Winter Wonderland in Sunny Orlando Dec 2009 PTR~NEW 12/18 We're Back! TR Link Posted!

[khertz]

Me and my boyfriend are thinking the same way as you. We want to have as much fun as we can and do all the thrill rides before we settle down first. We will be there Nov. 30 til Dec.7. This will be our first the going to WDW so I am super excited! We live in CA and we go to Disneyland all the time, so i'm pretty sure we will have a feel for the Magic kingdom

I have always wanted to go to Disneyland! I wish I lived close to any Disney park, so that I could go whenever I felt like it. Have a GREAT time on your first trip. There is so much to see & do! I bet it won't be your last.

You guys all have the right idea...get a couple of trips in before the kids come along.

Though, I have to tell you nothing beats bringing your kid(s) to WDW and seeing the place through their eyes. I also highly recommend packing an in-law so you can have some evenings out as well.

SkierPete

That is exactly the plan! I'm excited to have one last adults only trip, but I can't WAIT to bring my kids in the future. It will probably feel like an entirely different vacation! I am thinking the ideal age will be about 4-5. I never got to go that young when I still believed in all the Disney magic, so I want my kids to have that. When I went at 9 for the first time with my aunt and uncle, my aunt said I refused to do a lot of rides that were too "baby" so I don't want to wait too long to take them and miss out on all of those experiences while they are young!

YAY!!! Your park plan notecards are SOOO cute! I love all of the graphics and cute fonts. I thought you hand wrote the first one, and then I saw it was a font! Good job! Even though we didn't fully follow our plans, we still loved having them!

Thank you! I have a ton of handwriting fonts downloaded, so I thought it would make them look more interesting than having just Times New Roman typing, but still leave them readable. I don't know that we'll fully follow these if we find we don't really need them, but we'll have them if we find it more crowded than we expect (which I really hope is note the case!!).

 

[skier_pete]

That is exactly the plan! I'm excited to have one last adults only trip, but I can't WAIT to bring my kids in the future. It will probably feel like an entirely different vacation! I am thinking the ideal age will be about 4-5. I never got to go that young when I still believed in all the Disney magic, so I want my kids to have that. When I went at 9 for the first time with my aunt and uncle, my aunt said I refused to do a lot of rides that were too "baby" so I don't want to wait too long to take them and miss out on all of those experiences while they are young!

Your thinking here is spot on...I think 4 or 5 is best. The hard part is waiting all those years to go. We want to go in 2005, when DD was 2.5, but after going with her to a local amusement park, we decided to wait another year.
We first took DD @ 3.5 for a short (5 day) trip. The trip went well, but she was scared / intimadated by a bunch of rides...and we are still paying for that now with her resistance to trying anything new...but she is also a bit on the timid side. (Doesn't like loud things for instance - so doesn't really like the fireworks.HATES Fantasmic. Doesn't like seeing good characters in danger.) But she LOVES going to WDW...so the early travel delivered another WDW addict.

Anyways, I always think the "sweet spot" age for WDW is 6-10 years old. Before 6, there is still a lot of things you can't do yet, even though there are plenty of things to do. As you pointed out, past 10 and many things are thought of as "lame"....though I think if you start them early, the nostalgia kicks in, and they will still like many things.

(It's interesting how the cycle goes...I remember as a kid loving the Jungle Cruise. Then, going back as a young adult, thinking it was the worst ride ever. Now, it's one of DD favorites, she is so wide eyed the whole time. In addition, I find that I personally get a total kick out of the awful "jokes", so I now have a blast on this ride again: "Uh, oh, a plane crash...and everyone knows what that means....hippos!", "There's old smiley, he's always looking for a hand-out, and there's his girlfriend Ginger. Now everyone, stay away from Ginger, because...you know...Ginger Snaps!" )

Sorry, I'm hijacking the thread....back to your regularly scheduled Khertz.
SkierPete

 

[mandy2012]

I have always wanted to go to Disneyland! I wish I lived close to any Disney park, so that I could go whenever I felt like it. Have a GREAT time on your first trip. There is so much to see & do! I bet it won't be your last.



