The Yuletide Hypothesis // Stuffed & Joyful! **NEW 10/16**

[annmarieda]

When you posted on my TR, I noticed your sig... and had to come over here!!!

I can see this is going to be fun to read along. You and I are a lot alike!

Crazy dreams before a trip? Yup...

Try desperately to NOT get sick before a trip? Yup. Although, I have failed a couple times sorry that this was your time

Detailed planner, but flexible? Yup.. In fact, your statement could have totally come from my own lips! Sometimes on my December trip, my planner only was used to tell me when and where to eat.

Your pictures are so wonderful. The BLT ones Hollywood BLV EWP And Wishes LOVE THEM!!!

can't wait to read more.

 

[PixieMama]

You're right about the tables at 'Ohana... it seems they'd have a great view, but sadly, don't. I had dinner there for the 1st time last summer and out of our party of 3, my seat was the only one with a view of the Castle and fireworks. Lucky me, huh?

And I loved the food! I thought it was all very yummy.

So the Electrical Water Pageant goes on every night, even when there is a MNSSHP or MVMCP going on? If so, that's great! Have never seen the pageant, and DH and I are going to do the luau dinner show on our October trip. We're going to try for the early seating, then after dinner walk around and explore the Poly. I've only been there for our 'Ohana dinner, but I'd like to (possibly) stay there on our next family trip. I thought DH and I could check out the resort, then maybe head to the beach to watch that night's fireworks. It'd be great to watch the EWP, too!

 

[PryncessChrysty]

When you posted on my TR, I noticed your sig... and had to come over here!!!

I can see this is going to be fun to read along. You and I are a lot alike!

Crazy dreams before a trip? Yup...

Try desperately to NOT get sick before a trip? Yup. Although, I have failed a couple times sorry that this was your time

Detailed planner, but flexible? Yup.. In fact, your statement could have totally come from my own lips! Sometimes on my December trip, my planner only was used to tell me when and where to eat.

Your pictures are so wonderful. The BLT ones Hollywood BLV EWP And Wishes LOVE THEM!!!

can't wait to read more.

Thank you for coming over to my TR!
I completely agree - as I read through your report, there was SO much that I was able to relate to.
Your daughter is completely adorable, BTW!

Thank you so much for the kind words about the photos! I still have a LOT to learn about photography, but I'm having so much fun in the process!

You're right about the tables at 'Ohana... it seems they'd have a great view, but sadly, don't. I had dinner there for the 1st time last summer and out of our party of 3, my seat was the only one with a view of the Castle and fireworks. Lucky me, huh?

And I loved the food! I thought it was all very yummy.

So the Electrical Water Pageant goes on every night, even when there is a MNSSHP or MVMCP going on? If so, that's great! Have never seen the pageant, and DH and I are going to do the luau dinner show on our October trip. We're going to try for the early seating, then after dinner walk around and explore the Poly. I've only been there for our 'Ohana dinner, but I'd like to (possibly) stay there on our next family trip. I thought DH and I could check out the resort, then maybe head to the beach to watch that night's fireworks. It'd be great to watch the EWP, too!

You did get lucky! Cuz those seats are just far & few between in there! So strange.

The EWP is a nightly thing and goes around to all of the MK area resorts. It's nothing I would rearrange my schedule to see, but if you're able to work it in, then I say it's a must-see. It's nothing spectacular, it's just classic Disney - literally since it's been at WDW since opening day! lol

The Luau sounds like fun - I can't wait to read about what you thought of it. We stayed there on our honeymoon, the Poly was our "dream" resort. While we liked it, more for the proximity than anything else, we never really felt the wow factor we were hoping for, though. Maybe because we had built it up to be something bigger than it was, I don't know, BUT....that said, I think its a GREAT option for families. The rooms are huge, and there is a ton of stuff on property to keep kids entertained. So if you do end up going with your children, I think they'll have a great time. The pool is a lot of fun - especially if it's warm enough to swim during the fireworks (we did that during our honeymoon, too!).

