CHRISTMAS VACATION (The Trip, Not the Movie): 12/19 - We're back, TR link on p. 25

[DWGal210]

Hey girl!

I love your Christmas tree - that is SO COOL!! I too love me some Christmas decorations. My brother and SIL do the same thing; every trip they go on, they get an ornament. Their tree is so pretty too.

I might have to hire you to do my tree this year, cause even though I like doing it, it always ends up looking like a little sad thing. What would I have to bribe you to drive from NJ to IA just to do a Christmas tree?!

Have a good day!

[khertz]

Yay for Cirque tickets!! I'm really wanting to buy our too, but it will probably be awhile before I can. I'm at least trying to wait for park hours because I have so many things I want to do at night that it'll be hard to find the "right" night for Cirque. I'm thinking maybe on one of our Universal days? But also, I'm waiting for my work's discount website to update. If I buy the Cirque vouchers now, they expire Sept 30th?? So I'm hoping they make them available later in the year...I'm looking for all the money saving options I can find!!

I know it must be exciting to get one more thing under your belt though...it's killing me that I have to twiddle my thumbs now until September when hours are posted and ADR-makin' time rolls around!!

[minniecarousel]

Love your Christmas tree, Ann! Christmas is my favorite time of the year too. It will be wierd waiting to decorate on Dec. 19. But I don't want to decorate the tree, only to have the cats chew on the lower branches when we aren't around.

I buy ornaments on every vacation too. I have enough Disney ornaments to decorate a seperate tree, and enough of the other ones for another tree.

We're on the fence regarding the Cirque tix. I'm not sure I want to spend the time (& the $$).

[annnewjerz]

Originally Posted by DWGal210

I might have to hire you to do my tree this year, cause even though I like doing it, it always ends up looking like a little sad thing. What would I have to bribe you to drive from NJ to IA just to do a Christmas tree?!

I can be bribed, however I must admit, you probably wouldn't need to! I love Christmas----everything about it, and since we can only have one tree in the house (no room for another) I'd be more than willing to design someone else's!!

Originally Posted by khertz

I'm at least trying to wait for park hours because I have so many things I want to do at night that it'll be hard to find the "right" night for Cirque. I'm thinking maybe on one of our Universal days?

That was my problem too!! But I really wanted to take my Mom to see it, so rather than compromise seeing the Osborne Lights, the Candlelight Processional or MVMCP---I decided to just add an extra day to the trip solely for La Nouba. Instead of going on Sunday as originally planned, we'll be going on Saturday and not doing a park, just relaxing and doing DTD/Cirque. Can't wait!

And, I am totally there with you with the twiddling thumbs til September thing. But, just think of it this way...only 2.5 more months or so until it's ADR/park hours time. I don't know about you, but we booked at 11 months out (started planning around 13 months) and to know that we are under 6 months now...the time flew by!

Originally Posted by minniecarousel

Love your Christmas tree, Ann! Christmas is my favorite time of the year too. It will be wierd waiting to decorate on Dec. 19. But I don't want to decorate the tree, only to have the cats chew on the lower branches when we aren't around.

Honestly...didn't think about that AT ALL. We have 6 cats that will be at home while we go to WDW, and usually I am able to keep an eye on them for at least a few hours of the day after I get home from work---but they will have full run of the house while I'm gone. Unfortunately, for me waiting until Dec. 19 isn't an option---we usually get our tree the first weekend of December (no later than the 7th usually) and keep it up until the needles are falling off with every tap.

[khertz]

Originally Posted by annnewjerz

That was my problem too!! But I really wanted to take my Mom to see it, so rather than compromise seeing the Osborne Lights, the Candlelight Processional or MVMCP---I decided to just add an extra day to the trip solely for La Nouba. Instead of going on Sunday as originally planned, we'll be going on Saturday and not doing a park, just relaxing and doing DTD/Cirque. Can't wait!

And, I am totally there with you with the twiddling thumbs til September thing. But, just think of it this way...only 2.5 more months or so until it's ADR/park hours time. I don't know about you, but we booked at 11 months out (started planning around 13 months) and to know that we are under 6 months now...the time flew by!