Yes it is awesome living close to a disney park. I live an hour away from DL so it is home to us I wanted to go next week to see all the halloween decorations and check out the holiday themed space mountain, but it looks like we need to save more money for our wdw trip lol. Oh well, wdw is more important now! Haha we haven't even had our first trip yet and I am already talking about future WDW trips. No way will this be our last!!

 

[exwdwcm]

the countdown calendar is so cute!!!! I will have to do one for our next trip.

We will be at MK on that friday morning 12/11 too!

those cards are just great- love that font too. HOw big are the cards?

That is exactly the plan! I'm excited to have one last adults only trip, but I can't WAIT to bring my kids in the future. It will probably feel like an entirely different vacation! I am thinking the ideal age will be about 4-5. I never got to go that young when I still believed in all the Disney magic, so I want my kids to have that. When I went at 9 for the first time with my aunt and uncle, my aunt said I refused to do a lot of rides that were too "baby" so I don't want to wait too long to take them and miss out on all of those experiences while they are young!

yes, the adult trips are great and get them in now. I gotta tell you though- while I know that 4-5 is probably the better age for taking kiddos.....there is no way i could possibly wait that long. Heck, we waited 2 years just trying to have a kid and through many fertility issues. now that he is here and talking and has a little personality- we simply can't wait 2 more years. We are so excited to take him- he will be 26 months- just over 2 when we go in Dec. Will he remember- probably not, but we will and we will have those memories and pictures forever! I can't wait to see the look on his face when we eat with Pooh-Pooh- as he calls Pooh!

We took my 2.5yo niece back in 05 and she had a ball. She will now be 6 and probably a better age this time around. But its amazing what each child at each different age enjoys and can do. it is an adventure for all!!!

but yes, enjnoy the adult and alone time while you can!!!

 

[khertz]

the countdown calendar is so cute!!!! I will have to do one for our next trip.

Thanks! It was VERY time consuming, and my hands were killing me at the end, but I love being able to cross off a number every night when I go to bed!

We will be at MK on that friday morning 12/11 too!

Fun!! DH and I will be wearing our LGMH! I am a little oblivious sometimes, so if you see us, please come say hi, and I will do the same, if I am paying attention!

those cards are just great- love that font too. HOw big are the cards?yes, the adult trips are great and get them in now. I gotta tell you though- while I know that 4-5 is probably the better age for taking kiddos.....there is no way i could possibly wait that long. Heck, we waited 2 years just trying to have a kid and through many fertility issues. now that he is here and talking and has a little personality- we simply can't wait 2 more years. We are so excited to take him- he will be 26 months- just over 2 when we go in Dec. Will he remember- probably not, but we will and we will have those memories and pictures forever! I can't wait to see the look on his face when we eat with Pooh-Pooh- as he calls Pooh!

Thanks again! At the moment, I have the files big enough for 5x8 index cards, but I may have to shrink them down because they won't fit in our camera bag unless they are folded, and I'd like to keep them looking as decent as possible to put in the scrapbook. So that's still a little up in the air at the moment...

I have a feeling I'm going to be just like y'all! Even though 4-5 sounds like the best age for us to take them, I know it's going to absolutely KILL me to wait that long!! I'm already dreading it, and I still have 1 trip ahead of me! So my "long term plan" is to take the first kid at 4, before having a 2nd, because if I have to wait like 8 years until my youngest is 4...I'll just go insane! That's my plan if I can't convince DH to take them when they are any younger. He thinks I'm already crazy for even thinking about all of this!

Our trips are getting SO CLOSE!!

 

[khertz]

Not much has been happening Disney wise, but on Friday, I went into New Orleans to see my favorite band in the world, Hanson! I went with my sister and one of my good friends from high school, that I haven't seen in forever, and we had a GREAT time! They played for about an hour and a half, and I had such an amazing night, jumping & singing at the top of my lungs. It was my 5th time seeing them live, and my 4th time seeing them at the House of Blues in New Orleans.

Most people don't know this, but for the past couple tours, Hanson has paired with Tom's Shoes, a company that donates a pair of shoes to a child in Africa for every pair bought in the US. So before every show, the guys do a 1 mile walk around the city barefoot to raise awareness. They usually stop somewhere along the way to give a little speech about their cause, and sing a quick song. This year, I didn't make it in enough time for the walk, but I did it two years ago when they came through. Luckily my friend went and send me the pictures she took! The walk took place around the Tulane University campus.

