I would love to make a trek down there for the holidays it just needs to work with the hubs schedule a little. Which is hard to do since its smack dab in the middle of hockey season....but crossing fingers that one day it will work out for us.
Oh yes all those firsts...its amazing....lil man's was actually AKL...man come to think of it, it seems like that forever ago...sigh they grow up so quickly.
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that you'll be able to work a Christmas trip around the hubby's job one day soon!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
i haven't read the report yet but i had to say congrats!! that is so exciting!! i was wondering where you have been on the boards. preparing for a baby certainly explains it! hahaha i am so happy for you and brett! the little guy will be here so soon!! ok...now i can read your report!
Thanks, Ashley! We're super excited and waiting patiently at this point... two days to the due date!
Okay that is too exciting! Heh, you should just splurge and induct him into Disney with a stay at the Poly.
Side note: I am determined to meet up with you and Brett (and the little man) during F&W one of these years. I know Brandon and I will be back for another anniversary (vow renewal for our 10th maybe?) and I can't wait to hit up Epcot again during that time of year!
Hah! His first trip most definitely won't be at the Poly... seeing as how a four night trip to the Poly can pay for two months of daycare! Hah. Priorities, right?! We'll be doing our best to spring for a moderate this time around... I'm thinking French Quarter probably.
And yes, we most definitely need to stroll around the Food & Wine Festival together one day!
Ahhhh congratulations Holly! SO SO SO exciting! I'm sure he is going to be absolutely adorable.
I finally finished reading, and I thought it was really funny you mentioned how you can't see a lot of Wishes from up close to castle. I just finished my college program a few weeks ago (now nothing about my life compares to living in Disney World for five months) and I didn't realize this until the last day I was down there. Usually, my friends and I skipped watching the show altogether because we were just popping in for a couple hours after work to do some rides or, as you said, we just wanted to avoid the TERRIBLE crowds around the hub. On my last night, my friends and I took our family and friends from home to see Wishes and we found ourselves sitting up way too close and we barely saw any of the fireworks! On the other hand, we had a fabulous view of the Magic, the Memories, and You, which I am enthralled with. IT'S JUST SO GOOD. I listen to the soundtrack daily. Bordering on obsession.
Anyway, loved your report as usual!!!
Thanks so much, Eleanor! So you just finished a CP? I'm sure that had to be incredibly exciting. You are so right about the Magic, the Memories, and You. I, too, am enthralled with it and nothing beats seeing it up close like that.
loved the trip report, holly! again, congrats! i'm glad to see all of your pictures of the christmas decorations in the parks because my family and i are going to wdw nov 25-30 this year and i was alittle worried about what decorations may not be up yet. i am glad to see that all of the gingerbread houses at the epcot resorts and osborne lights are all in full effect in late november.
i agree completely with your thoughts on duffy. when he first came out, i thought he was so stupid and now i think he is the cutest. disney has that power to suck me into things that when they first came out i thought were stupid. i really love all of duffy's little costumes that they sell in ws. the german one is my favorite! i may have to cave and buy a duffy bear someday so i can get that costume. hahaha i also had the same feelings about vinylmation but now i think they are pretty cool. i may need to start making some purchases on my next trip.
thanks again for sharing your trip report!
Oooh... Christmas trip! Does Thanksgiving fall right around the same time you are there? I noticed that while they had all the decorations up beforehand, the Holidays Around the World and the Illuminations: Peace on Earth tag were not rolled out until midway through our tirp. So I'm thinking that everything goes into full effect right after Thanksgiving.
Seriously! Duffy! I agree. I mean, we've already met him in his sailor suit, a pumpkin costume, and a santa outfit. Stylish little bear!
Sidenote... I know I didn't comment at the time but congrats on finishing the Princess Half! Huzzah!
Congrats!!
You guys will make awesome parents! Also, I LOVE your Mickey leggings. It was so nice to see your pictures of the Swan and Dolphin also. I haven't stayed there since I was around 2 or 3 years old so I don't remember it, I might have to convince my family to stay there on a future trip.
Thank you so much... yes, you will definitely have to keep the S&D in mind for a future trip. It's a great way to experience the Boardwalk area when you're trying to save a couple bucks.
CONGRATULATIONS Holly!!! What exciting news. Hope the final weeks before you meet your Little Roo goes smoothly.
