There's no place like home for the holidays . . . and by "home", I mean Walt Disney World
Today, Sunday, December 10, 2006 was a catch-up and rest day before heading home. I spent most of the entire day at the Magic Kingdom. I wanted to see The Country Bear Jamboree. It was my dad's favorite attraction when we visited the Magic Kingdom for the first time 35 years ago, and he passed away just before Thansgiving. I also waited because I thought I might start crying when I saw the show (I didn't). I got my picture taken with the Big Cheese (Mickey Mouse) and the Big Ham (Donald Duck). There was a little excitement during the day. I went on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and left my camera and bag onthe ride when i got off. I didn't realize it until I was on Splash Mountain. When I went back they still had it. Evidently the lady and her son who got in the car after me were really nice and honest people. I was worried for a while but whatcha gonna do? I never made it back to Pirates of the Caribbean but I did get to ride its a small world and see the new facade. it looks more like Disneyland's its a small world. One of the new perks Disney has is PhotoPass. They hand you a card and you can get your picture taken anywhere and all over the parks where there are Disney photographers. They even had a special card the night of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. The perk with my vacation package was that I was entitled to a free 5X7 photograph but it has to be claimed online (I still need to do that). The perk with my MVMCP ticket was 50% any one 5X7 photograph taken that night in the park and 50% off any photograghs I ordered online. Both cards with their photos are valid for 30 days and then once I register online the photos are available for purchase for the next 60 days. While all the photographs are online I can send them to friends and family. Also you are able to edit and add borders to your photographs. You also have the option of buying the CD with all your photographs but without the added borders. Quite a marketing tool! I bought the one photo from MVMCP that night and bought the CD with ALL my photos from BOTH cards on it before i left on Sunday. Like I said: Quite the marketing tool!
The morning at the Wilderness Lodge was a relaxing breakfast since I had already packed the night before. I have to say that Magical Express works pretty well. The check-in desk was able to check my luggage but wasn't able to print a boarding pass for me. That was okay. I was more concerned about getting my bags back home. I could always use self-check-in at MCO to obtain my boarding pass. When I checked-in from STL I upgraded to First Class because my flight was being delayed and I was hungry (I figured it was the addition of a free meal). First-class was wonderful! Plenty of leg room, hot roasted nuts, a heated towel before dinner, free drinks, great meal, direct check-in and automatic boarding. So on the way home from MCO, I upgraded again (I was already spoiled from staying at the Wilderness Lodge). This time I sat by a talkative guy named Jim. He was traveling with his wife and baby daughter, and his brothers. It was nice to have a conversation partner on the flight. We discussed various topics and he shared some PowerPoint presentation on his laptop. I have to admit he was quite intelligent. On the trip in a and the trip back they (magical Express) have the on-board video pretty timed to the trip, welcoming you to Walt Disney World and bidding you a fair farewell and hurry back. Well, not I have a favorite new resort hotel and it is Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Don't know when I can afford to stay there again, but I am hoping to be back to WDW for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party in 2010 (I have to wait until All Saints Day falls on a Monday to get a longer weekend to enjoy the trip).
So ends my fourth trip report for day 4. There is snowplace like Disney for the holidays!
Yuletide Fantasy Tour
Today was a double-header. I went on The Yuletide Fantasy Tour in the morning and The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney-MGM Studios in the evening. I also caught Mickey Jingle Jungle Parade during the afternoon.
When I went to Disneyland the summer of '05 to celebrate it 50th, I took two tours: A Walk In Walt's Footsteps and From Imagination to Celebration. These behind the scene tours got me spoiled to find our more about what makes my favoirtie parks tick. Both were great tours with surprise gifts for the attendees. This tour was not different. Our cast member facilitators were David and Bryan. While I was on the bus from the Wilderness Lodge to this tour I met Ethan and Jennifer who were also going to be on the tour. The YFT gives you a in-depth look at Christmas traditions and decorations around Walt Disney World. A few higlights to the tour: fresh gingerbread from the Grand Floridian (now I want soft warm gingerbread cookies at home), seeing the warehouse where all the decorations are stored and repaired (its HUGE), being in World Showcase before it opened up to anyone else (aren't we special), being backstage at the Magic Kingdom and walking out onto Main Street (that was fun and the looks on some people's faces---where did these people come from), my free pin.
Did you know they start planning the decorations and changes five years in advance? And I thought I was an uber-planner thinking about next year!? Did you know that each store on Main Street has a different theme to their Christmas decorations? The Christmas tree in Main Street Square used to be real, but now it is artificial and put up in sections? Why are there birdcages in the tree at the Grand Floridian? No seriously, why are there birdcages in the tree's decorations? Germany's Christmas decorations are green and red while Italy's Christmas decorations are gold and elegant. The glass ornaments origianlly represented apples to hang in the tree. Really the glass ornaments were used to reflect the candle light from the Christmas tree. There is a hidden Mickey in the Christmas decorations on the New York Street at Disney-MGM Studios (as well as a black cat in the Osbourne Family Spectacle of Lights). Any other trivia facts you would like to know?
