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.

 

[Tuvalu]

Probably a stupid question, but are the buses heated in the winter? They are always FREEZING in the Summer and I had to bring my sweatshirt everywhere we went even though it was in the 90s temp-wise. The restaurants and buses were always sooooo cold.

The buses are heated when it is cold outside, keeping you toasty warm on your journey.

I so want to do Hoop-dee-doo on our next trip! We've never done it before because I wasn't sure that it would be worth it since DS won't eat any of the food and I wasn't sure either of my kids were strong enough English speakers to get the jokes, but now they are and I really want to try it.

The jokes are simple and corny, many of them geared towards kids, so if your two understand enough basic English they should enjoy the show. And they will accommodate your son’s dining needs.

Another stupid question....in that last picture....pretty much right in the center, right behind the woman walking with a plate of food...is someone seated back there wearing a stormtrooper mask?

The man is wearing a light colored ball cap with his sunglasses perched on the brim. (I had to enlarge the picture to see him clearly.)

 

[Rista1313]

I didn't realize this was 2 reports in 1 and I had unfollowed... I"m back.. reading away on page 22.

 

[KCL]

This was our view while we ate ~
View attachment 254509
It was a great spot for people-watching! We lingered quite a while.

What a great spot! One of my faves.

 

[Tuvalu]

I didn't realize this was 2 reports in 1 and I had unfollowed... I"m back.. reading away on page 22.

Sorry for the confusion but glad you’re back!

What a great spot! One of my faves.

Love everything about it.

 

[Tuvalu]

@krause, look what I found!!

I did take a picture of one the Ganachery chocolate bars after all!

(Doesn’t the totem pole look a little rose gold-ish? Maybe that’s why I didn’t like it!)

 

[wdwfamilynh]

@krause, look what I found!!

View attachment 260964
I did take a picture of one the Ganachery chocolate bars after all!

(Doesn’t the totem pole look a little rose gold-ish? Maybe that’s why I didn’t like it!)

Looks like bloom No wonder it tasted awful!

 

[Tuvalu]

Friday, December 15

I was awakened by the loudest snoring I think I have ever heard....and it wasn’t coming from the man sleeping beside me. It was 6:30 am so I wasn’t angry, just amazed that whoever else was in that room was able to sleep at all! Clearly someone was in dire need of a C-PAP. He was still sawing major logs when we left for breakfast over an hour later.

As soon as I dressed I threw back the curtains to see if the castle was still there.

It was.

I stepped outside and waited for a monorail to glide by. One eventually did.

The breakfast offerings in the lounge incorporated both savory and sweet.

I can honestly say I had never had smoked turkey for breakfast. Being a turkey junkie (and the fact that WL has a smokehouse just below our room) meant that was about to change.

Notice the “Hard-Boiled Hen Eggs” sign? I recently read a funny article about composing (hoity toity) descriptions for menus. The author specifically mentioned the current trend of referring to eggs as “hen eggs”, as if eggs were produced by something other than a hen and needed clarification.

(Apparently the WL chefs are hip to the trend.)

Oooh, I do like my oatmeal!

Nice selection of breads and fruit.

Quelle dilemma!! My fave double chocolate chip muffins!!

Woody picked a table for us overlooking the lobby.

In the end I went with my tried-and-true muffins and smoked turkey, which was delicious! I wish it were offered at other times besides breakfast.

Woody and I discussed our plan for the day over his second cup of coffee. It included some FPs, an ADR and just going with the flow....and we couldn’t wait to get started.

 

[Tuvalu]

Looks like bloom No wonder it tasted awful!

I had to look this up.
Ewwwwww!!!

 

[LadyBelle]

Notice the “Hard-Boiled Hen Eggs” sign? I recently read a funny article about composing (hoity toity) descriptions for menus. The author specifically mentioned the current trend of referring to eggs as “hen eggs”, as if eggs were produced by something other than a hen and needed clarification.

I was just about to say - where else would they come from?

 

[Gurt]

Im slightly confused about the eggs comments? In the UK hen eggs are most common but we also have duck eggs and posh people have quail eggs too, I personally love duck eggs.

 

[MinnieM123]

Well, I must say that the club level breakfast offerings have definitely been "plussed" since I was there, years ago. That's a nice spread. And I love the tables that overlook the massive, open lobby. One of my favorite places in the lodge was up on that level, looking down.

