Joy in the World ~ a magical Christmas weekend! real life update 04/07

Glad you are hanging in with me! :) How was your first week back to work? Hope you get some time to rest and recharge this weekend.

The first couple of days were a bit rough AT work, and the rest of the week went fine AT work, but was a little hard at night. I tired easily at work but then couldn't sleep very well as I was pretty sore. But by Friday, I was doing okay and intend to rest a lot this weekend. :)

It really is incredible. I am looking forward to going for lunch or dinner on my next trip.

Someday I 'll get there. ;)

Thanks Liesa! I am so happy about my purchase. :cloud9:

YAY!!!! I think if I was to ever buy in, I'd want WL too.

to Adventureland but when I went to tap in for my FP, it turned blue. I was ready to chalk it up to a loss but the CM asked if everything was ok and I explained what had happened with the launch. She very nicely let me through

Aw, that was really sweet of her.

I loved all the Christmas decor through the ride and felt the overlay was very well done.

I love Jingle Cruise overlay too! So fun!

I decided to wander over by the Tea Cups next in case the Tweedles were out and about. They had just started meeting and there was only a few people lined up so I quickly hopped in line. What a fun meet! I adore everything Alice so this was a huge hit for me.
IMG_5784.JPG

Oh shoot! I wish they'd been out during the MNSSHP! My girls would have loved getting them in their Tweedles costumes.

I headed back to Tony's after my meet with Mickey and enjoyed a few more appies along with another glass of wine. As I was going towards the dessert table I spied @Cloe Colton with her husband Dan. I popped by their table to say hello and we had a lovely chat. They are two of the sweetest people you can hope to meet and invited me to come and sit with them. I really enjoyed talking with them about all things Disney and hearing a bit about their recent trip to Disneyland.

That was the same weekend they were at DL when I was there! With Kari and the others. How nice that you got to meet them.
Our Most Merriest bracelets were clearly visible yet she made us walk back around and enter the area by a certain spot. We essentially ended up in the exact spot we were in. It was a little strange and off putting but I didn't let it put a damper on having the most prime viewing spot you could ask for.
 
Sounds like you had the perfect evening at MK. So nice when you meet a kind castmember-glad you got your cruise :goodvibes
Love all the characters in their festive gear 🎄
 
So nice of the CM to let you through at the Jingle Cruise! Perfect start to MVMCP!

We debated the Tonys party but decided to axe it due to the price but it definitely sounds like you got your money’s worth out of it! So smart to sneak in a visit to Mickey after fireworks!
 
Sounds like you had the perfect evening at MK. So nice when you meet a kind castmember-glad you got your cruise :goodvibes
Love all the characters in their festive gear 🎄
Thanks Moira! I really couldn't have asked for a better experience at my first MVMCP. :)
The first couple of days were a bit rough AT work, and the rest of the week went fine AT work, but was a little hard at night. I tired easily at work but then couldn't sleep very well as I was pretty sore. But by Friday, I was doing okay and intend to rest a lot this weekend. :)
I am glad to hear the week got better day by day. I hope your weekend has been restful so far.
YAY!!!! I think if I was to ever buy in, I'd want WL too.
It is just so peaceful and relaxing. If I add on it would probably be at AKL as I love the vibe there as well.
Oh shoot! I wish they'd been out during the MNSSHP! My girls would have loved getting them in their Tweedles costumes.
Wouldn't that have been perfect!
So nice of the CM to let you through at the Jingle Cruise! Perfect start to MVMCP!
It really was, she certainly set the tone for the evening.:goodvibes
We debated the Tonys party but decided to axe it due to the price but it definitely sounds like you got your money’s worth out of it! So smart to sneak in a visit to Mickey after fireworks!
It is definitely pricey so I was glad to try it out on a solo trip. I couldn't justify it on a family trip with the five of us but would consider it for a couples trip. There are so many add ons at Disney, I usually try to just pick one or two per trip. Otherwise I would blow my budget out of the water.:eek:
 


So happy to hear the part was everything you wanted it to be. Tonys does sound a bit on the expensive side, but considering you got primetime viewing for the fireworks and parade and wine seems worth it to me.
 
What a wonderful party experience you had. I’m so glad the Tony’s dessert party add on was worth it. It looks lovely!
 
I am glad to hear the week got better day by day. I hope your weekend has been restful so far.

Very. Updated my thread, caught up everywhere else, took naps, had a cocktail, sigh...
It is just so peaceful and relaxing. If I add on it would probably be at AKL as I love the vibe there as well.
I think I might choose Boardwalk but AKL sure would be a close 2nd!
 


Very. Updated my thread, caught up everywhere else, took naps, had a cocktail, sigh...
Sounds perfect! I went out cross country skiing for the first time in many years and really enjoyed it. It was slow going at first but a lot came back to me.
I think I might choose Boardwalk but AKL sure would be a close 2nd!
Boardwalk would be a great choice too! The 2042 expiry dates don't bother me at all as I'll be 76 by then and will have had many fun years of Disney memories.
 
