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

[MyMuse]

After 2 hours at the gym today (my new promise to myself to step it up), I came home to find my Disney D23 magazine and gift:

The Winter 09 issue features Princess & The Frog

Back Cover: how cute is this?

Issue with gift:

Close-up of front:

Inside is Walt Disney's replica of his 1932 holiday greeting card

I haven't read it yet, but it looks good!

Oh and earlier today, I found I won a House of Blues mug from Disney Everyday (www.disneyeveryday.com). Visit if you like.

 

[MyMuse]

Of course we plan the last minute disney trip and now we aren't going to make it to the city for the train show! Take lots of pics, I def need to live vicariously!

Somehow, I think you have the better deal!! LOL

Have a wonderful time on your trip; soooooo happy for you! Tweet, please!

 

[disneyaddicted]

Wow so much good news for you. I'm am so happy for you, you deserve all this happiness.
Praise God that your friend Cris is out of ICU.
Yay yay and YAY for getting your Magic and Meriment ticket, I can feel your excitement through the screen
The new binder cover looks great.
I loved the pumpkin carving pictures.
Have fun this weekend on your Christmas train tour, post pics please. And be safe in NYC. Not that I think NYC is super dangerous, I just lately feel compelled to tell everybody to be safe regardless of what they are doing or where they are going

 

[MyMuse]

YAY!!! ​

Remember the Disney-Verizon deal from LAST November. Well, an announcement was made via Disney Park Blog:

Earlier this year, we announced our first official Disney Parks mobile application – Mobile Magic. Now, we’re sharing details and screen shots.

You’ll recall that Mobile Magic is bringing attraction wait times, FASTPASS return times, extensive information on character locations and more for Walt Disney World and Disneyland theme parks to your Verizon Wireless phone. Development work has been ongoing but the team recently offered a walkthrough of the app and it’s looking great.

Attraction wait times on your Verizon Wireless device will be unique. There’s been an investment in the backend infrastructure to support Mobile Magic and offer actual wait times based directly on Disney Parks information.

As for FASTPASS, you’ll be able to check if it’s still available for specific attractions. And if FASTPASS is available, the app will deliver information about the next return time. So, if you can still get a FASTPASS, the application will show, for example: FP: 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Also, mobile maps are GPS-enabled. While wandering the parks, your location will be indicated by a white circle. Then it’s simple to scroll through content and find it on the map via a “getting there” option. The map zooms out and allows you to see your location and exactly where the character greeting or restaurant can be located.

It’s important to note that actual wait times, FASTPASS return times and detailed character appearances are only available in the park you are in. When you’re out of the park or on the soon-to-be-launched mobile Web site, you’ll see scaled-down wait time descriptions (now – moderate – high demand) FASTPASS availability (yes – limited availability – not available) and the list of character appearances will be limited.

If you are not a Verizon Wireless subscriber, you can still use your mobile phone to access select information via text and on the Disney Parks Mobile Web site. It’s just better from our friends at Verizon Wireless.

There’s more to this offering but we wanted to share these screen grabs and let you know that the app is coming soon. So, how’s it looking?

Of course, there are some official details you should know about: The downloadable Mobile Magic application for Verizon Wireless subscribers is available for purchase. Message and data rates also may apply. Coverage not available everywhere. Availability subject to handset limitations.

 

[MyMuse]

Wow so much good news for you. I'm am so happy for you, you deserve all this happiness.
Praise God that your friend Cris is out of ICU.
Yay yay and YAY for getting your Magic and Meriment ticket, I can feel your excitement through the screen
The new binder cover looks great.
I loved the pumpkin carving pictures.
Have fun this weekend on your Christmas train tour, post pics please. And be safe in NYC. Not that I think NYC is super dangerous, I just lately feel compelled to tell everybody to be safe regardless of what they are doing or where they are going

Thank you

I have to admit to being worried about all this good news. Is there bad news around the corner that I need to be prepared for? Or maybe it is the opposite and karma being nice to me after being a human pin cushion/guinea pig for various medical professionals for the last 6 months? Or to thank me for not strangling my bro?