DH & I just decided to head back for our anniversary in October and I think we're actually going to be there over the same dates as you & your hubby. I'm hoping to get caught up on your PTR tonight, I was only able to take a quick glance at it (gotta bet back to work for now... ).

We're also planning a trip with my family again for this December, so I was thinking about starting a combined PTR for both trips. Might be kinda fun, I just don't know where I'd find the time....

 

[jwgm2012]

Really late to this party... but I'm here for the best part it seems... Love your pics and can completely relate to the "it's-a-day-before-a-big-trip-will-catch-a-cold" feeling...

And not trip related at all, but have to say - you have a very handsome bro!

Can't wait to read more and find out if you ever started feeling better...

gina

 

[PixieMama]

The main reason the Poly is on our list of potential resorts for our next trip is because we've invited my mom to come with us... and she's always dreamed of staying there. But... the other day I showed my youngest DD a video on the new Art of Animation resort. She is ALL OVER staying in one of the Lion King rooms! I have to say, that is one thing I actually like about the Value Resorts... that they are so IN-YOUR-FACE DISNEY. Yes, the Mod and Deluxe resorts are themed to the hilt, but the rooms just look like hotel rooms (if that makes sense) Soooo... it gets me thinking, "You know, she's only going to be a kid once... we can stay at a more "grown up" resort when she's older..." But I'm glad to hear your opinions that kids would like the Poly! Swimming while the fireworks are on sounds like fun!

Yay for an October trip! This will make my 3rd trip during October... I think it's a perfect time to visit.

 

[PryncessChrysty]

Really late to this party... but I'm here for the best part it seems... Love your pics and can completely relate to the "it's-a-day-before-a-big-trip-will-catch-a-cold" feeling...

And not trip related at all, but have to say - you have a very handsome bro!

Can't wait to read more and find out if you ever started feeling better...

gina

Hi there! Not late at all, we're just getting started! Thanks for joining in.

LOL about my brother - I may not share your comments with him just to save his head from growing a few more sizes.

The main reason the Poly is on our list of potential resorts for our next trip is because we've invited my mom to come with us... and she's always dreamed of staying there. But... the other day I showed my youngest DD a video on the new Art of Animation resort. She is ALL OVER staying in one of the Lion King rooms! I have to say, that is one thing I actually like about the Value Resorts... that they are so IN-YOUR-FACE DISNEY. Yes, the Mod and Deluxe resorts are themed to the hilt, but the rooms just look like hotel rooms (if that makes sense) Soooo... it gets me thinking, "You know, she's only going to be a kid once... we can stay at a more "grown up" resort when she's older..." But I'm glad to hear your opinions that kids would like the Poly! Swimming while the fireworks are on sounds like fun!

Yay for an October trip! This will make my 3rd trip during October... I think it's a perfect time to visit.

We've stayed at all caliber of resorts at WDW and like you said, some are more subtle with their Disney touch than others. I can see what you mean with regard to the value resorts, and I can definitely see the attraction for kids. Especially with the bright & vivid colors. DH & I don't have any kids just yet, so we actually prefer the more laid back pace of the mods & deluxes, but we may be giving AoA a shot for our anniversary trip in October.

October is definitely our favorite time of year to go. Seeing it all decked out for the holidays in December is pretty amazing, but come on, it's pretty hard to top Food & Wine.

 

[PryncessChrysty]

Hi everyone! I'm sorry for my lack in updates over this past month. April turned out to be quite the busy month, ending with a week-long visit from my mom & step-dad. They came into town from CO and we were livin' it up! We spent a few days at DLR, did a tour of the Walt Disney Studios (followed by a fab lunch at the Tam o'Shanter), went to Knott's Berry Farm and ventured down south to San Diego to see the Titanic artifact exhibit at the Nat. Not quite in that order. Here are some highlights & photos from our adventure filled week!


