The Silly and Mischievous Canucks do Christmas - Dec 2015 PTR - Update 12/13

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I saw that snow report as well. Yikes! Murphy's law - if you pack little stretchy gloves and a knit hat, you shouldn't need them, right?

Yep. I'll be packing some stuff to keep warm as even if it warms up during the day it is still freezing in the mornings and evenings. Even when we have gone to Banff in August it has warranted hats in the morning.

Wow those ice things look amazing

I agree, very pretty!

Wow... This is GORGEOUS!!! Are ya'll going to try to go see it for yourselves?

I think so, will probably play it by ear, it is not a "must do" but would be fun if we can fit it in. Maybe we will go the evening of our MK or AK day since those parks close early.

Do you have to pay to see the ice stuff?

Yep, I think it is $20 a person and that includes a coat rental as they keep the area at 9F.

 

[GoofyFan1515]

Fort Wilderness Christmas Decorations


One of the things that my mom is most wanting to do on this trip is visit Fort Wilderness to see all the decorations that the campers put up for the holidays. Apparently some of the displays are very elaborate. I saw that a sleigh ride is offered through the grounds and I was wondering if any of you know about this or have been on it? I'm wondering if it is worth the money ($70 for all four of us) or if it is better to walk around ourselves. We have never been to Fort Wilderness before so no idea how feasible that is.

I have seen a lot about this, and really want to check it off my list. We had it on the agenda the last holiday trip, but for some reason never did make it over there. I guess we need another holiday trip and move it up high on the Must Do list!

Double Digits!!

Joyful! A Gospel Celebration of the Season. The past few years this musical group performed at the Fountain of Nations. Seeing this group perform would be a fun and upbeat Christmas celebration.

If this is the group we saw the last time we were there, they were really good! They were maybe on a special stage at the fountain??? Sadly, we only got the final part of the show, but sounded well worth catching it all sometime.

Holiday Storytellers - We will want to visit each of the Holiday Storytellers. I'll be most interested in the countries that talk about celebrations that are distinctly different from the traditional Canadian/American Christmas such as Italy, Japan, China, Norway.

Definitely don't miss Germany or Mexico either.........they are both very good, and different with their traditions also! Norway and Italy are definitely my must do's every time!

Christmas at Disney has never really appealed to me, mostly because of the crowd factor. But if I do get the opportunity at some point, the Story Tellers would be at the top of my list. Sounds like an all-around fun day!

I hope it isn't too crowded while we are there since it will be more towards the beginning of December. Time will tell! I'm sure even if it is crowded we will deal with it we;;, we survived the Fourth of July afterall!

The crowd factor is way over-rated! You can still have a great time, and with some good planning, minimize the impact of the crowds. And my trips have all been the week between Christmas and New Year's, which is crazy, so early December should be a breeze! To me, with all the commercialism that has taken over the Christmas holidays, being at Disney with all the celebrations and lights allows me to escape and feel that Christmas spirit and mood that often gets dampened by the media onslaught! Of course, I would never try to be in MK the day(s) they are taping for the Christmas Day production you see on TV............

I am flying off to visit my Dad the day after Labour Day and I am working everyday up to then starting on Tuesday.

Sounds like a lot of fun to be had..........have a great trip!

Every time we go to Disney we drive past the Gaylord Palms Resort which is right before the welcome gates to WDW. We have always been a bit curious about this place and I remembered reading about a Christmas event they put on every year called ICE!

I decided to look it up and see what it is about and it actually looks really fun! Every year the resort puts on an elaborate ice sculpture display with games and ice slides and intricate themes. I think that we might plan to check it out on one of our free evenings.

This looks pretty cool! Nice that they can pull off ice sculptures in Florida with the weather sometimes hot enough for shorts and T-shirts!

 

[englishrose47]

The ICE thing sounds very interesting !!!!

 

[Steppesister]

@GoofyFan1515, my stance on going at Christmas actually has eased up some, now that I'll be making more regular trips down there. I would like to see the storytellers and the decorations, but I'd LOVE to do a Candlelight Procession, because I do want the REAL message of Christmas to be somewhat part of the celebrations I'd go for. And you're right, good planning can overcome a lot of other not-so-nice factors.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I have seen a lot about this, and really want to check it off my list. We had it on the agenda the last holiday trip, but for some reason never did make it over there. I guess we need another holiday trip and move it up high on the Must Do list!

It's always nice to have an excuse to return to Disney!

Definitely don't miss Germany or Mexico either.........they are both very good, and different with their traditions also! Norway and Italy are definitely my must do's every time!

Noted. I hope to visit all the Storytellers. Crossing my fingers that I can pull it off. I will have to ask my stepmother how accurate the Italy storyteller is compared to how her family celebrates in Italy.

Sounds like a lot of fun to be had..........have a great trip!

