"Touch the Mickey to the Mickey!" My first TR - Dec 2013 ~ New Update!! 4/07 x2!!!

[GrammyJudy]

We were there on that Friday when they taped the signing acts and it wasn't too bad but we knew Sat would be a zoo so we spent our time at the Por pool before we had to catch the magical express. Glad you got to do your favorite rides. I'm wondering what the surprise is

 

[scottny]

I stayed away from the park on filming days.
POTC is the best ride.
The burger looked good but I diet on vacation and the bun would have been tossed and some toppings go on. LOl
HM is so much fun.
Fun update and pics.

 

[MrsK53113]

I'm so happy to have found your trip report!

I love following along adult-only trips. I'll be going with my soon-to-be husband for our honeymoon and I can't wait! Reading this is getting me even more excited for our trip in June!!

 

[jewels1916]

Oooo, exciting! Your dates are pretty much the same as mine for next year, so I'm following along to see what all you did! Can't wait to read more!

Courtney

 

[TheMaxRebo]

nice update with good pics - was going to say "fun update" but those crowds do not sound like fun

Glad you got to your respective favorite rides despite the crowds.

The "off stage" way they took you was the same way they led us out of the park when we were trying to leave while main street and the hub were just jammed with people waiting for the night time entertainment. I think for us being at the end of the day it wasn't as "magic killing" as it might have been for you just starting out your day

Looking forward to the surprise!

 

[mrs mouse10712]

We were there on that Friday when they taped the signing acts and it wasn't too bad but we knew Sat would be a zoo so we spent our time at the Por pool before we had to catch the magical express. Glad you got to do your favorite rides. I'm wondering what the surprise is

Two years ago we were there for the parade taping and it wasnt that bad. Next time I'll have to plan better.

I stayed away from the park on filming days.
POTC is the best ride.
The burger looked good but I diet on vacation and the bun would have been tossed and some toppings go on. LOl
HM is so much fun.
Fun update and pics.

That is a wise decision. I think I might do that in the future.
All the walking we do balances out all the extra calories

I'm so happy to have found your trip report!

I love following along adult-only trips. I'll be going with my soon-to-be husband for our honeymoon and I can't wait! Reading this is getting me even more excited for our trip in June!!

and congratulations on your upcoming wedding! We had our honeymoon in WDW last October and it was amazing.

Oooo, exciting! Your dates are pretty much the same as mine for next year, so I'm following along to see what all you did! Can't wait to read more!

Courtney

That's awesome! If you love the holidays, Disney World is a great place to be in December. It's my favorite time to go.

nice update with good pics - was going to say "fun update" but those crowds do not sound like fun

Glad you got to your respective favorite rides despite the crowds.

The "off stage" way they took you was the same way they led us out of the park when we were trying to leave while main street and the hub were just jammed with people waiting for the night time entertainment. I think for us being at the end of the day it wasn't as "magic killing" as it might have been for you just starting out your day

Looking forward to the surprise!

The crowds were not fun, but everything else was
That "off stage" ordeal was definetly not the way I wanted to start our vacation. Luckily, this was the only day we had issues like this.

 

[mrs mouse10712]

Day 1 Part 3
It's the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness!

We were on our way out of the park to the boat launch. This is where things got a little messed up. We were heading to Fort Wilderness but I wanted to stop at Wilderness Lodge. This is my favorite thing about coming for the holidays. I love seeing all decorations in the resorts. Christmas is my favorite time of year. I wanted to see the tree in the lobby of the Wilderness Lodge. So, we go to the boat launch and get in the line for the Wilderness Lodge. The boat was taking forever. It seemed like they only had one boat going back and forth between MK and the resorts. The time I had put aside for us to check out the WL was gone. So, I debated getting in the line for FW, but it was so long, I didn't want to risk not getting on the boat and having to wait longer. We were near the front of the line for the boat to WL so I knew we would get on a boat when it got there. So we just stayed on line for WL.





The boat finally got there and brought us to the Wilderness Lodge where we got off the boat and in line for the boat to FW. Still with me? Alright



So we waited about 15 minutes for the FW boat. I really enjoy the boat rides. They are so relaxing. We finally got to Fort Wilderness.






