The ABCs of a Very Merry Christmastime Land and Sea Adventure- Z is for: Zipping up a Really Nice Very Merry Land and Sea Christmas Trip! (8/31)

[vamassey1]

2-minute bus waits are generally not my kind of luck, but today, the Christmas blessings rained down on this intrepid traveler and I was on my way from DHS to the Most Magical Kingdom in no time.

Excellent Bus Luck!

And... am I the only one who adores the Main Street window displays?)

I love them too.

I also experienced something I’ve never heard before; the Liberty Belle and the train had a hilarious whistle war that lasted at least a full minute. Back and forth they blew with different sequences. Outstanding memory, until a wave of melancholy washed over me as I realized that will never happen again.

So very cool and sad too.

It'd been years… maybe 10?

It's been awhile for me too, but not that long. I think the last time I did it was on a solo trip.

It’s now 3:50 and you would have found Steppe on the Liberty Belle for her last spin around the Rivers of America ever. It’s ok, you’re allowed to cry a little too. Good-bye little Indian village, good-bye burning settler’s cabin, good-bye animals, and thieves’ hideout. Good-bye crusty old friend with your faithful dog and little shack on the river. May you all RIP in a dusty props warehouse somewhere; May you someday find your way back to another version of the Backlot Tour.

I'm going to miss this too.

Besides, COP is never a bad way to spend 21 minutes.

Totally Agree.

Everything about this place is spot-on and one of the most heavily themed places in all of Disney.

One of our favorite spots. Dennis would eat here every trip if I let him.

Mess Hall Duck Fried Rice: Five Spice-glazed Leg, Duck Fried Rice, Cucumber Salad, and Fresno Peppers- $31

I've never had this but it looks delish.

 

[Steppesister]

Z is for: Zipping up a Really Nice Very Merry Land and Sea Christmas Trip!​

And here we are- the end of another Steppe into the World of Disney, a wonderful first dip into the realm of DCL and all the splendor of the parks’ holiday finery.

I chose to head to EPCOT for my last bit into the parks, as I have the last few trips now. I seem to want to have one more chance to eat more Festival goodies. I wish the kiosks opened before 11:00 as my flights are almost always about 7:30- meaning I have to be on my way to MCO by 4:30 from there. It is long enough though to take a leisurely stroll around the WS Promenade and capture a fair amount of magic.

6:30 came bright and early and I got up, finished packing, took a bath, and got my bags to luggage services. Once again, I was first in line for the EPCOT bus at 7:20 and waltzed into the park at 7:48. Sadly, I lost track of time in the tub and when I looked at the clock, I had missed trying for a Guardians VQ by 2 minutes. Sigh… I could always try at 1:00, but since I had to leave at 4:30, there was likely no use in bothering. Poop.

Once they released the Kraken guests from the Land’s holding corral, I headed straight for It’s a Small Garden. So what if I’d already been on it like 3 times already this trip. I like it. Sue me. Besides, there’s a lot to see with the Holiday Overlay.

​

I ended up at The Seas next; shockingly, I had NOT been there yet. Which even surprises me since it’s a favorite. I’ve been lucky enough to get to do a fair amount of snokelling this year in several locations and the beauty of the underwater world never grows old.

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The manatees had been moved outside, and their indoor space was getting a good scrub down by a diver and a brush. It’s always fun to watch the divers in the tanks there!

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On my way to Figment, another one I hadn’t done yet, I took a quick stroll through MoanaLand again to see if I could find any more hidden Easter Eggs or details I’d not on my first walk-through. I’ll admit, there are some very clever water effects that both kids and the young-at-heart can have fun with. It’s definitely going to be a very welcome attraction for a cool down spot during those unbearably hot summer months.

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And then it was time to say hello to my favorite purple dragon with a very wild imagination. He’s so quirky and silly and that’s a good thing; it makes me feel a little silly too as I hum along to the catchy tune and look for the many, many sight gags you can find in the Imagination Institute.

(Zoom in!!)


("Makes Scents" ) ​

Please tell me y’all remember Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and The Absent-Minded Professor!!

​

I saw Figment’s sweater for sale in Connections for an astronomical price and although I adore it, there is no WAY, I’d pony up for one.

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And now a Floral Interlude- am I the only one who deeply appreciates Disney’s Landscaping Team’s efforts to perfectly theme to the Festival/Season/Holiday?

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Okay, enough shenanigans…. Let’s head to World Showcase.