The trip is great so far. Headed off to Banff this morning.

The ICE thing sounds very interesting !!!!

It sure does. Not sure yet if it is interesting enough to pay the admission price. It will probably be an in the moment decision for us.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I'm sitting in the Calgary airport right now catching up on Dis news as I wait for my connecting flight back home. I had a great trip and I will share some pictures in a bit but first lets talk WDW!

So, while I was on vacation it looks as though Disney officially announced that this is the last year for the Osbourne Lights. This is not that unexpected given all the changes coming and the construction needed to bring them about. I am really glad that we decided to book this trip since it will be our last chance to see these lights and I have been wanting to see them for years.

I also saw that Disney will be having a "Merry and Bright Dessert Party" with reserved viewing for the lights. I was really tempted to book it but I just don't think I can justify the price. $69 a person for some desserts, yikes! I am sure this will be a great experience for some but I think we will skip it and enjoy the lights with the crowds.

 

[englishrose47]

I am also glad I got to see the Osborne Lights once , but that time of year is just way to busy for me to go again, unless I am forced to by P&P , the if it is FREE I might !! I did love the Story Tellers and the decorations but my 2 favorite times for Disney are May (early) for F & W and October !!

 

[SnoopyDancer]

So, two days ago I was whining to my husband about our October beach vacation to LA (lower Alabama), and he said we could go to WDW! To make a long story short, I thought I might try to write a trip report or pre-trip...and I found your report!!! I loved reading your trip reports back in the day!!!

Now that I've properly killed my exclamation button, I can give you my two cents on ICE.

ICE!

Every time we go to Disney we drive past the Gaylord Palms Resort which is right before the welcome gates to WDW. We have always been a bit curious about this place and I remembered reading about a Christmas event they put on every year called ICE!

I decided to look it up and see what it is about and it actually looks really fun! Every year the resort puts on an elaborate ice sculpture display with games and ice slides and intricate themes. I think that we might plan to check it out on one of our free evenings.

I live near Nashville, home of the Gaylord company, and have been to at least four Ice! shows. My two favorite shows have been "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." I don't remember the other two shows very well.

• In Nashville, Saturdays are very crowded. Try to go on weekday in the middle of the day to avoid crowds.
• In Nashville, you can usually get coupons for Ice at Wendy's or Kmart, so you might want to do a Google or Groupon search closer to Christmas to see if you can score some coupons.
• The admission price includes the beautiful blue parka which they make you wear. One year, I didn't take gloves because I figured that's what pockets are for. Well, to my dismay, their parkas don't have pockets. Make sure you take gloves...of course, you're from Canada and I'm from the Deep South, so you might be fine.
• You might want to have Kleenex/tissues in case your nose runs in extremely cold air. Honestly, I don't think it's that cold, but if you stay in there for a while your nose might drip.
• The ice slide is fun, but I wouldn't wait in a long line for it.
• In Nashville, once you go leave the ice area, you can't go back inside. Make sure you use the bathroom before you go in, or ask about re-entry when you buy your tickets. Also, if you can't re-enter, you are allowed to backtrack. If you make it to the end (where the Nativity scene is) and you want to go back to the front to see something again or see if the line for the slide has gone down, just don't go out the exit door.

I think that's it for Ice! tips. It's fun to see at least once, but I think it's a little expensive ($20 for an hour of fun). I usually don't go unless I love a theme, or I have friends who are visiting that want to see it.

 

[SnoopyDancer]

So, while I was on vacation it looks as though Disney officially announced that this is the last year for the Osbourne Lights. This is not that unexpected given all the changes coming and the construction needed to bring them about. I am really glad that we decided to book this trip since it will be our last chance to see these lights and I have been wanting to see them for years.

Nooooo!!!!! I love the Osbourne Lights. I hope they figure how to use the lights somewhere else like Downtown Disney (or is it Disney Springs now?).

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I am also glad I got to see the Osborne Lights once , but that time of year is just way to busy for me to go again, unless I am forced to by P&P , the if it is FREE I might !! I did love the Story Tellers and the decorations but my 2 favorite times for Disney are May (early) for F & W and October !!

I guess the good thing about having been to WDW so often is that even if it is crowded it is not too big a deal if it means less ride time as we have done most of it before.

he said we could go to WDW!

It's fun to see at least once, but I think it's a little expensive ($20 for an hour of fun).

Thanks for the ICE tips.

Nooooo!!!!! I love the Osbourne Lights. I hope they figure how to use the lights somewhere else like Downtown Disney (or is it Disney Springs now?).