The Osbourve Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights is incredible. Most of the Streets of America (New York and San Francisco streets) are all decorated from top to bottom with lights. I mean there are lights everywhere! There is Christmas music playing and every 15 minutes there is a radio interuption to play one of three songs and then the lights along the main thoroughfare begin dancing/blinking on and off to the rhythym of the music. I heard both Feliz Navidad and TransSiberian Orchestra. It even snows! The crowd control at first was awful and everything and evryone came to a stand still while the music was playing and the lights were dancing. Then when it stopped, people started trying to leave anywhicway they could. Fianlly some cast member started standing in the streets with flashing light batons directing foot traffic in a one-way direction only. I bought some hot cocoa on my way out. They were selling them in souvenir mugs that had racing lights inside the mug.
And so ends my third trip report for day 3. There is snowplace like Disney for the holidays!
Holidays Around the World
On Friday, December 8, 2006, I spent part of the day at the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney-MGM Studios. Basically I tried to catch the updated attractions or the rides I haven't been on in awhile. Pirates of the Caribbean has been updated with Captain Jack Sparrow now in the ride (the well dunking scene, one of the burning town scenes, and at the end in the treasure room scene) along with Barbarossa in the attack on the fort scene. There is a really cool special effect with Davey Jones at the beginning of the ride like you're going through a waterfall. EPCOT now has Soarin' at The Land pavillion (just like the DCA version) and Finding Nemo at The Living Seas pavillion. I like riding in the clamshells and the effects along the way. MGM was the same, I missed out on the new Lights, Action, Motor Cars show because of some techinical difficulty, but I di get to ride Rock 'n' RollerCoaster and The Tower of Terror before heading back to EPCOT. TOT is one of my favorite rides. I get so psyched out and scared before the ride but the love the dropping feeling when it occurs. Go figure! I had dinner reservation at Chefs de France as part of my Candlelight Processional package, so I rode the boat back to EPCOT. DId I mention I rode the boat over to MGM? I'm starting to get spoiled riding around in these boats from resort to resort. Maybe it's the pirate in me? AARRGGHH!
The meal was good, but it is the Christmas Concert I always look forward to. Brian Dennehey was the narrator. He was fine. It was cold. What is so wonderful about this is listening to the Christmas story being told with orchestra and various choirs. I bought some hot cocoa and got in line after dinner for the 8:15pm show. A really cold front moved into Orlando that day/night and I could feel it was the wind blew off the lake. It was an Extra Magic Hours nights, so I hopped from ride to ride until about midnight and then headed home. (I mean The Wilderness Lodge. I'm really liking this resort.) When I got back I fixed some hot tea and sat by one of the fireplaces to warm up and get nice and cozy before I headed off to bed. I had a behind the scenes tour the next morning and wanted to be relaxed and refreshed for it.
So ends my second trip report for day 2. There's snowplace like Disney for the holidays!
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
On the evening of December 6, 2006, I flew down to Orldando to spend the next four days at Walt Disney World. My flight was scheduled to leave at 6:10pm but was delayed. You would think this would bother me but it didn't. I upgraded myself to First Class and didn't worry. I knew I would make it to Orlando somewhat on time, a little late but who cares, I was on vacation. The parks would be closed by the time I got to Walt Disney World. Flying First Class was nice I have to admit. So nice, I did it on the return trip. But more on that later.
I got to Orlando sometime before 10pm and to the Wilderness Lodge around 11:20pm. (I had figured on 11pm) One nice surprise on the flight was I got to see the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom as we were preparing to land. That was cool! Checked in, went to my room, didn't like the view initially (first floor looking out toward the Wilderness Lodge Villas) but had a change of heart in the morning. The room was for hadicapped but the hotel was filled to the brim. One plus is that the shower was very roomy. Anyway I changed and went down to the pool and hot tub to relax before heading off to bed and to the parks the next day. If you haven't been to the Wilderness Lodge during the Christmas season it is the place to stay. Very warm and cozy and rustic. VERY CHRISTMASSY! I'm glad I chose it now. Spent the next day at the Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom. I rode Expedition Everest multiple times. I am a roller coaster freak and this coaster freaked me out. Every time I rode/ride it I kept thinking that the Yeti was going to grab me. I know it is animatronic but it seems so real and the thimeing is so good. Also caught the new Finding Nemo show. It was cute. Spent the late afternoon and evening/night at the Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. I can only say it was a magical experience for me. I love Disney. I love Christmas. Two thing I love in one! I was guess what I enjoyed most was the ambience. There is something to be said about drinking hot cocoa and eating a sugar cookie while it is snowing on Main Street. The parade is just like I have seen it on TV all these years. I bought myself a Santa Goofy hat with light-up ears and got caught up in the spirit of the season. It's the most magical time of the year.
Coming and going to the Maigic Kingdom, I took the boat alunch from the Wilderness Lodge. This is a fun and different way to arrive and leave the Magic Kingdom. The monorail doesn't run through or stop at the Wilderness Lodge but I liked the boats better. Don't ask me why. When I was out at Disneyland I almost always rode the monorail into Disneyland. And to get around and over to EPCOT I preferred the monorail. The bus system is effiecient but these alternate means of transportation just make Disney a little bit more Disney.
So ends my first trip report of day 1. There's snowplace like Disney for the holidays!