And just because I LOVE this picture, here's me with the guys from the show two years ago when I was lucky enough to be chosen as the reporter! I got to interview the guys for about 25 minutes in the green room prior to the show, and I was able to go in front of the front row barricade for the first few songs of the show to take pictures for their website. I have been a fan for 12 1/2 years, so needless to say, it was an amazing experience!

Now back, to the PTR...

I posted my "final" itinerary a few posts ago...I should have known! No big changes really. I was just talking to my mom, and she said she may still want to do a lunch at either 50's Prime Time or Sci-Fi on our DHS day. So I went ahead and made a reservation on Monday December 7th for 12 pm for all of us. We may not end up keeping it, if the parents all decide they would rather eat at 50's. DH is not a fan of 50's, so if they decide to eat there, we'll skip the sit down lunch altogether and just eat a CS meal instead.

Also, I happened to check the website for The Melting Pot and found out I could make reservations online 60 days in advance, so I booked us for 7 pm Wednesday December 9th, which our second Universal day.

I think now, I am REALLY done with ADR's, but I guess you never know.

32 MORE DAYS!!

 

[exwdwcm]

ah, hanson is all grown up and much cuter than i remember! lol love the pics! sounds like a great time and what a great cause for Tom's shoes too.

love love love Melting Pot- we have quite a few here near us- about 10 minutes away. But we don't go a lot. Enjoy it!

did you have any issues booking sci fi or 50s for a party of 12? I was trying to get our 12/12 ressie for 13 of us at Sci Fi bumped up a bit and there was NO availability anywhere almost. crazy. i guess it is because all the DIS fan web groups (including the DIS) will be there celebrating what used to be mousefest.

 

[khertz]

ah, hanson is all grown up and much cuter than i remember! lol love the pics! sounds like a great time and what a great cause for Tom's shoes too.

Haha Thanks! I have been a fan since I was 12 & in 7th grade. If you had asked me then would I still be a fan over a decade later, I probably would have said no! But they are still around & better than ever, in my opinion.

love love love Melting Pot- we have quite a few here near us- about 10 minutes away. But we don't go a lot. Enjoy it!

DH & I ate there for the first time last December when I spent a weekend with him in Houston while he was at a 2 week long seminar thing for work. We had never even had fondue before, and we were a bit nervous since we are such picky eaters, but we LOVED it! The closest one to us is an hour away in Baton Rouge. When we saw one in Orlando on the way back to our resort from Universal, we knew we wanted to eat there again. Our parents never have, so it'll be new to them!

did you have any issues booking sci fi or 50s for a party of 12? I was trying to get our 12/12 ressie for 13 of us at Sci Fi bumped up a bit and there was NO availability anywhere almost. crazy. i guess it is because all the DIS fan web groups (including the DIS) will be there celebrating what used to be mousefest.

When I booked the reservation a few weeks ago, I had my pick of times from both Sci-Fi and 50's. But our group is of 6, so it may be a little easier than a group of 13. Even now, there are still a few times available for groups of 6. Maybe you could book 2 reservations for each half the group for times close to each other? I wish you luck, because I though getting reservations for 6 people was rough...I don't want to imagine 10+! Hopefully you can catch a cancellation and get a time that's better for you.

 

[mandy2012]

Not much has been happening Disney wise, but on Friday, I went into New Orleans to see my favorite band in the world, Hanson! I went with my sister and one of my good friends from high school, that I haven't seen in forever, and we had a GREAT time! They played for about an hour and a half, and I had such an amazing night, jumping & singing at the top of my lungs. It was my 5th time seeing them live, and my 4th time seeing them at the House of Blues in New Orleans.

Most people don't know this, but for the past couple tours, Hanson has paired with Tom's Shoes, a company that donates a pair of shoes to a child in Africa for every pair bought in the US. So before every show, the guys do a 1 mile walk around the city barefoot to raise awareness. They usually stop somewhere along the way to give a little speech about their cause, and sing a quick song. This year, I didn't make it in enough time for the walk, but I did it two years ago when they came through. Luckily my friend went and send me the pictures she took! The walk took place around the Tulane University campus.