I'm glad the CM still let you on Jungle Cruise!

Your character pics are the cutest!!

So nice that you got to mee Cloe and Dan!

I'm so glad you enjoyed the party and felt it was worth it!
 
So happy to hear the part was everything you wanted it to be. Tonys does sound a bit on the expensive side, but considering you got primetime viewing for the fireworks and parade and wine seems worth it to me.
It was so lovely....I really enjoyed it. I'm glad I splurged on the Tony's party, the food, wine and prime viewing spots elevated the whole experience. :)
What a wonderful party experience you had. I’m so glad the Tony’s dessert party add on was worth it. It looks lovely!
Thanks Caroline, it was such a perfect night! I am so happy I treated myself to the Tony's party too.
This picture!!! :lovestruc

Sounds like a magical time was had at MVMCP! What a lovely night, and yes - sounds like it was well worth the price tag! :thumbsup2
Thanks Tracy! I had to have that Pooh and friends meet....it seriously was the best! I was thoroughly happy with my first MVMCP experience.
I'm glad the CM still let you on Jungle Cruise!

Your character pics are the cutest!!

So nice that you got to mee Cloe and Dan!

I'm so glad you enjoyed the party and felt it was worth it!
Thanks Alexis! I was happy with the character meets I managed to do. The Jingle Cruise CM really set the tone for the evening, she was such a sweetheart. Then add in a great Dismeet and general party fun to make for a wonderful evening!
 
I walked quickly to Adventureland but when I went to tap in for my FP, it turned blue. I was ready to chalk it up to a loss but the CM asked if everything was ok and I explained what had happened with the launch. She very nicely let me through and soon I was enjoying the Jingle Cruise with a very punny skipper
I'm glad that the CM was reasonable and able to help you out!
I headed further into Fantasyland in hopes of finding Santa Goofy but didn't have any luck. I noticed that they were giving out the snowman pretzel which was arguably the best snack of the party. It was warm and fluffy with the perfect amount of salt. Plus, it was just so cute!
That looks good. Is that one of the "free cookies" from the party?
I had been a bit worried about the value of the Tony's party but let me tell you, all worries were put to rest. There was a beautiful spread of antipasto, meats, cheeses and bread. Pizza, chicken marsala and other hot dishes were available. Beer, red wine, white wine and Prosecco were flowing freely. There was a gorgeous dessert table with lots of options. Hot drinks such as tea, coffee and hot chocolate were provided as well. The best thing was when it was time for fireworks we simply walked out the door and had an ideal viewing spot right by the tree. The new fireworks were lovely and I took advantage of being so close to Mickey's meet and greet to sneak over there just as the fireworks were ending. I walked right in with no wait and was soon meeting the Main Mouse in his festive gear.
I'm glad to hear that it ended up being so good!
The only thing that was a little strange was an over zealous CM who didn't like where we were originally standing. We had crossed over and stood within the taped area. Our Most Merriest bracelets were clearly visible yet she made us walk back around and enter the area by a certain spot. We essentially ended up in the exact spot we were in. It was a little strange and off putting but I didn't let it put a damper on having the most prime viewing spot you could ask for.
That's always frustrating. I guess rules are rules, but if you ended up in the same place, what's the point of making you leave and re-enter?

I'm glad to hear that MVMCP was such a great experience for you!
 
That looks good. Is that one of the "free cookies" from the party?
Yes, it was the only more savoury item and was so good! The other cookies were grocery store quality at best.
I'm glad to hear that it ended up being so good!
It really was. They were constantly replenishing the food and there was a good variety.
That's always frustrating. I guess rules are rules, but if you ended up in the same place, what's the point of making you leave and re-enter?
I really don't know what that was all about....
I'm glad to hear that MVMCP was such a great experience for you!
Thank you! I had so much fun!
 
I was enjoying the Jingle Cruise with a very punny skipper .
LOVE Jingle Cruise! Not a huge fan of regular Jungle Cruise but when it's JINGLE I try to ride a couple times 🎅
I decided to visit the Monsters Inc laugh floor which was hilarious with it's holiday overlay.
Man I wanted to do this but we missed it :( I completely forgot about it once we were there.
I spied @Cloe Colton with her husband Dan. I popped by their table to say hello and we had a lovely chat. They are two of the sweetest people you can hope to meet and invited me to come and sit with them
Aren't they sweet? We managed to meet them last year in Epcot and chatted for a few before we went our separate ways. Glad you got to meet!

Nice to hear the Tony's party was worth it. We debated and debated but ended up not doing it; I think if we end up down there again and do the party I'd definitely add it on. It certainly would have been a nice break from the cold!
 