Just in time for the surprise.....





It was a sleigh ride! I was very excited! Cory, on the other hand, didn;t appear as excited as I had hoped he would be. It wasn't that he wasnt excited. He's just..uh...stoic. He's not one to show a lot of emotion, but I've been with him long enough to know that he was excited about it. I had always wanted to check out Fort Wilderness and I thought this was the perfect way to see some of the sites that have Christmas decorations. So, we walk up to the sleigh driver and tell her that I have a reservation for 5:30. She was like alright, go to that sleigh and points to the sleigh in front of her. I was a little confused about this. She didnt ask for my name or reservation number. Now, I had booked this about a month in advance and paid for it then. But they had a sign that said Sleigh Rides $65.00 cash and card accepted, ya know, something along the lines of that. So, I can only assume that you can go up to the carriage and get a ride if they are available and pay right there. Now, this woman didnt check any reservation that I made. She didn't even ask for my name. I'm an honest person. If I hadnt paid, I know have paid for it there, but if they arent checking reservations, that means that someone who hadnt paid could just say I have a reservation and get on without paying? I don't know. I just thought it was very weird. Anyways...

We got a very nice driver and a horse named Bob. Now, heres where I screwed up. I didnt take any pictures! Well, thats not entirely true. I did take one picture and a few blurry pictures of us.





The driver did offer to take our picture in the sleigh when the ride was over, but it totally slipped my mind. I really wish I thought of it. I mostly used my camcorder. That is something new I had for this trip. I was very torn a lot of the time because I wanted to take pictures but I also wanted to record everything. I did have Cory man the video camera a few times, so that was good. But he tends to steer clear of my camera and camcorder. He says thats my thing. Him not using my camera I understand. I'm still learning how to use the more advance settings. But the camcorder? Its very simple. But I digress.

I didnt take pictures. Bad DISer. I know. I apologize But the sleigh ride was lovely, definitely something I would do again. It was a nice way to relax after dealing with so much turmoil in the Magic Kingdom. It was really nice to see all the campsites decorated. I mean, a lot of those people go all out. It's fantastic. I've added Fort Wilderness to my Disney bucket list. Now, all I need is a camper and truck to pull it. Or a Winnebago. My dog is my baby and having to leave her behind kills me. If I could bring her to Disney World, that would just be amazing. And I love camping. So Fort Wilderness is definitely a place I would like to stay at some point.

We had a few hours to kill before our dinner reservation and I didnt want to go to far because it was in FW. Originally, I had planned for us to stay at FW and walk around because I had never seen the campground beyond Pioneer Hall. But I felt what we saw on the sleigh ride was good, so I thought we would go back and check out WL like we had originally planned. So over to the boat docks we went. It came pretty quickly and we were on our way to WL.


Continued Below​

 

[mrs mouse10712]

I love this resort. The details in and around the resort are so great. I may live in the city, but I am definitely a wilderness girl at heart. The main reason why I wanted to go here was to get a magic bar. I've seen pictures of them all over the boards and I have been dying to try one. They look so delicious, but when we get to Roaring forks, they were all out! I was so upset. I was really looking forward to having one. Guess I'll just have to add it to my long list of snacks to try. So, with an empty stomach, we go up to the lobby. I love this lobby. The high ceilings, the comfy couches, and that fireplace. Oh, the fireplace is beautiful. I could sit in front of it all day. Cory had to run to the bathroom so I just walked around and took some pictures.









The tree is beautiful. So, we walk around a bit a see that a few of the rocking chairs in front of the fireplace are empty so we sit there for about a half hour. It was so relaxing







Then it was time to head back to FW. We stopped in roaring forks to see if they had the magic bars, no. While we were waiting for the boat the geyser started to go off. I was very excited. I had always wanted to see it, even if it was from behind the trees. I was surprised at how loud it was. After about 20 minutes, the boat finally came. We got to FW and headed to Pioneer Hall for Hoop-Dee-Doo!!



