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.

 

[King Panda 77]

Riverside

 

[krisri18]

I'm a day and 3 pages behind, but I'm in! Always fun to live vicariously through @Tuvalu !!

 

[Songbird76]

All I want for Christmas is another Tuvalu TR! YAY!!

 

[rshell68]

I'm so far behind on trip reports. I transferred jobs on my campus and my new job is quite busier than the last so no more reading trip reports at my desk But thankful I found this one Always love a Tuvalu report.

When is second trip? We'll be staying on site 12/21-23....

 

[kaitertot5249]

As we neared Acadian House I pulled up the map and confirmed that yes indeedy, our room was in the dog section.

I'm staying at POR in June and I'm growing a little weary of the dog friendliness of the resort. Did staying in a dog friendly building have any effect on your stay?

I'm looking forward to the rest of your double feature!

 

[riverside]

Obligatory airport picture for @Doc Disney.
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What a welcome sight....no lines at DME!
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We walked straight through the queue and onto a bus.
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And less than five minutes later the bus departed! We’d be at POR in no time!

Or so we thought.

No, this driver did not detour us through the back entrance of DHS like my driver in August did. Our delay was not the driver’s fault. Barely on the interstate our bus came to a standstill.

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Why aren’t we going the speed limit? Why? WHY?!

“Rush hour traffic,” the driver announced.
We Atlantans know rush hour traffic. This wasn’t it.
Sure enough, it was just a backlog of vehicles from a minor accident. Once we passed the tow truck we resumed highway speed.

Interesting tidbit: Carissa is no longer the host in the DME video. Now it’s just a female voiceover. And Gus the bus driver’s part has been whittled away to almost nothing!

I noticed the same things about the DME video. I'm glad Gus is still on there though!!

 

[PacNWTigger]

I'm always game for a @Tuvalu TR!

 

[Tuvalu]

I'm a day and 3 pages behind, but I'm in! Always fun to live vicariously through @Tuvalu !!

All I want for Christmas is another Tuvalu TR! YAY!!

I'm always game for a @Tuvalu TR!

Glad to have y’all along!

When is second trip? We'll be staying on site 12/21-23....

12/14-17, will miss you by a few days.

I'm staying at POR in June and I'm growing a little weary of the dog friendliness of the resort. Did staying in a dog friendly building have any effect on your stay?

No spoilers yet

 

[Big Hair]

Tuvalu and Em, best trips reports ever. It's almost like I am there with you. Please continue.

 

[*Flynnderella*]

Yay I’m in!! We only ever used to go to WDW in December and since it’s actually my birthday today we would always be there for it!! Best. Birthdays. EVER!!

Excited to hear another @Tuvalu report

 

[RiceCrispyMickey]

Yay, I was thinking it must be almost time for the next Tuvalu trip report! So glad I managed to actually catch this one on page 3 and not after it was already completed like the last one!

 

[Songbird76]

Yay I’m in!! We only ever used to go to WDW in December and since it’s actually my birthday today we would always be there for it!! Best. Birthdays. EVER!!

Excited to hear another @Tuvalu report

Happy birthday!! I would LOVE to have a birthday at Disney! Mine was Saturday, and my son's was the 3rd. If it weren't for school, we could totally do it!

 

[Dave B]

Friday, December 1

On Em’s bucket list was spending her birthday in the Magic Kingdom. She was able to cross that off her list last year when we spent a whirlwind 48 hours in the world. As a teacher Em’s vacation time is limited ~ but when I realized her birthday would fall over a weekend again, I floated the idea of another birthday trip. It took about two seconds for Em to cry “Yes!” and she immediately reached out to her favorite sub, who agreed to cover her class.

Fortunately I booked our room before Pop Warner and the Cheerleaders snatched them all (which was the problem we ran into last year.) POFQ was my first choice so I booked it.....at least I thought I had. Stitch ate the page and we were switched to POR. No big deal ~ we like POR too.

A week later it was announced that POR was going to become one of the four “dog friendly” resorts. While we were not happy with this change, we weren’t going to spend much time at the resort and the odds were in our favor we wouldn’t be assigned a “dog friendly” building.

