Trip Report ‘Tis The Season For More Disney! *COMPLETED*

Fa la la la la
la la la LA

But let’s be honest.
Which season isn’t the season for more Disney?
In 2017 I have been fortunate to experience winter, spring and summer in the world.
And now the holidays!
Since December is such a festive time of year at the parks, I think two trips are in order....don’t you?

Trip #1
Cast: Tuvalu and Em
When: December 1-4, 2017
Where: Port Orleans Riverside
Why: A Jingle BAM Birthday 2.0

Join us as we attend our first MVMCP, wander around World Showcase like a couple of newbies, meet a forum friend and intentionally watch LOTS of fireworks....did we get to Illuminations this year?

You’ll have to wait and see.

 

[Rista1313]

Don’t tell me....you’re one of those It’s a Wonderful Life people?

Hey now! LOL

My favorites:

0. Elf
1. White Christmas
2. Rudolph
3. Charlie Brown Christmas
4. It's a wonderful life
5. The Santa Clause
6. Holiday Inn
7. Yule Log
8. A Christmas Story (the problem is I've seen it too many times on repeat and I'm just so sick of it!)

Edited because I realized on my way home that ELF is my favorite =D I had to redo my list!

 

[amjt660]

Great report - looking forward to part 2 with the Woodster

Beefaroni - Classic!!!

Max

 

[Songbird76]

Don’t hate me... but I’ve never seen it. And never will. Not my cup of Christmas Tea.

I don't think I've ever seen it all the way through. We watched it in school one year, I think, and the part I saw did not appeal to me, so I've never bothered to watch it. I'm more of a Rudolph the Rednosed Reigndeer and Frosty the Snowman girl.

 

[MeeskaMooska0714]

This sign did not make me sad....

I wish I was as lucky as you! I took a picture of the same sign....but don't know when I will be back next! Thanks for letting us live out Disney moments through you!

 

[Tuvalu]

I almost missed my tragical express bus last trip due to slow bus service at the MK. I waited about 40 minutes at MK for it. I had about 5 minutes once I got back to my resort to get my bags from bell services and visit the ladies. As I walked up to the Tragical Express stop the bus was pulling up. I was ready to just Uber it to the airport if I missed it.

I wonder how many people on any given day miss their Tragical? Probably more than we would think.

Love your mother daughter trips! Soooo happy to read that Mama Melrose saw the error of her ways and put my favorite meal back on the menu ! Hope it stays there permanently!! Looking forward to reading about your trip with Woody!!

I love our mother/daughter trips too! You need to try it. And fingers crossed that the steak ‘n mac stays a keeper!

I love how you guys always get some park time in on your last day but I think that would stress me out wayyy too much. We did Disney Springs on a previous trip but we were off site with our own vehicle. Can’t wait to hear about you and Woody’s trip!

Park time on last day stresses Woody too. Not me!

No I’m not counting yet - The countdown starts from January trips - and I have to confess I am one of those people who would have been on that wall if I needed to be - eek sorry - safety wouldn’t even have entered my head but to be honest Chris would have probably stood right in front of me to make sure I didn’t fall - ah...

You’re right, I forgot the count begins in 2018!
(And please be careful....don’t want you to miss your turns on BTMRR due to injury! )

 

[Tuvalu]

Edited because I realized on my way home that ELF is my favorite =D I had to redo my list!

Elf is at the top of my list too!

Great report - looking forward to part 2 with the Woodster
Max

Thanks, Max!

I wish I was as lucky as you! I took a picture of the same sign....but don't know when I will be back next! Thanks for letting us live out Disney moments through you!

It is my pleasure to be there for others who can’t. Hopefully you’ll be trip planning again soon!

 

[wdwfamilynh]

Don’t hate me... but I’ve never seen it. And never will. Not my cup of Christmas Tea.

I'm right there with you!

 

[Gabe1]

I wonder how many people on any given day miss their Tragical? Probably more than we would think.

Easy enough to do. We waited 40 minutes for a bus back to WL from the MK! I could have walked. Then 3/4 of the guests for the Tragical were left on the curb, bus full. Last year at POR they were allowing parents to lap seat children, bus was so over capacity.
And in September a week after Irma there was like 8 people on the Tragical.

I love our mother/daughter trips too! You need to try it.

I agree. I took my first Mother Daughter trip to be at WDW on her Sweet 16th Birthday. Her brother was doing an internship at Disney at the time so it was fun. We followed that up with her College Grad trip. Two weeks of blissful fun!

Park time on last day stresses Woody too. Not me!

We tend to book the first flight out and the last flight home so we have always had park time on the last day though one year we just skipped it when we were down there for ThanksGiving week. So crowded, we did adult beverages by the pool instead.

Can't wait for Part #2 at the Lodge, it was so pretty!

Hey now! LOL
My favorites:
7. Yule Log
Edited because I realized on my way home that ELF is my favorite =D I had to redo my list!

We couldn't find the Yule Log this year? Did you, anyone? We wound up pulling it up on the Smart TV through a youtube but had to keep rebooting it.

 

[Gurt]

Another great trip for you and Em, looking forward to part 2 with Woody.

 

[LeighM]

Finally caught up - and looking forward to Part 2

 

[93boomer]

Another lovely trip!! Loved it! Cannot wait until the Woody TR!

