We did the unthinkable!We Left the teenagers home: DH & I do Disney solo:update 1/15

[kschafer]

Ooh Ooh, I can't wait to read more about the MVMCP and see your pics too.

FYI, you can turn the green button function off in your user settings so that may be why it never looks like you are on

 

[MEK]

So with dinner, two rides, and hot chocolate and cookies under our belt, we headed over to frontierland to do Splash. I reminded DH that it was essential we do Splash. He got a little girlie here and said, "No, I don't want to get wet."

"Wet? Who's gonna get wet? Not us. Come on. Buck Up. We are going on Splash, so put your poncho on. Don't be a baby".

Apparently there were alot of other people who were afraid of getting wet on Splash, because the inside of the ride was empty. Looked like a ghost town. We had our choice of seats..... wooo hooooo!

Notice we skipped the front seat to increase our odds of staying dry! I love that ride at night. I remember the first time I did the night time version. Looking at that castle - wow! Fortunately I did remember to duck in time at the end of the drop and we stayed warm and dry.

After Splash we got on BTM. We waited 5 minutes, maybe. The wait was so nonexistent that we went on a second time. I actually could have ridden that ride all night!

By the time we got off BTM, people were lined up at least 3 or 4 deep for the parade. We walked from frontierland to HSM, looking for a spot where we might be able to sneak into the parade crowd without invading anyone's space. No way - impossible.

So we decided to skip this parade and wait for the 10:30 parade. We went on HM instead. On/off and then we went to Space Mountain. Even with the parade going, the crowds in fantasyland were pretty thick. Despite that, we practically walked on Space Mtn. I am so glad we did Space, especially since it will be closed when we go back in June. bummer! I know it is totally my imagination, but Space Mtn always seems darker to me at the night. How silly is that?

We got off Space at about 8:30, just in time to get a seat for the Twas the Night Before Christmas show.

Now let's recap here for a minute - In 1 1/2 hours we went on JC, Splash, Big Thunder 2X, HM, and Space. You have to admit - that is a freak'in record. That, alone, is worth the price of the party ticket.

But now we were going to do a Christmas activity. So here goes -
On With the Show

That recurring shadow in the right lower corner belongs to Mr Big Head

On Now for the Grand Finale

I have to admit, I spent so much time trying to take pictures of every little bit of action, I missed the show. Seriously, the premise of the show is really disjointed in my mind. I guess I need to hope on over to Youtube and watch a video of it!

Up next - trying to find a spot for the fireworks and moving three times to do it!

 

[MEK]

Ooh Ooh, I can't wait to read more about the MVMCP and see your pics too.

FYI, you can turn the green button function off in your user settings so that may be why it never looks like you are on

I just checked it and I was in the invisible mode. I think I am "on" now.

 

[Lady Lallie]

I see your green light so it's working!

I am seriously freaked out by the blinking eyes of the characters. I don't know why but it just freaks me out.

Look at you and all those rides you managed.

 

[MEK]

.....but I really will post more. I still feel a little bad about the fireworks because I got someone made at me. It was unintentional and I apologized, but I still feel bad.

 

[MEK]

I see your green light so it's working!

I am seriously freaked out by the blinking eyes of the characters. I don't know why but it just freaks me out.

Look at you and all those rides you managed.

Yeah - I checked and I was in the invisible mode.

 

[jennykay]

hello! I just found your TR and I have loved reading it! I am sooo jealous though - I really wanna go without the kiddos! DH says he would feel bad we'll see...

can't wait to hear more!

 

[MEK]

hello! I just found your TR and I have loved reading it! I am sooo jealous though - I really wanna go without the kiddos! DH says he would feel bad we'll see...

can't wait to hear more!

Hey Jennykay:

Thanks for stopping by! The childless trip was pretty fun. If my kids were any younger, I would feel bad. But they have been so many times and they actually wanted us to go. They were glad to get rid of us for a few days (expecially the older DS). In fact he was pratically begging us to go! So that made me nervous! Not a good sign!

 

[ILuvCrush]

Hey Jennykay:

Thanks for stopping by! The childless trip was pretty fun. If my kids were any younger, I would feel bad. But they have been so many times and they actually wanted us to go. They were glad to get rid of us for a few days (expecially the older DS). In fact he was pratically begging us to go! So that made me nervous! Not a good sign!

Hahaha!! My kids ARE younger.. i don't feel guilty in the least
They get to go plenty too... and I'm always 'nicer' when I get back from a childless vacation (especially a childless AND DHless vacation!) They like that they get MORE stuff when i go w/o them too

MEK love the party pics! That was an awful lot to get done in an hour and a half!! Where do they stage the "night before Christmas" show?? I had just figured it was in front of the castle, but your pics shot down that theory! Is it in that more or less defunct theatre in tomarrowland?? We are going in November... my mama is buying us all tickets to go...ain't she sweet!