Our vacation started last Friday when DH & I attended D23's Fanniversary event at the Studios lot. In celebration of D23's 3rd anniversary, they gave a 2 hour presentation highlighting various Disney movies, music, theme parks and attractions that are all celebrating a milestone anniversary this year. No photos were allowed during the presentation, but I grabbed a couple with my phone on our way into the theater:

The next morning, all 4 of us were scheduled to take a tour of the Walt Disney Studios. This was another D23 event and the timing just happened to work out perfectly with their trip, which was awesome! DH & I did the tour last year and loved it, so we were happy to tag along with them for a second go-round.

Where (most of) the magic happened….

A peek inside the props building

Disney Legend Dave Smith giving us a tour of the Walt Disney Archives

Hey! What is my uniform doing on the wall?!?

This is the actual snowglobe used in the Feed the Birds sequence of Mary Poppins. A janitor found it in the trash and picked it out because he thought it was pretty, completely unaware of its significance. Dave Smith, who was friends with the janitor, spotted it in his closet one day and asked if he could have it. Pretty neat.

Some original drawings by Walt. It’s crazy to think that these are almost 100 years old!

Dave thanking the academy - that’s a real Oscar!

With the original Partners status in Legends Plaza

Daniel sizing himself up to Thurl Ravenscroft

Director Mickey!

Walking the lot

Outside the Tam o’Shanter – ready for lunch!

DH & I ordered the tri-tip & prime rib sandwiches and shared them. The tri-tip was the winner, hands down. We can’t wait to go back and try it for dinner.

The tri-tip sandwich on an onion roll

Prime rib sandwich on an onion roll

 

[PryncessChrysty]

On Monday, we went down to San Diego to check out the Titanic artifact exhibit at the Natural History Museum. My dad joined us and we met some of my step-dad’s family down there. I’ve never been to the Prado area and I was in total awe. It’s gorgeous. DH & I are planning to head back on another day when we have more time to spend there.

My dad being silly and blending into the pole.

This was the ONLY photo I was able to take of the exhibit. Boo.

It was such a neat experience. I wouldn’t say that I’d go out of my way to see it, especially at $27/person, but I am glad we were able to see it.

Knowing that we were spending the day in San Diego, I did some online investigating beforehand in search of a really good burger in the area. During my research, a place called Hodad's in Ocean Beach kept popping up. It looked funky & fun, so that is where we headed. It was a dive, for sure and the music was rockin’ & LOUD. I felt bad since Dave’s mom & step-dad were with us, but they were great sports and enjoyed the atmosphere.

DH & I both ordered a single bacon cheeseburger, but check out the size of this thing, it looks like a quadruple! It looks like it was made to give you a heart attack, but it was one of the tastiest things I’ve ever eaten! I only had my phone with me to take pics so they’re kind of grainy, but I just have to share them.

There is a table inside the VW van where the dash would be!

After lunch, we were incredibly full (shocking, I know), so we walked around the area to try and burn some of it off. Most of the shops ended up being closed, but most of the spaces in the area were just other food spot. We were only a block away from the beach and there was a pier close by, but when we got there the area didn’t look too safe. There were groups of people doing drugs right there in broad daylight. Ummm…whoops! Thankfully, Dennis (my step-dad’s step-dad…did ya get that?! lol ) knew that Old Towne San Diego wasn’t too far away, so we all hopped in our cars and headed that-a-way.

This place was much more our speed with lots of shops, historic buildings & little museums all around. This was where we spent the rest of the day before heading home.

We went into a candy shop and they had candy cigarettes! Daniel & I both used to get these all the time as kids, and they hard to come by today (for obvious reasons). DH had fun channeling his inner cowboy after we picked up a box (they were totally gross, by the way…lol).

On Friday, we went to Knott’s Berry Farm. As a kid growing up in Orange County, we went to Knott’s a LOT; probably more so than Disneyland just because it was more affordable. Clearly the history and “magic” of it didn’t quite stick with me because I haven’t been back since I was about 16 or 17, which was 17 years ago. Since then, it’s been taken over by a major corporation (Cedar Fair) and it is literally a ghost town of what it used to be.