Like others here, I also laughed over the "hen" comment about the eggs--really? Do people ask nowadays if the eggs are hen eggs?

 

[Tuvalu]

Im slightly confused about the eggs comments? In the UK hen eggs are most common but we also have duck eggs and posh people have quail eggs too, I personally love duck eggs.

All female birds that lay eggs are called hens. What’s especially funny is that 99.9%
of all eggs served at U.S. dining establishments are from chickens. If a duck or quail egg is used that fact would be specifically mentioned.

Like others here, I also laughed over the "hen" comment about the eggs--really? Do people ask nowadays if the eggs are hen eggs?

I wish I had the link for that article as there were so many “descriptives” for obvious (and some not so obvious) items that literally made me LOL.

And you’ll see that noshing while overlooking the lobby was a frequent activity for us!

 

[Gurt]

All female birds that lay eggs are called hens.

you learn something new everyday, I did not know that.

 

[fractal]

You mean I've never had a rooster egg?

 

[krause]

@krause, look what I found!!

View attachment 260964
I did take a picture of one the Ganachery chocolate bars after all!

(Doesn’t the totem pole look a little rose gold-ish? Maybe that’s why I didn’t like it!)

YES! Of course you did! It looks hard and bitter

 

[MinnieM123]

You mean I've never had a rooster egg?

Never say never . . .

 

[Songbird76]

The buses are heated when it is cold outside, keeping you toasty warm on your journey.


The jokes are simple and corny, many of them geared towards kids, so if your two understand enough basic English they should enjoy the show. And they will accommodate your son’s dining needs.


The man is wearing a light colored ball cap with his sunglasses perched on the brim. (I had to enlarge the picture to see him clearly.)

Oh that's great that they could accommodate my DS with his picky eating. We are used to having to do QS for him before we go out to eat somewhere.

And that makes sooooo much more sense than a stormtrooper mask. I was thinking, how does one eat with a stormtrooper helmet on? I mean, I know it's Disney, so there are probably people wearing some sort of costume items, but of all the things to wear, I would think a helmet would be quite inconvenient when it came time to eat!

 

[Songbird76]

I was just about to say - where else would they come from?

Maybe they are expecting the Easter bunny early?

 

[Figaro Family]

@Figaro Family, look where we sat!

That is an expression I see on our Figaro's face way to often! I really enjoyed part 1 of your holiday travels, now catching up on part 2!

 

[Tuvalu]

Friday, con’t

The bus we wanted had just pulled up when we got to the bus stop. Two other couples besides us got on and the six of us had an exclusive ride to Epcot. That part of the journey was nice ~ not so nice was getting dropped off in the charter bus area in furthest section of the lot. Not sure why a Disney bus stopped there....and it made for a long walk to the front gate.

We entered the park just after 9 am and noticed there was no line at the iconic giant golf ball. “It’s a walk-on, let’s do it!” I said to Woody.

We entered the building and immediately stopped. An English-is-not-our-native-language family of six was in front of us and refused to step onto the continuously moving platform, despite being motioned to by a couple of cast members. Their delay ultimately caused the ride to shut down. (I wonder if something similar happened the day you got stuck in line, @RedNoseMickey?) With the platform at a standstill, they awkwardly tried to board the same car. Meanwhile, another CM motioned for me and Woody to step around them and board a vehicle a few cars ahead.

We had plenty of time to snap a selfie while the family eventually figured out six people do not fit in a vehicle designed for four.

However, it was still another five minutes until the power rebooted and we were able to begin our time travel. Thankfully we were able to exit the attraction without incident....but for all we know that family, afraid of moving platforms, is still riding the continual loop inside SSE.

As we made our way over to the Land, we passed a couple of women wearing rose gold ears and I pointed them out to Woody. Once inside I saw a few more and whispered: “There’s another. And another.” I was trying to prove to Woody how popular these ears are. Over the next three days it became a game between us who could spot the most rose gold ears....causing Woody to ultimately proclaim: “Do they sell any other kind??!!”

Our first FP of the day. Look, no line!

Which concourse would it be?

We were sent to A. We made it all the way down the ramp without stopping as the gates were being loaded. The CM at the bottom of the ramp told us to go on through....so we did....but there was no room for us in any of the gates.

A different CM apologized and said, “Wait here and I’ll put you in B1 next flight.”

We’ll absolutely wait for the best seat in the house!