SSR Christmas TR....finally!

[Chellymouse]

Hello Everyone! I'm finally getting my TR under way!
I am Chellymouse aka Michelle aka NDW (Neurotic Disney Wife) according to my DH after reading NDM's posts! Then we have DH aka Paul aka NDWDH. This was our 9th trip to the World and our first trip home together!
DH and I had 9 magical days from 12/12-12/20 and believe me...it was tough to come home!

A quick PTR: As mentioned, this was DH's first trip "home" ......he graciously sent my BFF and I down in August while he stayed home building my "surprise", which incidently was building a beautiful tiki bar in our screened in patio, complete with indoor deck, adorandack chairs and the all important margarita-maker! We lost DH's dad unexpectedly earlier this year so this trip was important to DH. He really wasn't in the spirit of the season and this trip helped us get through the holidays immensely. I've also spent the last 18 months in grad school so it's been rough for us! Ok, enough about that! On with the show!!

Prelude: Note to self...next time we decide to go to WDW this close to Christmas...do your shopping BEFORE you leave! So it's 12/11 and I've worked all day then had to go take finals...nothing like wearing your Stitch Santa ears to class! Thankfully, we were out early and I was home by 7:30pm. Normally it's closer to 11pm so I was greatful! We were pretty well packed except for the "last minute" stuff which was secured by 8:30pm. The neighbors had their "assignments" from us...God bless them, so we had a few drinks while we were all visiting and then at 10pm DH and I bid everyone goodnight and tried to pin down a few hours sleep! Fast forward to 3:30am..the alarm goes off and I swear, I resemble Ursula in the mornings, except on the mornings we leave for WDW! I was up, showered and ready to go by 4:15am. DH was up and going through his "routine" while we were waiting for our ride. Did I mention our neighbors? Our neighbor (who will be joining us with his family in August for my graduation celebration trip) offered to get up at 4am to take us to the airport. Said it was the least he could do for us! He arrived promptly at 4:15am and DH and I (in shorts and light jackets, mind you it's 19 degrees outside) head to the airport. We have an uneventful flight, get into Atlanta, everything is right on time and then...we sit and sit and sit on the runway! Finally we take off about 10 minutes before we were SUPPOSED TO LAND! This does not make me happy. DH is trying to remind me that we will be there soon enough and tries to sprinkle pixie dust, but it's not helping. Nothing drives me crazier than getting held up in Atlanta. DH then says if I settle down and "behave myself" I can have a Dole Whip and 2 rides on POTC when we arrive at MK. I stopped growling out loud. We finally land in Orlando, run like crazy people to ME and we are on a bus within 15 minutes of being on the ground! I love it when there is no line for ME and there is a bus waiting for us. Guess DH's pixie dust sprinkling was working! We were at SSR within the next 40 minutes and boy was it good to be home! No line at check-in and DH is amazed at the difference. No corals, no craziness. He has decided that so far, he is impressed with our purchase. We drop our junk with bell services, grabbed some waters (Thank you Garden Grocer for being on time) and next stop....the Springs bus stop and MK!

 

[Disney Princess]

There is nothing like having a stressful start to a day and then being right where you want to be. I'm so happy your check-in was smooth and that everything went well as far as Disney is concerned. Looking forward to reading more.

 

[SunnieRN]

So glad you got there safely! Looking forward to more.

 

[permavac]

Especially looking forward to more of your TR! My DH and I are considering doing a short trip during the week/weekend before Christmas '09 - to finally take a gander at all the Xmas decorations and get juiced up for Christmas back home If you remember, can you give an inkling about the crowd levels during your stay and if you went during any EMH? Thanks!

Terri

 

[ccigliano]

Sounds like you're finally off to a great start - can't wait to hear more .

 

[mecllap]

I've learned to avoid the Atlanta airport at all costs (altho of course once in awhile, it becomes a necessary stop -- very evil!).

Looking forward to as much info as you can stand to type up, esp. about SSR -- what size unit were you in, and what area? How long does it take to get from place to place?

