There's a First Time for Everything! A Christmas In November TR

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Your tiger photos are awesome!!!! They just capture the majesty of those beautiful creatures!!!

How adorable that Minnie came running down to get DD! You really saw a lot of characters at Camp Minnie Mickey!!!

We love, love, love Boma! So many good things to eat there!

Aww, thank you. I stood there for a long time and watched them so I could get some decent pictures. They are just so beautiful!! I am so glad they were active. Cats tend to be very lazy and I have never seen the lions up moving around. I thought the tigers might be the same way but one of them was on the prowl the whole time we were watching. The others slept the entire time though. I am just always amazed watching such majestic animals as those. It really is an awesome thing because we would never get to see one of those animals if it wasn't for places like Animal Kingdom. Such a fantastic learning experience for kids!

Minnie was great. I love it when you run into CMs that really go out of their way to make things special.

Boma was very good! The food is very unique but we loved it.

Yay for an overall fantastic day! Glad to hear your good review of Boma as we are eating there in June. None of us are adventurous eaters so it's a bit different for us!

It really was a great day. Even the drama makes for some funny memories after the fact! I'll be honest with you on Boma........ you may not like it if you are a picky eater. I am certain that you could find something that you like, but you may not have a large variety of things to eat. It is very unique food. We loved it, but we are not picky and we like to try new things. I would tell anyone to try it at least once though because you might really like it.

Sounds like a fabulous day!! WOW--your DD got to meet a ton of characters!! YAY for Pocahontas and Rafiki!! I wonder why they didn't have on their Christmas outfits CMM?! I love the pics with Minnie especially!! So tell me about Boma--I'm a pretty picky eater--do they have a good variety of food there? Is is weird food or a mixture? I'm very curious b/c I've heard a lot of people who love it there!!

Yes, we hit the character jackpot! I think we missed the Chrismtas outfits by a few days! But we just didn't want to use another day at AK, so something else for next time! Minnie was fantastic. I love the CMs that love their job! It makes things so special.

I will be VERY honest with you on Boma. We loved it but we are not picky and we like to try new things. If your family is not like that, you may not enjoy it. I thought 75% of the food was very unique and different from anything I had ever eaten before. We liked probably 80% of the food that we tried and we sampled almost everything on the buffet between the two of us. The soups and salads were very good and probably the most "Americanized" food they had. The main dishes were very African though. But it is a large buffet and I am certain that you could find something that you like to fill you up. You just might not get the variety that you want from eating at a buffet if you don't like half of what is offered.

I'm really torn between what to tell you because we really enjoyed it and I think everyone should try it at least once. But then again, for the price of the meal it would be really bad if you didn't like it. Maybe you should check out the menu really well on allears.net and see what you think. Here's the link: http://allears.net/menu/menu_bomadin.htm If the dinner menu sounds too adventurous for you, then try breakfast. I think breakfast is always a "safer" meal when you aren't sure about the cuisine!

I love those sleeping tigers! What pretty animal photos you were able to get. How fun that Minnie took your daughter's hand. Little special things like that are moments you'll remember forever.

Aren't they beautiful! I could have stood there and watched them all day.

Minnie did a wonderful job. I love the CMs that really care about putting that special touch on your experience.

Hi...I stumbled upon your TR and am loving it so far! You little one is such a cutie! Shame on your DH for tricking her into riding Dinosaur...LOL. Glad to hear she was not scared for life.

Looking forward to reading more!

So glad you can come join the fun! I am having the best time reliving our trip and chatting with all these other Disney lovers.

Yes, shame on him. He learned his lesson though. He didn't pull that stunt anymore!

 

[Lady Lallie]

So much to comment on....

The tiger pictures are just beautiful. You got some really good shots.

DD's face paint is gorgeous! I'm so sorry that she was duped on going on Dinosaur. Bad DH. I chuckled when he didn't get to go on EE. Hehehe.

I want to try Boma someday, I've heard such good things about it.

That is a great tip about meeting the characters during the parade, I would have never thought of that!

 

[dvc4life]

Great update. Your daughter's face paint was so beautiful. Your DH should hang his head about bribing your little girl to go on that ride. He also should have had her face redone since it was ruined by that ride. I have ridden it twice and never, ever, again. That is the one ride that I absolutely hate!

Your photos are amazing. So nice and clear. Thanks for posting so many.

Can't wait for your MK day.

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

So much to comment on....

The tiger pictures are just beautiful. You got some really good shots.

DD's face paint is gorgeous! I'm so sorry that she was duped on going on Dinosaur. Bad DH. I chuckled when he didn't get to go on EE. Hehehe.

I want to try Boma someday, I've heard such good things about it.