It’s no secret that “little” is not a word I would use to describe myself, so for me, the thrill rides were out. They just aren’t as accommodating as Disney seems to be. Even my DH, who isn’t pooh-sized himself, but is quite tall at 6’4”, wouldn’t be able to fit in most of the ride vehicles. We ended up doing 1 ride (the unintentionally creepy Calico Mine Train), meandered through the swap-meet style shops in Ghost Town, and visited with family before breaking out early to head (RUN) “home” to DL. I didn’t even bother to bring my DSLR into Knott’s with me, so all of our photos were taken with my phone.


By the look on his face, I’m guessing he’ll choose “Knott” to dance…

Death by vacation. What was even funnier is that neither one of those bags are his or mine! Haha

Seriously?!? Maybe they were there to learn what NOT to do

At one point, we were sitting on a bench taking a break when 2 security guards and a park manager were escorting a not-so-nice looking teenager through the park telling him what the options for punishment were. 1 of which was to call the police and have him arrested. This is SO not something we would see at Disney. I’m sure stuff like that happens, but they take it out of sight rather than deal with it in public.

Another thing that surprised me was how expensive everything was. Granted, we only paid $37/person to get in because they were having a special (it’s normally $56.99), but the food & drinks were quite a bit more expensive than they are over at DL. There are also a lot of every day restaurants within the park, like Panda Express & Johnny Rockets! No thanks.

I don’t mean to come off as snobby. This experience just made DH & I both appreciate Disney all that much more. Not that we really needed a reminder, it just reaffirmed everything we feel about Disney. It’s not just a theme park, it is truly so much more than that. With that, this picture pretty much sums up our experience:

 

[PryncessChrysty]

We spent quite a bit of time at DLR over various days during their visit. Here are some highlights, in no particular order:


DH & I aboard the Mark Twain Riverboat

Have ears, will travel!

This hat looks like it was made for him!

A rare sight, especially after 12pm. This area is usually quite busy!

I may or may not be responsible for getting my DSD hooked on Vinylmation. I’m pleading the 5th here.

When in DL, remember to always look up!

Our Peter Pan wins. No question.

No creepy faux AA figures here. Thank goodness!

Smooches!

Yummy Monte Cristo from Café Orleans

Cruisin’ around the world

Nothing beats a late night Dumbo ride

Ready to take flight

Ariel has a new look!

Check out them thar hooks!

Mmmmm…..Pina Colava from Trader Sam’s.

We ordered this just for the awesome tiki glass! I loved the way they made it look like a glowing volcano!

So sad to see this area closed off.

Gearing up for the competition

How completely awesome is this wallpaper?!?

Cindy making her way across the bridge

DM & DSD heading into Fantasyland!

Thanks for tagging along on this not-so-quick detour. On the next post, we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled programming!

 

[MrsDrewsky]

Another fabulous update! Your updates always makes me hungry. I can't remember the last time I had a monte christo, but now I might have to hunt one down this week.

Your mom's ears are fantastic. Does she make them? Is there some sort of couture minnie ear shop I am unaware of?

 

[PixieMama]

Love the "staycation" updates! And I understand what you're saying about how other amusement parks are not like WDW. It always gets me when someone scoffs and asks "why do you want to keep vacationing at an amusement park?!"... um, no. There are amusement parks... and then there is Disney!

 

[PryncessChrysty]

Another fabulous update! Your updates always makes me hungry. I can't remember the last time I had a monte christo, but now I might have to hunt one down this week.

Your mom's ears are fantastic. Does she make them? Is there some sort of couture minnie ear shop I am unaware of?

LOL - they make me hungry too when I'm writing them!

Disney has a whole new line of "fancy" ears. There are TONS to choose from. I'll have to take some pics in the shops to share with everyone. I actually bought myself a pair a couple of months ago, but they're so cute that I can't bring myself to wear them. It even has a Minnie cameo on it! Minnie cameo, people!!!

Love the "staycation" updates! And I understand what you're saying about how other amusement parks are not like WDW. It always gets me when someone scoffs and asks "why do you want to keep vacationing at an amusement park?!"... um, no. There are amusement parks... and then there is Disney!

Exactly!!!

