Very Merry D23 Holidaze Dec 2009 TR - 7 magical park days! updt 7/1

[MyMuse]

Please let me know how much fun he has at the Bat Mitsva! (I butchered that spelling!)

I will! That particular party is not for another couple of weeks. He went to my BIL's friend's party last night. CJ has a very busy social calndar lately.

 

[MyMuse]

..for my Pratically Extreme Disney Day....

A visit to the NYC Disney store, MoMA visit for Tim Burton, special screening of "Princess & the Frog" and thn the Ultimate Disney Experience.

I may be tired tomorrow !!!

On that note, if there are any solos that would like to join me on my CRT ressie for lunch on 12/7, I may have a spot. I think my friend is going to bail!!! If not, I may cancel; I'm not too sure if I want to do that ADR alone? Or am I being a wuss?

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

On that note, if there are any solos that would like to join me on my CRT ressie for lunch on 12/7, I may have a spot. I think my friend is going to bail!!! If not, I may cancel; I'm not too sure if I want to do that ADR alone? Or am I being a wuss?

That's a tough call... I say cancel it and save it for when you can share it with someone... but then I want to tell you to suck it up and enjoy it solo... gosh I'm no help!

 

[MyMuse]

I'm finally home after dinner with the fam. I will be writing up my NYC trip report to see "Princess & the Frog" and Ultimate Disney Experience. Such a good time!!

I also got several more things done on the To-Do Lst, but right now I'm wathcing HGTV's Disney Holidays show.

 

[MyMuse]

That's a tough call... I say cancel it and save it for when you can share it with someone... but then I want to tell you to suck it up and enjoy it solo... gosh I'm no help!

I think I'm just going to suck it up! LOL! It's one of my "bucket list" things, so I don't want to give it up. LOL!

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

I think I'm just going to suck it up! LOL! It's one of my "bucket list" things, so I don't want to give it up. LOL!

Good call - I think you're making the right choice!!!

 

[MyMuse]

I was able to get a few more things done on my list! Whoo-hoo!
Almost at 4 days!


Legend for the below
Navy: to do
Green: started, not completely done
Pink: done, done, done!

December Disney To-Do List
- Schedule refining/check park hours, etc
- Buy luggage tags: done
- Mickey Head paint chips: make them into "thank yous" for CMs?
- Consult with touringplans.com
- Prelim RideMax plans
- Book car service
- Start pre-packing/packing list: done
- Photopass: Got it! Will order!
- Cancel Holiday D-Lights tour: done
- Buy travel alarm clock: done
- Recheck rental car rates / join speed service: done
- GPS, custom Disney POI: done
- Make new binder cover: done
- PA shopping goodies shown: done
- M&M charge & hotel: done
- Review menus
- Disney apps: not avail yet for my phone?!
- Timers for lights: bought, not yet installed
- bring suitcase up: done
- Go through travel item box: done, bagged & tagged
- Bank run / Cash in coinage: done $44.24!
- Cancel other car ressie
- Cancel ADRs?
- Program in resort hotel addy on GPS
- Harmon / Grocery run: done
- Disney giftcard for meals: done



Packing List:
- chargers for electronicals & electronicals (cell, GPS, ipod)
- HRC shirt/zippie
- Disney shirts
- D23 shirt
- hair straightener, comb, creme, bands, etc
- sunglasses / glasses
- GPS (all done with Custom Disney POI!!)
- touring plans
- D23 confirmation
- footwear: sneakers & ?
- mickey PJs
- eye solution, cleaner, holder
- make-up, cleanser, toiletry, perfume, etc.

 

[MyMuse]

So, I get up and get out to head to NYC for the day. Some tweets (in bold):

Getting ready to go to a visit to NYC Disney Store, then Museum of Modern Art for Tim Burton exhibit, then screening of Pr&Frog!!
9:59 AM

Off I go! Pls NJ Transit & NYC Subway be on time & don't switch anything! Oh & be prepared Starbucks Carmel Latte, I'm after u too!
12:03 PM

Before I get to the train, I wanted to make a bank run & cash in my coinage for the trip. Another thing I can cross off the list! I went to the coin machine expecting about $18-20 and it was $44.24! Wow!

