.

I'm pretty sure you can tell already I definitely embrace the philosophy..... If not, there are some pictures coming I'm sure will remove all doubt!!!

Good to hear that I did well with my answers... I think I am more talented in predictions than in spottings...

I'm surprised with all my comments about Christmas and the holidays and enjoying the atmosphere that more people didn't use that to make their answers for the final two questions, unlike some did.....

i think that is the worst sitting in a wet seat from the person before you....just just hope it is water.

now if you set in a wet set on TOT then i would ask for a new seat before they close those doors.

I'm with you on that one!!!