Will be interesting to see if Disney repurposes the lights. Can't see them doing it at "Disney Springs" as seems an attraction they would want to charge admission for.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Okanagan/Banff Vacation Part One

I flew out to visit my Dad the day after Labour Day. He lives in British Columbia in the Okanagan Valley, a very beautiful area of the country known for its wineries. It took longer than expected to get to the airport in Ottawa and I barely made my flight. By the time I checked my bag and got through Security the plane was already boarding. This experience reminded me why I always try and be extremely early to the airport. I would rather sit around bored waiting for my flight than stressed out that I am going to miss it because I pushed it too close.

Once on the plane it was smooth sailing. I had a connection in Calgary and then it was just a quick 45 minute flight over the Rockies to Kelowna.

My dad picked me up at the Kelowna airport and then we headed back to his house. We didn't get up to too much on my arrival day as there was a contractor working at the house. We did watch Interstellar which my Dad loved.

The next day we went shopping in Kelowna as I needed a new pair of hiking boots before heading off to Banff the next day. Dinner that night was at my absolute most favourite restaurant, L' Isola Bella in Lake Country near Kelowna. I crave the food from this place year round but only get to eat here once a year when visiting my Dad. Everything there is so good and they have an amazing homemade salad dressing. I am drooling just thinking about it.

My favourite stepmother quote from that day was "I'm not racist, I like international food". For those of you not familiar with my family my stepmother is Italian and she drives me crazy. Her English is not that great which often leads to funny and/or frustrating communication issues. She also has no common sense and no filter. The above comment that she made was in response to my telling her that using certain terms for certain races was considered derogatory and offensive. She just doesn't get it.

The next morning it was time to depart for Banff in the Canadian Rockies. One of my most favourite places in the world. It was a 5 hour drive to Lake Louise in Banff which is where we were staying.

Once we arrived the first order of business was to take the dogs, Marcus and Tilly, down to the Bow River to play in the water.






We then went for a "chi-chi" drive. Chi-chi is my stepmother's Italian term for animals. When in Banff we try and drive down the Bow Valley Parkway every evening to see if we can spot any wildlife. We usually have pretty good luck. In the past we have seen a Grizzly Bear with her cubs, a wolf and elk. This year we saw a fox scampering through the woods along the side of the road. The parkway also offers great sunset views of the mountains.



The next morning it was time to start hiking. I picked out a fairly easy hike for my first day to ease into things. My dad hikes pretty much all year but I do not and I am a wimp.

The hike I picked was the "Bow Glacier Falls" trail. This hike offers a slight challenge but is easy enough while still offering beautiful scenery.

The hike starts at Bow Lake and you walk around the shoreline and then walk across rocks in a river valley and then clamber up a hill and then continue scrambling over rocks until you get to the Bow Glacier Falls.








The Fall colours were just starting to show themselves and it was beautiful.


















Tilly was much admired by the other hikers on the trail and had her picture taken many times. Everybody thought it was adorable how she had her own hiking pack that carried water for her and Marcus and any "poppy bags" that we had to use on the trail for the dogs.





On the hike we made friends with an American couple from Washington D.C. and they tagged along with us for most of the hike.





We had lunch sitting by the falls and then made our way back down to Bow Lake.









This man paddled by in his kayak and Tilly started barking at him and tried to dive into the water after him. He thought it was pretty funny.



It was a wonderful hike and I would definitely recommend it. The only "downside" to this day was that my Dad misread the trail and took us and our American friends off on an adventurous little detour for about 30 minutes before he realized his mistake and we made our way back to the actual trail.

 

[Steppesister]

Stunning photos!! I love Banff so much!! In the summer of course.

 

[englishrose47]

Beautiful Scenery , but where are the Bus Stops or Taxis????? I could not make it , my breathing is way toooo bad . But it is still goodenough to HIKE Disney

 

[SnoopyDancer]

Wow! That is beautiful!

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Stunning photos!! I love Banff so much!! In the summer of course.

I love it as well. I'm pretty lucky that I get to go there almost every summer now that my Dad lives somewhat nearby.

I think it would be beautiful in the winter with all the snow but I definitely would not be doing any hiking/snow shoeing!

Beautiful Scenery , but where are the Bus Stops or Taxis????? I could not make it , my breathing is way toooo bad . But it is still goodenough to HIKE Disney

Hiking is definitely not easy for me as I am so out of shape and the level of exertion on the hikes we go on is not something I ever do out here in Ontario. I call my visits with my dad "Daddy boot camp" because he doesn't care how fat and out of shape I am, he makes me do the hard hikes anyways and usually by the end of the trip I've lost a few pounds and made some gains in my endurance. Too bad those gains quickly disappear once I am back home. That being said I huff and puff my way slowly up the mountain trails as I love the outdoors and the scenery is 100% worth the physical suffering.

Wow! That is beautiful!

I don't think there is an ugly part of Banff, it is all stunning and beautiful. My dad and I are always sarcastic and say "no big deal, it's just average, nothing special".

Ok, but this is really funny, I may have to borrow this phrase!

