Ms. Shuttergirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2009
Day Four
I decided to take pity on the family and let them sleep in a little today. It had been a massive few days and rather have them collapse in a pile of tears, theirs and mine, sleep was the answer. We were still up early compared to normal families though hahaha.
Off to Epcot our favourite park today. I hate arriving late to the parks. The lines for all the rides were already out of control and it was seriously only 10.15. Soarin was already at 1 hr and Test Track similar, insane. We jumped onto Mission Space and began our astronaut training. Needless to say DH was a big fail but I was awesome. Im expecting a call from Nasa any day now. Jumped into Club Cool to sample all of the cokes from around the world. Its always a bit of fun to taste all the different flavours and to see everyones faces when they try Italys Beverly flavour. Gosh its awful. The subsequent screwed up face photos always give me a giggle.
Next we headed into the World Showcase which is our favourite part. Mexico was the first country we came to so in we went, did the cute but lame water ride and then wandered around the shops with the kids trying on amazing sombreros and DH and I drooling over the Tequila Bar nearby and dreaming of all of the tequilas we would like to taste if we werent having to be responsible parents lol.
We then checked out Norway which is always so interesting, beautiful architecture, unusual viking paraphernalia and lots of fairytale stuff. Alot of Hans Christian Andersen stuff of course since he wrote many of the fairytales the Disney movies are based on. DS10 had fun trying on viking helmets and hitting his sister with swords. She of course was less than impressed with that.
We had to stop exploring because it was then time for lunch in Germany at Biergarten, a German beer hall type place where they serve a massive buffet of traditional German food, you order your beers in massive big steins, half litre or litre, you choose your level of drunkenness, they have a traditional polka type band playing and the theming and atmosphere are insanely festive and fun. The food was out of this world delicious and screamed comfort food. It may surprise you all to know that DH and I went with the half litre of beer each, very mature of us to be a bit reserved although if we didnt have to be somewhere not long after lunch Im fairly sure we wouldve liked to settle in for music and fun times.
Alas, we had a very important date and we didnt want to be late as the Mad Hatter would say. We rushed back to our resort, spruced ourselves up (I couldve used some quick lipo and plastic surgery but there wasnt the time) and we cabbed it over to the Boardwalk resort and headed straight out to the boardwalk area overlooking the water to meet the lovely Amy Smith who I had hired to do a family photo shoot for us. I was so anxious about having photos taken which of course is ironic. I definitely have a greater understanding of how my mummy clients feel now lol. DH had to pull me aside from the kids and tell me to calm down because I was insane with stress haha. Finally Amy arrived, put us all at ease and we were on with the show. She actually said her husband had to do the same with her when they had family photos earlier this year so that made me feel a whole lot better. The fact that lots of people were walking past us on the Boardwalk staring didnt phase us, we just followed along, did what she asked and had lots of fun. Ive got my fingers crossed the images all turn out okay. Lets face it, if we are all in it, everyones looking at the camera, if no one is picking their nose or picking undies out of their bum or punching someone we are all good hahaha. Of course embarrassingly, the word fart was used far too many times during the session. He who shall remain nameless used it as a tool to make mini he who shall remain nameless laugh. Im sure Amy went away with quite a sad opinion of the ocker aussies she had just met hehe.
Afterwards we headed to the ESPN Zone sports bar for a few nerve settlers for the mumma after such a stressful afternoon hehe. The boys were riveted to the basketball/football/soccer/200million other sports that were playing on the 200 million tv screens throughout the bar. And of course you wouldnt want to miss a second of the action so you head to the toilets and there are tvs in there above the urinals and the cubicles and the girls werent to be outdone, we had tvs in our toilies too. God bless America and their love of sports.
