Coach Rick
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2003
- Messages
- 1,193
I feel like I just passed through a time warp! This trip was a quick one from most standards, but I can't believe what I saw. First off being a school teacher I did feel a tiny bit guilty taking time out of school, but I have been there for 6 years, and never took a day off for anything. Everything lined up right for this trip. I had a free roud trip from Southwest, I got tickets for my wife and two of my kids for $36 each way, of course the DVC points burning a hole in my pocket helped contribute greatly.
We left the day after Thanksgiving. I took the earliest flight since price didn't matter with a freebie. DW, DD, and DS left a few hours later. I got there, at 1:20, picked up the rental, did some grocery shopping at Winn Dixie, then headed over to VWL. WOW, all I could muster when I walked in and saw that lobby. Was checked in cleaned up, and headed out to the boat launch at about 4:15. Got to MK just in time for the lowering of the colors with the "Main Street Philhamonic". Those guys are great! on my stroll up Main Street I managed to catch the last performance of the "Dapper Dan's". Being a barbershopper myself I love those guys!! I caught a dog at Casey's, and continued my walk toward the mecca, "The Castle", where low and behold...Cinderbrellaration was just about to start. I gotta say after seeing it in August in the blazing sun, this performance was absolutely spectacular. I am not sure if it were the vivd colors in the darkness, or the 50 degrees cooler. Perhaps a combonation. I then got my bucket of carmel corn, and began my trek back to VWL to await the rest of my family, save my oldest DD who couldn't make this trip due to playing varsity college ice hockey. I decided I would have the rest of the family try out the Magical Express. I was kind of impressed, but we did have to wait an hour and a half for the luggage to arrive. No problem there. They arrived at about 8, and I had to rush DW to the local Dunkin Donuts for her fix of caffine.
Thus ended day 1
Day 2 began and ended at Epcot. We had PS for the "Candlelight Procession". We chose 9 Dragons. It was excellent, but I still can't figure where it was worth $40 a piece. Especially for my 11 DD. I can't believe they soak you for kids that young. We ended up taking most of it out with us. To me all the dinner's are priced way too high. Yes the food is excellent, but it isn't much different than the lunch's, and for an 11 YO, that is plenty. Disney is doing a great dis-service to young people. (IMO) That said, the Candlelight Procession was absolutely fantastic. I have to admit I had moist eye's from time to time. I couldn't believe how excellent the level of performance was. Rita Moreno was absolutely fantastic. She really seemed to enjoy it, and she meant every word. We watched West Side Story prior to leaving home so I could show the kids who Rita Moreno is. My 15 YO DS was awe struck. We sat in the second row near the percussion. DS being a percussionist was glued to the tympany. The night was capped with Illuminations. We knew right off the presentation would be different. Right from the begining without the flaming barges. It was great as usual anyhow! Only downside was the lines were just too long for any of the rides, and the FP were all with a return at a time that we would either be eating, or at the show. So we hung around the World Showcase, and saw things we didn't know existed.
Day 3 was all MK. We got in a few rides, but we also knew we would be back for MVMCP at night, so we did allot of the things we didn't normally do, and found the lines very light on all our favorites. We returned to VWL in early afternoon to rest, and prepare for the evenings festivities. Those of you that have never been during the Christmas season, ya just gotta do it! What a beautiful place. And the shows are absolutely spectacular. We had PS at Tony's Town Square. We had the Pasta and Meatballs. I didn't know they could make meatballs that big! It was more like to meatloaf's in the plate. Again, DD could not finish her plate, but they wouldn't bring her a child's menu because she was 11. Extremely unfortunate! This will probably keep us from doing dinner's in the parks much any more. I was still the only one to finish the plate, so once again we walked around with a bag full of food. They did finish it the next day, but still a pain. Now for the festivities. I managed to see every show, and am I glad I did. The special Christmas show in front of the Castle was great as was the "Night Before Christmas" in the Galaxy Theatre. The parade was great. My only complaint was the lack of lighting to adequitly video the parade. We left MK at 12:30 AM..oh yeah the Hot Chocolate was great too!!!!
Then came Monday, and that was kind of loose ends day. We started in Epcot to ride the rides we didn't get to on Saturday, and some of the other must do's like seeing the Voices of Liberty, and am I glad we did. The Christmas songs were great. We ended the day at MGM, and those Osborne Family Lights were great. I have never seen anything like that. I got my hot chocolate in one of those flashing mugs. Should have bought 4 as the rest of the family won't let me hear the end of it. We got some rain, but the kids still got one RRC, and TT in. Great time.
Tuesday and our last day in the world of magic was spent in Downtown, and something in all the times we have gone, and never done, Disney Quest. The kids absolutely loved it. Me, THANK GOD FOR THE CHEESE CAKE FACTORY!!!