 

[Chellymouse]

Especially looking forward to more of your TR! My DH and I are considering doing a short trip during the week/weekend before Christmas '09 - to finally take a gander at all the Xmas decorations and get juiced up for Christmas back home If you remember, can you give an inkling about the crowd levels during your stay and if you went during any EMH? Thanks!

Terri

Crowd levels were surprisingly a bit more than we've seen in previous Decemeber's but not bad when compared with summer crowds. EMH were empty, both morning and evening. We wound up riding more during EMH than anything. We rode EE 3 times in 40 minutes at EMH at AK which was a new record for us! Dinosaur let us stay on twice because there wasn't anyone on the loading dock.

 

[Coach81]

We're headed to SSR in just a few weeks now.. we also plan to possibly visit
Christmas '09 at SSR, so please.. tell us more!

 

[Chellymouse]

I've learned to avoid the Atlanta airport at all costs (altho of course once in awhile, it becomes a necessary stop -- very evil!).

Looking forward to as much info as you can stand to type up, esp. about SSR -- what size unit were you in, and what area? How long does it take to get from place to place?

I detest Atlanta....I would rather fly into Chicago, which isn't much better, but Atlanta is the pits! DH and I agreed that no matter what, unless air is ridiculous, we doing all directs in August, especially since we are traveling with friends who's son has never flown. He's 8...that could get interesting!
I personally LOVE SSR. I know SSR gets a bad rap and I've yet to figure out why. Yes, the resort is big, no doubt about it, but it's beautiful. This was my second trip home and I stayed in Congress Park both times. It's a short walk to the Carriage House and High Rock Pool and it's about an equal walk to DTD. You can take a bus around the resort though if you want to, which isn't bad. Carosel and Paddock are the further points from the Carriage House, which I'll get into later! Had DTD views both times and they were amazing. We were in a 1BR which I love. Yes, I could do more with points if I'd stay in a studio, but one of the main reasons we bought in was for more space, which even DH agreed was amazing by our third day. DH made a crack about it being "too nice for us" when we first walked in, but he gave that up pretty quickly. We were able to put away all of our clothes and luggage, the bathroom is amazing! Jacuzzi tub with doors that open so I can watch tv while giving the dogs a break, separate room for the shower, each with it's own sink and vanity and then the room for the loo. The living room and kitchen are a good size and it was nice to veg out on the couch (that's coming up later... ) and not be cramped on a bed the whole trip. The kitchen was fully stocked and DH turned one of the counters into our "digital command post" It was nice to have enough outlets in one place to plug in the camera, camcorder and cell phones every night. It was also nice to have the washer and dryer. The only thing I was a little bummed about is that we had a ground floor so we had a patio instead of a balcony, but it was nice all the same. I'm going to post some pics this weekend! I stayed in a 2BR this summer with my BFF and we couldn't hear one another if we were in our respective rooms. We were on the 3rd floor so we had a balcony which was awesome! It was also nice to take advantage of the community hall and some of the activities SSR has to offer.

 

[Chellymouse]