I turned left. I know, I know. The other way is the correct way, except it was 5:00 somewhere and I accidentally found myself in The Ditch. Oops. I had a sudden hankering for an over-priced marg and some chips and dips. Do not ask me what marg it was; it was cold and tasty and I paid too much. But I do love this space. I love the décor, the generally quiet vibe, and the very friendly staff. It used to be THE place to spend a lot of money. The hype’s died down now and you can almost always get in with no wait. Yes, out of the last few times I’ve gone, or tried to go, it’s been a "walk-on". Once, it still had its hour-long wait that was normal even just a few years ago. This makes me confident that the hysteria over Beak ad Barrel will also die down in a few years, just as Oga’s did. Anywho, <crunch, crunch>, I lingered catching up on my trip notes and sipped on my delicious libation while enjoying the fun storytelling of the décor on the walls. Sigh… I’ve always wanted to ride the train through Copper Canyon in Mexico and do a trip visiting some of the authentic tequila processing farms but am just too leery of its safety now.

(Not sure what occasion this was; it opened in 2009, so not from opening day.)
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I also took a little more time to read some of the displays in the Pyramid foyer on the way out learning about the Sugar Skulls which reminded me of the molded sugar diorama Easter Eggs my aunt made when I was a little kid. My sister ended up with them and has them displayed 50 years later in a China cabinet.

(Pssst, you can get them WAY cheaper in Arizona!)



(A sugar skull)​

 

[Steppesister]

Continued from last post...

I stopped off in Norway and got a little sad looking at the last remnants of a once really awesome pavilion. Gone is the true exhibition of culture true to each country, now replaced with Disney IP and movie crap. One more reason to travel abroad a bit more and see what Disney once inspired with their masterful presentation. Okay, I’ll stop bashing and try to be more positive. Here are some photos of cute trolls, nice perfume, and holiday decor to make me smile.

(Probably taken from the old Maelstrom ride. )


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Olaf and the Stave Church also make me smile. I do wish they’d rotate the exhibits a bit more often in there though. The last change up, I think, was when Thor (movie) came out in 2011 and Marvel was all the rage.

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China is next door to Norway. At EPCOT anyway. This is where I ran across some really fun tables set up with very pleasant Chinese CMs at the KidCot station. I decided to collect them all on this last WS go-around with the little stickers that come with them and all and send them to my grandkids for a home-school project. If you have little ones, this is really a very cool way to keep them engaged and learning in the park.

(Yes, it's from Mexico, it's the only one I took a photo of.)​

I also saw this poster about the Chinese Zodiac. I’m a Sheep and think every bit of this blurb is true. Well, the tranquil environment part, anyway. LOL!

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I also noticed for the first time this little “wall” that surrounds part of the pavilion near the quiet garden area. I’m positive it’s to represent the Great Wall. It’s so subtle and such a great added theming element! Love this kind of stuff!

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I wish they’d followed through on the plans for an African pavilion, maybe E Africa as a whole or something. But I guess they abandoned that idea with the building of Animal Kingdom. I’m okay with that, but this area has such an odd, after-thought feel to it or a bit of Designus Interuptus.

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I wandered through Germany next and came very close to grabbing a Karamel anything. My fave is the choco-covered pineapple spear, but there were a couple more Festival things I wanted to try more. At least at that point. In hindsight, I should have picked up my absolute num-nums obsession- the Rice Cream at Kringla. Soooooo gooooooood!!!! Anyway, the gingerbread houses were super pretty in the Kusche window and I waved a last good-bye to the German Olaf hoping he enjoyed his last bit of winter.

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Italy is such a lovely pavilion, and I have come to appreciate it even more since my last Italian super-tour a few years ago. They truly have done a very authentic job at re-creating the architecture and landscaping; even the glass in the fixtures look like the real deal. I remember spending quite a bit of time in the mask shops of Venice with my girls and have vowed that someday I will get back there and create my own.

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I always knew there was a pizza window that is sometimes open (although I’ve personally never seen it open ) but never walked all the way back to see the little eating alcove associated with it. This is quite the space! I’m positive the tile is imported; it looks identical to some I’d seen in Sorrento and Priano on the Amalfi Coast. It was nice and cool back in there, and I can see this as a perfect spot for bringing your own picnic lunch for some quiet respite from the crowds or for a nursing mom to have some privacy.

​

Moving on, I came to America, where I made absolutely sure to take in a VOL show. I never, ever miss doing this every trip. At some point, I had bought a CD of theirs, but that is long gone and makes me sad. It was part of one of my Shop-Around-the-World hauls, most of which I still have and some I use every day. Aside from a VOL show, the pavilion is devoid of anything of interest whatsoever. Once every few years I’ll watch the animatronics show and it is good, but…. Sigh…. There is no shop in there anymore. It’s turned into a Disney Art store. Such as wasted opportunity!! They could have scads of regional merchandise from all over this huge country of ours- Desert SW stuff like cactus jellies and Native American turquoise; Appalachian goods like Bluegrass quilts, music, and bourbon; NE goods like maple syrup and silver and other Colonial type souvenirs…the list is endless.