After this happy news, I head to the train and it’s only running about 5 minutes late, so not too bad. I was held up for a few moments at the parking lot because I wanted to verify the coupon I printed for free parking was valid. It was and got a $5 savings. Whoo!

I get in to NYC about 1:45pm and start walking from Penn at 34th to 55th to the Disney Store. I don’t take the subway since my gym attendance has been down lately and I’m in the City early. My entrance into Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) for the Tim Burton exhibit wasn’t until 4pm. And I want to check out the Vinylmations!

I stop for a Starbucks and enjoy the new Crème Brulee. YUM. Let me not forget the car bump crash about 2 feet away from m thanks to the pedestrian mall at Times Square.

A NYC first for me...car crash bump 2 feet away from me! yea pedestrian mall in times sq was a GREAT idea!
2:13 PM

Here’s some photos from 34th to 55th:

Times Square, Prep & Landing on news ticker (notice still for Dec 1!)

Then Princess & the Frog

The hotel stole my name!

NYC LOVE

Radio City Music Hall

Buckled Building

I get a text from KatGarcia that she is going on break and I'm about 2 blocks away! Yea!

 

[MyMuse]

Kat isn’t ready yet, so I walk around the store. It’s crazy busy! Much busier than when I was here a couple of weeks ago. And no Vinylmations!! But I do see a 40% off sale on a T-shirt I actually do like. I roam the 3 floors, looking at various things, waiting on Mary’s phone call and Kat’s break.

Wow no more vinylmations at NYC World Of Disney store?
2:40 PM

I meet with Kat for a few minutes by the back door and chat! She’s great! Since she posted the pic on her TR, I’ll do the same there. We finish and she heads back to work.

just met with kat at the disney store!
3:10 PM

Here’s some Disney store photos:

I got this T-shirt, which will come with me

Right before I pay for my purchase, I get a call from Mary that she done with her stuff and to meet at MoMA.

I finish and off to walk the couple of blocks to MoMA (convenient, right?) to check out the Tim Burton exhibit and to see a few others to get our money worth out of it.

 

[MyMuse]

I pay for my purchase and off I go to MoMA around the corner. I hang inside and tweet some of my photos from the store while I wait. Mary comes in and we go to enter the museum itself.

As we pass a big long line, we see this:
Sold Out!

We skipped the line since we already had timed tickets. We wander up to the 3rd floor since we had some time and I was able to take these photos since they were outside the exhibit.

Alice!

Looking down to first floor from the third, Balloon Boy sculpure

Front pic

By the time we finish, it was time for our entrance! We were ready to take a photo of the cool entrance, when we literally get screamed at that there was no photos allowed. I think just telling us would have been fine. I’m not sure what the yelling is for; it’s so not right in a fancy museum. Now, MoMA itself allows photos, but not for this exhibit. However, photos were allowed at some point, so here are some stolen photos from people were there before it officially opened.

It was beyond packed! Literally should to shoulder and not moving. There would have been NO WAY to take photos anyway. MoMA really sold a trememdous amount of tickets. We were able to make our way around and by the time we did a first circuit, it was considerably lighter crowd, though still fairly busy. MoMA closes at 5pm or 5:30pm.

Cool entrance; this tunnel was playing Tim's cartoons

This is the MoMA kids thing being hand out. I'm not sure Tim is for kids:

Color-ized version of the entrance

After we did a second curcuit to make sure we saw everything, we had a little time before th museum closed, so we wandered around taking in other exhibits. Here are my favs:

Warhol!

3D painting

The artist of the flag

After we finish, we head off for something to eat before the screening of "Princess & the Frog" at 7pm and Ultimate Disney Experience.

 

[MyMuse]

After MoMA, we head for something to eat, but decide to make a stop to the Disney store for Mary. So, I shop again and pick up some pins (gotta be careful here!), more vinylmation pins (no figures!) that I didn’t see before and decide to pick up a gift card for my meals in the parks. I originally was going to do this at Downtown Disney, but since it’s right here, might as well get it done.

