[mickaholic4077]

You may be wondering how a substitute teacher can afford The Poly and The Lodge at New Year's!! Well,people,I didn't say what Lodge or what Poly I went to,now did I? Actually,I went to Econo Lodge,Econo Lodge Polynesian Isle Blvd,and Pop Century!!!

I left home on the 29th and checked into my first hotel.I then came to MGM parking lot and boarded the launch to Epcot to pick up my Candlelight Processional dinner package,and waited at the ESPN club until 4pm for the Meet and Greet. MissyH and family & I were the only ones to show up!!! They were very nice to visit with once again(I met them at MVMCP),and after an hour they left to get ready for their PS at California Grill. I decided to go to MGM to watch Fantasmic and after that I went to Hollywood and Vine for dinner. While waiting to be called,I ran into Park Hopper and Mrs. Park Hopper,which was very nice. After dinner,I went back to my hotel for the night. More to come later!!!

[gingita]

Aww, I wanted to come to the meet and greet so bad, but I was scheduled to work.

Can't wait to hear about the rest of your New Years trip!

[queensmama]

A play on words, very very sneeeaaakkkyyy

[lovemysons]

Clever, Mickaholic, very clever! I am so glad you did get to meet up with Missy H!

Who was the narrator for the Candlelight Processional when you were there?

[mickaholic4077]

Stephen Curtis Chapman was the narrator. He was great!!!

The next day I went to Epcot. I got to The Land pavilion at 8:20,and my Soarin' Fastpass was for 12:05!!! The passes ran out by 11am. I stayed in Future World until my FP time and then went to World Showcase. I actually waited on line for 7 minutes and 45 seconds for El Rio del Tiempo!!! I had dinner in Mexico as part of my dinner package,and then made my way over to the American Gardens theater for the CP. I wanted a certain seat in the theater so I waited in line for the 6:45 performance even though my tickets were for the 8:15. I was really majorly po'd when I finally went to sit down only to find out that a sizeable block of seats in the reserved section were blocked off for VIPs,including the seat I wanted!!! The performance was great,though. I still got a good seat. After that,I went to pick up my free Disney Visa character photo and went back to the hotel.

[mickaholic4077]

The next day,New Year's Eve,I encountered the first Cast member angel of the trip. There are certain rides that I haven't been on for a year and a half because I am too big to fit through the turnstiles,so when jmouse reminded me of the Guest Assistance Pass,I stopped by City Hall and asked for one. The CM said,when I promised to only use it for those rides I really needed it for,said,"The only way you're going to see everything you want to see is if you use it for everything you want to see," so I did. She was right!! When I went on PotC,the CM took me by a back entrance. When we got into the ride,I could feel the stares of people and I could feel the waves of "Who the h-e-double hockey sticks is she and why does she rate a personal escort??" I finished going on all the rides I wanted to by 6:30(my last attraction of 2005 was the People Mover!!). I then went over to Liberty Tree Tavern to await my PS. (More to come later;I have to go to choir practice now!!)

[Dana]

Great report...I can't wait to hear the rest!

[tinkerbell]

that is so great you got to meet Missy H.. I keep wondering though ..has no one met up with Pooh Fan .. and did she get DC? I know MissyH was to get him from Pooh Fan.
Alma I think you hold the record for meeting DC'ers

[iluvwdw]

Can't wait to hear more, Alma!!!!!

[missy H]

Originally Posted by tinkerbell

that is so great you got to meet Missy H.. I keep wondering though ..has no one met up with Pooh Fan .. and did she get DC? I know MissyH was to get him from Pooh Fan.
Alma I think you hold the record for meeting DC'ers

My DH met Pooh Fan on Christmas Eve, we couldn't fit a meet in with our plans before Poh Fan left. She didn't get DC as she had trouble getting him from PC, we got him o the 27th Dec and will pass him on to Cincy.

[Erin]

Originally Posted by mickaholic4077

Stephen Curtis Chapman was the narrator. He was great!!!

I am such a big fan of Steven Curtis Chapman - I have ALL his CDs, and I am so very, extremely, incredibly jealous that you got to see him do the narration for the Candlelight Processional!

[mickaholic4077]

The food at LTT is very good!! I even liked the Green Beans!!!!! After I ate,(and met all my favorite caracters),I went and snagged myself a spot for the 2nd Spectromagic parade. It was alot of fun to just sit there and people watch while waiting for the parade to start. I broke down and bought some of those glow-in-the-dark Mickey on a stick things to flash while the parade was going on. After that,I started to make my way toward Main Street to be as close to the entrance as possible after the midnight fireworks. They were spectacular!!!!! That leads to the mess trying to get out of the MK. I didn't get back to the Poly where my car was valet parked until almost 2am!! The strategy next year will be either be at the foot of Main Street for the fireworks or bring a book,sit down at Casey's and read for an hour and a half. I fell asleep around 3 in the morning.(More to come;we have dial-up and my mother wants to use the phone!!!)

[mickaholic4077]

How dare my mother want to talk on the phone!!Doesn't she know I have a TR to do?????

The main title of this thread came into play here on the 1st. I checked into the PC. After I did that,I went to the food court and............................I bought a mug!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!! After I did that,I went to Downtown Disney because my room wasn't ready. It was while I was at The Earl of Sandwich that I met up with CM angel #2 while I had a major middle-aged moment(I'm not AARP eligible yet,so I call them middle-aged moments!!) I left my wallet at the EOS,and I was already back at the resort when I realized it,so back on the bus I go(luckily it was still there at the stop),praying that my wallet with ALL my cash is still there. Thank God that it was. Brittany,the CMA,was so nice when I got to the counter all upset. I think she thought I was gonna have a major meltdown. Let me tell you,I almost did!! I think my new strategy will be to tuck an emergency 20 in my upper unmentionables and load the rest of my vacation cash on my debit card,so if I ever do lose my wallet,at least I won't lose my cash!! Anyway,by the time I got back to the resort,my room was ready. I was in the 50's building,which was really nice. When I got to the room,I just got in bed and crashed for an hour because I was so tired. After I got up,I got ready for my 8pm PS at Jiko. I was kind of hoping that I wouldn't like this restaurant so much because it is very expensive for me,but it was soooooooo delicious that I know I will be back. After that,I was still a bit tired,so I went back to the hotel and watched TV and then went to bed.

[dhoughton]

Lovin' this report! Can't wait to hear more!

[mickaholic4077]

Woke up the last day,always the worst day of a trip,and went to breakfast at the food court. Their pancakes are great!!! I went back to the room and packed up. I decided to watch The Golden Girls on Lifetime because if I couldn't see The Golden Girls house in person anymore,I could at least watch them while I was at Disney. After that,I checked out and then went to the gift shop one last time. I then drove to the Beach Club and parked for the day because I was ending up at Cape May Cafe for dinner. I wanted my first attraction of 2006 to be Soarin',so I went to get a Fast Pass and it was for 3:27(got FP at 11:20!!!). I then just meandered around Future World and picked up another photo from my Photo Pass car and then went back to The Land and people-watched until it was my time to go on the ride. After that,I went to World Showcase to see The Voices of Liberty one last time. Then I made my way to CMC for a wonderful last dinner in Disney for a long while(I couldn't believe how much I spent on food there!!),and then left Disney to pick my mother up from MCO and drive home. All in all,I had a wonderful time,but it will probably be at least October before I actually stay on-site again,because I don't have a second job anymore,and money will be very tight for a while.