Thank God For Trip Insurance; Our Merry Land/Sea! (Two new updates October 3)

[DaisyLynn]

Great TR! The other night I stayed up until 2 AM reading your last TR and completely enjoyed it. It was so worth the cost of the XL coffee I had to buy the next morning on the way to work.

You have a beautiful family...Happy New Year! Can't wait for the next installment....

 

[*Seanaci*]

Wow. We have GOT to spend more than 7 days in WDW next time we go at Christmas time. I want to spend at least one day resort hopping to see the decorations!

 

[2girls+twins]

new here - i am enjoying reading your trip report

 

[MaryAz]

Great update. Looks like a fun day. Love the hats and dresses!

 

[DaisyLynn]

new here - i am enjoying reading your trip report

to the DIS!!!

 

[MAJ RN]

Great update. The girls are just adorable in their matching dresses and mickey santa hats! Glad you were able to get your camera back, I would have been a wreck! Can't wait to read about your time at MVMCP.

Melissa

 

[Momof2princess]

The balloon animals were soo cute!
I am loving your TR and can't wait to read more! You have an adorable family.

Brandy

 

[princess&her4princes]

Great updates!! Love all the girls outfits and hats! SO CUTE!!!! So glad I got a chance to catch up before you got too much further along. Don't you just LOVE LOVE LOVE Disney at Christmastime? It's soooo beautiful and magical!!! Can't wait to hear more!!! Happy New Year!!

 

[OneTreeHillAddict]

The girls look so cute dressed up for the party with those red and white outfits/scarves! We have those same hats but I forgot to bring them this year.

Yep, I was surprised to find that this was the first visit where some of the new excitement was gone ever so slightly. I think we are planning to wait until after 2012 to return to WDW when the new Fantasyland is complete. We are however hoping to do another Disney Cruise before then. I do miss your TRs though.

We have a free dining booked for August but I may move it back to the Fall. It will be our last WDW trip for a while. If a BB is offered then I will book it more than likely for 2011 but I wont renew my AP's until that trip.

Within a years time we spent more than 7 weeks at WDW! It kind of ruined it for me and I can tell the kids love it but they don't appreciate it as much as they used to. Plus you see things changing before your eyes. In the past two years Disney had gotten dirtier, meaner, and neglectful and it's losing the special feeling I would get....I don't know how to describe it but they are not like they used to be.

I do want to try a cruise but I've been reading some bad stuff on those lately too. I am hoping to hear good things from you!

Oh darn...I was hoping to see your TR for this visit. I didn't know you read mine. If I can free up some time I will add to the dining report. I know if I start a full blown trip report I'd never take care of it. I might do a PTR at some pint for August and add some of the past trips to that. I don't know...

I know what you mean about TR burn out though...I have only done reports for 2 of my last 6 trips. They definitely are time-consuming. It's been quite awhile since my last one though so I think I might do one for our next trip in April. They really are time consuming. This is the other thing too...this past trip I had several people come out of nowhere and speak to me. They were all very nice people, I will say that. At the same time though it made me wonder...how many people recognize us and don't say anything!? (And how many of those people might be a little disturbed. ) I watch way too much CNN, I know, but you have to think about it at some point. There are bad people mixed with the good ones you meet and talk to. I don't regret anything I've done on here, I've made some wonderful friends that I will have for the rest of my life but the recognition thing freaks me out just a little. Not myself...I'm a total extrovert but the kids are a whole other story. If I do anything I wont include them.

I hope you reconsider on your Grand Gathering trip...that would be a different perspective and I would love to hear your take on it! The Grand Gatherings are A MUST DO! We had a blast at every one of them! Hoop De Doo was a wonderful surprise too. I thought for sure I'd hate that one but we loved it!

In the meantime, I am so glad I have another one of Brooke's great reports to read! Can't wait for more!

Me too!

 

[Dahly]

Loving your TR so far. Thanks for all of the pics! Your girls are adorable.

Dahly

 

[pmama]

You were smart to eat at Whispering Canyon since WL is decorated so beautifully for Christmas!! I'll have to remember that for next year!! How cool that you got to see Tiana!! I'm really hoping that they extend this show so we can see it in May! My girls would LOVE it!! Can't wait to hear about MVMCP!! Oh--and the Mickey Santa hats are adorable as are the girls in their red dresses and scarves!! I bought my girls those hats when they went on clearance and when they were doing the free personalization online (had the girls names put in them all for $4.99). Unfortunately, I wished I had gotten the adult size for Ally as her hat doesn't stay on real well. Claire's fits great!!

