[Screever]

I might have made a TR when I did Spring Break some years ago...but that was wussy and amatuer. I promise this one will be much better.

Friday morning got off to a weird, scary start to top off a weird, scary pre-flight night. As most of you know and probably are wondering, my dad was sick with a stomach bug, but YES, Virginia...he did fully recover!! God is so good.

Anyhow, our flight that morning was canceled, so we waited about 2 more hours at airport for a later one which actually sent us to CINCINATTI, then to Orlando. Honestly, going west so that we can go south? Shouldn't complain though, we got upgraded to first class.

We arrived much later than we planned, but we did get to the timeshare alright; we were just in time for rush-hour traffic (gee, isn't it terrific? ), the detours in Orlando are HORRIFIC (scary moments thinking we were lost...) But we glimped some fireworks from one of the parks and it totally excited us. At least ME. There was a Disney-planning center on site which proved EXTREMELY useful and of course extremely useful people serviced us. We also discovered upon check-in that the resort transportation was not free...13$ per person round trip?? Rip off.

We were all very tired from a VERY long day of traveling, but mom and pops ran to a Publix and got us some foodstuffs, mainly for breakfast. By the time they got home I was hungry enough to eat toilet paper, but I fixed myself a weird dinner with what little dinner stuff we had, and at SOME point, unpacked and went to bed, with visions of EPCOT dancing in my head!

(I'll put each day in a seperate post of their own to make reading easier? Not trying to boost my post count, but it seems to be the cool method of TRs here...)

[diisneygeek]

Yaaaay!! I can't wait to see how your trip went!

[daisyd]

Yay!! It's started!!!!

[Dopey]

hungry enough to eat toiletpaper, rofl. That's bad. I hope for your sake that if you did take that roll off it's holder you returne it with the paper folding over the top

[Screever]

Saturday: EPCOT.

Booh-hoo-hoo-yaaaaaaah.

(If you read this whole thing, I will dress like a Santa Baby and give you a kiss! Or in the chick's case, give you a candy cane.)

We were worried aaaaall week that it would rain for at least a little this day, but no, it was gorgeous and clear and beautiful!! We ate it up, the whole day.

Got up around 7, and had to buy us each three one-day tix; all our older ones had finally been used up. We arrived right at opening time and after I bought some postcards for friends we walked right onto Spaceship Earth. (A classic, though is it just me or did the track we rode on seem noisier than usual?) Headed straight for Soarin; none of us had done this one before! The wait was hardly over 15 minutes, and we loved every bit of it. Even my mom, who tends to get motion sick; SHE wanted to ride it a SECOND TIME! (We're breaking new ground here, folks. ) It was dizzying as it first began and after it ended but the feeling passed and we fell in love.

We grabbed FPs for it, then headed to the new Seas with Nemo & Friends. CUTE ride. I'd like to know how they got those CG fish in with real ones, cause that baffled everyone in my family. We did Turtle Talk w/ Crush and I think my dad really enjoyed that one too! (He's not QUITE as into it as I am, or he doesn't show it.) Impressive technology, impressive improv acting on Crush's part, and just...wow. I would do that one over and over if I had all the time in the world. The kids were adorable. "Be sure to use the word 'dude' in every sentence, little dudes...your parents will LOVE IT!"

Ran back to The Land, grabbed some snacky stuff at the FoodCourt for lunch, then used our FPs for Soarin again. (My mom said she could do it again but we had other ground to cover!) We started marching round the world around 12:30...

Found Koda and Kenai in Canada, never saw them before! (Being a bear myself, I HAD to see them!) They were fairly naughty and knocked the book outta my hands but I'll forgive em someday. Saw Canada's "Santa", and in UK got Pooh & Friend's autographs then had our early dinner ressie (2pm) for the CP at Rose and Crown. ALOT of food...but very good food. And it was an alcohol-free meal.

Boo. Yah.

We mostly skimmed the other countries; saw Pere Noelle, the Moroccan drum-boy, then waited in the already HUGE line for the Candelight Processional. (I lurked around the funnel cake stand without telling my folks why...didn't see anyone from the Mouse-meet! ) The show began and was beautiful; everything about it was perfect. (The long-horns hurt my already damaged ears, but seriously, it was gorgeous anyway.) My dad wants to make it a tradition!