We then headed over to Magic Kingdom to attend the special ticketed event, Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party, MVMCP for short. This event was expensive but the selling point is less crowds, free hot chocolate and cookies, a special Christmas parade, special Christmas fireworks and unique characters out for meet and greets with short lines etc. Something must have gone awry in the sales pitch because the crowds were ENORMOUS!!!! I thought DH was going to have a meltdown because he hates crowds-strike 1, and he hates lining up- strike 2. I was very disappointed with this turn of events but we got on with things, rode Splash and Pirates of the Carribean and then went in to watch the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor show which is very funny, DS finds it hilarious. We managed to see the Lighting of the Castle ceremony, it was truly beautiful. Even DH said it was amazing to see so I guess it must be pretty bloody awesome because he isnt big on Disney praise hahaha. We grabbed some burgers and fries from Cosmic Rays for a quick dinner and then I went and found us a spot for the parade no easy feat I tell ya. I had to body slam 2 nuns, a princess and pinch several small children to find us a spot along the parade route. It was worth all the bodily harm I inflicted the parade was wonderful. And in true Disney style they had smells piping out of the floats, like lollies, gingerbread, caramel, etc so it was a true sensory experience. All of the usual characters were out in full holiday garb Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, the ducks, the princesses and then there were the 7 dwarves who you rarely see, dancing gingerbread men and reindeers and the nutcracker soldiers were amazing. The whole thing was lots of fun but over too quick and the crowds, did I mention the crowds. he boys decided they were done after about 3 hours but DD and I, in true Disney style, chose to soldier on. It was actually lots of fun once the boys left (shhhh dont tell them I said that). DD and I raced around getting hundreds of photos taken by the Photopass photographers, we ate some sweet stuff, looked in shops, experienced snow on Main Street which was fun for like 1 second and then became annoying but it was fun. We watched the extraordinary fireworks show wow, no one does it like Disney. Stunning!!!! I was so excited and hyper that there of course needed to be some dancing, Christmas carol singing and general waving at perfect strangers as we walked up and down Main Street. DD was mortified which only made me do it more. I was having fun, I dont know any of these people, its Christmas time and I can if I want hehehe. We finally made it onto a bus and home by 11ish. Other than the crowds and not really being able to ride anything, it was fun.
The day was overcast all day, even for the photo shoot and during the morning it was spitting rain for quite some time. Very dreary but not very cold until the afternoon when it took a cool turn.
Highs Photo shoot, the Christmas parade and fireworks, Biergarten food and atmosphere, hanging out with my girlie at Magic Kingdom
Lows late start and long lines for rides at Epcot, stressing about the photo shoot, crowds at party, rain
Weather high of 18, low of 13, scattered very light rain
I decided to take pity on the family and let them sleep in a little today. It had been a massive few days and rather have them collapse in a pile of tears, theirs and mine, sleep was the answer. We were still up early compared to normal families though hahaha.
Off to Epcot our favourite park today. I hate arriving late to the parks. The lines for all the rides were already out of control and it was seriously only 10.15. Soarin was already at 1 hr and Test Track similar, insane. We jumped onto Mission Space and began our astronaut training. Needless to say DH was a big fail but I was awesome. Im expecting a call from Nasa any day now. Jumped into Club Cool to sample all of the cokes from around the world. Its always a bit of fun to taste all the different flavours and to see everyones faces when they try Italys Beverly flavour. Gosh its awful. The subsequent screwed up face photos always give me a giggle.
Next we headed into the World Showcase which is our favourite part. Mexico was the first country we came to so in we went, did the cute but lame water ride and then wandered around the shops with the kids trying on amazing sombreros and DH and I drooling over the Tequila Bar nearby and dreaming of all of the tequilas we would like to taste if we werent having to be responsible parents lol.
We then checked out Norway which is always so interesting, beautiful architecture, unusual viking paraphernalia and lots of fairytale stuff. Alot of Hans Christian Andersen stuff of course since he wrote many of the fairytales the Disney movies are based on. DS10 had fun trying on viking helmets and hitting his sister with swords. She of course was less than impressed with that.
We had to stop exploring because it was then time for lunch in Germany at Biergarten, a German beer hall type place where they serve a massive buffet of traditional German food, you order your beers in massive big steins, half litre or litre, you choose your level of drunkenness, they have a traditional polka type band playing and the theming and atmosphere are insanely festive and fun. The food was out of this world delicious and screamed comfort food. It may surprise you all to know that DH and I went with the half litre of beer each, very mature of us to be a bit reserved although if we didnt have to be somewhere not long after lunch Im fairly sure we wouldve liked to settle in for music and fun times.
