Our Christmas Disneymoon 20th December-30th December 2011

Hi everyone.

I have been meaning to start this all week to cheer myself up- however I haven't been very well and then had an horrific time at my dentist yesterday which has delayed things further.

I am still in lots of pain, but want to start this tonight!

Ok so please see the link below for my pre-trip information:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=823613

Me and my now husband James (still feels strange to say husband) got married on Saturday 17th December at 12noon in our little town Blackpool which is in the North West of England. We got married in church and had a lovely reception.

Here are some pictures (not official ones)

Saying our vows

You may kiss the bride

Love the above picture- very clever shot taken by one of my work colleagues.

Me and James with all our bridal party...


and finally.. my mum and dad bought me and james this from Florida for our wedding especially...

Sooo lovely!!

Anyway hope you like...

 

[sam_disney]

There's ripsaw falls..

I really love toon lagoon.. its great fun and very well designed!

We really enjoyed playing around in this area!

Love it!

We decided we need something to eat so went and got some..

DIPPING DOTS.. YUM!

Choc chip cookie dough!

More sillyness..

 

[sam_disney]

I see you James looking at Betty's legs!

Lol love this one!!

We then headed up to a theatre- showing ermm some sort of circus with bikes and stuff? We decided to check it out as it was just starting...

It was pretty good actually.. and we really enjoyed it! I didn't take any pics but it was great!

We carried on..

James and the hulk..

and the last picture of the day,..

We went from Islands to go shopping down at http://www.lbvfs.com/ lake buena vista factory stores. We had been before when we had to check in for our departure one year and I also went there back in 1998 for a welcome morning thing.

I love Old Navy.. and wanted to stock up on a few bits.. so we walked back after buying some fudge and stuff from the shop we went in at the beginning.

Down the escalator and grabbed a taxi. We said to the taxi guy.. lake buena vista factory stores please. So he said.. the 'premium outlets?' So we said no, the lake buena vista factory stores.. so he's all.. I've never heard of it. So we're like its near the lake buena vista suites. So we set off towards lake buena vista.. as we approached the premium outlet.. he tells us.. thats the premium outlet.. so I was like.. ' ive been coming here for 12 years' i know what the premium outlet is.. we;re after the lake buena vista factory stores.

So this continued.. and we ended up on a horror journey. He had to call his dispatch to find out where it was. I texted my mum back in england for an address. I got the address before he did from my mum who was googling back home. We kept telling him the address and he just wasn;t listening..

Anyway.. eventually!!! We were nearly there and he pulled off again, still not sure where the hell he was going. It was soo frustrating.. so after the longest cab journey ever.. we got there.. thanks to my mums directions form england.. how crazy is that!!!!

So we got to the shops.. and as we exited I said.. ' you won't forget where this is next time!' .. what an idiot!!

After shopping.. we headed to the Golden Corral for tea...

Bit of a random day.. but good! lol Next up we head back to Magic Kingdom...

 

[foreverbelle]

I am not a Harry Potter fan myself. I have never read any of the books and have only seen one of the movies, I think people think that I am weird in this. I keep thinking I am the only one that isn't so crazy over the whole thing.

That being said one of these I suppose I am going to have to check out the whole Islands just to see what it is all about. I think I may be surprised. Thank you for letting me go on the journey of the day with you good stuff.

I love the bubble thoughts! How cool is that.

And sometimes those random days are fabulous. I have never been shopping in the Florida area but you would think the TAXI guy would have dif known where he was going. LOL for having your mom help out and give him what the taxi guy couldn't. Way to go mom.

 

[PartOfYourWorld]

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is AMAZING. So well done. I will admit though, I am one of those nutso fans...well nutso enough but not crazy nutso because I will never wear one of those robes..that's a little much. but anyways glad you liked it!

And question: how did you like Port Orleans Riverside? I know you said a little bit about it in the beginning, but any tips or anything? Going for a short trip in a week because I have an interview for a job down in WDW and we are staying there, and we never have before.