Grabbed a snack in America, bought some ornaments in Germany and saw the nutcracker lady (so sweet!!!), waited forever in Norway for a Santa-show that never started, rode Maelstrom, rode Rio del Tiempo, and realized all the seats were taken for IllumiNations. Sigh.

We took turns sitting at a cold, nearby location and standing by the railing along the lake; we saw the shuttle launch just 15 minutes before the show started!! That was VERY cool, everyone was applauding and cheering for the little streak of fire in the sky.

The fireworks were of course beautiful as always, and the holiday addendum was nice too; is that fireball at the very beginning new? I don't remember it and it scared the pee outta my mom.

We made it to our car/room okay and mom and I stayed up for a little bit longer; dad's bedtime is usually 8; getting in at 10:30 was a killer for him!

I got loads of pictures which I will upload once I'm through with the TR as a whole.

[Screever]

Sunday: fairly Disney-less, but little sprinkles of it, one of which made my day.

Got up to get to church, and much to my surprise, recognized the man helping leading worship. Broose Johnson; former, hard working Disney-animator was still in town! (I had met him and his family when I worked at WDW, they had me over for lunch and it was so wonderful.) I got to chat with him breifly afterward; he remembered me after three years of no contact! I had always wondered if he'd been laid off during the Florida studio closing or sent to LA...well, now I know. But at the very least, I DO know and I can still keep in contact with him.

A little bittersweet, but it totally made my day regardless.

We drove ALOT for the rest of the day; grabbed an old family friend (seriously, he's 92 ) had lunch at the Olive Garden, then tried shopping in DTD but the crowds were terrible and people were staring at this poor man. (He has a skin condition and has no voice box, he talks in croaks.) Stupid people... Bought a pin for a friend, took the old irishman home, then headed home ourselves for leftovers and Miracle on 34th Street. ("Oooh, dahling, how silly of me, hehe! Hellooo-ooooo!" )

We had called earlier that evening, hopeful for a dinner ressie at MK for the MVMCP; told we weren't garunteed 4pm admission without one. Of course they didn't check us but we got one anyway at the Liberty Tree and my mom and I kept gushing about it all night!

Whew...how am I doin', folks?

[E&B's Mom]

You're doing great!!!!

[tigger]

There are a lot of words there...where are the pictures?



Great TR!!

[Screever]

Monday: a little bit of everything, but still sort of busy. MVMCP!!

Dad and I dropped off mom at BSF, went to DTD Marketplace and I was nearly left alone. (He had a work snafoo and was on the phone alot.) Ran all over the place in search for the best, yet affordable gifts for my friends that I hadn't already covered, Tigger saw me but must have been shy, collected my dad and my purchases, then collected mom. Home for lunch and a nap, then mom and I went off to MVMCP! (Dad wasn't 'invited'...you read all about his bedtime!)

We'd never done this before, naturally we were excited. The crowds were just...WOW. Would have been an empty day if we'd been there since opening hour. Walked on HM, waited 20 minutes for PotC (I think I got a good picture of Johnny!!) "He has dreamy eyes" so says my mom. Strolled back to Liberty Tree and had the BEST MEAL EVER. We were set off in a quieter room, and the whole place cleared out a bit more as long as we were there. Food was great but mine got cold; I saw Goofy, Minnie, Chip & Dale and Pluto!! This was one of the best Goofys EVER; Rowdy, you have competition! He visited us twice, and even sat down once. And DALE...Dale goes to my school! He saw my SCAD sweatshirt and went NUTS, pointing and nodding and "laughing"...I told him my name and house, told him to find me sometime! (Boy or girl...? He kissed my hand for a long time and my mom had to remind him that she was my mother. ) Naturally I did not mail off that postcard.

The party had nearly started! The "Night Before Christmas" show was too cute; we had to stand on tip-toe behind some taller folk, as all seats were taken, but we enjoyed that one the most anyway. Minnie singing "Santa Baby" to Goofy?? Who wouldn't enjoy that?? "Sell it, Minnie!" said my mom. Also stood for the Cindy Castle holiday show; also cute but if I did this again I would probably miss it.