Alas, we had a very important date and we didnt want to be late as the Mad Hatter would say. We rushed back to our resort, spruced ourselves up (I couldve used some quick lipo and plastic surgery but there wasnt the time) and we cabbed it over to the Boardwalk resort and headed straight out to the boardwalk area overlooking the water to meet the lovely Amy Smith who I had hired to do a family photo shoot for us. I was so anxious about having photos taken which of course is ironic. I definitely have a greater understanding of how my mummy clients feel now lol. DH had to pull me aside from the kids and tell me to calm down because I was insane with stress haha. Finally Amy arrived, put us all at ease and we were on with the show. She actually said her husband had to do the same with her when they had family photos earlier this year so that made me feel a whole lot better. The fact that lots of people were walking past us on the Boardwalk staring didnt phase us, we just followed along, did what she asked and had lots of fun. Ive got my fingers crossed the images all turn out okay. Lets face it, if we are all in it, everyones looking at the camera, if no one is picking their nose or picking undies out of their bum or punching someone we are all good hahaha. Of course embarrassingly, the word fart was used far too many times during the session. He who shall remain nameless used it as a tool to make mini he who shall remain nameless laugh. Im sure Amy went away with quite a sad opinion of the ocker aussies she had just met hehe.
Afterwards we headed to the ESPN Zone sports bar for a few nerve settlers for the mumma after such a stressful afternoon hehe. The boys were riveted to the basketball/football/soccer/200million other sports that were playing on the 200 million tv screens throughout the bar. And of course you wouldnt want to miss a second of the action so you head to the toilets and there are tvs in there above the urinals and the cubicles and the girls werent to be outdone, we had tvs in our toilies too. God bless America and their love of sports.
We then headed over to Magic Kingdom to attend the special ticketed event, Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party, MVMCP for short. This event was expensive but the selling point is less crowds, free hot chocolate and cookies, a special Christmas parade, special Christmas fireworks and unique characters out for meet and greets with short lines etc. Something must have gone awry in the sales pitch because the crowds were ENORMOUS!!!! I thought DH was going to have a meltdown because he hates crowds-strike 1, and he hates lining up- strike 2. I was very disappointed with this turn of events but we got on with things, rode Splash and Pirates of the Carribean and then went in to watch the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor show which is very funny, DS finds it hilarious. We managed to see the Lighting of the Castle ceremony, it was truly beautiful. Even DH said it was amazing to see so I guess it must be pretty bloody awesome because he isnt big on Disney praise hahaha. We grabbed some burgers and fries from Cosmic Rays for a quick dinner and then I went and found us a spot for the parade no easy feat I tell ya. I had to body slam 2 nuns, a princess and pinch several small children to find us a spot along the parade route. It was worth all the bodily harm I inflicted the parade was wonderful. And in true Disney style they had smells piping out of the floats, like lollies, gingerbread, caramel, etc so it was a true sensory experience. All of the usual characters were out in full holiday garb Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, the ducks, the princesses and then there were the 7 dwarves who you rarely see, dancing gingerbread men and reindeers and the nutcracker soldiers were amazing. The whole thing was lots of fun but over too quick and the crowds, did I mention the crowds. he boys decided they were done after about 3 hours but DD and I, in true Disney style, chose to soldier on. It was actually lots of fun once the boys left (shhhh dont tell them I said that). DD and I raced around getting hundreds of photos taken by the Photopass photographers, we ate some sweet stuff, looked in shops, experienced snow on Main Street which was fun for like 1 second and then became annoying but it was fun. We watched the extraordinary fireworks show wow, no one does it like Disney. Stunning!!!! I was so excited and hyper that there of course needed to be some dancing, Christmas carol singing and general waving at perfect strangers as we walked up and down Main Street. DD was mortified which only made me do it more. I was having fun, I dont know any of these people, its Christmas time and I can if I want hehehe. We finally made it onto a bus and home by 11ish. Other than the crowds and not really being able to ride anything, it was fun.
The day was overcast all day, even for the photo shoot and during the morning it was spitting rain for quite some time. Very dreary but not very cold until the afternoon when it took a cool turn.
Highs Photo shoot, the Christmas parade and fireworks, Biergarten food and atmosphere, hanging out with my girlie at Magic Kingdom
Lows late start and long lines for rides at Epcot, stressing about the photo shoot, crowds at party, rain
Weather high of 18, low of 13, scattered very light rain
i think you are lovely though, and all of your candid shots are pretty so i am quite sure your family shots will be amazing!! 
you made me laugh out loud about embarrassing your DD.....I love to do the same to mine
it's a mothers right. Sorry to hear about the crowds when we went in November it wasn't too bad although we watched the second parade and rode rides while the first was on....can't say I liked the cookies though snickles I think they call them yuckie the choc chip were nice!
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your update 