That is a great tip about meeting the characters during the parade, I would have never thought of that!

Thank you so much. I wish I had more time to stand there and watch those tigers. They are just amazing. Beauty beyond words.

Yeah, I thought that was pretty good payback for DH. He wanted to ride EE so bad! I was only going to ride it for them b/c I am a ride chicken, so it was fine with me that we missed it.

We really enjoyed Boma. It is so different from anything else at WDW. We like trying new things and this was very new for us! Their desserts were over the top good!

We saw the parade last year so I wanted to focus on doing something new. We just happened to go to CMM while it was going on but it was just perfect. All the characters were walking around looking for someone to meet with. It was great! The crowds were so low this day anyway though. Early November is a fantastic time to go.

Great update. Your daughter's face paint was so beautiful. Your DH should hang his head about bribing your little girl to go on that ride. He also should have had her face redone since it was ruined by that ride. I have ridden it twice and never, ever, again. That is the one ride that I absolutely hate!

Your photos are amazing. So nice and clear. Thanks for posting so many.

Can't wait for your MK day.

I'm totally with you on Dinosaur. Everything else at WDW is so fun or it is just a little scary but nothing terrible. I just thought Dinosaur was terrifiying. I knew none of it was real, but it is sensory overload! DH learned his lesson the hard way that day!

Thank you for your comments about the pictures. Glad you are enjoying it!

 

[DisneyJo]

I love the photo of your DD showing the other children her guide book, so cute

Also great photos with all the characters, you found so many your DD must have been thrilled

 

[lmillercrew]

I'm in! Following you over from another thread.
Your trip sounds amazing so far! So many firsts completed and marked off your list.
I can't even ride Dinosaur without peeing my pants! I went on it with DH in 2007 and hid my face after the first 30 seconds. Did your DD have nightmares after that?

 

[jess20k]

I am loving your trip report, thanks for sharing!I love the pirate cruise report, I had a tear in my eye reading it. It really was a special moment!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

I love the photo of your DD showing the other children her guide book, so cute

Also great photos with all the characters, you found so many your DD must have been thrilled

She loves to "mother" other children! I don't think they always appreciate it though!

We were thrilled with all the charaters. You can't beat seeing that many at once with no waits!

So is your snow still hanging around? I know your kids are loving it! I can't even imagine how beautiful England would be all covered in snow!!

I'm in! Following you over from another thread.
Your trip sounds amazing so far! So many firsts completed and marked off your list.
I can't even ride Dinosaur without peeing my pants! I went on it with DH in 2007 and hid my face after the first 30 seconds. Did your DD have nightmares after that?

So glad to have you along for the ride!

That's what I did. I just looked at my feet the whole time. I just couldn't handle it. I'm glad to hear that I am not the only chicken out there! Thankfully, DD did not have any nightmares. I think we were too tired that night for her to dream about anything!

I am loving your trip report, thanks for sharing!I love the pirate cruise report, I had a tear in my eye reading it. It really was a special moment!

Thanks for reading along! The pirate cruise was beyond wonderful. It was a very special night that I will never forget!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Wonderful pictures and update! Makes me want to go to AK now!! We missed going on our last trip, but hope to get over there next time! If it is warm enough - Kali RR here I come!!

I was also curious about Boma. I know I would love it - I love all kinds of foods. My DH is more meat and potatoes and Italian. My DDs are typical picky kids, chicken strips, hot dogs and hamburgers are mostly what they eat. Would there be something there for them? Is there some kid menu section on the buffet? It might just have to wait until their palates get more developed and discerning.

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Wonderful pictures and update! Makes me want to go to AK now!! We missed going on our last trip, but hope to get over there next time! If it is warm enough - Kali RR here I come!!

I was also curious about Boma. I know I would love it - I love all kinds of foods. My DH is more meat and potatoes and Italian. My DDs are typical picky kids, chicken strips, hot dogs and hamburgers are mostly what they eat. Would there be something there for them? Is there some kid menu section on the buffet? It might just have to wait until their palates get more developed and discerning.

If I recall correctly, every buffet that we have eaten at had a kid's section with the typical stuff that kids eat. Boma did as well. I really don't remeber what DD ate other than salad and bread. She LOVES salad and will eat that at every buffet we go to. I know she also ate quite a bit of fruit. I don't remember what she ate for a "main course" but they did have a kid's section. The menu link that I put up in an earlier reply said they have spaghetti with meatballs and chicken nuggets. I think you could find enough food to fill them up, but it probably wouldn't be their number one choice for dinner. I had lots of stuff planned for DD, so this was a treat for the adults. She did fine though.

