Trip Report So I guess Disney thinks Canadians do not celebrate Christmas?? A Max Trip Report- COMPLETED

A big hello to all my Disney friends:

As the title suggest this is a trip report regarding our recent Christmas adventure at Walt Disney World

Why the title you ask? I will keep you guessing on that one for a few days at least

Details leading up to the departure can be found here:

https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads...-max-the-girls-and-the-boys-do-disney.951075/

This is my 6th trip report on these boards so hopefully you have read at least one before

The reason I say that is that my style might not suit all - I can probably sum it up as

1) Shoot from the hip
2) Do not pull punches
3) Definitely not PC
4) Not always PG
5) As much Seinfeld references as @Tuvalu can handle
6) Not too heavy or too light on the Pixie dust -keep it real and call it as I see it

Quick introduction will come from:

Day 1 - Travel Day towards the US but not quite beyond the comfort of home:
Friday Dec 21, 2018

The original plan was to drive from our home in Waterloo Ont Canada to Buffalo NY on Sat Dec 22.
With a 10:35 am fight a same day drive could have worked.

We switched it up to a drive on the day before and booked a hotel in Niagara Falls Canada

(our B&B in Buffalo backed out on us - @Doc Disney can try to explain how she let us down!!!)

So here we are at the Embassy Suites on Friday enjoying our homemade Mickey cookies

Me (Max, Andrew, Clarence) and Tricia

My younger daughter Cassie and Shane (BF)

and my older daughter Stephanie and her fiancé Jordan

and this is all of us at the Falls ( selfies are harder with six people!!!)

This report will chronicle Disney trip 28 for me and lucky(?) 13 to WDW.
It is also 13 to WDW for Tricia
The girls celebrate 10 trips to the world
Trip 2 for Shane (though his memory of the first is limited)

And - 1ST TIME FOR JORDAN!!!!!!

More Day 1 to follow and then off to Buffalo the next day!!!

Welcome aboard, ashore and wherever we are!!!

Max

 

[stephmax975]

The couches are comfy!!!
We did the bread services and some sort of veggie app - @stephmax975 - please help!!

Hey all!
Disney Daughter here to the rescue to share what drinks and food we got at the Nomad lounge.
My dad and I both got the Lamu Libation, Jordan got the Leaping Lizard,
Shane got Jenn's Tattoo and Cassie got the Dalang's Delight.
My mom got a speciality coffee. We think she got a Spanish Coffee with Kahlua and Brandy but we cannot confirm this.
My dad and I really enjoyed our drink. Jordan liked his drink but liked the Lamu Libation better.
From what I remember, Cassie liked her drink but kept trying to take my dad's drink (Lamu Libation).

Everyone enjoyed the bread service. We were also allowed to order off of part of the Tiffin's menu so Jordan and I decided that we wanted to order the Roasted Brussel Sprouts (without the bacon). My mom had some of them too. The brussel sprouts were great but we found some that we liked better on a different meal during the trip. (Stay tuned )

I will be putting up a post soon about River's of Light!

 

[stephmax975]

Hello again everyone,

@amjt660 called so I am here to answer! (with pictures taken by Cassie).
Below, I have included a few pictures that Cassie took during the show.

Cassie mentioned in her post that we were a little bit worried that it was too bright outside because we had chosen to go to the 6:15pm showing. As you can see from some of the pictures, it was a little bit bright but all five of us enjoyed the show.
We were a little bit sad that my Dad wasn't able to watch the show with us. When we came in December 2016, I remember walking through the stadium and how sad we were that the show wasn't running yet. So it was disappointing that my Dad wasn't at the show with us. But then we looked at the showtimes and saw that the show was on again later that night...…..

 

[amjt660]

Yes!!!
My DD knows how to do a cliffhanger!!!!

I am so proud

Max

 

[DisSplash]

I am on the edge of my seat!

 

[amjt660]

Day 4 cont'd
Many thanks to Stephanie and Cassie for contributing

Although I was not there I will add this Photo Pass pic (the four of them did EE while Tricia went shopping in the Mercantile near the TOL.

At least Jordan is not choking himself (see Splash pic from Day 3)

The four met up with Tricia after the ride and also with … ME!!
After a couple of hours of rest and "meditation" I felt much better.
As I mentioned earlier I bussed to AK and meet Tricia - watched some of the tree awakening (sorry no pictures - just soaked it in).