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Japan is next door, and I spent a few minutes gazing at the Koi. This little informational was up for the Festival.

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I also went back to the KidCot station and got their little card. Here they have a couple of CMs who can do a bit of origami with the kiddos and have a ton of examples for them to choose from. What a super fun project for them!!! Heck, I’d do that!

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While they’ve pretty much gutted the Morocco pavilion now, a few wonderful displays remain. I thought this samovar was particularly pretty and the little display of artist’s supplies was a nice touch. Gone is the bustling, noisy, and therefore more authentic, marketplace, where they used to have a ton of super awesome stuff like Moroccan teas and candies, ceramics, brass, Moroccan pop music for sale…. All gone. There is still a tiny kiosk out of the Promenade, but otherwise, nada. It’s a ghost town back there now.

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France seems to be the happenin’ place now with the new Remy addition and plethora of eating venues. It’s always very busy in there- amazing what can happen when you have shops with real stuff and a fun attraction. I contemplated getting a Sammie in the boulangerie for dinner on my flight, but the line was too long, and my day was very quickly coming to a close.

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Crossing the bridge over into the UK pavilion, I wandered through the lovely English garden admiring the always colorful display.

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I came out from the back and took a quick walk through a few of the shops as I went, snapping some detailing as I went. Some of the books caught my eye:

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…but this one especially. It was under glass, which makes me think it is a truly special, maybe one-of-a-kind, book. It looked very old for sure. I zoomed in on the chapter titles and it looks fairly exhaustive and tedious, the kind I detested in high school, but had to wade through for exams. Ask me how much of my AP Brit History I remember….

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Anyway, here’s a not-so-hidden Mickey I’m not sure I’d noticed before:

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Last up was Canada where I had just enough time to watch the Holiday Voyageurs. They were fabulous and I clapped and tapped my feet along to their fiddle and guitars. Super fun group, although I will always miss Off Kilter. May they rest in peace along with Mo’ Rockin’.

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I had grand plans to get more Festival eats, but after the chips and salsas at La Cava, I just wasn’t all the hungry. But I did grab one item as I exited WS-

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• Kālua Pork with Okinawa sweet potatoes and mango salad – $6.00, DDP Snack Eligible

It was super so-so. The pork was incredibly fatty, and I wished it’d come with a piece of bread or something. But not that soggy mess that comes with the slider bun at the other Festivals that everyone raves about. I had it once and it was a gross, falling apart disaster. The Hawaii booth just isn’t my thing I guess. Maybe it was an off day, but I’ve tried twice now…

At 4:00 I began my last, sad trek back through Future World (I refuse to call it anything but) and discovered something that is at the very top of my Must-Eats list for October. The Connections Café has a new offering called the Baumkuchen that looks sublime! I’m not generally a big sweets fan, but this just looks so unique and tasty. I passed on it this time but won’t again.

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And with that, I boarded a bus, picked up my luggage, waited 2 minutes for a Lyft, and was on my way to MCO.

I’ll end this Trip Report with a recap of the “Magics” and “Tragics”. All-in-all, it was a pretty fantastic trip and there were far more wonderful memories than bummers.

The “Magics”-

--Spending time with @Malia78 is always really great! I hope we can find another trip to enjoy together again soon.

--The Disney Cruise Line is a good one. The service is top-notch and the ships are truly beautiful. Next time, I’d love to try the Destiny or Treasure for the themed lounges. But, I will say, Palo and Prima Notte were incredibly nice- what a beautiful restaurant and the food was super yummy!

--I loved my treat-yoself times at the Cali Grill and Space 220 lounges with bougie sips and small plates.

--The Holiday decorations are always just amazing to enjoy. They never get old, especially at DHS.


The “Tragics”

--The ship was pretty rough on a couple of nights making us both pretty sick. Super glad Kari had some Zofran to keep up from puking.

--The fist fight as AK was a HUGE YUCK. Just stay home if you’re going to act trashy.

--Knowing that was my last ride on the Liberty Belle, something I’ve enjoyed since I was a baby. Just... why…….?!

--Tiana’s Bayou was a disappointment for me. I’m happy for you if you enjoy it but it’s just not my thing.