I dragged mom onto Stitch; we'd never done it before, and no offense, but I wouldn't do it again. It wasn't bad, but I guess I felt I could have spent my time better elsewhere. Mom's back seriously hurt after that (??) gave her some aleve and she was cured! Hoorah! Now for the best part: SCROOGE MCDUCK!!! He's so hard to find, and he was the one I REALLY WANTED to find on this trip! Got my first Photopass ever for this pic, and with 50% off I'll have to order some! We rode the Pooh ride, then found great seats for the fireworks (seats are vital to enjoying WDW with a mommy who's starting to fall apart. ) and I got stalked by Tweedle Dum. I couldn't hear a darn thing as far as the music goes, so I moved to a better place and found mom afterwards.

We figured we had no time for anything else...found seats on the curb outside Casey's for the 10:45 parade with free party sweets. It was beautiful!!! My mom bought pops a Mickey-ear Santa hat and wore it for the whole thing, she was cute. I had my heart set on Dumbo but it was not to be; we fell in with the crowd and left after the parade. We managed to drive home okay too, the detours were confusing everyone and had my mom a bit nervous.

I love my mom; because she enjoys Disney almost as much as I do. (If she doesn't, she does a darn good job of faking it!)

[Screever]

Originally Posted by tigger

There are a lot of words there...where are the pictures?



Great TR!!

Oh, I got your pictures...right here in my pants!

No no, wait...seriously. They're coming! Be patient! Only one more day left!!

[Erin]

Super job! YOu have a knack for detail, and I am seriously, with all my heart loving EVERY SINGLE word! Keep goin!

[Screever]

Tuesday: I didn't scribe this in my diary yet, but we didn't do much either!

Our last full day at Disney!

We chillaxed and packed for the whole of the morning; was nice to have a slow morning for once. (Had to pack day before cause of the early travels we had this morning; dad went to LA for business, mom and I came home. He thinks he's getting sick again!! Weird huh?) We headed out around 1, and hopped around resorts to see the decorations.

I have never ever been INSIDE the Grand Floridian before, but man. Let me tell you. If I had five days to live, I would stay there for one of em. I was the ultimate tourist; photgraphed the glass dome skylights and the chandeliers! And of course the tree and gingerbread house. (Photographs to come!) We monorailed it to the Poly, but no gingerbread there this year! Headed back to GF, then drove to Boardwalk. Of course, its busier at night, but it did what I intended and whet my parents apetite to go back and walk around for another trip! (Maybe even stay there? )

Headed towards DTD, found excellent parking right outside Cirque (squeeeeeeeeeee!!) and had dinner at the nicer Wolfgang Puck's. (I couldn't eat anything fried due to nut allergy, but the stuffed potato soup was GREAT.) Then we saw Cirque d' Soleil, my parent's Christmas gift.

A.
Maze.
Ing.

The seats were awesome; we sat right by where they entered for the intro fanfare. The dude that "flew" on the giant red scarves was...oh man. Droolalicious. He flew right towards as at the beginning, I just wanted to open my arms and catch him! "Do you like bears of very little brain? Cause you're hugging one." I could gush on and on about it but I think I've talked long enough; I bought the CD and have had the music in my head all day today! I even want to dress like the main, colorful feather-skirt lady for Halloween.

So...how was that for a TR? Did I leave too many details? I'm a gushy person but I try not to be; I get it from my mom.

You should hear her leave phone messages.

Thanks for reading; I'll resize and post pictures asap, but thats the hardest part.

[Screever]

Originally Posted by Erin

Super job! YOu have a knack for detail, and I am seriously, with all my heart loving EVERY SINGLE word! Keep goin!

Aww, Erin, you're so sweet! I need one of those Staples "EASY" buttons that says "ERIN" instead, so I can have sweetness on call when I'm feeling low!

....y'know, I bet alot of MBers would buy those...I could make millions!

[Screever]

A chilly but beautiful start to EPCOT. I know, my mom is an eskimo.

This was also the only picture of the three of us. Silly pops.

(These pictures are too insanely small. I'm planning on uploading them all to my webshots soon so you can look at them there larger in a day or two. Keep checking it for a new album!)

[Screever]

Me an' Brucey. "I wonder if clownfish taste funny...!"