We discussed the next step - FOP fastpass at 7:45 and everyone was willing to try it once (Steph and Tricia are not simulator lovers)

So off to Pandora at night (input standard pic)

We spent some time in the store waiting for our time to come up

Make your own avatar looked interesting and expensive

And then onto the ride

Only 140 minutes - almost feels like you are wasting your FP... almost!

Max

 

[amjt660]

FOP cont'd
I know everyone posts these pictures - but hey - it was my first time in the new land at night - and if you don't like it I will just take my ball and go home!!

The colouring at night is amazing (see what I did there @krause , @AKemily and @Matt and Kelly ?)

And yes this guys nervous energy approach was annoying - even the first time when I was really listening to learn about the ride.

Shane and Cassie shopped but did not purchase a banshee

Max

 

[amjt660]

Day 4 - ROL
So after our FOP ride we decided to go to the second showing of rivers of light (yes I got to finally see it!)
We walked in about 20 min before it started and go amazing seats down low(@Tuvalu made this seemingly innocent recommendation)

We were right beside where the floats come out!

Here are a few pictures

So what was my opinion?

Loved it!
Very moving and classy
And probably because it wasn’t all Disneyfied

One of my two favourite FW shows is Illuminations - love the artistry and the music

Is ROL that good - no - but it is now the only nighttime show that is well themed to its park AND not filled with all the same characters and music that is in all the other FW and shows.

Don’t get me wrong..

Magic Kingdom should have HEA or Wishes

DHS should have movie themed shows like Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar , Disney,

But Epcot and Animal Kingdom should embrace their base theme and showcase it in their entertaiment

I know I am standing (almost) alone with this view and I do not care if it is unpopular

I should not walk into every shop and see the exact same merchandise

I should not go to every park and ride the same rides

And I should not see the same rehashed night time show at every park

Will I see ROL again - you betcha!!

Well that is it for day 4 - next up Christmas at Epcot!!

Max

 

[BuckyMom]

Day 4 - ROL
So after our FOP ride we decided to go to the second showing of rivers of light (yes I got to finally see it!)
We walked in about 20 min before it started and go amazing seats down low(@Tuvalu made this seemingly innocent recommendation)

We were right beside where the floats come out!

Here are a few pictures

View attachment 348324View attachment 348325View attachment 348326View attachment 348327View attachment 348328View attachment 348329

So what was my opinion?

Loved it!
Very moving and classy
And probably because it wasn’t all Disneyfied

One of my two favourite FW shows is Illuminations - love the artistry and the music

Is ROL that good - no - but it is now the only nighttime show that is well themed to its park AND not filled with all the same characters and music that is in all the other FW and shows.

Don’t get me wrong..

Magic Kingdom should have HEA or Wishes

DHS should have movie themed shows like Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar , Disney,

But Epcot and Animal Kingdom should embrace their base theme and showcase it in their entertaiment

I know I am standing (almost) alone with this view and I do not care if it is unpopular

I should not walk into every shop and see the exact same merchandise

I should not go to every park and ride the same rides

And I should not see the same rehashed night time show at every park

Will I see ROL again - you betcha!!

Well that is it for day 4 - next up Christmas at Epcot!!

Max

You are not standing alone. I completely agree.

 

[LisaBelle]

Day 4 - ROL
So after our FOP ride we decided to go to the second showing of rivers of light (yes I got to finally see it!)
We walked in about 20 min before it started and go amazing seats down low(@Tuvalu made this seemingly innocent recommendation)

We were right beside where the floats come out!

Here are a few pictures

View attachment 348324View attachment 348325View attachment 348326View attachment 348327View attachment 348328View attachment 348329

So what was my opinion?

Loved it!
Very moving and classy
And probably because it wasn’t all Disneyfied

One of my two favourite FW shows is Illuminations - love the artistry and the music

Is ROL that good - no - but it is now the only nighttime show that is well themed to its park AND not filled with all the same characters and music that is in all the other FW and shows.

Don’t get me wrong..

Magic Kingdom should have HEA or Wishes

DHS should have movie themed shows like Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar , Disney,

But Epcot and Animal Kingdom should embrace their base theme and showcase it in their entertaiment

I know I am standing (almost) alone with this view and I do not care if it is unpopular

I should not walk into every shop and see the exact same merchandise

I should not go to every park and ride the same rides

And I should not see the same rehashed night time show at every park

Will I see ROL again - you betcha!!

Well that is it for day 4 - next up Christmas at Epcot!!