 

[Disneysnel]

I loved this update almost as much as I loved the trip! Highlights for me were, the new Mermaid ride, World of Color, how beautifully landscaped Disneyland is again. Your Pirates and Peter definitely win over WDW but you also win for crowds.
I loved everything though and I think need EVERY pair of the new Minnie ears, hint hint
Both of those restaurants were great and we really loved Claim Jumper, too!

Now, I need to rest up before the next one

 

[MrsDrewsky]

LOL - they make me hungry too when I'm writing them!

Disney has a whole new line of "fancy" ears. There are TONS to choose from. I'll have to take some pics in the shops to share with everyone. I actually bought myself a pair a couple of months ago, but they're so cute that I can't bring myself to wear them. It even has a Minnie cameo on it! Minnie cameo, people!!!

So in three more weeks I too can have a "fancy" set of minnie ears?

Why did I promise DH I would set a souvenier budget.....

 

[annmarieda]

Love the detour! I have never been to Knottsberry... but it reminds me of a local amusement park we have here...and yes, not tooo bad to get in...but food is horrid and expensive. Makes me want to take a trip to DL!

 

[PryncessChrysty]

I loved this update almost as much as I loved the trip! Highlights for me were, the new Mermaid ride, World of Color, how beautifully landscaped Disneyland is again. Your Pirates and Peter definitely win over WDW but you also win for crowds.
I loved everything though and I think need EVERY pair of the new Minnie ears, hint hint
Both of those restaurants were great and we really loved Claim Jumper, too!

Now, I need to rest up before the next one

Oh yes, we do definitely win for crowds.

Claim Jumper was fun (and YUMMY!) - especially since we seemed to have the whole place to ourselves!

I swear I'm not sure what you mean about the landscaping, though. I don't ever remember it not being that way. Hmmm....

I can't wait for the next one! WDW here we come!!!

So in three more weeks I too can have a "fancy" set of minnie ears?

Why did I promise DH I would set a souvenier budget.....

You sure can!! When he sees how adorable you look in them, there's no way he'll be able to say no to you! They have some really super cute ones!

Love the detour! I have never been to Knottsberry... but it reminds me of a local amusement park we have here...and yes, not tooo bad to get in...but food is horrid and expensive. Makes me want to take a trip to DL!

I had sticker shock from the prices! And the corndog we had tasted like rubber. It was really gross. But I have to say, in the end, I'm glad we tried it, because all it did was reaffirm our love for Disney. lol


You totally should make a trek out here! If you've ever been to DCA, with all the changes it's almost unrecognizeable. It's on it's way to being a truly stunning park. I cannot wait for Buena Vista Street! (Carsland, too - but BVS has already stolen my heart!).

 

[PryncessChrysty]

Happy Mother's Day, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful day.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Day 3:

Today started with an early wake-up call, but after a little hustle-bustle in the morning the rest was set to be a fairly easy-breezy day. We had to get up & get packing cuz we were checking out of Old Key West and into Wilderness Lodge for the next 3 nights!

While we were getting ready, I went out onto the balcony to soak up the scenery for a bit because we really didn’t get to spend much time enjoying the resort during our stay. After a minute or two I noticed this little guy:

Can you see him? I don’t know why, but he cracked me up. He was just chillin’ out there and I never saw any movements so he must’ve been out there the whole time. After a little while he ran down the tree, and it was time to get back my bee-hind back in gear.

This was our first stay at OKW and we really enjoyed the laid-back pace of the resort. The grounds were a lot more impressive in person than what I saw in pictures leading up to our stay there, and the whole place had a very calming feeling to it. Even for all of those great qualities, it seemed to be missing a spark for us. We would definitely stay here again, especially for the great value it can be when renting DVC points (which we did), but it wouldn’t be our first choice. The subtle theming was a nice change of pace, but Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Boardwalk are still at the top of our list.


Once we had everything all packed & ready to go, we loaded up the car and headed for the Wilderness! Let’s see if the Lodge will make its way to the top of our list.

The guard at the gate was super sweet and loved our holiday-mobile. : He gave us our new parking slip and sent us on our merry way.


