On the 1st Day of Christmas Walt Disney Gave to Me.....Final Chapter 5/14/10!

[karajeboo]

Originally Posted by MEK

A Junior Mayor .....How Very Cool!!!!! And Space Mtn FP's to boot - nice reward for a last minute ADR!

We've actually been very lucky with walk in ADRs over the past year or so. We've walked in The Plaze, Sci Fi, Tony's, Biergarten.....

Originally Posted by podsnel

Kara- could you hear my three-second-delay belly laugh after every sentence in your last installment?? Yay for Ally!! I have never been in the Plaza, and I feel like I am reading about it in EVERYONE'S TR lately- gonna have to add that in somewhere this fall. I think it's hilarious that she got the banner to wear, but that they took it back! No idea why that is soooo funny to me!

REALLY???? ALL of them in 24 hours??? WOW! I don't know if I could even do that!! Thanks so much, both of you, for making me feel all special and stuff! Hope you like our new TR- we laughed SO MUCH on this trip, it was one fit of hysterics after another! What a great time we had!

The Plaze is really nothing to write home about.... which is why you didn't get a text from me when we were there.....

And get your own TR if you're fishing for compliments!!!

Originally Posted by bouncy54

"Of course I left one bite on my plate... cause we all know that all the calories are in that last bite.... "

I do that all the time for the exact same reason!

I love your TR and your sense of humor!

So am I wrong? I even heard once that Dolly Parton NEVER finishes anything on her plate! So I wanna be like Dolly, well, except for TWO things.....

Originally Posted by Wicket's Mom

I'm so glad to see that you are back. I've been waiting patiently for your return. Glad that all is going well.

Thank you! I want to try to wrap this up this week so I can hop over to the DISmoms TR!

[karajeboo]

On the 12th day of Christmas, Walt Disney gave to me....

12 Months in a GREAT WDW year!
11 Mayoral Greetings
10 Minute Water Taxi
9 Fightin words.....
8:00 Wishes
7 bathroom pit stops
6 Epcot "Santas"
5 million dancing lights
4 parks one world
3 season passes
2 1/2 hr drive
and a room at the Wilderness Lodge

So off we went to Epcot to finish up with those Santas!

FPs were all too late in the day for any of the major attractions in Future World, but that's not a problem, as we only wanted to spend time in World Showcase during the Christmas season!

We seemed to be missing all the storytellers as they didn't have set schedules. So we stopped in Germany at a little stand where they were selling Gluehwein - a hot mulled wine. Yeah, I know you're all shocked that we were able to find the wine stand!!!!!

They couldn't tell us exactly when the storyteller would be out, but Ally had spotted the very LARGE nutcracker the day before and she was adamant that we see him!

So we sat. Jeff ran off and picked up this for us....



And we sat. And waited. And watched the kiddos visiting with Snow White. And we sat. And waited.

Finally, a lovely german woman showed up and began her tale......

We learned about the first Christmas tree, the Christmas pickle, and of course Gluehwein!!!



She was enchanting!!!!!

German Storyteller with Nutcracker



AFterwards, Ally was anxious to have her picture taken with a real LIVE nutcracker!!! And of course she counted with (I can't remember her name so we'll call her Helga, cause that's a good German name!!!) in German. In SC, the kids begin foreign language in kindergarten and it just happened to be German when Ally was in school there. So they counted together - probably counting all those Gluehweins Mommy and Daddy had!!!!





I think she was by far my favorite!!! So animated and fun and I actually learned something!!!

From there we wandered on and of course got snacks in Norway - how can you pass the Kringla bakery and not stop in for school bread or one of those incredible almond pretzels????

I swear, just moving away from WDW I'm sure to lose weight without the World Showcase in my backyard!!!!

We didn't want to wait for the Norwegian storyteller but we found La Befana in Italy as we were heading by.

Hmmmm, maybe SHE was my favorite?



Again, I was totally involved in her story, even if she was a witch..... wrong holiday? Nah! It was very Christian and so lovely!!!!





I was really getting upset that we wouldn't see all the storytellers, or as I called them "santas" because we just didn't have the time, and there wasn't enough Gluehwein for all the waiting we'd have to do!!!

Back in Morocco Jeff wanted to hunt some hidden Mickeys.... big geek that he is!



This may be my favorite country in WS. I just find it so detailed and beautiful!











Even though I think this might be the most beautiful country in WS, I've still got my flat picked out in England...... right across the street from R&C!!!

On through France and who should we FINALLY meet after waiting at least a bazillion times for him????



But he couldn't sign Ally's autograph books because he was in dire need of a manicure..... he really IS a beast!!!!

We came through the UK right when Father Christmas was finishing his tale, so all we were able to do was get a couple pics. He was BEAUTIFUL!!!!



But Father Christmas seemed a bit distracted. I think he was checking out Mary Poppins......





Yes, Ally, this is as close to a cell phone as you are getting!!!!!



And my flat? Right here!!!!!



And now, it was time to make our way back to the front of the park, get pack to WL, grab our car and head home....... None of us were happy after a wonderful Christmas weekend at Disney!



Is that the most pathetic thing you've ever seen????

And at this time, we had no idea we were being transferred even further away from the Happiest Place on Earth.

But I feel extremely blessed to have lived 2 1/2 hrs from Disney during these great "magical" years of Ally's life - from ages 6-9. It couldn't have been more perfect.

She is now starting to question the characters. Who is real and who isn't? Well, even though Piglet may be a person dressed up in a costume, she knows there is a REAL piglet somewhere, maybe the one over in Pooh's corner. So she still belives that all the characters have a REAL one somewhere. Except the princesses. They are ALL real and nobody is allowed to dress up like them, unless they go to Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique!

Our next trip to WDW (at least right now) is a grand gathering with my family in early December, 2011. That is, if we can all hold off for that long!

One last photo before I end this TR......

This was Ally the next day in the car heading to school. Going on and on and on and on about being the ONLY Jr Mayor EVER in Magic Kingdom!



So, Rosie, did I meet my quota of 6 "santas?" Germany, Japan, Italy, UK, France and China!!!!! I did it!!!

Farewell, DISbuds!!!! For now.......

[Rozz]

That was a fantastic trip report! I really enjoyed reading about the storytellers. Looking forward to the next report!

[jenseib]

So sad it's over. I hope to go in Dec of this year. I need to get DH on board with it though

[lshaw6]

Thanks for sharing another visit to the Mouse!! I'm sad this TR is over too but, am soooo glad you all have started on the DisMom's TR!

[MAGICFOR2]

Sweet ending, Kara. I love how young Mayor McSparkelson is the only one ever!!! So sorry you are moving away, but it will make future trips so much sweeter!