Max

Well said. I agree.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I agree with your opinion on the night shows too. I really like watching Rivers of Light and like most parts of Illuminations. I just hate the globe part because it is so hard to see the images, but the music is fantastic. I'm glad you got to see ROL.

 

[amjt660]

Day 5 - Dec 25 Merry Christmas Epcot style

So after two days of bussing and / or driving it was nice to just walk to a park!!

Nice touch on the hotel channel on the TV

Stitch was ready to get more involved in this trip

And Jordan was getting his photo bomb skills ready

Stitch waiting to go in the IG
Waiting inside the gate - IG role drop

Went to test track - broken down
Went to Soarin - 60 min wait
So we did LWTL

Max

 

[amjt660]

More from the farm ride

Both the boys liked it ( but it did not take the sting out of TT still being down)

Next we went to see Figment
Line up was only 5 min
As long as you do not think about what it was in a former life - it is easy to sing along and like this ride

During a pit stop I saw this - I guess bag check is not as strict as we thought!!

Max

 

[DisSplash]

LWTL, aka "The Farm Ride," looked very festive. I love everyone's pics of this ride these past couple of months!

 

[MinnieM123]

LWTL, aka "The Farm Ride," looked very festive. I love everyone's pics of this ride these past couple of months!

I do, too. LWTL has always been one of my top favorites. I've never been to WDW during the holiday season, so it's really fun to see all the festive embellishments throughout, from people's pictures.

 

[amjt660]

Day 5 cont’d
Next up was the Disney/Pixar shorts - we saw three good ones
Of course it started with Get a horse

and Piper

And Feast

Rocking the cool 3D glasses

We took the boys through the buildings (used to be Communicore) and we all studied the history of Epcot Center display

I loved that they keep updating it

Max

 

[amjt660]

Day 5 cont’d- the search for chip and dale!!
So we decided to invest the money($7 I believe) and try to find chip and dale in all 11 countries (the Christmas tree spree)

I do not get the title- we were looking for wreaths!!

Started in Canada

Found the wreath

Took some pics

And watched the movie

Then on to the United Kingdom

This one was tough but we finally found it

A spot of tea would be nice

More stitch!

And then on to France

And found the wreath!

Next up - the photo pass challenge continues ( and gets really competitive!!!)

Max

 

[amjt660]

You are not standing alone. I completely agree.

Well said. I agree.

I agree with your opinion on the night shows too. I really like watching Rivers of Light and like most parts of Illuminations. I just hate the globe part because it is so hard to see the images, but the music is fantastic. I'm glad you got to see ROL.

Thanks for the support - I know some love having Disney songs and Characters in every show but for me I love something different and something that fits the theme of the park

LWTL, aka "The Farm Ride," looked very festive. I love everyone's pics of this ride these past couple of months!

I do, too. LWTL has always been one of my top favorites. I've never been to WDW during the holiday season, so it's really fun to see all the festive embellishments throughout, from people's pictures.

I not a huge fan but it is always something I want to do at least once a trip.
The Christmas pluses are fun to look out for

Max

 

[amjt660]

Photo Pass Challenge!!

You might remember this one from our MK day

This started a firestorm - it took a bit to start brewing but it came to boil at Epcot!!

So quickly to tell you what was happening
The group was moving from pavilion to pavilion looking for the wreaths.
When someone found it we would let the others know
I was lagging behind as I was taking pictures of each country with Stitch

So as I finally made it to France I found these three trying to sneak a picture (I guess revenge is a dish best served cold!!)
I jumped in

It looks like we found Chip and Dale and Stitch!!!

Cassie and Shane were busy finding the Chip and Dale in the wreath

Then we moved on to Morocco
And they did it again!!!! (this time 4 of them- no Shane -No Max)

But why is Jordan looking off to his right you ask??

Because I came running up and jumped in

And when Shane found them - he was not a happy camper

And then this one to make sure there we not hard feelings

Eventually we (almost) did one all together (not the best of Jordan or Shane unfortunately)

and this the end of the Photo Pass challenge...

Just kidding - this was just the start - stay tuned for more hijinks!


Max

 

[DisSplash]

I love your pics of “Stitch around the World!” I can’t help thinking that it looks like he is hitchhiking!

 

[amjt660]

I love your pics of “Stitch around the World!” I can’t help thinking that it looks like he is hitchhiking!

I try to get more creative as we proceed around the world
Thanks for following!

Max