That's a great idea about doing it your first night! Now if I could just convince our parents to fly, this might actually work for us. But I can't convince them that a 1 1/2 hour flight is so much better than 10 hours in the car, even if it is a little scarier!! After all that time driving I doubt they will be up for a show that night. I'm hoping I'll even be able to get them to go for a game of mini-golf, but we'll see how that goes.

You are so right about the time going by quickly. When I first started looking to plan this trip (which was probably around August/September last year?) it seemed like forever away. Now I can't believe we are already at less than six months! I'm excited, but I kind of like the anticipation. Anyway, you are probably right, the next 2.5 months should go by quickly. At least, I hope so!

[lurkyloo]

Caught up!

OK, back a few pages there was some discussion of dropping the Behind the Seeds Tour on your first day. DON'T DROP IT!!! It is awesome - and it is everything that Living with the Land, the ride, should be but no longer is. And the price can't be beat...en. Plus you get a free sample, if you're into the whole "eating fruits and vegetables" thing.

Here's a link to the story of when we did the tour on our honeymoon (I mean, unless you want to be surprised, in which case - don't click the link!)

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=338

[annnewjerz]

Originally Posted by lurkyloo

Caught up!

OK, back a few pages there was some discussion of dropping the Behind the Seeds Tour on your first day. DON'T DROP IT!!! It is awesome - and it is everything that Living with the Land, the ride, should be but no longer is. And the price can't be beat...en. Plus you get a free sample, if you're into the whole "eating fruits and vegetables" thing.

Here's a link to the story of when we did the tour on our honeymoon (I mean, unless you want to be surprised, in which case - don't click the link!)

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=338

C'mon now----do you honestly think I haven't seen that post? I'm a bonafide Lurkyloo stalker.

I think I've decided not to skip it. I am into the whole "eating fruits and veggies" thing (which I get the impression you are not so much) and like you said...for $16 per person or less if I get a AAA discount, how can you beat it? Living with the Land is like a Disney guilty pleasure for me...so I doubt I will think it was a waste of time/money to take the tour.

One question---I read about a "ladybug release" or something on Allearsnet. Please tell me this isn't true and/or you can skip it and/or it's not as bad as it sounds. I HATE ladybugs (really only if they get on me) and would literally scream loud enough for all of Epcot to hear if we released them and they flew all over and landed on me.

Thoughts??

PS: It's an honor to have someone with your DIS PTR/TR status dropping by. My aspiration is to have a TR even 1/10 as read as yours. I'm thinking that what I lack in writing skillz, I can make up for in photography.

[lurkyloo]

OK, I asked Patrick to remind me about the ladybug release, and it's totally not a big deal. It's just one ladybug, and they give it to a kid to release, and when s/he opens her/his hand, the ladybug just sits there blinking for a few seconds before it rolls over and goes back to sleep. ...Oh, and then it flies all around and lands all over you.

[DWGal210]

I think that Behind the Seeds looks like fun - you'll have to tell us all about it when you get back! I'm doing Keys to the Kingdom this time and hope to do more later. I always feel like I do the same spots over and over again, and come heck or high water, I am going to do new stuff this trip!

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Just found this...also going in Dec and looking for others and what they are planning. Thought I'd subscribe. We went over X-mas in 06...it's great! I'm feeling you on those drinks...I have several of the same ones on my list! I'll be waiting for more! I am going to start my PTR soon...it'll be in my sig so you can join and we can go through the agony of waiting together! And, by the way...as a fellow Northeaster, I LOVE flip flops and wore them the entire trip in Dec 06! Remember when it feels cold to a native Floridian, it could be like a heatwave to us! Chat with you soon!

[annnewjerz]

Originally Posted by DWGal210

I think that Behind the Seeds looks like fun - you'll have to tell us all about it when you get back! I'm doing Keys to the Kingdom this time and hope to do more later. I always feel like I do the same spots over and over again, and come heck or high water, I am going to do new stuff this trip!

Belieeeeeeeeve me, the TR for my trip will be much more entertaining than the PTR. There will be lots of pictures, reviews, installments, lots of writing and hopefully lots of readers. I know I'll have at least some from the Photography Board, but maybe I can get some from the TR board too I'll be bribing everyone with the non-stop advertisement of the fact that this will be a very picture-heavy TR.

