disney at christmas

[lapdwife]

We leave tomorrow and will be at the parks Thurs-Sat I am so excited yet at the same time kind of sad. I know it will pass by so quickly I am hoping I can savor every moment with my hubby and kids. I don't think we will be back again for a while. Big thanks to everyone who has been posting pictures it's been so awesome! Hoping the weather stays dry and the crowds are low ( wishful thinking)

Good luck on the crowds BUT talk about perfect weather this weekend!!! Great time to go. We're staying on property this weekend too and I'm so glad it's going to be nice. It rained this weekend last year.

 

[Mexikolla]

I didn't think I could get it in my van, so we left it at the DLH.

LMAO!

Ok some of my pictures are downloaded. Here are some of the IASW and were taken by DD(15)

Great Photo!! Love it!

 

[funatdisney]

Thank you, Steph. I'll let DD(15) know. I'm sure she'll appreciate the comment.

 

[Disgram23kids]

Just 24 hours from now, I will picking up the grandkids and heading to the airport. We are so excited and the weather does look warm. I'm really excited. Oldest granddaughter called me about 20 mintues ago when she got on the school bus and said -"Just think - this time tomorrow we'll be heading home from school and waiting for you to pick us up to head to the airport". She said they packed last night and she made a sign for her little brother (6) so he can try to be picked for the Jedi Training Academy. She's our resident artist and drew a picture of Yoda on it and letters saying "Battle the Dark Side - I Must"!!! She said it looks great. She told me my grandson packed his lunch box (which he never uses for school - so not sure why they bought it for him ) with fruit snacks and juice boxes. He said he might get hungry on he plane. My son patiently explained that the plane ride is only about 2 hrs and he wouldn't need snacks because he will eat at the airport before he gets on the plane.

Hopefully the parks won't be horribly crowded Fri, Sat & Sun, but we are prepared for them. Friday morning we have 7 AM breakfast ressies at PCH Grill and then we will head over to the park. Can't wait!!!

Thanks everyone for posting all the great pictures. I've enjoyed seeing them all and they have certainly put me in the Christmas mood!!! In fact, I showed my daughter's boyfriend some of the photos of the castle and small world and he decided he wanted to go with us. I think he may be more excited than any of us.

 

[amamax2]

Everyone heading out tomorrow or this weekend:

Have a magical time!!!!

Is it wrong that even though I have already had my Christmas trip, I am jealous of you all?

And take lots of pictures.

 

[funatdisney]

Safe travels, Disgram23kids. Have a wonderful weekend.

 

[MinnieMama09]

Oh, I can't believe we leave Saturday morning already! Oooh, so much packing to do...almost 80 degree weather while we're there? Crazy! My in-laws coming with us from Virginia (who've never even been to California, let alone DL) are not going to know what to do with themselves!

 

[Funball]

Again, a super thread and thanks for all the incredible pictures.

We were there for our annual post Thanksgiving trip last Mon.-Thurs. and had a great time, but boy, did we notice some changes.

Not only were Christmas decorations much more scarce, but holiday merchandise was also lacking. There were no Christmas mugs - at all! I remember when they used to feature the classic movies on Christmas mugs, small, round, flat ornaments, plates, etc. Haven't seen those for a few years, but they usally have some sort of Christmas mug. Also, we didn't see any cookie decorating! Yikes! We loved doing that. And I really, really miss the Santa's Reindeer RoundUp from before the BBQ went back in. They would have cookie decorating, cocoa, entertainment where kids could go up and participate, magicians wandering around, beautiful decorations and trees decorated (the real, huge ones), and lots of characters. They'd also have carts selling fun Holiday stuff. It was a
great place to go and relax and just enjoy the ambience.

We were shocked that there were no decorations at the Backlot in DCA. Again, we'd love to sit, liten to Christmas music, drink cocoa, and people watch. Really missed all those decorations and music.

Boy, do I sound like a whiner! We had a great time, crowds were okay until Thursday when things started to pick up, but still no problem. And we did manage to bring home a few ornaments!

umm i'm not, DCA has alot of stuff going on right now plus electronica, xmas would clash with all that 80's style stuff(btw electronica rocks!).... they do have xmas music, it's mixed in with the regular soundtrack..

 

[Funball]

If anyone needs xmas cookies, DCA does have a few designs to choose from!!!

 

[KCmike]

From the Sailing Ship Columbia

 

[Sherry E]

I'm ready to start eating some ice cream or a cookie or something! I've been holding off until I get to DLR.

So...right now I am in that 'blah' stage that sometimes sets in before a trip. Have any of you experienced this phenomenon, where you are extremely giddy and excited about a trip for a long time, and your mind races with the possibilities of all the fun you are going to have - you cannot do enough planning - and then, for whatever reason, all of a sudden you hit a wall...right before your trip is supposed to happen?

I don't know exactly what it is but you get the blues. Maybe it's the fact that you keep running into road blocks in your planning endeavors and you're exhausted with trying to work everything out. Maybe you start to worry or feel guilty about the money you will be spending, and second guessing if it's worth it. Maybe the idea of battling thousands of people to get on rides suddenly sounds too daunting. Packing is daunting. Trying to coordinate everyone's schedules and priorities is daunting. Maybe you suddenly just lose the excited feeling about heading to DLR and it starts to seem more like a hassle. For whatever reason, all of a sudden the trip seems less exciting!