I am absolutely in love with this show. We saw it for the first time on our honeymoon and now I cannot imagine a trip to Disney World without it. It is so much fun. The people on that stage are so ridiculously talented. If you have not seen it, I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend it. Great food and an amazing show. What's better? I didn't take many pictures because I really just wanted to watch the show. I did record a few songs though. Here's s few picture just so you can see where we were sitting.









On our honeymoon, we got the table right in front of the stage, smack dab in in the middle. It was amazing Its a tough seat to beat on your first time, but there really are no bad seats. Here are a few pictures I got from that show.











We got the same server we had the last time we saw the show. I remembered him because in October, he came by the table to check on us and asked me if I was eating my beans. Now, I'm not a fan of baked beans. But he kept pestering me to eat them so I took a small bite . So, when he brought us our food, Cory says to me “I think that’s the guy who made you eat the beans.” So you can imagine the horror when he comes to the table and asks me if I'm eating my beans. I was like “YES!” (even though I didn't ). I did not want to eat more beans. The show was outstanding, as usual. I thought it was really nice that they sang some holiday songs. I just cannot say enough good things about this show. If you haven’t seen it, you should. Now! Go!

We were at the 8:30 show, so when it got out around 10-ish, there were buses waiting for us to take back to our resorts. This was nice. We didn't have to wait for a boat back to MK, then fight the crowds to get to the bus terminal. It was a long day and I was exhausted.

We got back to our room and passed out. The day had a lot of craziness and stressful situations, but I think to good times outweigh the bad. A bad day in the Disney World is still a day in Disney World, right?

Next Update​

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

I wanted to see WL as well with all the decorations, but I had to make some tough choices, so I chose to visit the ones I hadn't seen yet. But from your photos , I wish I had. I was really close to staying there too. What a perfect Christmas resort.

Fort Wilderness is one I haven't seen. And DARN, it looks like I missed out on a free sleigh ride.

But, that is such a great idea (I actually didn't even know this existed). PLUS, I have a real soft spot for animals ESPECIALLY those with people names.

I don't think anybody has ever not LOVED Hoop De Doo. I will see it one day for sure.

 

[mrs mouse10712]

I wanted to see WL as well with all the decorations, but I had to make some tough choices, so I chose to visit the ones I hadn't seen yet. But from your photos , I wish I had. I was really close to staying there too. What a perfect Christmas resort.

Fort Wilderness is one I haven't seen. And DARN, it looks like I missed out on a free sleigh ride.

But, that is such a great idea (I actually didn't even know this existed). PLUS, I have a real soft spot for animals ESPECIALLY those with people names.

I don't think anybody has ever not LOVED Hoop De Doo. I will see it one day for sure.

The Wilderness Lodge is really a beautiful resort, even without the holiday decorations. I love that it's tucked away so you feel like you're deep in the woods.

The sleigh ride was a lot of fun. As much as we all love the hustle and bustle of Disney World, it's really a nice way to slow down and relax. Bob was very sweet. Just clip-clopping along, with his jingle bells ringing, because you know, the bells on Bob's tail ring

Fort Wilderness is so cute. Definitely worth a look one day. Especially if you get a chance to see Hoop Dee Doo! I promise you will not be disappointed.

 

[jewels1916]

I just love Wilderness Lodge. It seems like the perfect resort for Christmas time. Actually, it was on the short list for my upcoming December trip, but it was ultimately cut because I've stayed there, and I'm looking forward to staying somewhere I haven't stayed before. I have the goal of staying everywhere at some point!

Actually, we drew our resort for the next trip out of a hat. No joke.

That carriage ride looks so fun. I always kind of forget Fort Wilderness is over there. But it would be fun to go see how everyone has decorated!

Courtney

 

[scottny]

The sleigh ride sounds great. I totally missed FW when we went down.
WL decorations were gorgeous.
HDDR is on my list of things to do.
Great updates and pics.

 

[mrs mouse10712]

I just love Wilderness Lodge. It seems like the perfect resort for Christmas time. Actually, it was on the short list for my upcoming December trip, but it was ultimately cut because I've stayed there, and I'm looking forward to staying somewhere I haven't stayed before. I have the goal of staying everywhere at some point!