And that’s a wrap. Thank you all for joining along and making the memories last a little bit longer. I hope you’ve found it helpful and/or entertaining in some small way; it’s always a pleasure to have some banter and chatter and make new friends around a common passion. I’ve made some pretty fantastic friends through the DIS along the way. :

I’ll be starting a PTR/TR in the next couple of weeks for my October trip with @disneyandi that I hope she’ll co-write with me or at least chime in on with chapters of her own. We’ve already hit our ADR mark and snagged some pretty fantastic slots!! I think you’ll be intrigued. Meanwhile, enjoy life, work hard, play hard, and be grateful.

 

[Steppesister]

Reminds me of the storefronts I used to see at Christmas downtown. Those are sorta gone now. But they live on (in season) at our Children's Museum (or they did, last I was there, ohhh... about 20 years ago.)

Yes absolutely! Reminds me Christmas Story and Higbee's. That was my Dad's favorite store growing up in Ohio (Cleveland), coincidentally.

Knew that. The Raven is in four rooms and is a nod to Poe's poem.
But... you missed another one... and even took a picture of it!

Need a hint?

I definitely knew it was from Poe's poem, but 4...? Hmm, know it's in graveyard as you go down backwards, on the green casket that opens, at the end of the ride.... in the attic?? I think so?

 

[Steppesister]

At least you'll have that memory! Not many even noticed, I'd bet. What a cool moment to experience.

Definitely a cool few moments that you'd only hear there.

That's a really cool one! I've never noticed it in all the times I've ridden!

Right?! Nor had I. Which makes me wonder if it's new...?

Best life advice by far!!

 

[Steppesister]

Excellent Bus Luck!

Now and then...

So very cool and sad too.

Yes for sure.

I'm going to miss this too.

One of our favorite spots. Dennis would eat here every trip if I let him.

The food is really pretty good and of all the sit-downs it's the best I think in MK. Plaza sucks since they got rid of the Hot Brown. I will say Tony's is a solid now. I would love to try The Castle, but am loathe to spend the money. I just think character dining is a bit over-rated, but do understand the food is good and the venue is unique.

I've never had this but it looks delish.

It was really good and the rice was even better than Y&Y!

 

[pkondz]

a wonderful first dip into the realm of DCL

Doubt I ever will... But... the HM themed lounge just might pull me in.

I seem to want to have one more chance to eat more Festival goodies.

This is not an uncommon desire.

I wish the kiosks opened before 11:00 as my flights are almost always about 7:30- meaning I have to be on my way to MCO by 4:30 from there.

Heh. I usually have to leave even earlier. Say... 3:00


3:00am

when I looked at the clock, I had missed trying for a Guardians VQ by 2 minutes.

Some day this too will be a walk on.

Once they released the Kraken guests

I headed straight for It’s a Small Garden.

So what if I’d already been on it like 3 times already this trip. I like it. Sue me.

Nah. If you like it, then good for you.

Besides, there’s a lot to see with the Holiday Overlay.

See? It's different this time, so you have even a better excuse.

Dang. There's no way that poor palm tree could keep that ornament up in the air. I see it's fallen to the ground.

This almost looks like someone was sitting there and then evaporated or something.

I ended up at The Seas next; shockingly, I had NOT been there yet.

the beauty of the underwater world never grows old.

Pretty... and pretty lethal.

It’s always fun to watch the divers in the tanks there!

It's even more fun to be a diver the tank!

On my way to Figment, another one I hadn’t done yet,

Meh. I can easily skip it.

it makes me feel a little silly too as I hum along to the catchy tune

(Zoom in!!)

I did! Nice alliteration and... the "To small Figment brain"...

("Makes Scents" )

Please tell me y’all remember Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and The Absent-Minded Professor!!

I do.
But why don't they have this?

I saw Figment’s sweater for sale in Connections for an astronomical price

Astronomical price? In Disney?? How rare!

I never noticed that the rainbow comes from a tube of paint.

am I the only one who deeply appreciates Disney’s Landscaping Team’s efforts to perfectly theme to the Festival/Season/Holiday?
[][/]

Depends. I do like the landscaping, but have never been much on the topiaries.

except it was 5:00 somewhere and I accidentally found myself in The Ditch. Oops.

Oh dear. I do wonder how that could have happened?

It used to be THE place to spend a lot of money. The hype’s died down now and you can almost always get in with no wait.

Really! That's good to know. Maybe I'll give it another whirl if/when I get back there.

This makes me confident that the hysteria over Beak ad Barrel will also die down in a few years, just as Oga’s did.

Sigh… I’ve always wanted to ride the train through Copper Canyon in Mexico and do a trip visiting some of the authentic tequila processing farms but am just too leery of its safety now.