I suspect I am not the only one who has experienced this. Oh, don't worry - I know I will have great fun and it will be a very rewarding trip once I get to DLR, and I'll feel silly for ever 'hitting the wall.' It's my favorite time of year at DLR, after all (ain't that an understatement?). It's happened to me before and it will happen again (the 'blah' feeling, that is). But that's the stage I'm at now and I wondered if anyone else out there can relate?

 

[cseca]

Yep, definitely know that wall you're talking about Sherry. I'm surprised that you mentioned it because I thought I am the only one who feels like that before every vacation... and then of course the post vacation blues... oh that one is worse!

But in between... LOADS of fun...

 

[BunnieGene]

I completely understand Sherry...we were at DLR last week, and honestly on the way to the airport could have easily just kept on driving and gone back home...exhausted from work, etc.

But we knew we would have fun...and we did......and of course you will too! We had so much fun I can't believe we considered not going...

 

[PHXscuba]

Sherry, I sometimes get the pre-vacation letdown. I start thinking, "in X days this will already be over!!" and it makes me a little sad. I look forward to my vacations so much that sometimes I miss the excitement of having something to plan (and my next real trip anywhere is a long 10 months away!)

I also know the logistics can make you loopy -- coordinating the schedules and desires. I'm still amazed my trip came off without big glitches -- I held my breath everytime the phone rang the last few days before I left, terrified that my friend wouldn't be able to come because of family or illness.

And like you, I actually laid off the goodies for a few days before the trip so I'd be good and hungry for them.

PHXscuba

 

[Sherry E]

Oh good. I'm so glad to know there's a whole club of us who get the pre-vacation 'blah' syndrome. I think I'm just exhausted with it all. My brain is tired. It's like you get to a point where you just start to not care. Like "whatever happens, happens...eh..." And you start envisioning having to wait in the long lines, having to shell out large amounts of money for any number of things, having to get up at a crazy hour or stay awake until a crazy hour to get all the things done that need to be done, etc. At least I am not alone in my blahs!!

But, yes, I've certainly had the post-trip blues too - that is a whole different phenomenon, for sure! That is the sort of thing that has us all plotting and scheming our next trip to DLR as soon as we get home and walk in the door from the last trip!! I have literally done that - gotten home, pplunked down on the sofa, rested a bit...and then started figuring out when the next trip was going to happen!!

 

[KCmike]

I feel all those feelings Sherry. Crazy ain't it? Sometimes you just have to let go. Even if its crazy out there just take time to soak it in. Try not to worry about all the stuff/money/and other things that like to creep in. It's time to enjoy it. The family and I have been listening to the song "Enjoy it" from one of those old Disney films. Its a silly little song from "In Search of the Castaways.

Imagine getting to the gate

 

[Sherry E]

I feel all those feelings Sherry. Crazy ain't it? Sometimes you just have to let go. Even if its crazy out there just take time to soak it in. Try not to worry about all the stuff/money/and other things that like to creep in. It's time to enjoy it. The family and I have been listening to the song "Enjoy it" from one of those old Disney films. Its a silly little song from "In Search of the Castaways.

Imagine getting to the gate

You're very right, Mike! I think that being on actual Disney soil helps a lot. I think that the 'blah' feeling can even last all the way up until you get to DLR. As BunnieGene said, she could have easily kept on driving past the airport (that made me giggle, too!). Once you get on Disney property, the magic air gets in your nostrils and all is right with the world!


By the way, at this moment I should point at out to PHXscuba that cseca (our other member of the Pre-Trip Blahs/Blues Club) is about to head to DLR with a group of 13 people - something you know about all too well. Coordinating that size of a group must be very exhausting and mind-numbing!! I don't know how you ladies did it!!

 

[merrrydeath]

I don't know if you all are still on the gingerbread topic , so I'm getting us back on it if you weren't. I got a Holiday Tour gingerbread man and a gingerbread man from Blue Ribbon Bakery(not a Mickey eared one). The Blue Ribbon Bakery man is HUGE. Really tall(about two inches taller than the tour one) with a fat, fat belly and a huge head. It was an incredibly soft cookie and not dry at all. So if anyone is looking for a good gingerbread man and doesn't mind if it is not a Mickey-ear one then try the one from Blue Ribbon Bakery(you can also get it at Bakersfield Bakery, Pacific Wharf Cafe, and I'm sure a few other places that sell cookies).

 

[Belle Ella]

I know all about post-trip blues. I'm sitting in them right now. Ugh. But I get the pre-trip blues on ocasion too. This trip being as last minute as it was (well, when I'm concerned) didn't leave much time for that outside of my car blues, lol.

Hopefully I'll have some photos to add tomorrow.

 

[LisaCat]

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I'll be there, tomorrow! It's only 12 hours away!!!!!!! LOL! And the phrase "I'm too excited to sleep!" has been uttered more than once....