We parked & headed inside to check-in. We were greeted outside the door by a cheerful CM who escorted us into the lobby and handed us off to another CM working at the desk. We did online check-in from home so we were done in no time. Before they gave us our Keys to the World, the CM disappeared for a minute and came back out with a backpack full of goodies for us. It was a gift from our travel agent!

The service at check-in was absolutely superb – even better than the one time we stayed concierge over at the Poly during our honeymoon. To our surprise, the room was ready (it was only 10:15am!), but instead of hauling our stuff to the room, we decided to relax in the lobby for a bit and search through our bag of goodies. My family was meeting us for breakfast at Whispering Canyon Café and they were due any minute.

Our view as we waited:

This was our first time using a TA, and while it had its ups & downs, in the end, the savings and the freebies were totally worth it. We booked through a TA that was sponsoring both the Reunion & Allears’ December to Remember Events and they were offering an amazing group rate. We paid about $210/night for a woods view; the rack rate is about $335/night so we saved over 35%. Not too shabby! Also with our reservation, we were invited to a free Illuminations dessert party. Something I’ve always wanted to do!

Sadly, I didn’t think to take pics of our welcome bag. It included a medium sized backpack, an aluminum water bottle from Touring Plans, a travel lanyard, some snacks and our credentials for the Illuminations dessert party. It was a really nice and unexpected treat!

Our ADR was for 10:30 and the time was quickly passing by, so I called my mom to see if they were close. They were running late because they were also busy packing up that morning. They were checking out of AKV and moving over to the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal for the next few days. Since our ADR was at the tail end of breakfast, I was worried we’d lose our spot. I explained the situation to the CM at the check-in counter and they agreed to hold a table for us. Yay! My family arrived a few minutes later and we were seated right away.

There were only about 5 other tables in use so we received a LOT of attention from the CM’s as they prepped for lunch. One waiter in particular, who wasn’t even working our table, decided my mom could use a little help with her hair. Check out the results. Ain’t it purdy??

WARNING: Grainy Phone Pics

My DSD ordered a Coke and he was finished with it almost as soon as they brought it out. Apparently he was quite thirsty! lol This is what they brought him for a refill!

He was in sugar heaven!

We ordered the All-You-Care-To-Eat Canyon Skillet for the 5 of us to share. It includes: scrambled eggs, roasted red potatoes, bacon, sausage, waffles, buttermilk biscuits, and sausage gravy. It was deeeeeelish! Everything was hot & fresh. The server was attentive in that he'd ask if we needed anything, but he was super slow to bring it out. That was the only downside.

I ordered a pecan sticky bun on the side to share with DH. I was worried it might be dry, but it was SOOO good!! It wasn’t dry at all and not too sweet. I want another one right this minute, please!

This was our second time trying breakfast here and I have to say that this experience far surpassed our first one. We first tried this breakfast in October of 2009 and most of the food was dry and tasteless, and the service was painfully slow. We only gave it another chance because we were staying at WL and wanted to experience it again. It certainly redeemed itself! The food was MUCH better this time around and the service was much better. Not great, but much better.


After breakfast, DH and I had tickets to one of the Allears’ events and my family was heading to AK for a few hours.

Next up: Plans, shmans….

 

[MrsDrewsky]

I love your pictures of WL during Christmas. Just beautiful! Mmm... that skillet looks so good.

I agree that OKW is missing something. When we stayed there on our honeymoon we hardly saw any kids, even at the main pool, which is odd.

 

[PryncessChrysty]

I love your pictures of WL during Christmas. Just beautiful! Mmm... that skillet looks so good.

I agree that OKW is missing something. When we stayed there on our honeymoon we hardly saw any kids, even at the main pool, which is odd.

Thanks for the photo love! I have a bunch more to share from around the resort later in the report.

You're right, there really weren't a lot of kids running around. With the room layouts, especially in the studios, I was surprised we didn't see more families around.

 

[annmarieda]

Breakfast looks yummy! I had thought about eating there when we stayed in December... but never did. Now I regret that..

Love the pics! makes me want to go back NOW!