Trip Report Live Reporting Xmas Eve to New Year's

Welcome to the latest Brifraz live trip report. I'm sure there are many of you who have followed along with us in the past - this is our 10th WDW Trip Report (if you include the Aulani report, 11th). But, I am also sure that we have some new travelers along for the ride.

So...we are a team of 3. Our DD is now 11 years old and heading quickly for 12.

Most of the household activities revolve around music. I teach high school band and my daughter is fully immersed in it (she plays euphonium, tuba, and trombone in different bands at her school, plus piano at home and sings in school as well as a community chorus). Mrs. Brifraz is also a teacher, but she teaches English - we are in fact at rival high schools which makes things fun, and in a couple years our daughter will be at a third high school which considers both of ours to be rivals of a sort.

As a youth, I visited the World quite early on. My Great Aunt lived in Orlando as her first husband was a scientist with NASA and I got to visit DW quite early on. Sadly, those visits ended with my youth and it was not until I was out of college that I began to go back. In the 90s I did a number of trips with different friends until I took my girlfriend there in 1999 and to my great shock she has stayed with me ever since. We are approaching 15 years of marriage and this will be our 20th Disney trip together.

Usually, I give a full Pre-Trip report with lots of details of our plans, but this time, I'm going to let the surprises come with the live report that will be starting on 12/23.

But, I can't resist a little overview...coming up briefly...

 

[brifraz]

It's a little before noon and we are relaxing with some food and drinks at the Gurgling Suitcase. 3 parks down, one to go.

Arrived at Epcot at 6am. Once again...very first people at the entrance. Sadly no hour early opening. At 6:40, they moved us up to under Spaceship:Earth for the rope, which was at 7:02. And, yes, people were upset. Right to Soarin. Not the only people, in fact a full theater. Done at 7:22 and in the Test Track single rider line at 7:30.


Out of Epcot at 7:57am. And through the gates at Studios at 8:17. Studios was NUTS with over an hour wait at Toy Story, Tower (2 hours), and Rockin was down. So we decided to just do Great Movie Ride. Which got us in at 8:26 and out at 8:48. And headed to Animal Kingdom.


At 9:23 we were through the gates at Animal Kingdom. And in the Everest single rider line at 9:32. At 9:50 we were off Everest (which we got to ride together courtesy of a couple big groups in line and the back of the train. Then over to Kali for a ride. That 25 minute wait was the longest we have had all week.


Out of Animal Kingdom at 10:50 and back to our room a little after 11am. Not bad! On to Magic Kingdom later this afternoon.

 

[brifraz]

Recovered, rested, and relaxed. Back at it! To Magic Kingdom we go. (2:45pm)

 

[Longers]

Just caught up - Wow you are getting a lot done, more than I expected looking at the crowd levels and phased closing.
Thanks for sharing your trip and keep the photos coming it's helping with my Disney blues!

 

[Jae99]

Just got all caught up on your adventures. This TR is the perfect example that WDW is doable at any time of the year. If you go in with a good plan as well as a good attitude, you can accomplish lots.

Thanks for bringing us along!

 

[brifraz]

Yes we are in Magic Kingdom. Yes it is packed. Got in right at 3:30pm to catch the Christmas parade then4:30pm dinner at Be Our Guest. Then just walking and taking in the insanity. Got to the Wishes FP+ area right at opening (6:45). Here's the view.



After Holiday Wishes we will hang out with Belle a bit and ride with the dwarves. See you later or in the morning!

 

[brifraz]

Just got all caught up on your adventures. This TR is the perfect example that WDW is doable at any time of the year. If you go in with a good plan as well as a good attitude, you can accomplish lots.

Thanks for bringing us along!

Right on! In 6 days we have done pretty much everything in all 4 parks and our longest wait was about 25 minutes. Early mornings and lots of planning (or just knowledge, our plans change all the time) make this time of year easy and fun! And it helps to be able to just shake your head and smile when the hundredth stroller has hit your ankles!

 

[brifraz]

And, in case you were wondering.... This is why we are just doing FP+ tonight at Magic Kingdom.

 

[brifraz]

Oh yeah, this!

 

[brifraz]

And this is how it ends. Complete exhaustion. Sleeping in a bit tomorrow.

 

[mishel635]

Great report!!!!! What an amazing trip so far!

 

[MinnieM123]

I really like the picture of your family in front of the train station (decorated in Christmas garland & trees) at night. Adding Tinkerbell at the top is a cute idea; at first, I didn't even notice her, because there was so much going on in that picture--but then I saw her flying at the top, and it put a big smile on my face!