So, we've landed, checked in and due to my being a NDW, we are now ready to go! Our villa wasn't ready, no biggie, we'd see it later and we head over to the Springs bus stop. Being a NDW has it's advantages, the cooler, fanny pack complete with camera, extra disk and batter, PAPs, photo IDs, paper and plastic for purchases and leashes were in the carry-on. All we had to do was dump the bag containing the dvd player and movies, grab some water from our grocery stack, thank the nice CMs working "the room" and move out! I still can't shake my "gotta get to MK RIGHT NOW" mood when we arrive. DH keeps hoping I'll give that up one of these days....yeah...not so much! I also reminded DH that I get 2 rides on POTC in a row....DH is now wishing he'd kept quiet! The pixie dust is kicking in because just as we are crossing the street, the MK bus pulls up! We're on our way!! We arrive at MK about 12 minutes later, get off the bus and run to the gate. Oops...forgot about DH...he has to get is PAP processed so after a quick trip over to guest relations, we are on Main St. We stopped for a quick photopass pic, dumped the cooler in the locker and whoosh...the smell of popcorn hits my nose! I immediately need my popcorn. DH is getting a grumpy...he wants lunch and can't figure out why I can't wait 5 minutes until we get to Casey's. Well, after the look on my face, DH heads over the popcorn stand, muttering about his NDW! I inhaled my popcorn and was ready for Casey's when we arrived abaout 5 minutes later! Big fat dog for DH and corn dog nuggets for me! YUM! DH knows better so we get our Casey's to go and we are eating while we are heading to POTC. Of course, we pass the Dole Whip stand on the way to POTC and there is only 1 person in line. I now insist I need a Dole Whip. DH now asks if I'd forgotten to feed myself in the last couple of days.... After another pointed look and now with Dole Whip in hand, we continue our journey to Pirates! DH is now muttering about how we should have ridden the teacups first..... I looked at him and pointed out that if he did not want to see the contents of my stomach, we would not be riding the teacups anytime soon! We finally arrive at POTC and I'm pleased to see the wait is 5 minutes! I just love POTC. I've loved it since I was 2 years old and my mother took me to DL for the first time (yes, I blame my mother for everything!) We ride Pirates and I'm singing and saying hello to my beloved Jack. We get off, hit the gift shop and I found my flag! DH had bugged me to bring one home in Aug. but they didn't have the one I wanted. Little did I know it would be for my new tiki bar! A quick purchase of the flag and we walk out. I remind DH that I get 2 in a row so after some good natured grumbling, we head back in to sail the seven seas again. DH has decided I've lost my mind! After POTC, we see the wait for Splash is under 10 minutes so we jump on after grabbing FP for BTMRR. I should mention, it was 60 degrees and a bit chilly, which would explain the short wait for Splash. DH swore if he got wet, I was going to pay dearly. Well, we didn't get wet and by the time we were off Splash, it was time for the railroad. It would figure that the line is now down to 10 minutes so we rode, got off, ran around and rode again. DH wants to see the HM improvements so we head over there and he was impressed! HM is becoming one of my favorites since the refurb! Now it's 2:30pm and I want to go to the Merry Member Mixer. DH was skeptical, but agreed. We headed over the the monorail and made our way over to Epcot! Next up....DH was pleasantly surprised!

 

[Disney Princess]

Loving all the snacks you need as you walk in! That sounds like us - I need ALL my favorites right away!

 

[4EverFigment]

We're staying at SSR in June...so excited to be reading of your experience! Keep up the wonderful writing!

(I'm mecllap's DD, she posted earlier...so now we're both following your thread, I promise we'll try to keep the repetitive questions to a minimum)

 

[permavac]

Crowd levels were surprisingly a bit more than we've seen in previous Decemeber's but not bad when compared with summer crowds. EMH were empty, both morning and evening. We wound up riding more during EMH than anything. We rode EE 3 times in 40 minutes at EMH at AK which was a new record for us! Dinosaur let us stay on twice because there wasn't anyone on the loading dock.

Thanks for the info! I would normally stay away from EMH but if we take the trip in Dec we will try it out...

Great follow up - I'm like you - HAVE to get to MK as soon as possible once we get to Disney! Corn dog nuggets first stop and Pirates second!

Terri

 

[mecllap]

Chellymouse: for the 8 yo who's never flown. You might want to try "Earplanes" for him for the flight. DGS (age 9) used them on our holiday trip to Grand Cayman and they worked really well. On the way down, he took them out in between take-off and landing, which was a bad idea -- he was miserable for the landing. On the way home, he left them in the whole trip (about 2 1/2 hours) and he was fine for the landing. Fortunately, he had a game on his Mom's laptop that he could enjoy without having earphones. We also do the gum, fruit snacks, yawning, etc. but the earplanes seem to work the best.