Going to Disney when you are pregnant is such a different experience. I still remember when I found out I was pregnant with my youngest daughter. It was two weeks before a trip to Disney and it was a bit of a surprise, a
very happy surprise but a surprise none-the-less. After getting over the initial shock that we had conceived naturally (my eldest daughter was IVF, and I had 3 failed IVF attempts after that) I then was a little upset because I knew I was not going to be riding RnRC, TOT, BTM, EE, etc. on this trip that I had been planning and anticipating for months. I remember watching everyone else get in ride lines and I would just hang out and hold everyone bags. Definitely not a fair trade off. LOL
Well I think you should definitely consider training for the marathon. What a great way to get rid of the baby weight. Not that you look like you've gain much from the first picture in the thread. You look FABULOUS!!!
I love the Mickey pants.Absolutely worth $6.00! I have a pair of denim Mickey Mouse overalls shorts. I would NEVER wear them on a normal summer day but they are the very 1st thing that is packed in my suitcase for every Disney trip.
The pictures of the castle from the MM&Y show are wonderful. I have yet to see Disney during the holidays so thanks for all the pictures. Christmas in June-just the fix I needed!
Again Congrats on the pregnancy. And I bet that your little guy is going to get used the camera VERY quickly with you as his mom.
Good luck with the delivery and enjoy every moment...it goes by so fast.
Thanks, Coryna! Oh my, what a great surprise finding out about your second like that. But yeah, it does kinda slow down the Disney trip. I really didn't mind at all though.
I'm all about marathon weekend right now. I really, really, want to do the full, but I might end up settling for the half - I don't want to take on more than I can handle. And I'm afraid I really won't know what kinda training will be possible until early September. Beginning the training for a full at that time seems like it may be foolish, especially considering I chose not to run during this pregnancy. Starting at square one is an understatement. I haven't hit the pavement since mid to late October. That'll be a whole year! And thank you for the kind words... I feel as if the pregnancy gods have been very good to me in keeping the majority of the baby weight in the belly.
Gotta love those classic Disney items that you always pack. I have a couple of t-shirts that always hit the suitcase when we go. Most end up getting worn to the pool or around the hotel room, but I can't help but always pack them.
Good point.. this kid is going to become quite familiar with the lens of a camera.
CONGRATULATIONS Mr. and Mrs. Hollybelle on the human in the human tank! I laughed when I saw that phrase, too cute! Wow, where to start! I should've taken notes!
I loved seeing all of the Christmas pictures, they get me all amped up for my November 2012 trip! Don't you just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Osborne Lights? There's just something so magical about them, they took my breath away the first time I saw them. They're so beautiful. In fact, I'm still waiting for Disney to release the offical dates for them this year so that I can start planning! My patience is running very thin right now with the whole thing! I know they typically start in the beginning of November (which is when we're going) but as soon as I bank on them starting then, they'll start mid November like they did that one year (don't remember which year it was). Hurry up and decide Disney!
Isn't the Flights of Wonder show AWESOME? I've been to WDW a million times and saw it for the first time a couple years ago. I love the owl, they're such pretty little creatures.
My family and I go to the Garden Grill every single time. We love the food and the character interaction is great. Like you said, they all make it around at least twice. One year, we were even the "family of the day".
I felt sorry for Brett that he kept getting the Abraham Lincoln Vinylmation Park Starz. I live just outside of Springfield, IL so everything around here is all about Abraham Lincoln. We do have an awesome museum though. Did he ever get the Horizons Butler? The Park Starz are for sure cool. I have the Bride from the Haunted Mansion and the Ice Gator from Blizzard Beach.
Loved the leggings, they are adorable!
It's getting close to lunch time so I'm hungry anyway but those nachos from La Hacienda looked delicious. Mmmm Yummy!
Well, as always your trip report was awesome! Thanks for all the Crhistmas pictures! I wish you all the best with your little one that will be dropping from the human tank very soon. LOL!
Thank you so much! We're super excited. Of course, right now, I'm mostly excited just to get this human OUT of the human tank.
Wow! It seems like so many folks are traveling down for the holidays in November this year. That's the way to do it... before the crowds get crazy insane near Christmas. That is, as long as you're avoiding Thanksgiving. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the Osborne Lights are in full effect while you're there - you're right, there's just nothing like them!
Hooray for being the "family of the day" at the Garden Grill! The character interactions really are great there. I've heard many people mention this, so I'd say it's pretty consistent. We've also noticed that in the past our interactions with the characters there have not only been abundant, but of high quality. I remember Pluto taking a bite out of Brett's head, by coming around the corner and putting his whole snout down over Brett's head as if he was going to take a bite. And Chip and Dale have come through stealing spoons off tables and "playing" them to a beat.
And yes, I could go for some La Hacienda nachos myself right now. And it's almost midnight!