Actually, we drew our resort for the next trip out of a hat. No joke.

That carriage ride looks so fun. I always kind of forget Fort Wilderness is over there. But it would be fun to go see how everyone has decorated!

Courtney

I love that you chose from a hat! That is a great way to pick a resort that you've never stayed at before. I'm very indecisive, so I may have to try this technique for my next trip

I think that is a great quality of FW, that it is tucked away. It's so quiet and peaceful over there.

The sleigh ride sounds great. I totally missed FW when we went down.
WL decorations were gorgeous.
HDDR is on my list of things to do.
Great updates and pics.

The sleigh ride was a lot of fun.
You should definitely make a point to see Hoop Dee Doo. It's amazing!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

sorry they were out of the magic bars but sounds like you had a nice time anyway. After just coming back in from shoveling for over an hour the idea of sitting in front of that fire place sounds heavenly

We thought about doing Hoop Dee Doo last trip but just weren't sure if my kids would be into it (they are still pretty young) but I am sure we will do it at some point

 

[JessM]

I'm a little late but joining in! I was there around the same time!

I love love love the HDDR! Its one of my favorite things to do in Disney, the food is great and the show is so much fun! I haven't made it over there for a Christmas trip in a long time but a sleigh ride before the show sounds like a great idea!

 

[mrs mouse10712]

sorry they were out of the magic bars but sounds like you had a nice time anyway. After just coming back in from shoveling for over an hour the idea of sitting in front of that fire place sounds heavenly

We thought about doing Hoop Dee Doo last trip but just weren't sure if my kids would be into it (they are still pretty young) but I am sure we will do it at some point

I was pretty bummed that they were out. Just another reason to go back!

It's probably not the best for the really little ones. They might get bored if they don't know whats going on. I would say its good for kids 5+. The music and dancing are really fun and would keep their attention.

I'm a little late but joining in! I was there around the same time!

I love love love the HDDR! Its one of my favorite things to do in Disney, the food is great and the show is so much fun! I haven't made it over there for a Christmas trip in a long time but a sleigh ride before the show sounds like a great idea!

So glad your joining in!!

Hoop Dee Doo is unbelievable! It's one of my favorite things to do. I'm planning a quick trip for the end of March and there's not enough time for me to go see it. I'm still debating if I want to try to squeeze it in. I love it so much

 

[mrs mouse10712]

Day 2 Part 1
It's an Epcot kind of day!

We were up bright and early for our first full park day at Epcot! I was so excited! I love Epcot.

We headed for the bus stop and it was super muggy outside. Luckily, an Epcot bus got there pretty quickly. We got to the park at 9am and headed straight to the Land to grab some breakfast.





They had these really cool gingerbread displays set up next to The Garden Grill







The place was empty. We got paper fastpasses for Soarin' then headed over the Sunshine Seasons for breakfast.







I love the food here. It was delicious.

After we finished eating, we went on Living with the Land. I really enjoy this ride. Some people say that it's a “time killer” or a “place to rest your feet”, but I genuinely enjoy this ride. I find it very interesting seeing all the different ways they grow food, even though I kill everything I try to grow. We did the Behind the Seeds tour later in the week, which was really cool.











We still had a little time before our Soarin' fastpasses, so we went over to the Imagination Pavilion to hang out with my favorite little purple dragon.







After our journey through the imagination, we went back to the Land to use our Soarin' fastpasses. This ride is wonderful. I just wish they would clean the projector or film or whatever it is that causes the little “bugs” to appear. But it is still a fantastic ride. I always get a little teary at the end when we fly over Disneyland.







From there we went over to The Seas with Nemo and Friends.





This ride is adorable. Although we had a “flasher” in the clammobile next to us. That drives me nuts. TURN OFF THE FLASH! The pictures don’t come out good anyways, so why ruin it for everyone around you? With a good quality camera, they come out better without the flash.