 

[sam_disney]

And question: how did you like Port Orleans Riverside? I know you said a little bit about it in the beginning, but any tips or anything? Going for a short trip in a week because I have an interview for a job down in WDW and we are staying there, and we never have before.

This was my 2nd time at Port Orleans Riverside.. its a beautiful resort but a big resort!

Ermm tips.. they have different depots for the buses... south, north, west etc... You will find one that is nearer to where you're staying than the bus stop at the front of the hotel. But I would always recommend you go to the front, rather than use the ones nearer your room. The reason being.. they're very hit and miss.. and 'most' of the time they go their first.. so its better to grab a seat etc.

They have a boat that takes you to downtown disney.. which is great! However, sometimes it takes quite a while though and we did find that the bus was usually quicker.

They have a food court and a restaurant.. both very good!

Oh and also in the bar area... there's a guy called Piano Bob who is brilliant!!
http://wdwcentral.wordpress.com/200...ins-at-disneys-port-orleans-riverside-resort/

found this link about him.. if he's on while you're there, take the time to watch and enjoy! Very good fun!

Can't really think of anything else. Its your typical standard Disney hotel. very picturesque!!! You'll love it I'm sure! x

 

[sam_disney]

I am not a Harry Potter fan myself. I have never read any of the books and have only seen one of the movies, I think people think that I am weird in this. I keep thinking I am the only one that isn't so crazy over the whole thing.

That being said one of these I suppose I am going to have to check out the whole Islands just to see what it is all about. I think I may be surprised. Thank you for letting me go on the journey of the day with you good stuff.

I love the bubble thoughts! How cool is that.

And sometimes those random days are fabulous. I have never been shopping in the Florida area but you would think the TAXI guy would have dif known where he was going. LOL for having your mom help out and give him what the taxi guy couldn't. Way to go mom.

Yay! I'm not alone!!

I think its worth going for sure.. both parks at unversal are pretty good

There's some great photo opportunities in toon lagoon.. definitely!

Lol exactly! I couldn't believe it! the taxi guy was ridiculous! If you do go shopping.. premium outlets is great... good bargains and they have a disney character outlet with disney parks merchandise on sale!
Lake Buena Vista is good for old navy, eddie bauer etc.. x

Thanks for reading ... will try and do magic kingdom day 7 shortly..

 

[PartOfYourWorld]

This was my 2nd time at Port Orleans Riverside.. its a beautiful resort but a big resort!

Ermm tips.. they have different depots for the buses... south, north, west etc... You will find one that is nearer to where you're staying than the bus stop at the front of the hotel. But I would always recommend you go to the front, rather than use the ones nearer your room. The reason being.. they're very hit and miss.. and 'most' of the time they go their first.. so its better to grab a seat etc.

They have a boat that takes you to downtown disney.. which is great! However, sometimes it takes quite a while though and we did find that the bus was usually quicker.

They have a food court and a restaurant.. both very good!

Oh and also in the bar area... there's a guy called Piano Bob who is brilliant!!
http://wdwcentral.wordpress.com/200...ins-at-disneys-port-orleans-riverside-resort/

found this link about him.. if he's on while you're there, take the time to watch and enjoy! Very good fun!

Can't really think of anything else. Its your typical standard Disney hotel. very picturesque!!! You'll love it I'm sure! x

Thank you so much!!!

 

[sam_disney]

Day 7 - Downtown, Grand Floridian.. and MK.

So today we planned to revisit Magic Kingdom.. as we hadn't been back since the beginning of the trip.

We got up a little later and decided to go have a look around Downtown.. grab the bus to the Grand Floridian.. check out the famous gingerbread house and then get the monorail from there to MK.


On the way to the bus I took some pictures of Port Orleans..

This is where the main bus depot is..

Here we are waiting for the bus..

 

[sam_disney]

So we got to Downtown around 10ish and we first went to as usual my favourite shop in the world..

Bought a few bits and then headed up past the lego shop- we were aiming to go and see the virgin reps about checking in at downtown disney when we left.

I love the lego center..

I was taking photos of everything at downtown that day... lol

I have never eaten at fultons but my gosh do I want too!