Wow, you got a better deal on the hats than me. We paid I think $8.00 each without the personalization. They did not fit any of us quite right. You are right the kids sizes are small. Even the adult sizes were small for adults. Two actually fell apart before we came home.

WL looked heavenly!

The santa ear hats and dresses are too cute.

I'm very interested to hear how the party was. Our party wasn't even sold out and it was way too crowded for me.

I didn't have an issue with crowds whatsoever. We did the second parade which helped.

I decided it was time to come out of lurkdom and say hi. I am enjoying your report because it is easy to see how much you love your family.

How fun that you came upon Princess Tiana! I felt your panic when you left your camera bag. I left my bag on Dumbo and I was just sick about it. Thankfully someone had turned it in as well.

I can't wait to hear more!

So glad you've come out of lurkdom. You are too sweet. Looks like you must have two princesses too!

Great update!

Sorry your experience at WC wasn't the best...that's 2 not so great reviews for it I've heard in the last 2 days. Both were lunches so I think if we go I will be sure to go for supper instead.

Thank goodness someone turned in your video camera!!! I know from experience how devestating it can be to lose a camera on a trip.

Happy 2010, and looking forward to more!

Yes, I was so grateful someone turnred in the video camera. That really would have put a damper on our first day in MK!

 

[pmama]

Great TR! The other night I stayed up until 2 AM reading your last TR and completely enjoyed it. It was so worth the cost of the XL coffee I had to buy the next morning on the way to work.

You have a beautiful family...Happy New Year! Can't wait for the next installment....

So honored you found the TR worth reading. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading along, and it looks like we share the same name.

Wow. We have GOT to spend more than 7 days in WDW next time we go at Christmas time. I want to spend at least one day resort hopping to see the decorations!

Yes we definitely checked out more resorts this time around just to see the Christmas decorations. You easily could spend a whole day resort hopping.

new here - i am enjoying reading your trip report

So glad you are enjoying the TR. Thanks for reading along and posting.

Great update. Looks like a fun day. Love the hats and dresses!

Definitely a fun day!

Great update. The girls are just adorable in their matching dresses and mickey santa hats! Glad you were able to get your camera back, I would have been a wreck! Can't wait to read about your time at MVMCP.

Melissa

Thanks a bunch.

The balloon animals were soo cute!
I am loving your TR and can't wait to read more! You have an adorable family.

Brandy

Thanks for reading along and posting.

Great updates!! Love all the girls outfits and hats! SO CUTE!!!! So glad I got a chance to catch up before you got too much further along. Don't you just LOVE LOVE LOVE Disney at Christmastime? It's soooo beautiful and magical!!! Can't wait to hear more!!! Happy New Year!!

So glad to have you along. Happy New Year to you too!

The girls look so cute dressed up for the party with those red and white outfits/scarves! We have those same hats but I forgot to bring them this year.

We have a free dining booked for August but I may move it back to the Fall. It will be our last WDW trip for a while. If a BB is offered then I will book it more than likely for 2011 but I wont renew my AP's until that trip.

Within a years time we spent more than 7 weeks at WDW! It kind of ruined it for me and I can tell the kids love it but they don't appreciate it as much as they used to. Plus you see things changing before your eyes. In the past two years Disney had gotten dirtier, meaner, and neglectful and it's losing the special feeling I would get....I don't know how to describe it but they are not like they used to be.

I do want to try a cruise but I've been reading some bad stuff on those lately too. I am hoping to hear good things from you!

Me too!

It is great that you have the flexibility in traveling whenever with homeschooling! Hope I don't turn you off to cruising. We did not end up with the best of circumstances but still loved the experience.

Loving your TR so far. Thanks for all of the pics! Your girls are adorable.

Dahly

Thanks! Glad you like lots of pics.

 

[MiNniEDrEameR]

Great TR so far can't wait to hear more!!

 

[bc_butterfly]

Loving your trip report so much had to go back and read your PTR and other TR's

Hope you had a fantastic New Year.

 

[morgtroy]

Yes, they did honor our reservation for Ohana, that's the latest I've ever been for a reservation. We thought we could call bell services to pick up our luggage and then leave. Tammy had done that before, but when we called, they told us someone had to be present when they picked it up. It didn't take them that long to get someone there, but we did wait on them, then had horrible luck with the buses. It's a helpless feeling like you described being in Norway trying to get to Teppan Edo. We felt that way with the 2 stops of the monorail trying to get to Ohana.