Whatever it is I'm glad it's happening and hopefully, karma extends her good wishes to Cris and her family.

And yes, Christmas Carol Train Tour tomorrow. It is closing day for the tour and Jim Carrey already made an appearance yesterday to open this weekend. So, I doubt he'll do anything to close it.

 

[MyMuse]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !
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[Elevationist]

LOL! How cuuuute!

So glad you get to do Magic & Merriment, and also so jealous!!! OMG!

 

[MyMuse]

I kindly interrupt this PTR for other Disney News:

I'm going to be heading to the Christmas Carol Train Tour on Sunday.

I, hopefully, will be tweeting, if you want to follow:
http://twitter.com/MyMuse18

Back to your regularly scheduled PTR

I just tweeted a zillion pictures!

I will upload the PTR will pics and vids soon!

 

[mandy2012]

I have missed a lot!!!
Yay for Magic and Merriment
Yay for your Disney binder
Yay for the pumpkin patch
Yay for your dining
Yay for the Christmas carol train tour

You lucky duck you

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

YAY!!! ​

You’ll recall that Mobile Magic is bringing attraction wait times, FASTPASS return times, extensive information on character locations and more for Walt Disney World and Disneyland theme parks to your Verizon Wireless phone. Development work has been ongoing but the team recently offered a walkthrough of the app and it’s looking great.

WOOT WOOT!!! Glad to be using an app friendly Verizon phone!!!

 

[disneyaddicted]

I just switched from Verizon wireless to T-Mobil, I was told I would get service in the Hollow with T-Mobil since I couldn't with Verizon, but still no service and now I am missing out on Disney apps as well. phewey.

Don't question your good fortune, it came to you because you are a good person.

 

[MyMuse]

LOL! How cuuuute!

So glad you get to do Magic & Merriment, and also so jealous!!! OMG!

Mr Potatoe Head was a present from CJ. It came with 2 costumes - the ghost & vampire. This would be the only reason to get me on Toy Story Mania.

I really hope M&M turns out to be a fab event.

I have missed a lot!!!
Yay for Magic and Merriment
Yay for your Disney binder
Yay for the pumpkin patch
Yay for your dining
Yay for the Christmas carol train tour

You lucky duck you

Yeah, where have you've been!

Thank you very much.

Christmas Carol Train tour pics and vids coming up soon.

WOOT WOOT!!! Glad to be using an app friendly Verizon phone!!!

At least, we get something for sticking with Verizon and not jumping over to the iPhone. They have TONs of apps for Disney.

I just switched from Verizon wireless to T-Mobil, I was told I would get service in the Hollow with T-Mobil since I couldn't with Verizon, but still no service and now I am missing out on Disney apps as well. phewey.

Don't question your good fortune, it came to you because you are a good person.

I think Disney apps are available for most app-friendly phones. check with your carrier to see if there is anything. If not, make sur eto go to Disney with someone who does.
Verizon supposedly will get a "special" app due to its deal with Disney that was announced last November. It's only taken a year.

Thank you for the nice saying.

Ok, so Christmas Carol Train tour pics and vids coming up soon. Preview is on my Twitter page, if you are so inclined.

 

[MyMuse]

I meant to update the PTR with Christmas Carol pics, but completely ran out of time! Sorry about that.

I do have a few updates:

1) Posted earlier about winning a House of Blues mug from DisneyEveryday.com; I received it today!

2) Late this afternoon, more rooms were released for the room-only discount. So, I booked another night at Port Orleans Riverside. This way, I can relax the night before M&M weekend and get up & go for Saturday morning. And I don't think my fam was crazy about me getting up at 5:30am to leave their house.

3) I cancelled the Holiday D-Lights tour I had booked for Monday night. M&M will certainly be doing the same events. It was almost the same price!!

I will post pics and vids of Christmas Carol train tomorrow. I think I will be going to the movie on Saturday afternoon with my friend Mary.

I was interrupted tonight since I cancelled my existing NYC hotel and researching and finally rebooked somewhere else, saving about $100/night!

Night-Night.

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

Thanks for the quick, before bed update. I just squeezed one in too!

 

[MyMuse]

...for the Christmas Carol Train pictures. I have about a bazillion.

I start off the day waiting for a call from my friend Mary, so we can arrive at Penn Station at the same time. We initally were going to do an earlier time, but decided getting there 10am-ish was fine. I receive it and off I go to SEC to await the 10 minute train ride. I love it!!

Tweet: got the call and heading out to meet the train! Whoo!

At SEC, awaiting my train. I think I went on the 9:34am one.

View of NYC from SEC:

I arrive about 9:45am and hang in Penn, awaiting Mary. We meet around 10am and head off to get the subway to Times Sq. What a pain that was! Between getting a MetroCard and figuring out which side of the platform to be on and no info anywhere. Argh. It was probably easier just walking there.

Tweet: getting a little lost on the subway.... grrrr....why aren't more info!

In any case, we arrive at Times Sq around 10:30am and walk over to Grand Central, where the train was stationed at Track 37.

On the way:

The Grace Building:

We arrive at Grand Central:

Once inside, we head to Track 37:

At this point, it's near to 11am and the line was fairly long, but that's nothing new around these here parts. lol

We got our golden ticket!

Tweet: my ticket to the train

A very nice CM (from California!) took our pic in front of the train. And was also nice enough to give us a second ticket, so I can have one as well.

While waiting in line, we saw some characters, never did see anymore nor after:

Getting to the front of the line! This is the awning to walk through to get on the train:

More pics of the train: I tweeted this photo without a caption

Extreme close-up!

I think at this point there wasn't any more Tweets until I left the train. I spent a fair amount of time gawking.

Coming up..... inside the train!

 

[annnewjerz]

More more more! That train tour looks awesome. Can't wait to see the movie.

 

[MyMuse]

And, now we are inside the train. There were plenty of CMs around in their white Christmas Carol T-shirts. I don't think we spent more than 30 minutes online waiting. We got online around 11am.

Once inside, they split groups into 2 neat lines as each side had the same thing. We spent quite awhile on the train. Everyone seemed to be calm, cool and relaxed, though I did have one lady who kept jumping ahead of me. And, of course, I made a comment about it. LOL!

Inside the train...

Young Scrooge (Carrey) painting & costume

Slightly older

And a little bit more older (he's looking very Victorian)

Colin Firth/Fred (does he look a little odd?)

Robin Wright-Penn/Belle (doesn't she look like Julia Roberts?)

Forget this one...Gary Oldman?

Within the Charles Dicken Museum in London exhibit case

The train also had Concept Art, which was fantastic! The screens were so clear & crisp; it looked 3D. I may have to revise my opinion of HD TVs. I tried to make sure I also captured the name plate, so you know what I was taking a picture of.

Coming up next....turning into Ghost of Christmas!

 

[MyMuse]

So now we have travelled past the Concept Art (it was my favorite part!), we came to a dark car in which cameras and video were not allowed, but it was a montage of the making of the movie on the art/animation/3D level.

We were split into 2 lines again and each side on the same videos, although, I think in different spots.

Then we enter the scale models used in the movie:

A tiny Big Ben & a floating head

And they had really cool figurines! I want Marley!

And then a section of how the humans were transformed into characters:

Can you see me taking the pic? LOL

Next up was a Question & Answer session HD TV style:

Then we can get morphed into Marley, Scrooge, Belle or Tiny Tim. This was hard! You had to line up your eyes and then look sideways into the camera! It was like taking your first DMV photo. I hope I get the email soon.

Mary

Me

Coming up....one more section & more good stuff.....

 

[MyMuse]

More more more! That train tour looks awesome. Can't wait to see the movie.

More posts coming up!

I'm pretty sure I'll be seeing the movie on Saturday afternoon in your neck in the woods. I was trying for Friday afternoon, but I can't work it in the schedule.

 

[dawnbu40]

Great pics! When we went, I forgot the camera and I was so mad at myslelf!