Good Ol t-rex..

We carried on through pleasure island and I was happy to see the splitsville building coming along. I was so sad when the virgin store closed down.... it looks like this will be great for downtown!

 

[sam_disney]

We then headed past disney quest.. another place I love to go.

I love cirque du soliel if you are wondering about going to see it.. DO IT! its the best one there is!! I have seen love- in las vegas and it was good.. but la nouba wins hands down!

We headed to where the virgin reps are... I sat on a bench and looked over the ghiradelhi menu.. to see what ice cream id like when we visited downtown next.

I love Ghiradelhi.. nom nom!!

We then headed for the bus to the grand floridian past planet hollywood..

I also take a picture of the patrick swayze hand print... still cant believe he is no longer with us!

 

[sam_disney]

By the time we got on the bus it was now nearly 12

We got to the grand floridian.. somewhere ive always wanted to stay and have never looked lol

It is absolutely beautiful in there

Then onto the famous gingerbread house...

we made a special detour to see the house- i must say we were both a little disappointed by it, we thought it would be huge... but it wasnt...

 

[sam_disney]

We went up stairs to the 2nd level to get the monorail..

The hotel was beautiful

Loved the logo..

the monorail arrived very quickly and we were again at the beloved magic kingdom park...

Love magic kingdom..so many happy memories for so many people..

we then made use of the photopass again ...

we then headed inside..

 

[enchanted_belle]

an update!! :sohappy:

I've always wanted to see the Gingerbread house, that's definitely on my Disney Bucket List!

I love how adorable you two are, you take the cutest pictures.


18 days until I'm at T-Rex (though 17 where you are) :slurp:

 

[foreverbelle]

Ah yes, GF, one of those ones that I think is a dream to stay at, though probably never a reality sadly for me unless I somehow win the lottery. lol.

I loved the Gingerbreads thank you for posting, they look amazing.

You have me really wanting to go hop on a plane and head down there right now, seriously I am itching to go to the world.

 

[sam_disney]

an update!! :sohappy:

I've always wanted to see the Gingerbread house, that's definitely on my Disney Bucket List!

I love how adorable you two are, you take the cutest pictures.


18 days until I'm at T-Rex (though 17 where you are) :slurp:

O my gosh bet you are soooo excited! my mum, dad and brother are there right now!!! I am soooo jealous! they rung me earlier, telling me all about their mk morning at the crystal palace (copied us!) lol and what they were up to.

Thank you for continuing to read... will update and finish this day off soon! xx

 

[sam_disney]

Ah yes, GF, one of those ones that I think is a dream to stay at, though probably never a reality sadly for me unless I somehow win the lottery. lol.

I loved the Gingerbreads thank you for posting, they look amazing.

You have me really wanting to go hop on a plane and head down there right now, seriously I am itching to go to the world.

Oh me too.. it was gorgeous... maybe in my dreams!!

My mum, dad and brother are there now.. i am so jealous! they're having an excellent time! x

 

[sam_disney]

So.. we went in to Magic.. and I adore this sign on the way in:

when we got inside.. we had forgotten that the christmas parade was being shown twice.. once at 12:30 and again at 3:30pm for this week.. so we hit the first parade as it came down main street..

We went up on the train platform to catch another glimpse of it..

Here's some pictures I got of it..

 

[sam_disney]

I will finish this next week I promise... just had a busy time recently!!

 

[enchanted_belle]

oh good, finishing next week will give me something to read when I get home from WDW! AHHH I'M GOING NEXT WEEK. AHHHHHHH. Sorry, I think it just hit me. :ROFLOL:

 

[pumpkin7]

I love Jurassic Park... the film is again sooo iconic! The music is awesome.... I found it a little odd to have stepped into Jurassic Park though and I could still see the castle from the Harry area...

Anyway .. O MY! THERE'S A DINO!

what a completely epic fail! that's awful. i know all the lands clash but that's just bad theming.
and as for the dino... are there 2 dinos like that because i remember that one being a t rex.

lovely trip report though. loving it, and can't wait for the rest of it!