We are still up in the air about whether we will do KTTK or Backstage Magic. The Backstage Magic tour is a lot more expensive and quite a bit longer, but l feel like it may be worth it because the whole tour is spent backstage. We'll see!!

Originally Posted by LOVEMY3KIDDOS

And, by the way...as a fellow Northeaster, I LOVE flip flops and wore them the entire trip in Dec 06! Remember when it feels cold to a native Floridian, it could be like a heatwave to us! Chat with you soon!

Welcome!! I'll keep my eye out for your PTR. Not too much to PTR about this far out, but it's something to do.

That's what I thought about the flip flops---it'll be in the 40's here, so even if it's only in the low 70's there I'm sure it'll feel like flip flop and swimmin' weather to us!!

[happenin2you]

I love what you've done with the "ticket stubs" for your mom, the idea is so adorable. As for shoes, I reccommend any type of crocs. I wear high heeled crocs at work in a business casual environment where I am constantly on my feet and I'm always comfortable. I also bought the mary'janes at WDW last september and loved them as well. I have nanooks and alice's by crocs and they are both equally confortable and cute, too!

[exwdwcm]

DWGal- you will love KTTK tour- we really enjoyed ours. if i am ever back again on an adult only trip or maybe a business trip where i can squeeze in a day, i want to try the BSM one.

LOVEMY3KIDDOS- hi there- we have a nice group now of us Dec Pre trippers!! i'll keep an eye out for your PTR too.

ANNEJ- so have you decided on KTTK or BSM yet- how long is the BSM one? I did enjoy KTTK and think everyone should do it at least once. Don't expect a ton of backstage time though. We did go backstage behind splash mtn area sort of- saw the parade floats. We didn't see a whole lot else back there. We did venture down to the utilidors and you don't really go far in- you walk slightly down a bit, there are some small shadowboxes and photos on the wall they refer to in the tour and you watch a short dvd in the tunnel just standing there. Then you head back up- you don't really get to go explore. And there is a lot to explore- from my time as a CM- there is the barbershop, cafeteria, zoo (where character costumes are), costuming, IT facilities and more. It's amazing what all is down there and we only saw basically a part of the tunnel itself. It was still great, but hopefully the BSM shows you much more.

[MissMet]

subscribing

Can't wait to get caught up on everything I've missed so far.

[annnewjerz]

Originally Posted by exwdwcm

ANNEJ- so have you decided on KTTK or BSM yet- how long is the BSM one? I did enjoy KTTK and think everyone should do it at least once. Don't expect a ton of backstage time though. We did go backstage behind splash mtn area sort of- saw the parade floats. We didn't see a whole lot else back there. We did venture down to the utilidors and you don't really go far in- you walk slightly down a bit, there are some small shadowboxes and photos on the wall they refer to in the tour and you watch a short dvd in the tunnel just standing there. Then you head back up- you don't really get to go explore. And there is a lot to explore- from my time as a CM- there is the barbershop, cafeteria, zoo (where character costumes are), costuming, IT facilities and more. It's amazing what all is down there and we only saw basically a part of the tunnel itself. It was still great, but hopefully the BSM shows you much more.

I haven't decided yet---I'm still really up in the air. On one hand, the BSM tour shows you all backstage stuff and is 7 hours long, with a sit-down lunch at WCC and doesn't require park admission to do. On the other hand, it's a lot more expensive ($200+), takes more time away from the park and would take away some MK time/break up our DHS day into two different days, one morning and one night.

Decisions decisions, I'll tell ya! This is one thing I'm glad I have another few months to plan and think about. If I had to book tomorrow, I honestly don't know which I'd do. Whichever one I decide on, I'm sure we'll really enjoy them both.

Originally Posted by MissMet

subscribing

Can't wait to get caught up on everything I've missed so far.

You haven't missed much! Being 5 months out from the trip still really doesn't lend itself to much planning. However, the closer we get I'll have ADRs, MVMCP, tours, packing, kennels for the dogs, photos AND a TR from our mini-trip in October for MNSSHP. Things will be picking up soon!