 

[LisaBelle]

I love our mother/daughter trips too! You need to try it. And fingers crossed that the steak ‘n mac stays a keeper!

Allie wants to celebrate her 21st birthday at Disney in 2021, so I am hoping for a mother/daughter trip then if not sooner!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Five days after Em and I arrived home this happened ~

Now I know all you Northern winter-weary readers are thinking, “Big Deal!”
But here in Atlanta, a snowstorm in early December IS a big deal. We got more snow in 24 hours than we get in a year...or two years combined! It broke records. And it was beautiful.

But snow and ice basically shuts down metropolitan Atlanta. Lots of flights were canceled. I was thankful Woody and I weren’t flying for five more days and wouldn’t be affected by any issues at the airport.

Trip #2
Cast: Tuvalu and Woody
When: December 14-17, 2017
Where: Wilderness Lodge
Why: Bounce back, baby!

Stick around for more holiday fun ~ another Magic meet, the Rose Gold ears game, bouncers at BOG and nearly going deaf on Big Thunder Mountain.

 

[krause]

Five days after Em and I arrived home this happened ~

View attachment 259259

Now I know all you Northern winter-weary readers are thinking, “Big Deal!”
But here in Atlanta, a snowstorm in early December IS a big deal. We got more snow in 24 hours than we get in a year...or two years combined! It broke records. And it was beautiful.

But snow and ice basically shuts down metropolitan Atlanta. Lots of flights were canceled. I was thankful Woody and I weren’t flying for five more days and wouldn’t be affected by any issues at the airport.

Trip #2
Cast: Tuvalu and Woody
When: December 14-17, 2017
Where: Wilderness Lodge
Why: Bounce back, baby!

View attachment 259258

Stick around for more holiday fun ~ another Magic meet, the Rose Gold ears game, bouncers at BOG and nearly going deaf on Big Thunder Mountain.

Man, I complain about the cold but that fluffy snow is gorgeous . -40 and flat old snow = blech. Mildly cold and mounds of fluffy white snow = Christmas

 

[MotherofaPrincessLover]

I can't believe no one has put Christmas Vacation on their list of favorite Christmas movies. That's #1 for me. I also love The Santa Clause.

 

[93boomer]

Yayyy Tuvalu and Woody TR!!!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Thursday, December 14

There was still some residual snow on the ground when Woody and I left for the airport at 6 am. Typically when our area gets snow greater than a dusting, it is gone in a day or two. A temperature swing of 20-30 degrees from one day to the next is not unusual. But it had been cold every day since the snowstorm (and has remained that way! ) Temperatures at Disney were also predicted to be much cooler than they had been earlier in the month so we packed accordingly.

At the airport I had my favorite Chick Fil A breakfast ~ a chicken, egg and cheese biscuit. Oh and a Coke since I don’t do coffee and need to get caffeine somehow!

Woody had the same, but with coffee.

Our flight departed on time but landed early so we had to sit on the tarmac until a gate was ready. We were more than ready for a gate to be ready!

Woody got his first taste of #ShirleyStatus at DME.

When we scanned our bands at DME check in the agent gushed, “Oh you’re staying at the WILDERNESS LODGE! I used to work at the front desk there! You won’t believe the Christmas decorations and the giant tree! The tree is several stories tall! It is the BEST place to stay during the holidays!”

I gently tried to interject that we have stayed at WL during the holidays several times, but she was so excitedly chatting I don’t think she picked up on it.

We waited by ourselves in the DME line for 10 minutes and then someone decided to put us on the AoA/Pop bus. We didn’t know it was the AoA/Pop bus until we were onboard and the driver announced the stops. After drop offs at AoA and Pop, Shirley and her hubby had a private ride to WL.

We decided to use mobile ordering for lunch as we continued on the the Lodge. You’ll have to wait to learn which park.

The parallel access road along World Drive had recently opened and I took a couple pics of our maiden voyage.

 

[Tuvalu]

I can't believe no one has put Christmas Vacation on their list of favorite Christmas movies. That's #1 for me. I also love The Santa Clause.

Both of those are in my top five!
“Why is the carpet all wet, Todd?”
“I don’t know, Margo!”

 

[Tuvalu]

I booked this stay last December. However, the Bounce Back offer was only good for club level rooms. I tried several different combination of dates but there were no standard rooms available. Since we were only doing three nights (and we really wanted to stay at WL) we bit the bullet.

When our Magical pulled up to the Lodge I knew the CM with the clipboard was waiting for us.
I truly felt like Shirley!

Judith welcomed us and escorted us inside.
There’s that giant tree!

Woody and I had been upgraded to club level on a previous trip and the lounge was located on the 7th floor in the south wing, which is now the DVC side of the Lodge. I was curious if the lounge would still be in the same location and if all rooms on the 7th (top)floor were still club rooms.

When we entered the lobby elevator ‘special access’ was no longer required for the 7th floor. Judith said the lounge had moved due to DVC rooms being on all floors. How are non-club guests prevented from utilizing club amenities?

That’s how. MagicBand is required to open the gate.

Scenic overlook ~

The new lounge area is beautiful and spacious. Formerly the concierge staff had to stand at a tall desk right outside the elevators.

Not anymore!

Kids nook ~

It was very festive!

 

[SHP]

Great Pics!!!!