Yep, it is pretty funny, especially since my step doesn't get why it is funny and made the comment in all seriousness.

Gorgeous pics, each one just as beautiful a the others, I just love the blue skies, I don't know if I could live anywhere else besides Alberta!

You are very lucky to esentially have Banff as your backyard. I have often considered moving out to the Okanagan where my Dad lives so that I could be close to the mountains and enjoy the mild Okanagan weather but I don't think I could leave my mom and brothers or the job that I love. Maybe when I retire? Until then I will have to settle for my annual trips.

 

[Elevationist]

Jesus, those photos are incredible. It's like looking at a magazine. Are you sure you didn't just scan some postcards?

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Jesus, those photos are incredible. It's like looking at a magazine. Are you sure you didn't just scan some postcards?

Funnily enough, my "step-aunt" who lives in Italy does not believe that the water in Banff is such amazing blues and thinks that we photoshop our pictures/postcards.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Okanagan/Banff Vacation Part Two

After the Bow Glacier Falls Hike we made our way back to the campground and cleaned up and ate dinner and then we drove up to my favourite lake in Banff, Moraine Lake. We've had luck seeing grizzly bears there in the past in the evening so we thought we would give it a shot. Moraine Lake is usually packed with tourists during the day but if you go in the early morning or evening you will have the place to yourself.

I just love the setting of Moraine Lake. The water is an unbelievable blue and the mountains that surround it make it picture perfect. Lake Louise seems to get all the attention but I think Moraine Lake is the prettier lake.

The sun was almost down when we arrived and so the colour of the water wasn't at its most brilliant but it was still lovely.







Unfortunately, there were no wildlife sightings that night.

The next day was another hiking day.

We passed under one of Banff's wildlife crossing bridges on our drive.



I think these bridges are wonderful and so innovative. Apparently Banff was the first place to institute anything like this. Their purpose is to provide a safe point for animals to get across the highway. The top of the bridge is covered in grass and other plant life to make it more natural for the animals.

We drove up part of the beautiful Icefields Parkway to get to the trailhead. One of the most beautiful drives out there. It always amazes me how people speed down this highway and don't take the time to appreciate the view.





The hike we were going on this day was the Bow Peak/Balfour Prospect hike. This trail is a hidden gem. It is not marked so you have to know where you are going to find it. This hike was a tough one (for me). It consisted of fording the Bow River at the start and end of the hike, was 14 km long and had a 640 metre elevation gain.

At the start of the trail you have to ford the Bow River. Yikes was it cold! I guess that is to be expected when you are crossing glacier-fed waters pretty much at their source! The water went above my knees at points of the crossing so it was a good thing my hiking pants are made of quick dry material! In order to not have soaking wet feet for the rest of the hike we had to carry our hiking boots across and wear Crocs while fording the river to protect our feet from the rocks. I had to wear my Disney Crocs!



I was so nervous that I was going to slip and fall in the river as I am a huge klutz and I fall on a regular basis while on dry land. Somehow I got across without falling, a miracle!







Once we were all across and had our hiking boots on the tough work began. The first part of the hike was uphill through forest and we had to cross many streams.



Eventually we climbed high enough that we were out of the forest and were climbing through mountainside meadows with beautiful views of the surrounding area.







Up, up, up we went until we got to the pass through the mountains. Once over the pass we started to make our way through a gently sloped meadow. I was so relieved to be going downhill by this point that I tried to ignore the fact that I would have to climb back up on our way back. Haha. We were high enough at this point that there were patches of snow on the ground. The dogs loved this and we let them play around in the snow for a few minutes.



We continued through the meadow and our destination started to come into view.



We were making our way to Balfour Prospect where we would have great views of Balfour Glacier and Hector Lake below.





Once we got to the viewpoint we took a lunch break as it was 1:30 in the afternoon and we had been hiking since 9:30. We were hungry and tired!

View of Balfour Glacier from our lunch spot



Me and my dad with the dogs, Hector Lake in the background



After taking about 30 minutes to eat and enjoy the view it was time to head back the way we came. The climb back up through the meadow was a tough go after resting for lunch. I pushed through it though and once back over the pass the rest of the hike was downhill again.

As we were making our way down we saw two mountain goats edging their way along a nearby mountainside.



We finally made it back to the Bow River around 5:30 and it was time to ford the river again. The water was a bit higher now and just as cold as in the morning. My feet went numb from the cold.





After this it was a short walk back to the car but Tilly, the white and beige dog, decided that she had had enough and was going no further! She stopped abruptly and laid down in the grass and wouldn't get back up for several minutes. I guess she was just as tuckered out from the hike as I was!

We did get her going again eventually and she and Marcus quickly fell asleep once we were back in the car. It was a long but good day for all of us.

 

[DisneyJo]

What beautiful photos Lessa