Yeah... not going to Mexico anytime soon.

mmmm... yes please.

reminded me of the molded sugar diorama Easter Eggs my aunt made when I was a little kid. My sister ended up with them and has them displayed 50 years later in a China cabinet.

Awww...

(Pssst, you can get them WAY cheaper in Arizona!)

I'm sure this is the only thing that can be purchased for less outside of Disney.

I stopped off in Norway and got a little sad looking at the last remnants of a once really awesome pavilion. Gone is the true exhibition of culture true to each country, now replaced with Disney IP and movie crap. One more reason to travel abroad a bit more and see what Disney once inspired with their masterful presentation.

Yeah... That's true everywhere in Disney. Used to be some wonderful shops even in MK. Now... all the same stuff.

Cute shot.

China is next door to Norway. At EPCOT anyway.

This is where I ran across some really fun tables set up with very pleasant Chinese CMs at the KidCot station. I decided to collect them all on this last WS go-around with the little stickers that come with them and all and send them to my grandkids for a home-school project.

Nice idea.

I’m a Sheep and think every bit of this blurb is true.

I used to tell my kids not to be sheep.

Well, the tranquil environment part, anyway. LOL!

There ya go.

I also noticed for the first time this little “wall” that surrounds part of the pavilion near the quiet garden area. I’m positive it’s to represent the Great Wall. It’s so subtle and such a great added theming element! Love this kind of stuff!

[][/]

I'm not sure if I remember that or not. But certainly didn't think of the Great Wall. I think you might be right!

this area has such an odd, after-thought feel to it or a bit of Designus Interuptus.

Very much so. I thought it was going to be temporary.
It should be temporary.

I wandered through Germany next and came very close to grabbing a Karamel anything.

Hard not to.

My fave is the choco-covered pineapple spear

I've had that! Sooo good!

Italy is such a lovely pavilion, and I have come to appreciate it even more since my last Italian super-tour a few years ago.

I can see that.

never walked all the way back to see the little eating alcove associated with it. This is quite the space! I’m positive the tile is imported; it looks identical to some I’d seen in Sorrento and Priano on the Amalfi Coast. It was nice and cool back in there, and I can see this as a perfect spot for bringing your own picnic lunch for some quiet respite from the crowds or for a nursing mom to have some privacy.

[][/]

I've never seen that! Cool!

Moving on, I came to America, where I made absolutely sure to take in a VOL show.

One must!

Aside from a VOL show, the pavilion is devoid of anything of interest whatsoever.

I beg to disagree. the show is pretty good, though long.
Nevertheless, the technology behind it is impressive.

I also went back to the KidCot station and got their little card. Here they have a couple of CMs who can do a bit of origami with the kiddos and have a ton of examples for them to choose from. What a super fun project for them!!! Heck, I’d do that!

So would I!

While they’ve pretty much gutted the Morocco pavilion now

It’s always very busy in there- amazing what can happen when you have shops with real stuff and a fun attraction.

Pretty shot.

Ask me how much of my AP Brit History I remember….

About as much as my Trig, I'm sure.

Right out in the open... and I never noticed.

Another good shot.

Kālua Pork with Okinawa sweet potatoes and mango salad

Nope. Not a sweet spud fan.

The pork was incredibly fatty

Well, that's unfortunate. Blech.

But not that soggy mess that comes with the slider bun at the other Festivals that everyone raves about. I had it once and it was a gross, falling apart disaster.

Too bad. I've had it a couple times and it's been very good.

The Connections Café has a new offering called the Baumkuchen that looks sublime!

Never heard of that! And I'm surprised I haven't!

The fist fight as AK was a HUGE YUCK. Just stay home if you’re going to act trashy.

Awful.
You just don't expect that sort of behaviour at Disney.

Knowing that was my last ride on the Liberty Belle, something I’ve enjoyed since I was a baby. Just... why…….?!

I’ll be starting a PTR/TR in the next couple of weeks for my October trip with @disneyandi that I hope she’ll co-write with me or at least chime in on with chapters of her own.

Yay! Can't wait!

We’ve already hit our ADR mark and snagged some pretty fantastic slots!! I think you’ll be intrigued.

And thanks for writing all about this trip!

 

[pkondz]

Yes absolutely! Reminds me Christmas Story and Higbee's.

That was my Dad's favorite store growing up in Ohio (Cleveland), coincidentally.

Wait... There's an actual Higbee's???

I definitely knew it was from Poe's poem, but 4...? Hmm, know it's in graveyard as you go down backwards, on the green casket that opens, at the end of the ride.... in the attic?? I think so?

Right here: