We’re Coming all the way from the Land Down Under! Jan 2012 PTR

[OziJo]

13


And 3 Days 'til Christmas

I am going into the city today with DD's 2&3 to see the Harry Potter exhibition. It's like a preview for our trip The girls are getting themselves home on the train then I am meeting DH for some last minute shopping and our annual Christmas dinner at Sailor Thai. Hope it stops raining. We have had so much rain this month it's crazy!

Day 10 Fri 13th Jan.

13 days to go and Friday 13th if I was the superstitious type...but I'm not so here goes.

Today is Animal Kingdom day. Looking at what Animal Kingdom has to offer I figure we won't need much more than half a day. To make the most of it though we will be up early and there for opening. Our TP starts with Expedition Everest. We will ride DINOSAUR, do Maharajah Jungle Trek, Kilimanjaro Safaris and maybe take a walk through the Panjani Forest Trail.

We will end with It's Tough to be a Bug. We enjoyed this show at CAP.

After lunch, probably Flame Tree BBQ, we will decide whether to visit DHS again (gotta do more Star Tours) or head back to Fort Wilderness for a leisurely afternoon.

We have an ADR at Artists Point for 6:15 so we have to be back at the Cabin in time to get spruced up for our Disney Signature experience. Again FD has given us the opportunity to try something that would have been out of our budget. Gotta love FD

 

[OziJo]

12

And 2 Days 'til Christmas

There's actually 1 day 'til Christmas but my countdown was counting Christmas Day as well

Anyway in this post I will describe the wonderful day we had in our beautiful city yesterday. I took some photos but they were with DD2's little Sony and it doesn't take the best photo but we are getting anew whizz bang camera to take away so I'm just going to use this post as practice for Trip reporting. So here goes.

Yesterday DD2&3, DD3's friend and me went into the city to see the Harry Potter Exhibition and to do some last minute Christmas Shopping.

Here are the girls waiting for the train:

It was early...

We were lucky enough to catch a Country link train that stopped at the inter-city terminal there were a few decorations here and a nice festive atmosphere with people traveling for Christmas:

Our first stop was the Harry Potter Exhibition and this Official photo:

Hannah's looking good with her HP 3D glasses and Clair's looking silly with the thumbs up .

The exhibition was wonderful There were costumes and props actually used in the movies and you could really get a sense of the attention to detail that went into the making of the HP movies. Wands and robes; casual clothes and school trunks; Quiddich equipment and the Boggart closet; Hagrid's hut and the Gryffindor Common room, food from the feast and the Yule Ball; Dress robes and Ball gowns; Death Eater's Costume and Voldemorts Robes; Hermione's time turner and Neville's potted Mimbulus Mimbletonia; Proffessor Trelawny's Crystal ball and the teacup with the Grim; Proffessor Umbridges Kitten Plates and her Detention Quill; Dumbledores Robes and Fawkes; Centaur's and Acromantulas...I could go on. Of course I couldn't take photos. So I bought the book...

We had lunch at a cafe just as the rain came down. By the time we had finished lunch the rain had stopped. We headed over to Paddy's Market and Market City for some shopping the we jumped on the Monorail for a circuit of the City:

This is the best photo I took:

My last stop with the girls was the Queen Victoria Building which was beautifully decorated:

Clair at the base of the Giant Tree:

Various views of the tree:

And the stunning QVB stained glass window:

I sent the girls home on the train then set of to meet DH for some more shopping and Christmas decoration viewing:

DH in front of the Christmas tree in Martin Place:

Me in front of the Christmas Tree in the Strand Arcade:

I love the Strand Arcade:

Then it was dinner At Sailors Thai on the Harbour:

And this is what we ate:

A most enjoyable Christmas Eve Eve

 

[OziJo]

Back to our Plan...
Day 11 Sat 14th Jan

This is our last park day and I have planned to spend it mostly at Epcot. We will see how things are going but we may park hop and re-do anything that takes our fancy. We will need an early night tonight as our flight leaves at 9:20am. Dinner may be in the cabin finishing off any food we have left or if we haven't used our last TS credit then we might have dinner at Trails End.

Merry Christmas to All! Enjoy your time with friends and family. Eat Drink and be Merry

 

[PrincessInOz]

Great pictures of the girls, you, the Strand and QVB.


It's probably the calm before the Christmas storm here...and I'm gonna take advantage of an afternoon nana nap.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! You'll be flying before you know it. New Year's is only 8 days away.

 

[dmoore718]

So excited for you guys!!!! I have a few friends in Sydney and Melbourne (we used to work on cruise ships together...in our younger, pre kids, days) We always go to Disney in January, low crowds, free dining, and lots of family fun!! Enjoy every minute! I also have 3 girls about the same spacing as yours, 6,5, 2. Can't wait until they are teenagers....I mean, I can wait until they are teenagers..LOL!

 

[OziJo]

11
10

Yesterday was Christmas

Great pictures of the girls, you, the Strand and QVB.

Thanks PIO. The photos turned out ok. Santa bought us a new camera to take away but I wish I'd had it on Saturday when we were in the city.

So excited for you guys!!!! I have a few friends in Sydney and Melbourne (we used to work on cruise ships together...in our younger, pre kids, days) We always go to Disney in January, low crowds, free dining, and lots of family fun!! Enjoy every minute! I also have 3 girls about the same spacing as yours, 6,5, 2. Can't wait until they are teenagers....I mean, I can wait until they are teenagers..LOL!

Hi dmoore! I am looking forward to traveling with my teenagers. They are great kids and a lot of fun. The only issues we may have are with bathroom sharing. That's when they tend to snap at each other. Otherwise they are good company for each other.

Here's a couple of photos of the three of them yesterday on Christmas Day:

We had a lovely lunch at the brother in law's who is an amateur "Master Chef". We were snapping away with our new camera but I didn't get any photos of the food except for this one of the ham:

Back on topic, just to finish the 12 days of WDW plan:

Day 12 Sun 15th Jan:

I won't dwell on our departure i know we will be sad to leave. We will have to be up early to catch the DME to the airport for our 9:20am flight. Check out. Hop on the bus. Check in at the airport and if all goes to plan in the air by 10am. Honolulu here we come

 

[OziJo]

1 Week
7 Sleeps

As I write it is 1 week exactly until check in time.

I have just unlocked my new iPhone and it as all ready to use in the USA with my T-Mobile SIM Card.

All I have to do is buy some last minute bits and pieces, get the house in order and do the packing.

It's really happening

 

[PrincessInOz]

See? Good things come to those who wait!


Enjoy the anticipation. That's half the fun for me.

 

[OziJo]

Enjoy the anticipation. That's half the fun for me.

I love the anticipation but hate the anxiety regarding stuff like "do we need this or that". For example I have just been going through my documents and while I have printed off all our E-Ticket Itinerary and Receipt documents I suddenly thought do I need to print off all the information pages for all 5 of us. It does say "Each passenger traveling needs a copy of this document..." See these are the things I worry about...

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Ive just read your whole PTR looks like you have a great trip planned i loved reading about your DD's dancing. Hope you have a wonderful trip

 

[OziJo]

6 Sleeps

Ive just read your whole PTR looks like you have a great trip planned i loved reading about your DD's dancing. Hope you have a wonderful trip

Thanks for reading. My DD's dancing did become a major part of this PTR but that's because our life, as T.S Elliot might have said, is measured out in dance commitments and my countdown was inextricably linked to the complexities (and monotony) of transporting them to the various venues

So our packing has begun. I opened a suitcase and told the girls to throw in bits and pieces they want to take. So far it has two electrical adapters and some travel size toiletries. The adapters are vital as we have so many gadgets that will need to be charged. From our new DSLR to my new iPhone, the girls ipods and the Nokia I'm taking as a second phone. There's also the video camera and lets not forget the extremely vital hair straightener

Each will be responsible for there own gadget and associated chargers. Lets hope they remember to pack some clean undies as well

 

[Colleen27]

Wow, I am so jealous of sundresses on Christmas! It was unseasonably warm here this year, just a hair over 40° (or 5° for you Celsius folks), but we're back to "normal" now, below freezing with snow on its way.

Don't stress over all the last minute stuff too much. Somehow it all works out in the end, and before you know it you'll be on that plane to WDW!

 

[OziJo]

It was high 20's on Christmas and Boxing Day and the kids were swimming.

One day I would like to be somewhere for a white Christmas. It's definitely on my bucket list.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

It was high 20's on Christmas and Boxing Day and the kids were swimming.

One day I would like to be somewhere for a white Christmas. It's definitely on my bucket list.

The is always greener..only in this case, the grass really is greener at your house!! We had a green xmas this year and DD's were sad. Me? I was so happy I didn't have to shovel my way out of the driveway to get to work!!
Well...are you freaking out or what?
You have less than a week now!!

 

[OziJo]

5 Sleeps

Well...are you freaking out or what?
You have less than a week now!!

I'm not freaking out though I have little butterflies fluttering around in my stomach but I'm trying to remain calm.

I'm concentrating on doing laundry and putting it in suitcases as it dries. If the girls want to take something they are told to put it out to be washed and not think of wearing it again. The girls have been grounded, not for being naughty but so I know where they are and I can get them to help me with chores. They have been non stop socialising since school ended and every time I think of something I want them to do they are not there. So except for the money earners DH & DD1 we are all housebound for the next few days. I will probably have to make 1 last trip to the shops to buy a few things. First thing tomorrow.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Just take it one day at a time.

 

[aussietravellers]

Your ham looked fabulous, yum! The new camera takes great shots!

It was high 20's on Christmas and Boxing Day and the kids were swimming.

One day I would like to be somewhere for a white Christmas. It's definitely on my bucket list.

Oh a white Christmas is just amazing. We have had quite a few Christmas's in Zermatt in Switzerland and many of those days we have woken up an it's snowing Christmas day. Just magical. But I do love our Aussie Christmas, it is nice being able to sit outside, kids swimming (although I have to say, I have found this year to be colder than it is usually, took the dog for a walk last night and needed to put a long top on!)

Anyway, 5 days to go

 

[OziJo]

4 Sleeps

I felt a little sick yesterday. Sore throat, runny nose, bit of a headache and a little feverish. Woke up ok this morning. Glad to be getting this out of the way.

Don't feel like shopping today so the last minute little things will have to wait for the last minute.

It's cold and rainy here in Sydney. Will put a bit of a dampener on the New Years fireworks. We will have a quite one tonight and stay in and watch the Schools Spectacular full hour version on ABC 2. I doubt I'll make it to midnight with the way I'm feeling.

Have a Happy New Year ​

 

[OziJo]

Your ham looked fabulous, yum! The new camera takes great shots! Have to give the credit to my Brother-in-Law

Oh a white Christmas is just amazing. We have had quite a few Christmas's in Zermatt in Switzerland and many of those days we have woken up an it's snowing Christmas day. Just magical.

This is my dream. One day...

 

[OziJo]

3 Sleeps

Lots planned today. Laundry and getting the house in order. That means taking Chrissie decos down. Usually I would leave them up for a lot longer but I don't want to come back to them. It will be too depressing.

DH and DD2 have gone down the beach to practice their surfing for Hawaii

DD1 stayed over night at a friends place. Hope she didn't have too big a night. So it's just DD3 and me at the moment.

Lets get to work...