You're Here BY YOURSELF? A Solo TR COMPLETED!

[disneyshakeygirl]

When I go, I'm getting a beignet, all thanks to you!

 

[stopher1]

Having learned my lesson about trying to find a parking space in Downtown Disney last summer, I took the heavenly boat over there for shopping.

My building from the boat:

Getting closer. . .

Now, this is not a short ride and I don't want to fool anyone into thinking it is, however, it certainly beats driving around the parking lot for a half hour to only have to walk from Pleasure Island area to the Marketplace. Just sayin'. This is one of the best things about being at Port Orleans resorts over the other mods at Disney. And one of the reasons why Port Orleans is my area of choice first.

I LOVE taking the boats for transportation. They are a great option, and for those resorts that have them - I love using them. We enjoyed going to DTD on the boat from our Treehouse while there, and then again over to the Magic Kingdom while staying at the Wilderness Lodge. The buses are alright - and certainly if you're there with a car that's alright too - but unless you live in a waterfront community, how often do you get to take a boat to where you need to go? Let alone a monorail. Both are my preferred mode of transportation while at WDW.

 

[creativeamanda]

What great PP pics!! And those beignets--YUM!!

They were!

nice pics!!!!!! Gotta love those mousekeepers!!!!!

I loved Juana! I actually sent a letter to Disney about how wonderful she was!

Love the photopass pictures! So sorry to hear about your bad experience at Chefs de France! You would think they would have a waiting area inside and a computer to keep track of their reservations. Sorry to hear you missed your dis meetup.

I love the boat ride to DTD from POR. It was one of my favorite things about the resort. The French Quarter is so pretty! Do you know I still have never been inside WOD? We were downtown twice this trip and still didn't have time to get there. I need to schedule more downtime next for our next trip.

So jealous about the towel animals.... we didn't get any this trip. The only thing housekeeping left us was the bottom grill to the vacuum.

Those beignets look so yummy! I really wish we had made it over to the French Quarter for some. Next time for sure!!

Can't wait to hear more about your trip!

Stephanie

WOD is awesome, but you can get the stuff there in most of the other stores. I like it when it is during a down time and not so crowded!

Out of 4 trips to DIsney this was my first time having a beignet. But not my last!

Oh my, those look so good! Sounds like you had a successful shopping trip!

I did!

Never had a beignet myself, but was tempted. Now that I see your picture, I'm totally regretting not having one.

YOu have to sometime! I had some later in my trip, lol!

When I go, I'm getting a beignet, all thanks to you!

Great choice!

I LOVE taking the boats for transportation. They are a great option, and for those resorts that have them - I love using them. We enjoyed going to DTD on the boat from our Treehouse while there, and then again over to the Magic Kingdom while staying at the Wilderness Lodge. The buses are alright - and certainly if you're there with a car that's alright too - but unless you live in a waterfront community, how often do you get to take a boat to where you need to go? Let alone a monorail. Both are my preferred mode of transportation while at WDW.

I love the boat ride over, and I got to love driving to MK and taking the resort monorail around!

 

[creativeamanda]

By now, one would think that I was already getting tired of eating, but I drove over to the TTC and took the monorail over to the Grand FLoridian for lunch.

If you have never seen the Grand Floridian decorated for Christmas, it is certainly one of the "must sees" that I never got tired of during this trip. My reservation was about an hour away when I got there, so I took pictures and actually checked in early.

Beautiful!

I took the monorail over to Magic Kingdom. By this time, it was about 2pm, with the party starting later that night.

Crowds were already starting to thin out.

I walked this way to take pictures of the castle, and to look at what fastpasses I might want. I think I ended up with a Peter Pan's Flight one. I can't remember. What I do remember is that it was raining off and on, and the whole reason for me being there was for the Celebrate a Dream Parade at 3pm. It stopped raining just in time for the parade, which was started with a high school marching band:

The parade is not one I would want to see again, because it seems almost the same as the previous parade (I think Dreams Come True?), but I'm glad I saw it.

On I went to the Jungle Cruise, where I could have had a better tour guide, but that's okay. I saw my favorite animatronics (because it was the first ones I ever saw):

I then made a little loop around, and of COURSE, I had to go to

It is now impossible for me to ride this ride without thinking of TK. And I still try to get a good picture of Jack Sparrow on the ride (which is hard with no flash) for her.

I then ride a ride I don't think I've ever done when it was NOT raining.

For some odd reason, no one wants to ride this ride when it is raining. I don't get it--you're gonna get wet, anyway.

And just so you can see just how rainy it was that day, take a look at these clouds behind me:

I stopped at that CM at around 5pm, just before I had my MVMCP card scanned and I ate dinner.

Coming up, It's Party Time!

 

[kamikazecat]

I can't wait to hear about the party. We just bought into DVC and are going at Christmas for the first time.

I love riding splash mountain. I rode it at Disneyland this Christmas when it was raining and there was no line.

 

[LegoMom3]

Beautiful!

This really is gorgeous! Would love to see this sometime.

I took the monorail over to Magic Kingdom. By this time, it was about 2pm, with the party starting later that night.

Crowds were already starting to thin out.

Ok, this right here reminds me of why I always go in September..... Here you are saying the crowds are thinning out, while this to me looks like a mighty crowded day!! Wow.

I then made a little loop around, and of COURSE, I had to go to

It is now impossible for me to ride this ride without thinking of TK. ....

I know, right?!....it's like this ride is the embodiment of all things TK.


Nice installment!

.

 

[TarzansKat]

AW!!! You thought of me while on POTC. Bless you!

 

[creativeamanda]

I can't wait to hear about the party. We just bought into DVC and are going at Christmas for the first time.