 

[Chellymouse]

Chellymouse: for the 8 yo who's never flown. You might want to try "Earplanes" for him for the flight. DGS (age 9) used them on our holiday trip to Grand Cayman and they worked really well. On the way down, he took them out in between take-off and landing, which was a bad idea -- he was miserable for the landing. On the way home, he left them in the whole trip (about 2 1/2 hours) and he was fine for the landing. Fortunately, he had a game on his Mom's laptop that he could enjoy without having earphones. We also do the gum, fruit snacks, yawning, etc. but the earplanes seem to work the best.

Thanks for the tip! I will pass this along to his parents! Where can we find earplanes? Big box retailer?

 

[Chellymouse]

Before I continue, I thought I'd share some pics! Very proud to have finally figured this out!! These are from the 2BR, but the 1BR and 2BR are set up pretty similarly.

 

[Chellymouse]

Guess now I need to figure out how to make them a bit bigger! Here are a few more from SSR.

 

[Chellymouse]

 

[Chellymouse]

Here is my favorite feature...the jacuzzi tub!

Not to mention the nice big bed!

 

[Chellymouse]

Back to my TR! Now that I've uploaded my pics...I can add them from work this week! oops...I said that outloud!?

So we left off with us heading over to the Merry Member Mixer...DH thought is was going to be corny. I agreed that if it was corny, we would leave. So we arrive at Epcot, take a quick spin on Mission Space-Orange..can't walk past a 5 minute wait and then we head over to the International Gateway. To say that we were both pleasantly surprised is an understatement. DH was very impressed as was I. We had a great time meeting other members and DIS-ers and it was hard to believe it was 5'oclock and winding down. We bought our pins, enjoyed our snack and hot cider and the time flew. I didn't make it to the Wed. party in August and I have to say that yes, DVC should be doing things for us, the Mixer was great! We did get our ornament and I was trying to share the magic with others, but the ornament police would have none of it. DH suggested that perhaps the ornaments were made of gold and that is why there was only one per family?? Who knows! By now, the mixer is over and we start making our way up to the front of the park. We stopped in Norway as I'd heard the day before we left that the Hansen brothers were going to be there all weekend! Thank goodness the rumors were true and DH promised I could see them tomorrow! For all of you who may not know the Hansen brothers (NOT the bad band from the 90's) they are Capt. and deck boss of the Northwestern. HUGE Deadliest Catch fan so I was very excited to get to meet them! We finally made it to the gate and head out to our bus stop. The bus arrived after 10 minutes and DH had commented on how nice it was not to have anymore far away bus stops! I remind him that SSR has it's advantages and walking to the back 40 for a bus was a thing of the past! We made it SSR in plenty of time for our 6:30 ressie at Turf Club Bar and Grille and we were not disappointed. The food was fantastic and the service was exceptional! After dinner we wandered over to bell services and the nice bellman loaded up all of our groceries, carry-on junk that we'd dropped earlier and our Christmas tree! Thanks again WDWStar for organizing the swap!! We did stop at the desk to find out where we were living first! We then hopped a ride on the golf cart and out to 1145 Congress Park. I was a little disappointed that we had a ground floor room, but not disappointed enough to complain! We walked in to find ME had delivered our luggage and Air Tran destroyed one of our suitcases! Grrrr...I'll deal with that later! I don't think the mods would appreciate that post! It's very un-Disney-like! DH was very impressed with our villa, including the space and commented that perhaps it was too nice for us! He would get over that shortly! We unpacked our groceries, unpacked our clothes and put away our suitcases (another DVC advantage, don't have to live out of a suitcase for days on end!) set up the "digital command center" and put up our Christmas tree. Thank you Smith family for the wonderful treats!! We enjoyed them very much! We fired up the teapot for some boiling water, made some hot cocoa, took some treats and sat on the patio and watched the boats cruise the river for a bit! DH was pleased that we had not been in the parks for hours on end and that we were in at a "reasonable" hour for a change! Up next...our first full day at WDW!!