Great really long first day. I know you all had to be really tired that night. Love the balloons, especially the Mickey balloon. The boys got sword balloons and the girls got a puppy and a flower at check in at OKW. They always have them. But I've never seen the Mickey one, very cute.

The kids loved swimming too. They swam on Sunday, my mom called said it was like 30 degrees and raining at home. I told her 85 there and we were at the pool.

Love the girls dresses for the party. We did the Mickey santa hats too. Hope the party went good for you, can't wait to hear about it.
We got the wrong spot to watch the fireworks at the party. We were on the bridge between the castle and where Belle's story time is. We couldn't see the fireworks very well for the trees. It was frustrating. But my kids would got to it for the dance party alone. They just love it.

 

[WDWPrincess486]

I'm really enjoying your TR so far and can't wait to hear about MVMCP. We went on 12/11 and 12/18 and both nights were sold out. I love how even when it's busy it still isn't that bad at all because the lines are still relatively short for just about everything. Your girls are adorable in their Christmas dresses!! Can't wait to hear more

 

[cinderella-princess]

I'm loving your TR so far! Your family is so great and you can tell how much fun you have together. I've followed along with your previous TR's and this trips PTR and can't wait to hear more. Living in CA I have no idea when we'll get to WDW so your experiences are a great way to feel some of the Disney magic from WDW. I can't believe it's been 10 years since I was there last - 2000 doesn't seem like that long ago!

 

[pmama]

Yes, they did honor our reservation for Ohana, that's the latest I've ever been for a reservation. We thought we could call bell services to pick up our luggage and then leave. Tammy had done that before, but when we called, they told us someone had to be present when they picked it up. It didn't take them that long to get someone there, but we did wait on them, then had horrible luck with the buses. It's a helpless feeling like you described being in Norway trying to get to Teppan Edo. We felt that way with the 2 stops of the monorail trying to get to Ohana.

Great really long first day. I know you all had to be really tired that night. Love the balloons, especially the Mickey balloon. The boys got sword balloons and the girls got a puppy and a flower at check in at OKW. They always have them. But I've never seen the Mickey one, very cute.

The kids loved swimming too. They swam on Sunday, my mom called said it was like 30 degrees and raining at home. I told her 85 there and we were at the pool.

Love the girls dresses for the party. We did the Mickey santa hats too. Hope the party went good for you, can't wait to hear about it.
We got the wrong spot to watch the fireworks at the party. We were on the bridge between the castle and where Belle's story time is. We couldn't see the fireworks very well for the trees. It was frustrating. But my kids would got to it for the dance party alone. They just love it.

Glad you got to eat at Ohana! That Sunday was a beautiful day! You'll have to see when I post pictures of fireworks at MVMCP. It wasn't a great view but we got a better view by crouching down.

I'm really enjoying your TR so far and can't wait to hear about MVMCP. We went on 12/11 and 12/18 and both nights were sold out. I love how even when it's busy it still isn't that bad at all because the lines are still relatively short for just about everything. Your girls are adorable in their Christmas dresses!! Can't wait to hear more

How fun you got to go twice! It was a great time.

I'm loving your TR so far! Your family is so great and you can tell how much fun you have together. I've followed along with your previous TR's and this trips PTR and can't wait to hear more. Living in CA I have no idea when we'll get to WDW so your experiences are a great way to feel some of the Disney magic from WDW. I can't believe it's been 10 years since I was there last - 2000 doesn't seem like that long ago!

Thanks so much for following along and for posting so I know you're here!

 

[pmama]

We left off at the Magic Kingdom just as the castle was about to be lit. We had arrived at 4 p.m. for MVMCP and had already seen Princess Tiana and her showboat jubilee, rode Splash Mountain and BTMR. The girls were so excited to see the castle sparkle ever since they watched a Disney promo that said the castle sparkles with “pixie dust” during the holidays. It really is beautiful to witness them turning on.

The castle lighting was done a little before 6:30 so we headed to Cosmic Rays to grab some dinner. Our plan was to eat dinner and be there when the dance party started at 7 p.m. I was surprised at how busy Cosmic Rays was when we entered and completely full of people without wristband that would not be staying for the party. It usually doesn’t bother me that they don’t dismiss the rest of the crowd until 7 but I was a little annoyed when I couldn’t at first find a seat in the front area where the dance party would be. I even asked a Cast Member if everyone in here was going to get to participate in the dance party even though they had not purchased tickets. I really think they should stop letting non party public in at about 6:30 so they can start the dance party with just the paying crowd. Anyway, we did finally find a seat in the way back of the bottom front section. And, we were just about done when the party started! The girls loved the dance party. First it was Goofy and Pluto. Loved the “who let the dogs out” song. After a while Chip and Dale came in and we had all 4. It was great fun but also very crowded (I suspect with non party paying children).