Paula

BTW... I can see your light now LOL!! I didn't know that you can choose 'stealth mode' LOL!!!

 

[MEK]

When I first started going to Disney, I really wasn't that interested in the fireworks or the parades. My kids were a bit older and they were not interested in positioning themselves 30 minutes early to watch a parade. So any glimpses I had of the parade happened to be by accident. One evening, though, I saw the spectromagic floats from a distance, and I decided I really needed to pay more attention to this particular parade. The floats looked so magical, lights twinkling against the backdrop of the nightime sky.

As far as fireworks are concerned, my older DS never liked fireworks from the time he was little. The fireworks were fine, but the noise was overwhleming to him. He would watch from a distance with his index fingers stuffed in his ears. My idea of watching the fireworks at the MK was to make I timed them exactly with a ride of Big Thunder mountain. Once on the ride, I would twist and contort my neck in various positions so I could see the next big starburst overheard. To me, this was pure bliss. Or at least much better than standing in a crowd watching them. I really don't like crowds. I've never been a crowd person. In a large part, my aversion to crowds explains why I did not take my first journey to the world until my kids were 7 and 9. I imagined being immersed in crowds from sun up to sun down. I really had to be convinced to take my first trip!

It wasn't until I joined the DIS that I started to realize just how solicitious people are of their viewing spots. I didn't know that people actually debated over the best viewing spots and planned to be in that spot 45 or more minutes early just to claim it. I learned that it was extremely upsetting to people to have someone come into their viewing area at the last minute and partially obstruct their view. This all makes sense. I just had never thought about it. I started to become aware of my own approach to the parade/fireworks and I vowed never to intentionally obstruct a view.

So what happened next, after the TTNBC show, was not ideal. I knew I would really be cutting it close. Show - 9pm, Fireworks -9:30pm Hmmmmmmm! Tonight I really, really, really wanted to get some pics of the fireworks with the castle as a backdrop. I do not have any pictures like this. So when the show was over, I realized exactly how late it was - 9:25pm and how impossible it was going to be to take pictures without sneaking in front of someone at the last minute. I know I should have worked this out sooner. But I didn't. I was trying not to over plan and just go with the flow.

When the show was over we hightailed it over to mainstreet and arrived just as the fireworks started. I started madly taking pictures, but I really did not like spot and I kept being worried that I was blocking someone's view.

I grabbed DH and said, "let's move over here". I took him to a slightly less populated area near the CP. It was behind a fence and in front of a tree. I started taking more pictures, when I realized I might, just might, be blocking the view of two kids behind me. And this is when I did something dumb. I thought if I backed up to this empty spot in front of the tree I would be out of everyone's way. Are you still with me???? This makes sense, right? the spot was exactly the size my body would fit into.

What I didn't realize was that I had split up a brother and sister. It was so hard to tell who was with who. So, in my overanalysis of the situation, I made a bad decision. Still not realizing what I had done, I continued to take a handful of pictures. Then I turned to the lady beside me and said, "Sorry, I came in here at the last minute". I wanted to make sure things were cool. She said, "Yeah - you separated my kids". And this was when I realized what I had done.

I told her I was soooo sorry and that I was going to move. Which I did. I found a new spot just to the left. The view was not as great, thanks to a big tree, but it was adequate.

I guess I could get seriously flamed for even attempting to take pictures at the last minute like that. I don't know. I just know I felt stupid and almost wished that I had not gone to the show. Then I wouldn't be like a scambling idiot trying to take pics.

So, what's done is done. Which sort of leads me to a critique of the party. I was impossible to do everything at that party that related to Christmas. That is was 90% of the people were doing - the Christmas events only. Was it worth it for the Christmas events - yes - I liked the show. The fireworks - I don't think they were any different. The parade - not as good as spectromagic. The rides - priceless.

Would I go back - yes - but only if I needed a ticket for one night and really wanted to focus on rides OR if I was going to a party that was not sold out.

Well, I am not done yet. I still have many pics to post and I would like to tell you about the end of the evening.

To the family I disrupted, I again, apologize!!!!!!

 

[MEK]

Hahaha!! My kids ARE younger.. i don't feel guilty in the least
They get to go plenty too... and I'm always 'nicer' when I get back from a childless vacation (especially a childless AND DHless vacation!) They like that they get MORE stuff when i go w/o them too

MEK love the party pics! That was an awful lot to get done in an hour and a half!! Where do they stage the "night before Christmas" show?? I had just figured it was in front of the castle, but your pics shot down that theory! Is it in that more or less defunct theatre in tomarrowland?? We are going in November... my mama is buying us all tickets to go...ain't she sweet!

Paula

BTW... I can see your light now LOL!! I didn't know that you can choose 'stealth mode' LOL!!!

Paula -

That is exactly where the show is - in tomarrowland. It's a nice sized theatre, but the first show fills up very quickly, so get there before 6:30pm for a seat. The shows were at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 1015pm, 1115pm. You are lucky to be going to November - hopefully less crowded. You should also pick a night where you get the DVC discount and purchase your tickets through MS.