The trip came to an abrupt end this morning with a YAWNNNNNN 7 am flight out. Got back to Providence at 9:15, went home dropped the luggage and went to school. Of course as luck would have it, I had scheduled a test for my freshman, and sophomores.
Now I am at my second job, and can't believe the day started at 5 am in the World of Mickey!!!! Hence the time warp!
We left the day after Thanksgiving. I took the earliest flight since price didn't matter with a freebie. DW, DD, and DS left a few hours later. I got there, at 1:20, picked up the rental, did some grocery shopping at Winn Dixie, then headed over to VWL. WOW, all I could muster when I walked in and saw that lobby. Was checked in cleaned up, and headed out to the boat launch at about 4:15. Got to MK just in time for the lowering of the colors with the "Main Street Philhamonic". Those guys are great! on my stroll up Main Street I managed to catch the last performance of the "Dapper Dan's". Being a barbershopper myself I love those guys!! I caught a dog at Casey's, and continued my walk toward the mecca, "The Castle", where low and behold...Cinderbrellaration was just about to start. I gotta say after seeing it in August in the blazing sun, this performance was absolutely spectacular. I am not sure if it were the vivd colors in the darkness, or the 50 degrees cooler. Perhaps a combonation. I then got my bucket of carmel corn, and began my trek back to VWL to await the rest of my family, save my oldest DD who couldn't make this trip due to playing varsity college ice hockey. I decided I would have the rest of the family try out the Magical Express. I was kind of impressed, but we did have to wait an hour and a half for the luggage to arrive. No problem there. They arrived at about 8, and I had to rush DW to the local Dunkin Donuts for her fix of caffine.
Thus ended day 1Day 2 began and ended at Epcot. We had PS for the "Candlelight Procession". We chose 9 Dragons. It was excellent, but I still can't figure where it was worth $40 a piece. Especially for my 11 DD. I can't believe they soak you for kids that young. We ended up taking most of it out with us. To me all the dinner's are priced way too high. Yes the food is excellent, but it isn't much different than the lunch's, and for an 11 YO, that is plenty. Disney is doing a great dis-service to young people. (IMO) That said, the Candlelight Procession was absolutely fantastic. I have to admit I had moist eye's from time to time. I couldn't believe how excellent the level of performance was. Rita Moreno was absolutely fantastic. She really seemed to enjoy it, and she meant every word. We watched West Side Story prior to leaving home so I could show the kids who Rita Moreno is. My 15 YO DS was awe struck. We sat in the second row near the percussion. DS being a percussionist was glued to the tympany. The night was capped with Illuminations. We knew right off the presentation would be different. Right from the begining without the flaming barges. It was great as usual anyhow! Only downside was the lines were just too long for any of the rides, and the FP were all with a return at a time that we would either be eating, or at the show. So we hung around the World Showcase, and saw things we didn't know existed.
Day 3 was all MK. We got in a few rides, but we also knew we would be back for MVMCP at night, so we did allot of the things we didn't normally do, and found the lines very light on all our favorites. We returned to VWL in early afternoon to rest, and prepare for the evenings festivities. Those of you that have never been during the Christmas season, ya just gotta do it! What a beautiful place. And the shows are absolutely spectacular. We had PS at Tony's Town Square. We had the Pasta and Meatballs. I didn't know they could make meatballs that big! It was more like to meatloaf's in the plate. Again, DD could not finish her plate, but they wouldn't bring her a child's menu because she was 11. Extremely unfortunate! This will probably keep us from doing dinner's in the parks much any more. I was still the only one to finish the plate, so once again we walked around with a bag full of food. They did finish it the next day, but still a pain. Now for the festivities. I managed to see every show, and am I glad I did. The special Christmas show in front of the Castle was great as was the "Night Before Christmas" in the Galaxy Theatre. The parade was great. My only complaint was the lack of lighting to adequitly video the parade. We left MK at 12:30 AM..oh yeah the Hot Chocolate was great too!!!!
Then came Monday, and that was kind of loose ends day. We started in Epcot to ride the rides we didn't get to on Saturday, and some of the other must do's like seeing the Voices of Liberty, and am I glad we did. The Christmas songs were great. We ended the day at MGM, and those Osborne Family Lights were great. I have never seen anything like that. I got my hot chocolate in one of those flashing mugs. Should have bought 4 as the rest of the family won't let me hear the end of it. We got some rain, but the kids still got one RRC, and TT in. Great time.
Tuesday and our last day in the world of magic was spent in Downtown, and something in all the times we have gone, and never done, Disney Quest. The kids absolutely loved it. Me, THANK GOD FOR THE CHEESE CAKE FACTORY!!!
The trip came to an abrupt end this morning with a YAWNNNNNN 7 am flight out. Got back to Providence at 9:15, went home dropped the luggage and went to school. Of course as luck would have it, I had scheduled a test for my freshman, and sophomores.
Now I am at my second job, and can't believe the day started at 5 am in the World of Mickey!!!! Hence the time warp!