Em originally was going to work a half day and so we had an evening flight out of Atlanta. Then her sub decided she wanted to work a full day, which freed Em up to leave earlier. I switched our flight to afternoon which gave us the opportunity to attend MVMCP for the first time. The birthday weekend would begin with a PAR-TAY!!

We typically have TSA pre-check when flying out of Atlanta. Not today. But the line moved quickly and at the end was an agent wishing everyone Happy Holidays (really!) and handing out complimentary luggage tags.

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(We southerners are a friendly folk!)

We got to our gate an hour before our departure.
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Despite checking in exactly 24 hours in advance, Em and I were near the bottom of the B boarding group. We did find seats together towards the back of the aircraft. As our plane left the gate the flight attendant began the safety spiel, which I typically tune out. But she had such a calm, gentle tone that I was drawn to listen.

“Because we don’t trust you, we are now walking through the cabin to check if your seat belts are fastened and your trays are in the upright and locked position.”

“In case of a loss of cabin pressure ~ which won’t happen, otherwise we wouldn’t have come to work ~ oxygen masks will drop down in front of you. Stop screaming and secure your mask by the rubber band.”

I bet she moonlights at the Improv!

And she was right....no loss of cabin pressure. The only loss we experienced was the WiFi connection in the middle of an episode of The Middle (oh the irony!) Otherwise a non-eventful flight (jealous @Mr Ferret 88?)

Just before landing we put on our Merry Bands.
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Here we come!

Following along anxiously

Where did you get those COOL Magic bands!!!!

 

[12in12]

Yay I’m in!! We only ever used to go to WDW in December and since it’s actually my birthday today we would always be there for it!! Best. Birthdays. EVER!!

Excited to hear another @Tuvalu report

Happy Birthday! I hope you had fun today.

 

[LisaBelle]

I’m here!! So excited to read another Christmas TR!

 

[Sillysidewalker]

Excited for your report. We are surprising our sweet kiddos with a trip. This FRIDAY!! You are elevating the excitement to 1,000%!

 

[mcstensrud]

Oh my! I’m a day late and a dollar short!
Jeez I go and get my mothers house ready for the closing tomorrow and @Tuvalu goes and starts a TR I’m here now!

 

[cfry06]

I was there over your trip! I’ll have to look for us in the background of your pictures . Look forward to more!

 

[Ariel1986]

Yay another Tuvalu report!! Excited to read & live vicariously- even though I’m here myself!

Look forward to hearing about MVMCP- we’re going Friday!

Happy Birthday Em! Birthdays in Disney are indeed the best!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuvalu and Em, best trips reports ever. It's almost like I am there with you. Please continue.

I hope to post more very soon if I get my packing done.

Yay I’m in!! We only ever used to go to WDW in December and since it’s actually my birthday today we would always be there for it!! Best. Birthdays. EVER!!

Happy (belated) birthday @*Flynnderella*!

Yay, I was thinking it must be almost time for the next Tuvalu trip report! So glad I managed to actually catch this one on page 3 and not after it was already completed like the last one!

You're here early as I am running late....

Where did you get those COOL Magic bands!!!!

The bands are decorated with stickers from myfantasybands.com.

I’m here!! So excited to read another Christmas TR!

There will be pictures of the Lodge. Promise.

Excited for your report. We are surprising our sweet kiddos with a trip. This FRIDAY!! You are elevating the excitement to 1,000%!

How fun! Be sure to say hello if you see me!

Oh my! I’m a day late and a dollar short!
Jeez I go and get my mothers house ready for the closing tomorrow and @Tuvalu goes and starts a TR I’m here now!

You can relax as this will probably take awhile....

I was there over your trip! I’ll have to look for us in the background of your pictures . Look forward to more!

It will be a magical moment if you see yourselves!

Yay another Tuvalu report!! Excited to read & live vicariously- even though I’m here myself!
Look forward to hearing about MVMCP- we’re going Friday!
Happy Birthday Em! Birthdays in Disney are indeed the best!!

Enjoy the party! I'll be on the lookout for you this weekend.