Night time photos on the way to store

Night Buckles

Star above the street! Very Cool.

Disney window

My second round of purchases

After my second visit, we start toward Ziegfield Theatre and see a diner that looks decent. I order a wrap and some coffee (will be up, need coffee!) and Mary a bagel. Our diner was called “Astro Diner” and I have feeling I ate there before.

We finish around 6:40pm, and go around the corner to check-in for our special screening of “Princess & the Frog”. It was a trifle disorganized and we were in the wrong line for the “Royal” tickets (includes Ultimate Disney Experience and a reserved seat at screening) and we get this nifty bauble & wrist wrapped:

And now for the theme of our day – bet you were thinking “Disney” – but nope, we got our camera taken away! We had to bag them with our drivers license! I’m not liking this at all. And I get wanded but Mary doesn’t. Go figure.

We find our way to our seats and this theatre is much different than most NYC theaters; much bigger! We decided on 2nd row balcony seats but thankfully, the first row was blocked off. Perfect view! Tons and tons of kids!

currently waiting on the start of screening of "Princess & the Frog". lots of kids! cameras taken
6:59 PM

p&tf starting...alice previews...it was better in imax 3d
7:09 PM

The movie finally does start a few minutes and there are "Alice" previews, but like the above, it was better in IMAX 3D.

The movie was very good and I enjoyed it a lot. Very New Orleans, good storyline, very colorful, funny and lots of singing. The ending was really very nice.

Most of the kids were either over-tired or excited or just unruly, but they were loud. Every once in awhile the sound would be increased. LOL!

We were trying to figure out who the voices were - Anika Rose for Tiana and John Goodman for the father, but I could not place the others. We didn't wait for the credits, since our plan was to bolt out of there to get our cameras and check out Ultimate Disney Experience before the kids descended. I still couldn't believe that so many kids were still up! It was close to 9pm by now.

 

[MyMuse]

We are out of the theatre and camera in hand, we are directed to Roseland Ballroom for the Ultimate Disney Experience. It was 3 blocks away, I think on 52nd & Broadway.

We walk into Roseland and flash our super-cool wrist thingies to these CMs wearing cool shirts.....

.... And proceed to ……






.......... yes, they were ALL there! .......








Meet all the princesses! First one up was Tiana

Snow White

Cinderella

Ariel

Sleeping Beauty

Mulan

Belle

By this time, the place was filling up, so we had to skip Pocahontas & Jasmine. And we were really confusing the littl kids, but the non-green CMs and the Princesses seemed really excited to have pics with adults! It must have been a long day, but this time it was close to 10pm.

But we got their signatures

We finish having our heads whirling after meeting the Princesses, we check out the first level archives:

There was games but we did not partake:

And then we walked upstairs to join in on the Animation Academy!!! I loved this at Hollyood Studios. The animator was the one that actually worked on "Princess & the Frog".

 

[MyMuse]

A floor scene before heading to 2nd floor

We next head up to the 2nd floor to participate in Animation Academy.

Here's animator, Anthony DeRosa signing a "Princess & the Frog" book. He was the supervisor for Laurence in the movie, which we drew and he was nice enough to sign my "artwork".

After we finish this, I really had fun!, we head over to Kodak Spot to get a pic. We wait FOREVER for a family in front of us to take about a bazillion photos (only the first one is free download). We finally get a turn, so Mary and I decide to take a photo together since we don't want to run out of time. Mary picks the frame (I'm not crazy about it, but she wanted Tiana and the frogs in it...alot like the Christmas Carol Train photo). We take it, but it has to be downloaded and Mary has the card. I'll post when I get the pic.

After getting our Kodak photos, we visit the rest of the Archives:

Scenes from the 2nd floor, looking down:

After this, it is 10:30pm and we know we are going to get kicked out soon for the next session of movie folks. We get ready to head downstairs.

Of course, we see the retail corner

We get another surprise and receive a commemorative lithlograph

After we exit, we walked back down to Penn (52nd to 34th)and catch the 11:14pm train back home. I'm in my bed by midnight.

And thereby end my Ultimate Disney/NYC/MoMA Experience. Thank you for joining me on the ride.