 

[ladybugmom]

Yes, we hit the character jackpot! I think we missed the Chrismtas outfits by a few days! But we just didn't want to use another day at AK, so something else for next time! Minnie was fantastic. I love the CMs that love their job! It makes things so special.

I will be VERY honest with you on Boma. We loved it but we are not picky and we like to try new things. If your family is not like that, you may not enjoy it. I thought 75% of the food was very unique and different from anything I had ever eaten before. We liked probably 80% of the food that we tried and we sampled almost everything on the buffet between the two of us. The soups and salads were very good and probably the most "Americanized" food they had. The main dishes were very African though. But it is a large buffet and I am certain that you could find something that you like to fill you up. You just might not get the variety that you want from eating at a buffet if you don't like half of what is offered.

I'm really torn between what to tell you because we really enjoyed it and I think everyone should try it at least once. But then again, for the price of the meal it would be really bad if you didn't like it. Maybe you should check out the menu really well on allears.net and see what you think. Here's the link: http://allears.net/menu/menu_bomadin.htm If the dinner menu sounds too adventurous for you, then try breakfast. I think breakfast is always a "safer" meal when you aren't sure about the cuisine!

Thank you so much for sharing about Boma!! I will check out the menu--thanks so much!!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Thank you so much for sharing about Boma!! I will check out the menu--thanks so much!!

You are very welcome. I don't know if that helped any though.

 

[BrooklynnsMommy]

Okay so I really thought I had already posted and subscribed over here because I distinctly remember your first post, but apparently not. So now I am all caught up and here for the duration.

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Okay so I really thought I had already posted and subscribed over here because I distinctly remember your first post, but apparently not. So now I am all caught up and here for the duration.

again! I've done that a few times myself! Don't worry about it. Glad to have you back with us!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

After a long, tiring day at Animal Kingdom, our crew slept in on this fine Monday morning. This became a pattern from here on out. Last year, I was commando mom, but this time we all were so relaxed and tried to act more like we were on vacation than in boot camp! We slumbered around in our room for a while but eventually managed to get presentable and head for our chariot!

We were filled with anticipation knowing that we were on our way to the Magic Kingdom. We all adore MK and I knew the Christmas decorations would be out in full force by now. As soon as you enter the Magic Kingdom at Christmastime the sights, sounds and smells transport you to a holiday wonderland. There is nothing that can compare to it. Main street is decorated to the nines, carols fill the air, and everything has extra pixie dust sprinkled on top! All of this was just setting the stage for another emotional meltdown moment to come for me.

We were all ready to head for the rides, but first, I had a little surprise in store for DD. I know most of you will be shocked by this, but she had never had a real haircut. I know what you are thinking, but yes, she is five and has never had a real haircut! Her hair has always been so thin that I have never taken her to a salon for a styled cut. She just hasn't had enough body in her hair for that yet. I've always just kept the ends trimmed up myself. But, over the last year her hair has really thickened up, so I thought what better moment for her first time in the big chair than now! Welcome to the Main Street Barber Shop!

She was so thrilled! I mean this made it official to her that she was one of the big girls now! What an exciting experience this was for her, but it was tough on me. As I stood there watching her last little milestone happen before my eyes, I couldn't help but wonder if I had really been putting this off because of her thin hair or because I wasn't ready for the last of these precious moments to occur. It was a bittersweet moment for me. How perfect for it to happen in such a magical place, at the most special time of the year, yet how heart wrenching it is to see your baby grow up so fast, with no way to slow time down. Before I knew it, that darn lump in my throat was back and I was choking back the tears yet again! And the Christmas carols from my childhood playing in the background were not helping me one bit!

The CM clipped the first lock of hair, wrapped it up in a napkin and handed it to me for a keepsake. Then she chose a pair of Mickey ears from her cabinet and placed them on DD's head. I had to take this picture over three times because my eyes were so full of tears that I couldn't tell what was showing in the LCD screen of my camera.

DD chose to have an "up do" with pink and purple "highlights" and lots of confetti. She loved how it turned out. Here she is proudly posing for me with her certificate in the barber shop window.

This was a wonderful experience, and I would recommend it to anyone. We did the BBB last year so this was something new and fun. And best of all, it is only $14! What a bargain!

By this point, I was desperately in need of a distraction to get my mind off of my baby's childhood flashing before my eyes. So we headed down Main Street and took in a little entertainment from the performers.

They were very talented! I loved the backside of their overalls! I got a few odd looks when I was taking this photo of their rear ends!

Since we slept in late, we decided to skip breakfast and eat an early lunch. Well by this time, our bellies were talking to us so we took a quick vote on where to eat. It only took us about 5 seconds to decide on.......................................

Columbia Harbour House!! YUM!