I love riding splash mountain. I rode it at Disneyland this Christmas when it was raining and there was no line.

That is awesome--I would love to buy DVC, but alas, other committments are keeping me away.

I never understood why people won't ride a water ride when it's raining. To me, that seems to be the logical time.

This really is gorgeous! Would love to see this sometime.



Ok, this right here reminds me of why I always go in September..... Here you are saying the crowds are thinning out, while this to me looks like a mighty crowded day!! Wow.



I know, right?!....it's like this ride is the embodiment of all things TK.


Nice installment!

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The GF was really pretty. And crowds? Psh--it was more crowded when we went Oct 2008. Oct is supposed to be a low crowd time, as well.

Thanks!

AW!!! You thought of me while on POTC. Bless you!

I always think of you when I see anything dealing with POTC.

 

[ladybugmom]

That gingerbread house at GF in AMAZING!!! Can't wait to see this in Dec!! Can't wait to hear about MVMCP!!!

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

yay!!! Party time!!! I can't wait to see what you think

 

[Nancy for Disney]

Great update. I can't wait to here about the party.

 

[hucifer]

Reason #2 to visit the Mouse during the holidays...to see the giant gingerbread house in person. Those pictures are so pretty.

I too am looking forward to hearing about the party. I've done the Halloween one several times, but never the Christmas one.

 

[raider97]

Great update! Wow, we must have just missed each other during the day on the 18th! We had a late breakfast ressie at the Grand Floridian and got to MK about 12:30 or so.

Can't wait to hear about your party night! I have been checking the backgrounds of your pictures for my family.

Stephanie

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Hi Amanda!!! Sorry I'm late...after I got back I was sooo busy then I got on here and have been trying to catch up on my buds' trip reports and get my own rolling!!! It has taken a little while, but I am all caught up now!!! Looks great so far! I'm glad you had a great time! LOL about the girls on TOT. All of your pix are great!

 

[creativeamanda]

That gingerbread house at GF in AMAZING!!! Can't wait to see this in Dec!! Can't wait to hear about MVMCP!!!

The house was beautiful. And the smell in there? AMAZING! I'm not a gingerbread fan, but I sure could have sampled some of it, lol!

yay!!! Party time!!! I can't wait to see what you think

Coming soon!

Hi Amanda!!! Sorry I'm late...after I got back I was sooo busy then I got on here and have been trying to catch up on my buds' trip reports and get my own rolling!!! It has taken a little while, but I am all caught up now!!! Looks great so far! I'm glad you had a great time! LOL about the girls on TOT. All of your pix are great!

I know! I'll have to stride on over in the next day or two!

 

[creativeamanda]

Reason #2 to visit the Mouse during the holidays...to see the giant gingerbread house in person. Those pictures are so pretty.

I too am looking forward to hearing about the party. I've done the Halloween one several times, but never the Christmas one.

Halloween is a great experience--it's a toss-up as to which one I like better.

Great update! Wow, we must have just missed each other during the day on the 18th! We had a late breakfast ressie at the Grand Floridian and got to MK about 12:30 or so.

Can't wait to hear about your party night! I have been checking the backgrounds of your pictures for my family.

Stephanie

LOL--we must have been skipping around each other the whole time!

 

[creativeamanda]

As I walk through the park for the party, I find a new spring in my step. This is kind of hard, because I've been walking in and out of the rain for a while now. But in my eyes, the rain is all gone, and my party is going to be great. Because I've been there since before the start of the party, the crowds did a great amount of thinning out. I mean, Christmas vacation, and this is a wait time?

I did not take a picture of BTMRR, but I walkied right on.

Of course, nothing in the wait times matched the first time I saw this:

Before:

After:

My goodness--I could sit and look at that castle all day long! There are definite advantages to going to the party--shorter wait times, the cookies.

My favorite part is the fact that you can only see the Once Upon a Christmas Time parade at night during the party. For me, with Santa Clause coming through in the sleigh at night, there is a certain mystique that cannot be defined without truly being there. Believe me, I saw it both ways. I prefered night. And how did they get the candy and baking floats to smell like peppermint and gingerbread? I can remember inhaling so deeply as those floats went by (even though the candy float was refashioned from the candy float from the Boo To You Parade.

The nutcrackers were awesome!

Of course, the big Man himself!

Looking down Main Street at MY HOUSE!

No sooner did the parade end that I moved closer to the castle for the fireworks. I did not mind that I was waiting forever--I knew I would stay out my ticket, thanks to sleeping in that day. My goal was to capture some gorgeous fireworks. And I did:

For the rest of the night, I packed away the camera and just enjoyed the sights and sounds of Magic Kingdom during the party. I know I rode the mountains and at some point called my friend, Gillian, who was with me and my kids in June to tell her where I was. But mostly, I spent the night reveling in where I was.

I was in my happy place. One that can only be created by being where I was.

And before I left for the night, I grabbed a photopass photog. Yes, I look silly with my Santa hat and Christmas sweater. I didn't care. It was all becoming reality. Sure, I missed my kids still. But I knew they were going to be home when I got there. This was truly going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I'm glad I got to have it.

Coming up--"I like your shirt. Where'd you get it from?" Answer--"My homegirl TK"

 

[ladybugmom]

What beautiful pics!!! And you got some amazing shots of the fireworks!!! NICE!

 

[jenjolt]

WOW great updates and great photos!!! That gingerbread house is simply stunning and the castle...oh the castle is gorgeous lit up like that!!

You did get some great firework shots!! WOW!!! Glad you had such a great time!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Nice fireworks pix! Your description of how you felt was great!