And just because I LOVE this picture, here's me with the guys from the show two years ago when I was lucky enough to be chosen as the reporter! I got to interview the guys for about 25 minutes in the green room prior to the show, and I was able to go in front of the front row barricade for the first few songs of the show to take pictures for their website. I have been a fan for 12 1/2 years, so needless to say, it was an amazing experience!

Now back, to the PTR...

I posted my "final" itinerary a few posts ago...I should have known! No big changes really. I was just talking to my mom, and she said she may still want to do a lunch at either 50's Prime Time or Sci-Fi on our DHS day. So I went ahead and made a reservation on Monday December 7th for 12 pm for all of us. We may not end up keeping it, if the parents all decide they would rather eat at 50's. DH is not a fan of 50's, so if they decide to eat there, we'll skip the sit down lunch altogether and just eat a CS meal instead.

Also, I happened to check the website for The Melting Pot and found out I could make reservations online 60 days in advance, so I booked us for 7 pm Wednesday December 9th, which our second Universal day.

I think now, I am REALLY done with ADR's, but I guess you never know.

32 MORE DAYS!!

Aww Hanson is all grown up And they are barefoot lol. I have never heard of the Meltion pot before and when you mensioned you were eating there I knew I had to check what it is. I looked at the menu and I have never had fondu before, but the desserts look absolutely deleciaous! And it just so happens there is one 30 mins away So my boyfriend said he will take me there for Valentines Day

 

[khertz]

Aww Hanson is all grown up And they are barefoot lol. I have never heard of the Meltion pot before and when you mensioned you were eating there I knew I had to check what it is. I looked at the menu and I have never had fondu before, but the desserts look absolutely deleciaous! And it just so happens there is one 30 mins away So my boyfriend said he will take me there for Valentines Day

Melting Pot is DELICIOUS! When we went, we did the Entrees for Two, and they let us do the chocolate course in place of a cheese course, since we weren't crazy about the cheese offerings but definitely wanted some chocolate! We got the Chocolate S'mores one and it was SO GOOD! And it's really a lot of food, but it takes awhile to cook your meats and eat them, so you get full slowly because you are forced to eat slowly. I hope y'all like it!!

 

[mandy2012]

Melting Pot is DELICIOUS! When we went, we did the Entrees for Two, and they let us do the chocolate course in place of a cheese course, since we weren't crazy about the cheese offerings but definitely wanted some chocolate! We got the Chocolate S'mores one and it was SO GOOD! And it's really a lot of food, but it takes awhile to cook your meats and eat them, so you get full slowly because you are forced to eat slowly. I hope y'all like it!!

Mmm that sounds amazing. I bet it will be good because I eat slow all the time lol

 

[khertz]

Our trip is exactly 3 weeks away today!! I'm so ready to be there already!

This past week was DH's last week at home before coming home for vacation (he'll be out on the rig for the next two weeks). So we pretty accomplished everything we still needed to do so that when he comes right before vacation, we can be focused on laundry, packing, and getting the house ready for us to leave.

So the first thing we did was book our round-trip Mears shuttle. They'll pick us up from the airport when our flight lands and bring us to Bonnet Creek, where we'll leave our bags and hop the first shuttle to a park to start our tour of resorts! On our departure day, the shuttle picks us up at 4 pm for our 7:10 pm flight. It's a little earlier than I had expected to be leaving, but it was the time that defaulted when I plugged in our flight time, so I figure it's safe. Total cost for round trip for the two of us was $66, which is pretty good considering our other option would probably be cabs, which may cost closer to $100.

And we booked our rental car for the days after our parents leave. We got it through National for a great price of about $85 for two days. Saturday morning, we'll catch a shuttle to the TTC and pick up the car from the Disney Car Care Center, and keep it until Monday morning when we drop it off again. Everything worked out really well price and location wise.

Now a few disappointing moments...I was pretty bummed when I found out they had done away with Mickey's Twas the Night Before Christmas show at MVMCP and replaced it with a Stitch show. Don't get me wrong, I love Stitch...I tend to think of him as the sweet & loyal Stitch from the end of the movie more so than the mischievous and gross Stitch from the beginning. But I was really looking forward to seeing that show. Now, I find out that the Lights of Winter display at Epcot is cancelled! I'm really starting to feel like we should have gone last December instead of waiting!! Don't get me wrong, I'm still VERY excited about all the things we will be getting to experience, because everything is all new to me. But I'm quite disappointed that two things I was so looking forward to have been discontinued with things I think will be subpar compared to the original as replacements. I'm still trying to stay positive, because hey, we are going to be in DISNEY, and it will be beautiful, but I can't help feeling a little cheated.

