hildasmuriel
<font color=magenta>I'm a really really scaredy sc
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2007
- Messages
- 3,893
Cast:
Me, old enough to know better
Daughter, 10
Pre-trip ramble: this trip was booked in September, almost on a whim. The men in our life (husband and son, 15) had gone to Wigan for the day for a football match, a round trip of 400 miles. I was joking that as they had a boys-day-out, it was only fair we should have a girly-trip of our own. I started idly checking Expedia for flight times and before you knew it we were booked for a 4-day/3night stay at Santa Fe. In October we went for Halloween and stayed at Sequoia Lodge for the first time. The morning after we returned I phoned to change our Christmas booking to Sequoia Lodge. Oh what the heck, make it a Montana room while youre at it! So were all set. School finished on the 19th, so we had just that night to get ready, but as we were travelling light there wasnt much to pack. We were determined not to check in our luggage and take only carry-on bags. For this reason I explained to dtr that we wouldnt be able to do any souvenir shopping. Having read about crowd levels at Christmas I also warned her well in advance that our riding time may be limited. I deliberately overstated the case and said we may not even get to do any rides, but that we would enjoy soaking up the atmosphere and wandering through the Christmas Village and watching parades etc. She seemed quite happy to accept this.
Thursday 20th December: our flight was the 6.20 am from Heathrow. Fortunately husband didnt have to work that day so he had no objection to driving us the 10 mile to the airport at 4 in the morning. Dtr and I were wearing our Mickey Christmas hats, as we did for most of the trip, and that earned us some sour looks from the grey-faced business folks waiting at the airport!
Anyway our flight boarded on time, but were delayed just a bit as they needed to de-ice the windscreen and tips of the wings. Hmmmm could be in for a cold trip. The slight delay meant that we didnt have time to get the TGV I had planned to get at CDG, so we went for the VEA instead. The bus was on time, but was swelteringly hot and the driver drove through morning rush-hour airport traffic, while holding and chatting on his mobile phone. It didnt seem long before my daughter squealed I can see Tower of Terror and all eyes on the coach swivelled to look boy does that tower dominate the skyline. Its visible from a long way away now. We got off at SL, dumped our luggage and checked in to get my Easy Pass now to start spending. We set off for the Park, passed the frozen Lake Disney
and through the Village. We had to stop frequently to take photos of Christmas trees and decorations.
My dtr forgot the phrase soaking up atmosphere and kept referring to atmosphere sucking, which sounds like something a Dementor would do.
Anyway, into the Park and WOW look at that tree, and Goofys sleigh, and the decorations on the station and the snow all over Central Plaza.
We were entranced by it all straight away. Traditionally our first ride is POTC (amuses me to see in other trip reports that other people have first rides traditions too) so off we went to AdventureLand. I have mentioned on another thread about the rude woman who upset us a little, but once we were actually seated I forgot those witches and enjoyed my favourite ride of all.
We went to see how busy BTM was and amazingly the queue was not too bad. I have never seen the queuing area of BTM, as I normally shop while the rest of them ride it, but this time I queued with dtr and it was interesting to see. The water wheel was completely frozen with huge icicles hanging from it. Dtr went off, having held on to her hats and glasses, and then we met up and went to the Lucky Nugget where we had a lunch booked. This was our first time here and we both loved it I will do a report on the right thread (one day).
After eating we went for a quick scare on Phantom Manor (mais, ou sortir?) and then wandered around on Fort Comstock for a while. We went into Fantasyland and were thrilled to get on Snow White with no queue. (Shiny pomme?) Next we went into Belles Christmas Village for a bit of atmosphere sucking.
Unfortunately Casey and the storybook boats werent running. We bought hot chocolate in souvenir mugs and we went to stake out a place for the parade near Pizzeria Belle Notte. It was lovely to watch, especially the added Christmassy bit at the end.
It was time for another trip on POTC, and then up to Indiana Jones for my dtr to ride that chicken exit for me, of course.
After this we went back to Main Street to get ready for Candleabration. Dtr was hungry again so we went into Victorias and I had a Croque Monseiur while she ate Pizza Mickey. Outside once again we got quite a good position for Candleabration, but of course once it started children on shoulders obscured our view. We could get the gist of it, though and it was enchanting. There was only a half an hour to wait for Fantillusion so we sat on a bench by Central Plaza. This was the only time that day I felt at all cold tiredness was setting in, and sitting and waiting was a struggle. I wanted to lie down on the bench and doze! At last the parade started. It was a few years since we saw it and it was grand to watch again. Once it was over we left and wandered through the Christmas Village outside the Park, went through the Village without shopping (!) and back to finally collect our room key.
Our room was lovely and had a lake view, although we hadnt paid for it. We dumped our stuff, phoned home to check the boys were okay and then went back to the Redwood Bar for a hot chocolate each. One drink was enough we were ready for bed pretty soon we were chucking out ZZZZZs. Considering we hadnt expected to get many rides in, we considered this a VERY successful first day.