Then we went over to Turtle Talk with Crush. This show is hysterical. I've never had a show that wasn’t funny. Crush was talking to a little boy who was from Alabama, but Crush kept saying “Ala-to-the-Bama”. The kid got so mad and was like “Why do you keep saying it like that?!?” It was so funny.

It was now time for us to head to our lunch reservation at Via Napoli. So, we headed to World Showcase.

I love the tree in the Showcase Plaza.









On the way there we had to stop in Germany to get a beer that our friend told us about. Now, I'm not much of a beer drinker, but this was so good! Its called Schofferhofer Grapefruit. They sell it in two places in the pavilion. There's a beer stand that's in the pavilion that pours it from the bottle and a small cart just outside the pavilion that has it on tap. It is much better on tap.







With beer in hand, we head over to Italy. We were very excited about this meal. Via Napoli is one of our favorite places to eat. The pizza is unbelievable.

I have to take a picture of my favorite chandelier.





We wait about 5 minutes and were seated at the far end of the restaurant. I ordered a Strawberry Aqua Fresca. It was delicious. All it is is water infused with strawberries. So simple yet so good. Cory got a Coke.





We don't usually order and appetizer here because the pizza is so filling, but I really wanted to try the Arancini.





It was delicious. Its a fried rice ball filled with cheese served with a meat ragu. I would absolutely get it again. So good.

For the pizza, we got mushrooms and peperoni. I don't normally like pepperoni on my pizza because its to greasy, but the pepperoni they use is amazing. Everything about this pizza is so good. There is nothing better than authentic Naples pizza. Delizioso!





As tempting as it was, we weren’t going to get dessert. We were just to stuffed. But then the cast members brought us a little cake for our anniversary and sang to us. It was adorable.





We packed up the leftovers (can't have any of that wonderful pizza go to waste) and headed back to Future World. We had some fast passes burning a hole in our pocket...er...I mean magicband. Right, burning a hole in our magicband...

Next Update​

 

[JessM]

Wow you guys did a ton at Epcot that morning!

I also really enjoy living with the land and I loved the Christmas decor touches!

Dirty screen and all Soarin is still one of my favorites. But I do wish they'd clean it up a bit!

Turtle Talk is always so cute! I missed it this past trip but I do love it!

And Via Napoli... SO GOOD! We have a reservation there in just about 2 weeks and I cannot wait for the delicious pizza!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

MMMM I do love Sunshine Seasons. Such a unique QS option.

I Agree, I totally enjoy Living with the Land as well. I missed it last trip (but then I missed a lot of rides last trip). It really sucks because I would have liked to see the snowman!

Oh God, it took me a second to clue in... "flasher" My mind went somewhere else for a second.
But now that I'm back on track, YES I SO AGREE TURN OFF YOUR FLASH!!!! Plus you make the great point of how crappy the photos look with the flash anyway.

OK... Cory is wearing an Ariel shirt. My respect just went up 1000% percent!

 

[katt789]

I’m in!! We stayed at POFQ in Sept and loved it!!

I feel the exact same way about the resort, hands down my favorite moderate resort, everything about it is so perfect!! Bummer that you couldn’t really see the movie, but you’ve got it right that the old one was better, it may have needed an update, but the new one’s more of an ad for fp+

Awee man, that sucks about main st being blocked off! We were there that day for a few hours in the morning and it was fine for me, as I’ve been backstage before, and it was our last day, but that first day seeing the castle not being there must suck!!

Oh my gosh it seriously sounds like such a headache for you guys that day!! We were there before NPH had even finished filming the opening number, so the parade route wasn’t blocked off yet, and we spent the morning meeting characters, that sucks that you guys got so stuck!!

The sleigh ride looks like a fun time!!

I absolutely LOVE the hoop de doo!! It’s always so weird to me to see different casts though! Lol, it’s a weird thing to notice, especially since we were there 2 months apart! Lol. It’s just such an incredible night to experience!!

Looks like a great day at Epcot so far!! Love sunshine seasons, and via Napoli!! We ate there in Sept and absolutely loved it, the pizza’s are amazing!! I’m also going to have to check out that beer from Germany, it sounds interesting!