 

[brifraz]

Not quite the morning of our plans... Slept in, relaxed a bit, got laundry done, but then @MeffysMom had her back go out. It doesn't happen often, but when it does it is bad. Pulled muscles, pinched nerve, etc. Been a couple years since it last happened. Got her to a doctor, got a cortisone shot, a steroid prescription, a muscle relaxer, a pain killer, and an anti-inflammatory med. she's resting and my daughter and I are going to MK to get her haircut. It's a tradition that my wife can easily miss. Afterward we will head back to the room and see where things go!

 

[LisaBelle]

So sorry to hear about your wife's back. Hopefully it won't slow her down too much and she'll be back in Disney form as soon as possible. Glad you and your DD were able to keep up the MK haircut tradition.

 

[brifraz]

It's 7:18 and we are headed to MK. @MeffysMom is medicated and hoping to make until midnight fireworks.

 

[Zipadeelady]

 

[brifraz]

Viewing spot for NYE fireworks a night early in MK. 2 hours to wait. Pretty crowded in here, but I'm sure tomorrow will be much worse.

 

[brifraz]

Sorry I haven't been fully up to the LIVE billing of the Trip Report, but it's mid-afternoon on New Year's Eve and the girls are napping in the room while I get all the pictures from the last two days backed up on the computer. That means a few minutes to update you and give you some pictures!

From the 4 Parks in One Day extravaganza... First a few from the Christmas Parade. Christoph saying hello to our daughter, Reindeer frolicking, and a couple of dwarves - one of whom looks to have had a rough night last night.



Just before dinner at Be Our Guest.


A very familiar looking brave knight in the Enchanted Tale with Belle.


If you have never tried it, I recommend the side view of Celebrate the Magic. This is from the Cinderella's well area to the side of the castle. Even on 12/29, it was pretty empty and a great view of the show (albeit not as impressive as the front view).


Not much from yesterday. Here's the mid-haircut photo (somebody wasn't too happy with me taking pictures like she was a little kid, but she was very happy with the haircut).


A 'hidden' Mickey from Fantasy in the Sky.


If you have travelled along with us before, you know I love to shoot fireworks pictures. Well...I refrained! I actually just watched the show and let my wife take some pictures with her phone, so no high-res Nikon DSLR shots this time around. Sorry!

After the fireworks, we decided to swim upstream a little bit and do a couple of rides before heading out. We hit Philharmagic, It's A Small World (down from it's over an hour wait from earlier in the day to maybe 5 minutes) and then Buzz Lightyear (about 10 minutes). We were hoping to maybe get Space Mountain or 7 Dwarves, but for some reason they were not running for EMH last night. That was OK, but I was pretty desperate to get some sleep. So we headed out and found ourselves snug in our beds around 2am.

This morning was for sleeping in and I made it all the way until 7:30am - 2 hours later than normal, unheard of! The girls were up within an hour of that and we decided to finally let our daughter do something she always asks for - seeing a movie at the Disney Springs theaters. So, we splurged and did the Dine-In (or Fork and Film or whatever it is called) and saw Star Wars (2nd time) and had an early lunch or maybe late breakfast at 10am.

Next up will be braving the 100,000 people at Epcot for dinner at Rose and Crown and the early Illuminations show there followed by Hollywood Studios for the midnight fireworks. Wish us luck!

 

[Longers]

Good luck & happy new year

 

[brifraz]

In Epcot. Not THAT crazy in here yet. Only 15 minute wait for the girls at Starbucks

 

[brifraz]

Sorry to have been slacking on the updates, but of course quite busy and had some computer issues. I'm not a huge fan of doing this on the phone, so I've been neglecting you...sorry.

NYE was great with dinner at Rose and Crown followed by 6pm Illuminations. We then toured Epcot for about an hour before boating over to Studios. We hit Tower of Terror and Rockin Roller Coaster with FP+, then about 10:30 found a nice spot one the lagoon in front of Hollywood and Vine at the railing for the fireworks. Enjoyed a couple STRONG Star Wars themed beverages while waiting. NYE fireworks were most excellent and afterwards the bus right back to the room and sleep.

This morning I went on a secret mission to get the Starbucks special park mugs at AK and Studios before the girls were up. Success. Then we all headed to Disney Springs for shopping and lunch at The Boathouse. Details later, I promise!

After taking the boat back to OKW, we swam a bit at the pool and now find ourselves at Studios waiting for the Comedy Warehouse show to start.

Later tonight, the special Osbourne Lights dinner party. Lots of pics will happen I am sure.

So, that's what has been happening. Details and pictures later, it's show time!