Me, old enough to know better
Daughter, 10
Pre-trip ramble: this trip was booked in September, almost on a whim. The men in our life (husband and son, 15) had gone to Wigan for the day for a football match, a round trip of 400 miles. I was joking that as they had a boys-day-out, it was only fair we should have a girly-trip of our own. I started idly checking Expedia for flight times and before you knew it we were booked for a 4-day/3night stay at Santa Fe. In October we went for Halloween and stayed at Sequoia Lodge for the first time. The morning after we returned I phoned to change our Christmas booking to Sequoia Lodge. Oh what the heck, make it a Montana room while youre at it! So were all set. School finished on the 19th, so we had just that night to get ready, but as we were travelling light there wasnt much to pack. We were determined not to check in our luggage and take only carry-on bags. For this reason I explained to dtr that we wouldnt be able to do any souvenir shopping. Having read about crowd levels at Christmas I also warned her well in advance that our riding time may be limited. I deliberately overstated the case and said we may not even get to do any rides, but that we would enjoy soaking up the atmosphere and wandering through the Christmas Village and watching parades etc. She seemed quite happy to accept this.
Thursday 20th December: our flight was the 6.20 am from Heathrow. Fortunately husband didnt have to work that day so he had no objection to driving us the 10 mile to the airport at 4 in the morning. Dtr and I were wearing our Mickey Christmas hats, as we did for most of the trip, and that earned us some sour looks from the grey-faced business folks waiting at the airport!
Anyway our flight boarded on time, but were delayed just a bit as they needed to de-ice the windscreen and tips of the wings. Hmmmm could be in for a cold trip. The slight delay meant that we didnt have time to get the TGV I had planned to get at CDG, so we went for the VEA instead. The bus was on time, but was swelteringly hot and the driver drove through morning rush-hour airport traffic, while holding and chatting on his mobile phone. It didnt seem long before my daughter squealed I can see Tower of Terror and all eyes on the coach swivelled to look boy does that tower dominate the skyline. Its visible from a long way away now. We got off at SL, dumped our luggage and checked in to get my Easy Pass now to start spending. We set off for the Park, passed the frozen Lake Disney
and through the Village. We had to stop frequently to take photos of Christmas trees and decorations.
My dtr forgot the phrase soaking up atmosphere and kept referring to atmosphere sucking, which sounds like something a Dementor would do.
Anyway, into the Park and WOW look at that tree, and Goofys sleigh, and the decorations on the station and the snow all over Central Plaza.
We were entranced by it all straight away. Traditionally our first ride is POTC (amuses me to see in other trip reports that other people have first rides traditions too) so off we went to AdventureLand. I have mentioned on another thread about the rude woman who upset us a little, but once we were actually seated I forgot those witches and enjoyed my favourite ride of all.
We went to see how busy BTM was and amazingly the queue was not too bad. I have never seen the queuing area of BTM, as I normally shop while the rest of them ride it, but this time I queued with dtr and it was interesting to see. The water wheel was completely frozen with huge icicles hanging from it. Dtr went off, having held on to her hats and glasses, and then we met up and went to the Lucky Nugget where we had a lunch booked. This was our first time here and we both loved it I will do a report on the right thread (one day).
After eating we went for a quick scare on Phantom Manor (mais, ou sortir?) and then wandered around on Fort Comstock for a while. We went into Fantasyland and were thrilled to get on Snow White with no queue. (Shiny pomme?) Next we went into Belles Christmas Village for a bit of atmosphere sucking.
Unfortunately Casey and the storybook boats werent running. We bought hot chocolate in souvenir mugs and we went to stake out a place for the parade near Pizzeria Belle Notte. It was lovely to watch, especially the added Christmassy bit at the end.
It was time for another trip on POTC, and then up to Indiana Jones for my dtr to ride that chicken exit for me, of course.
After this we went back to Main Street to get ready for Candleabration. Dtr was hungry again so we went into Victorias and I had a Croque Monseiur while she ate Pizza Mickey. Outside once again we got quite a good position for Candleabration, but of course once it started children on shoulders obscured our view. We could get the gist of it, though and it was enchanting. There was only a half an hour to wait for Fantillusion so we sat on a bench by Central Plaza. This was the only time that day I felt at all cold tiredness was setting in, and sitting and waiting was a struggle. I wanted to lie down on the bench and doze! At last the parade started. It was a few years since we saw it and it was grand to watch again. Once it was over we left and wandered through the Christmas Village outside the Park, went through the Village without shopping (!) and back to finally collect our room key.
Our room was lovely and had a lake view, although we hadnt paid for it. We dumped our stuff, phoned home to check the boys were okay and then went back to the Redwood Bar for a hot chocolate each. One drink was enough we were ready for bed pretty soon we were chucking out ZZZZZs. Considering we hadnt expected to get many rides in, we considered this a VERY successful first day.
and I think you deserve an even bigger Donald Duck "Aw, phooey!" 
There is no way he would have been dicing with my and my families life for long ... imbicile 