Also, on a more personal note, if you are of the praying kind, please keep my co-worker Heather in your thoughts/prayers. I'm covering a shift for her this afternoon because her husband was killed last night. She is only a few years older than me, I can't even imagine being a widow so young, so she definitely needs the prayers.

 

[khertz]

My trip is creeping closer & closer! So I thought now would be a good time to break down our plans a bit more, so here goes...

Our vacation will officially start on Thursday December 3rd [DAY 0] when we leave to take our kitties to my in-laws house in Mississippi. I'm not looking forward to an almost 3 hour car ride with the cats, because Callie tries to get into everything (you can't leave that girl in her carrier, she won't stand for it!), and Linus cries and howls the whole way. It'll be a long trip, but I guess I should feel lucky that they aren't able to ask, "Are we there yet?!"

Here they are, so excited for Disney that they packed themselves up already! (We haven't had the heart to tell them they aren't coming... )

After dropping the kitty cats off, we'll start driving south towards my parents' house, where we'll all 6 be spending the night. But there's a little detour along the way. My newest cousin Sawyer will be turning 1 years old on December 5th, so we'll unfortunately be missing her first birthday party! My aunt & uncle's house is right along I-55, so we'll be stopping there to visit since I hardly see them now anyway, living so far away. We'll probably have dinner there while visiting with two of my favorite girls, baby Sawyer, and her gorgeous big sister Skylar!

The Birthday Girl!

Her silly sister!

It'll be a packed in night once we get to my parents' house, as there are only so many beds and 6 of us! But we'll manage, though we'll probably all keep each other awake whispering, "I'm too excited to sleep!"

On Friday morning [DAY 1], we'll be up bright & early! Rise & shine time will likely be around 5 so that we can all be in the car early. DH and I will be dropped off at the airport for our 8 am flight while our parents continue their journey on the road.

DH & I should land around 10:40 am Orlando time. Our parents will be taking our big luggage in the van with them, so we'll be able to skip right past baggage claim and find our Mears shuttle to take us to Wyndham Bonnet Creek! Once there, we plan to hop the first MK shuttle we see so that we can start exploring some resorts. High on the list are the Grand Floridian and the Wilderness Lodge, but we'll likely ride the whole monorail loop before taking the boat to WL. Lunch will be at whatever CS in whatever resort we are in when we decide we're hungry. We might also take the Epcot monorail to check out some of the Epcot area resorts like the Boardwalk and the Beach & Yacht Club.

When our parents arrive into Orlando, we'll meet up either at the resort or make our way to Downtown Disney and have them meet us there for some shopping, a Characters in Flight balloon ride, and dinner (Earl of Sandwich or Wolfgang Puck Express are my two front-runners). After grubbing, we'll take in a round or two of mini-golf at Winter Summerland before calling it a day and heading back to Bonnet Creek for the night!

16 DAYS LEFT!!

 

[thadarkslayer]

Just found your TR, and that's AWESOME that you got reporter for the New Orleans show. I managed to have my first first row Hanson experience at my show in Atlanta. It was amazing as usual.

Looks like I'll be missing my fellow likeminded Disney/Hanson fan by a few days. I'll be going to MVMCP on the 3rd. Bummer.

 

[khertz]

Just found your TR, and that's AWESOME that you got reporter for the New Orleans show. I managed to have my first first row Hanson experience at my show in Atlanta. It was amazing as usual.

Looks like I'll be missing my fellow likeminded Disney/Hanson fan by a few days. I'll be going to MVMCP on the 3rd. Bummer.

It was such an amazing experience, especially since I had missed out on meeting them SO many times (I had an M&G for the St. Pete show in 2005 that got cancelled because of a hurricane!). They were so laid back and nice, and I was surprised by how comfortable I felt after only talking to them for a little while. Front row is so great! But this last show, I stayed to the back and had tons of room to jump and spazz, and it was just as great!