 

[ILuvCrush]

Paula -

That is exactly where the show is - in tomarrowland. It's a nice sized theatre, but the first show fills up very quickly, so get there before 6:30pm for a seat. The shows were at 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 1015pm, 1115pm. You are lucky to be going to November - hopefully less crowded. You should also pick a night where you get the DVC discount and purchase your tickets through MS.

The week that we are going...if they plan the parties the same way, we will have like 3 shots at it while we are there! I learned from the MNSSHP that I won't buy my tix more that a day/2 ahead... so that i don't get burned by bad weather. So we will plan on the 1st party of the week, then use the rest as backups incase there's a monsoon I agree... not as much of a rush on Xmas party tix prior to Thanksgiving so we should be OK. I hope to get a DVC or AP discount... that would be a bonus, but i'd rather wait til the last minute and pay an extra $5 and be sure the weather is good!

Paula

 

[Lady Lallie]

Oh, MEK. I wouldn't feel too badly about separating the kids. It was an honest mistake and the fact that you moved and apologized more than makes up for it!

 

[MEK]

The week that we are going...if they plan the parties the same way, we will have like 3 shots at it while we are there! I learned from the MNSSHP that I won't buy my tix more that a day/2 ahead... so that i don't get burned by bad weather. So we will plan on the 1st party of the week, then use the rest as backups incase there's a monsoon I agree... not as much of a rush on Xmas party tix prior to Thanksgiving so we should be OK. I hope to get a DVC or AP discount... that would be a bonus, but i'd rather wait til the last minute and pay an extra $5 and be sure the weather is good!

Paula

I totally agree with waiting to buy the tickets and if you get the discount, it's a bonus. I waited until 3pm the day before the party to purchase mine!

 

[MEK]

Oh, MEK. I wouldn't feel too badly about separating the kids. It was an honest mistake and the fact that you moved and apologized more than makes up for it!

Thanks LL. I feel much better cause I've been carrying around this guilt worried that I made someone else's experience less magical. I did get a little crazed, trying to get those pictures! I will post them tonight and hopefully you will say "WOW", though I still can't compare with Paula. arrrggghhh!

 

[ILuvCrush]

Thanks LL. I feel much better cause I've been carrying around this guilt worried that I made someone else's experience less magical. I did get a little crazed, trying to get those pictures! I will post them tonight and hopefully you will say "WOW", though I still can't compare with Paula. arrrggghhh!

I think that your Pics have been great!! I'm looking forward to seeing the FW ones Besides, your pics are exactly as you take them...I have a tendancy to clean mine up a bit 'post production' So mine are cheating LOL!!

I agree with LL..it was an accident. And you not only apoligized, but moved...what more can you do, really. i'm sure mom was cool with it

Paula

 

[twinmom]

If it was me I would have thanked you for seperating my kids. It would have saved me the trouble. I am always having to seperate them. That is life with 3 boys.

 

[MEK]

I think that your Pics have been great!! I'm looking forward to seeing the FW ones Besides, your pics are exactly as you take them...I have a tendancy to clean mine up a bit 'post production' So mine are cheating LOL!!

I agree with LL..it was an accident. And you not only apoligized, but moved...what more can you do, really. i'm sure mom was cool with it

Paula

Thanks Paula. I think I was just so he-- bent on getting those darn pics, I wasn't thinking straight! I really got crazy with disney fever. The word frenetic, would be appropriate.

If it was me I would have thanked you for seperating my kids. It would have saved me the trouble. I am always having to seperate them. That is life with 3 boys.

Thank you twinmom! That was hysterical and totally helped ease my conscience!

 

[MEK]

I wanted to post last night, but by the time I took DS 14 to indoor soccer, did grocery shopping, took DS15 to his friends, and put the groceries away, it was 9:30pm. I feel asleep on the coach.

I am up early because DH left the BR door open and started blaring the TV. Our BR is downstairs and the TV in the family room can be so loud when tyring to sleep.

So I am up, bright and early, and I plan to finishe my TR today. That makes me sad, cause I really enjoyed writing this report. Oh well.

So here are my infamous pictures of the fireworks
The first few pics I took on Main Street, then I can't remember where I took each picture. I just know there are heads, trees, or lamps in every picture

I'm gonna go back now and check my computer to make sure they all uploaded, cause I thought I had more in photobucket than I actually do.

 

[MEK]

I had really hoped to take my pictures from the train station, but I obviously could not get there in time. So, for this summer, I will definately research how to get a better picture. I also either need to learn how to use this camera better or get a new one. I think DH kept changing the settings, so I was not pleased with the pictures. I noticed I had much better success on my solo trip becaue I just stuck to the basic settings and didn't start changing things. Once he would change something, he could never figure out to get back to the original setting.