We then went to see the new Christmas show in Tomorrowland. I read that a lot of people were disappointed with the old show being gone but we really enjoyed this one. I thought I was going to witness a brawl while we were waiting. Two young couples were standing in front of us with their baby strollers. Everyone else was sitting down. We figured they would sit down as soon as the show started but as time came near they were not sitting down. So the people behind us started yelling, “down in front”. They young parents would not sit down even when they were confronted face to face. Finally however the mob behind us won and the young parents left rather than sit on the ground. I do agree an ampitheatre would have been much more comfortable. It snowed at the end of the show which was perfect for us as it was the first time we’d seen Disney snow.

We then went to go ride Space Mountain. It was a milestone for Faith as she was just barely tall enough to ride it this time! She rode the Disneyland version over the summer because the height restriction there is shorter. She freaked out a little when she sat down and realized we were not sitting side by side but was just fine once we started zooming around.

We didn’t really get to play with the games as we were walking through the cue as there was NO LINE. Remember, it’s a sold out night. I’ve often read complaints about crowds on sold out nights but we did not experience that at all. But, it may help that we go to the second parade showing.
We then decided that this might be a good time to do the obligatory Speedway as the girls love it. This by far was our longest wait. We forgot to take the right cue and took the left cue once again that was much longer and moved slower.

The girls convinced DH to do the Tea Cups (I can’t handle circles) and on the way we ran into Alice with no line!

 

[pmama]

By this time it was about 15 minutes until fireworks so we went to find a spot for the fireworks. We went to our favorite viewing spot and found that all the perfect spots were taken. Should have gotten there early. I decided that MVMCP must be full of more veteran Disney people who know where the good spots are. We like to watch on the small walkway between Main Street and Tomorrowland as you can stand without anyone in front of you. We ended up having to stand near a tree but found that if we sat sat/crouched down we had a pretty good view under the tree.

It was a great fireworks show. I just love it when they all go off around you. We still think MNSSHP wins by just a hair.
We then made our way back to the castle for the show. We arrived in plenty of time but on purpose chose to stand further back. I wanted to see if a trick I had read about on the DIS would really work.

Although by the end of the show my feet were killing me from holding DD5 up the whole time. DH was sore from holding DD9 up the whole time. So, yes our trick did work but next time I think we’ll go closer up so we don’t have to hold them.
And what is the trick? You ask. It is to stand in your spot for the parade while watching the Castle show so that you can simply turn around and have prime viewing spots for the parade already secured. Yes, it worked perfectly. If you don’t have to hold up children I highly recommend it!
The party parades are just fabulous and this did not disappoint. The skaters and the wooden soldiers were particularly neat. It’s hard to explain how cool the wooden soldiers were without being there but they all stepped with their big wooden shoes in perfect unison which made for an awesome sight and sound.

Next up we were off to the step sister’s dance party. Too fun!

Faith was being shy and would not go out to the dance floor so Anastasia came and grabbed her and danced all around with Faith until Faith was laughing and comfortable out on the dance floor. Anastasia then became one of Faith’s favorites. She also took Hope’s scarf and wrapped it around Hope’s head and tied a bow. The girls thought it was hysterical.

Lady Trumane was in full character and at one point when the girls came back and stood near me she told them that they must not want to wed a prince if they were not out dancing.

We love the playful banter of the step sisters and their mother.

By now it was nearing midnight and we knew there was for sure one thing we had to do before the night was over……………… That’s right, DUMBO!
I took this picture of the castle while flying high on Dumbo!

After exiting Dumbo we walked right on the Carousel.

Next we ran to Peter Pan before the clock stroke midnight for our last ride of the night.

That last half hour of parties is always the best when the crowd is all but gone and everything is a complete run on. It’s a race to see how much you can get in before you have to leave.
Towards the very end of the night the clouds came down and it really made for the castle lights to be just gorgeous. I took this picture as we made our way out at midnight.

The snow on Main Street was just as magical as they say, simply stunning with the Christmas music playing in the background. I kept telling DH to walk slower because I did not want to leave. It really did feel like being in the middle of a perfect dream that you do not want to end.