What dates will you be there total? DH & I will both be wearing our LGMHs on our bags while in the parks.

 

[khertz]

Our first park days!!

Saturday December 5th will be DAY 2 of our Disney vacation! Since it is also the day of the Christmas Parade Taping in Magic Kingdom, we'll be avoiding that entirely and heading to Epcot.

The plan is to be there and ready for rope drop and tackle Future World aggressively. Our must-dos in FW are Soarin', Mission:SPACE, and Test Track. My mom will probably want to ride Ellen's Energy Adventure, but DH & I don't care to do that again, so we'll likely spend that time cruising around Innoventions and checking out the exhibits and games. I'd also like to ride Journey Into the Imagination with Figment, as it is one of my nostalgia rides.

Another thing to accomplish before finishing up in Future World and heading to World Showcase is getting our picture taken with the characters at the Disney Visa Meet & Greet! I have my fingers crossed for the whole Fab 5 to be there, but I'll be happy with any of the 5!

Once finished, we'll head to World Showcase and start exploring. My only real must-do here is Maelstrom in Norway, especially since we missed it last trip to do technical difficulties. I'd also like to catch a couple of the movies, like in France and Canada. And I'll gladly get a margarita while cruising through Mexico!

At 2:10 we'll be eating at Biergarten for our CP package. I'm hoping the meal won't take up too much time since it is buffet style. I'm a picky eater, but I plan to at least give things a try, even if it's not something I think I'll like!

We should have time to visit a few more countries before heading to the American Gardens Theater for our 5 pm Candlelight Processional narrated by Steven Curtis Chapman. I had never heard of him before the DIS, but I hear he is a great narrator, so I'm excited about this show! After the CP, we'll finish up the countries, grab a snack from Cantina de San Angel if we're feeling hungry again, and settle into our reserved section for Illuminations at 9:30.

The MK is open until 1 am, so if we are feeling up to it, we may head over there following Illmiations to get in a few rides before calling it a night and heading back to Bonnet Creek.

Sunday December 6th is DAY 3 when we will be leaving the world of Disney to head to the "dark side." I'm not going to lie, DH & I LOVE Universal! In the past, we have always done 2 consecutive days at US/IOA, usually at the beginning of the trip before spending the rest of the vacation at Disney. This year, we decided to do 3 days and to spread them out throughout the vacation.

I don't have much of a plan for our US/IOA days, only because I'm really hoping we won't even need much of a plan anyway. Both parks are open until 6 pm, and I think we'll get a lot accomplished. I think we'll probably start out in Universal Studios, where our must-dos are The Simpsons Ride, Revenge of the Mummy, Rip Ride Rockit, Men In Black, and Shrek 4-D. For lunch, we may eat in City Walk, where my top restaurant is definitely Margaritaville (where I may even have a margarita or two). My parents raised me on Jimmy Buffett.

DH and myself and my parents are Catholic, so we'll have to leave the parks a little early this evening to go to 6 pm mass at Mary Queen of the Universe Shrine. We have gone to mass there every vacation, and it's such a stunning church.

If we're not totally exhausted, we may go check out the Boardwalk area before heading back to Bonnet Creek for the night. Maybe grabbing a Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream??

13 DAYS!!

 

[khertz]

Moving on to DAY 4, which will be on Monday December 7th, we'll be heading to DHS for rope drop! Our first stop, along with everyone else, will be for our first ride on Toy Story Mania! So excited about this one! I think our best bet will be to ride first, then get a fastpass for later, before heading to our other top attractions, Tower of Terror and Rock'n'Roller Coaster. I'm sure we'll ride some combination of these three rides multiple times throughout the day.

I think that's about it as far as must-dos. Other things I'd like to do would be the Beauty & the Beast show and the Indiana Jones show since we missed both last trip. We also enjoyed Lights Motors Action, so I'm sure we'll catch one of those shows, along with a Backlot Tour. And I love the Great Movie Ride, so I'll definitely want a ride on there.

For lunch, we have a reservation for 12:00 at Sci-Fi Dine In. I have only eaten here once, and it was a day we were escaping the rain, so we took the first available seats, which weren't in the cars. So hopefully we'll be able to have a real drive-in dining experience!