We had eaten there last year and DH had been talking about their fish ever since. We all love the food here. It is very good quality and so fresh. DH got the fish fillets and DD and I got the shrimp. SOOOOO GOOD! And do you see that little apple tart thingy..................... HEAVENLY! This place is top notch for counter service!

Continued in next post............

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

As soon as we walked out of CHH, Tiana's Showboat came sailing by on the river. The show looked like fun, but we decided to pass on it for right now because we had a date with some hitchhiking ghosts!

That ride is always fun!

As we were passing through Liberty Square on our way to lunch, DD saw the fancy umbrellas and thought that would be a good purchase with her souvenir money. So we ordered one with her name and a pink butterfly painted on it, and the CM told us to come back in 30 minutes. So it was now time to go back and pick it up. It really was pretty. They did a great job and DD was very happy with it.

The umbrella stand was right next to.......................

I was so glad that we could see this. Last year it was closed because Obama had just been elected and had to be added. WE LOVED IT!!! (ok, DD didn't love it, but we did!) I am such a red-blooded, all-American girl! This attraction is so great. I had chills the whole time we watched it. It made me so proud and thankful for the blessing of living in this great country.

Now it was time to get down to business. There was a land of fantasy calling to us!

First up, we made a little music in 4D at the Philharmagic! I am so in love with this attraction!

Then we sailed around the world in about 5 minutes or so!

Then an evil queen fed us a poisoned apple!

These fine fellows serenaded us as we waited in line. They were VERY good. They played lots of Disney tunes.

It was now snack time. We got a strawberry shortcake sundae from Ms. Pott's Cupboard. Man was that thing good!!!! DD's huge grin and full cheeks are proof of that.

Then an adventure with Pooh and friends

OK, I have established the fact that I am a major ride chicken. Well, Splash Mountain struck the most fear in my heart. I did pretty well on all the coasters last year, but SM just did me in. In fact, I told them both last year that I would never ride it again. I just hate that feeling of leaving my guts at the top of the hill and feeling as though I am plummeting to my death. And it is a shame because other than the drops, it is such a cute ride.

Well anyway, DH and DD were ready to ride it. By now it had gotten dark so I had the bright idea of thinking that maybe it wouldn't bother me so bad if I couldn't see the drop coming. HA! Yeah right!

I kept telling myself that I wasn't going to scream because it doesn't help anyway. Well, that logic flew right out the window along with my stomach as soon as the log tipped over the peak. That's us in the back row. I know the poor people in front of me had permanent hearing loss after riding with me!

OK, I braved Dinosaur and Splash Mountain. I am SO DONE!!! No more for me!

DD browsed in the SM gift shop.

Big Thunder Mountain was next. DD and I are crazy about this ride. DH says it isn't thrilling enough. What?!?!

We had a perfect day. The weather was fantastic, and crowds were manageable. We went back to Pop and grabbed some dinner from the food court. When we got back to the room, DD had to call her Nanny and Pa and tell them all about our adventures.

First tally: 31 (Main St. Barber Shop, street performers, Hall of Presidents)

Up Next: No Crowds, No Lines, No Waiting........ Pinch Me, I Must Be Dreaming!

 

[VAisforDisneyLvrs]

It looks like you had a great day at Magic Kingdom! I haven't ever ridden Splash Mountain. The two times we have been there as a family I have had the excuse that Johanna wasn't tall enough. I think that excuse will be out the window this summer! Maybe Jo will be too chicken to ride! I don't know why I am worried about riding it. I have ridden all of the other rides-Space Mountain (which I hate and won't ride again), Tower of Terror (my sister forced me but it was okay), Rock and Roller Coaster (my sister forced me on this, too, but I liked it fine), Expedition Everest (sister again-are you sensing a pattern )

I have to tell you this story: I was sharing some of your TR with my two older daughters. I showed them the face paint/Dinosaur fiasco, and my middle daughter, Ruby, said (while shaking her head) "That is just so sad. That is just so sad. It's just SO sad." She really felt bad for your daughter. I thought that was cute.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Love the haircut story and the hair do!!! My DD8 got her first haircut before she was a year old! (mostly to cut bangs!)
I couldn't tell, but was your DD just putting up with you taking pictures? She has a sort of look that's not quite the big smile, so I wondered if she was thinking, "enough pictures Mom!" She's so cute!
What a great MK day! We really enjoyed Columbia too - it was our first time trying it.
I love how she called the grandparents! My kids do that too!

 

[BrooklynnsMommy]

Brooklynn is due for a haircut this summer. It will be her 4th one there. Bella is also going to get her first haircut there this summer!

 

[MaryAz]

Such great updates! Ah, the first haircut!