 

[mmafan]

Looks cool

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

WOW! What a fun filled day in the City! Madi's favorite movie (of the moment) is Nightmare Before Christmas and she's 2! So, maybe some kiddos are just little Tim Burton's in training!

You freakin out yet? 4 DAYS?!?!?!?!

 

[dawnbu40]

I can't wait for that movie to open here! Looks like a great time!

 

[MyMuse]

Looks cool

Thank you It was very cool

WOW! What a fun filled day in the City! Madi's favorite movie (of the moment) is Nightmare Before Christmas and she's 2! So, maybe some kiddos are just little Tim Burton's in training!

You freakin out yet? 4 DAYS?!?!?!?!

Really? Maybe he is for kids! Or maybe I'm just a wuss.

I did have alot of fun and glad I went but boy, am I behind in getting everything done!

I am somewhat freaking out, but about the time left and the fact that I have to miss the gym. I'm going to make the laminated mickey paint chips tonight *hopefully* and tr yto get that out fo the way along with a few other list items.

How about you? Madi going nuts yet?

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

Really? Maybe he is for kids! Or maybe I'm just a wuss.

I did have alot of fun and glad I went but boy, am I behind in getting everything done!

I am somewhat freaking out, but about the time left and the fact that I have to miss the gym. I'm going to make the laminated mickey paint chips tonight *hopefully* and tr yto get that out fo the way along with a few other list items.

How about you? Madi going nuts yet?

I think Nightmare Before Christmas is a little dark and if I were two I think I would be scared, but she is HOOKED!!! Everyday it is: "Mumma, Jack Moobee (movie) Please?"

I don't think Madi quite has a grasp on the concept of time, but she is ready to see all her "friends!" I ask her: "who lives at Mickey's Castle?" and she goes on and on! The other day while watching Snow White she said to me: "Madilynn hug Snow White?" I said, sure! You can hug ALL the princesses - she is psyched!!!

 

[MyMuse]

I can't wait for that movie to open here! Looks like a great time!

I have to say it was a very good movie. We just watched UP last week and I wasn't so hooked over it; there was spots that I liked....

But P&tF had me hooked!

 

[MyMuse]

Ok, trying to whittle this down!

Legend for the below
Navy: to do
Green: started, not completely done
Pink: done, done, done!

December Disney To-Do List
- Schedule refining/check park hours, etc
- Check weather: first check, continual checking....
- Buy luggage tags: done
- Mickey Head paint chips thank yous: done
- Consult with touringplans.com: not so great, I'll recheck tonite
- Prelim RideMax plans
- Book car service: done & $100 poorer
- Start pre-packing/packing list: done
- Photopass: done w/free PhotoMovie! Woot!
- Cancel Holiday D-Lights tour: done
- Buy travel alarm clock: done
- Recheck rental car rates / join speed service: done
- GPS, custom Disney POI: done
- Make new binder cover: done
- PA shopping goodies shown: done
- M&M charge & hotel: done
- Review menus: started
- Disney apps: added to web interface on cell, will play
- Timers for lights: bought, not yet installed
- bring suitcase up: done
- Go through travel item box: done, bagged & tagged
- Bank run / Cash in coinage: done $44.24!
- Cancel other car ressie: done & increased current by $18 to include 4 more hrs
- Check/Adjust ADRs
- Program in resort hotel addy on GPS
- Harmon / Grocery run: done
- Disney giftcard for meals: done
- Actually pack the suitcase
- Print Boarding Pass
- Buy & place grave cover in cemetary: bought, placed tomorrow am
- Work out house sitting & cat feeding




Packing List:
- chargers for electronicals & electronicals (cell, GPS, ipod)
- HRC shirt/zippie
- Disney shirts
- D23 shirt
- hair straightener, comb, creme, bands, etc
- sunglasses / glasses
- GPS (all done with Custom Disney POI!!)
- touring plans
- D23 confirmation
- footwear: sneakers & ?
- mickey PJs
- eye solution, cleaner, holder
- make-up, cleanser, toiletry, perfume, etc.
- mints