We plan to catch the Block Party Bash in the afternoon, then late afternoon/early evening, we'll make our way to Magic Kingdom for SpectroMagic and Wishes! I LOVE LOVE LOVE me some Wishes, so I'm excited to see the regular version and the holiday version as well. The park closes for us at 8 pm (pm EMH), so we may just stay and shop a little bit before calling it a night. Our other alternative would be to make our way to the Polynesian beach to catch the Electrical Water Pageant, but that's not a must-do.

Moving on, we come to DAY 5, which is Tuesday December 8th, or as I have been calling it, MVMCP day! I mentioned last post that we are Catholic, and December 8th is a Holy Day of Observation. So since we have a long night planned, we'll sleep in that morning and head to mass at Mary Queen of the Universe for 9:30 or possibly even 11 am Mass. Lunch will be at the resort before we head out for a slow day at Animal Kingdom. We probably won't ride a lot of rides, but use the time to explore Camp Minnie-Mickey, check out the character trees and greeting trails, and maybe take in the Lion King and Finding Nemo shows.

Around 3:30, we'll leave AK and hop over to Magic Kingdom for some Christmas Party fun! I'm VERY excited about this night!! During the few hours before the party officially starts, we'll probably ride some rides and grab dinner at Cosmic Ray's or Pecos Bill's. We'll watch the Castle lighting ceremony at 6:45 and then I'd like to head for Toontown right at 7 to get in line for Mickey in his holiday clothes, and hopefully we can catch Minnie without too much line as well. If not, we'll probably save it for later in the party when more people have left.

During the first parade, my goal is to get a ride on Dumbo, since I have NEVER ridden it before, ever! As the parade is winding down, we'll head back towards Main Street for Holiday Wishes, which I expect to be packed! After that, we'll stay on Main Street and find a spot for the second parade, and maybe send some of us for some cookies & hot chocolate to enjoy while waiting.

We'll ride some more rides, and take in the Castle Forecourt show at 11:20 pm. We plan to stay until they kick us out! And that'll be the end of Day 5.

 

[skier_pete]

Ooooh....going to Universal...you'll get blackballed here on the DIS.

Just kidding...I love Universal too...but won't go over there until DD is old enough to really go on all the stuff...right now it would be a huge waste of money in my view.

Your trip looks good so far, though super busy. Good thing you are taking that "break" to go to church...otherwise I think you'd burn yourself out!

 

[khertz]

Ooooh....going to Universal...you'll get blackballed here on the DIS.

Just kidding...I love Universal too...but won't go over there until DD is old enough to really go on all the stuff...right now it would be a huge waste of money in my view.

Your trip looks good so far, though super busy. Good thing you are taking that "break" to go to church...otherwise I think you'd burn yourself out!

I know what you mean about Universal...I am still debating whether or not to include it when I do my TR! Still have some time to decide about that, though. We are roller coaster junkies, so we love it, but I can see where most of it is too intense or scary for little ones.

We are definitely going to be super busy! But I think with all adults, we'll handle it okay. And if we need a nap in the middle of the day, we'll do that too! I'm kind of afraid I'll end up taking said nap while in church.

 

[thadarkslayer]

It was such an amazing experience, especially since I had missed out on meeting them SO many times (I had an M&G for the St. Pete show in 2005 that got cancelled because of a hurricane!). They were so laid back and nice, and I was surprised by how comfortable I felt after only talking to them for a little while. Front row is so great! But this last show, I stayed to the back and had tons of room to jump and spazz, and it was just as great!

What dates will you be there total? DH & I will both be wearing our LGMHs on our bags while in the parks.

It's funny that you mention that St. Pete show in '05. I was living in Florida at the time, and had tickets for both the Orlando and St. Pete shows. I would have been there, too if it weren't for stupid Hurricane Wilma.

I met them at a M&G at a music store back in 2000. It was a quick signing at a table sort of thing, but at least I can say I've done it.

I'm not actually going to be at the parks full time. I'll be down in Florida for about ten days total, starting with Thanksgiving in Lakeland with family, and that's where we'll be for most of our time. We're spending a few days in Miami, and taking a day or two to come over for the Christmas party and Ice at Gaylord Palms before we leave on 12/5.