I'm so glad the party was everything you hoped it would be and more! You got some lovely character meet photos, and the food at Tony's sounded nice. I did wonder if that upcharge was worth it, but it sounds like it certainly was!
How fun to have a DIS meet with Chloe and Dan! I met them over the summer, and they are very nice people. It's always fun to put a "real" face to your DIS friends and get the opportunity to talk about Disney. :goodvibes
 
Man I wanted to do this but we missed it :( I completely forgot about it once we were there.
Definitely put it on the list for next time, it was so cute!
Aren't they sweet? We managed to meet them last year in Epcot and chatted for a few before we went our separate ways. Glad you got to meet!
They are so lovely!
Nice to hear the Tony's party was worth it. We debated and debated but ended up not doing it; I think if we end up down there again and do the party I'd definitely add it on. It certainly would have been a nice break from the cold!
I highly recommend the Tony's party....so happy I tried it!
I'm so glad the party was everything you hoped it would be and more! You got some lovely character meet photos, and the food at Tony's sounded nice. I did wonder if that upcharge was worth it, but it sounds like it certainly was!
It was such a fun night.... I am so glad I got to experience it, :)
How fun to have a DIS meet with Chloe and Dan! I met them over the summer, and they are very nice people. It's always fun to put a "real" face to your DIS friends and get the opportunity to talk about Disney. :goodvibes
They are so sweet! The great thing about Dismeets is that you have something in common right away. :goodvibes
 
I had a very special reason for picking Wilderness Lodge as my first resort to hop to. You may remember that I had placed an offer on a resale DVC contract at Boulder Ridge Villas back in late November of 2019. Well, three days before my Christmas Disney trip, I received word that Disney had passed on the contract and I was successful in my offer! Currently, I am waiting on my welcome package from Disney but all the paperwork is done and my bank account is significantly depleted, lol! I am thrilled to own a small piece of the magic and I had to visit my new home away from home.
Hey! That's great! Congratulations!
Walking around Wilderness Lodge was such a pleasure.
That's such a breathtakingly beautiful resort.
I mean, it would be wrong not to have a Dole Whip when at the Poly, right??
It would be wrong.
Arriving at the Grand, I headed into the lobby immediately as I couldn't wait to see the Gingerbread house. I was in awe of the level of detail and spent time walking around it and taking in all the details.
That was amazing. I loved seeing it.
I managed to snag the one empty table over by the window and settled in to wait for a server. Service left a lot to be desired for sure.
Shame. :(
 
I walked quickly to Adventureland but when I went to tap in for my FP, it turned blue. I was ready to chalk it up to a loss but the CM asked if everything was ok and I explained what had happened with the launch. She very nicely let me through and soon I was enjoying the Jingle Cruise with a very punny skipper .
I'm so glad that both worked out for you and you had a good skipper. :)
Awww... :)
I noticed that they were giving out the snowman pretzel which was arguably the best snack of the party. It was warm and fluffy with the perfect amount of salt.
mmmm… that sounds good. Love a good pretzel.
I decided to wander over by the Tea Cups next in case the Tweedles were out and about. They had just started meeting and there was only a few people lined up so I quickly hopped in line. What a fun meet! I adore everything Alice so this was a huge hit for me.
IMG_5784.JPG
You look pretty darned happy about it! Great photo!
I decided to visit the Monsters Inc laugh floor which was hilarious with it's holiday overlay.
Oh! Wasn't aware that happened. Shoot!
I had been a bit worried about the value of the Tony's party but let me tell you, all worries were put to rest.
Good to hear. Sure sounds good!
As I was going towards the dessert table I spied @Cloe Colton with her husband Dan. I popped by their table to say hello and we had a lovely chat.
Nice! Impromptu DISmeet. :)
The Toy Soldiers stole the show!
::yes::
I was obsessed with the reindeer....just look at them!
:laughing:
The only thing that was a little strange was an over zealous CM who didn't like where we were originally standing. We had crossed over and stood within the taped area. Our Most Merriest bracelets were clearly visible yet she made us walk back around and enter the area by a certain spot. We essentially ended up in the exact spot we were in. It was a little strange and off putting but I didn't let it put a damper on having the most prime viewing spot you could ask for.
That's... strange. Glad you didn't let it bug you, though.
 
I headed further into Fantasyland in hopes of finding Santa Goofy but didn't have any luck. I noticed that they were giving out the snowman pretzel which was arguably the best snack of the party. It was warm and fluffy with the perfect amount of salt. Plus, it was just so cute!
IMG_5616.JPG

Ha! Allie and I thought ours was super dry and ended up tossing it. Yours looks much better though.


I decided to wander over by the Tea Cups next in case the Tweedles were out and about. They had just started meeting and there was only a few people lined up so I quickly hopped in line. What a fun meet! I adore everything Alice so this was a huge hit for me.
IMG_5784.JPG

So cute!


As I was going towards the dessert table I spied @Cloe Colton with her husband Dan. I popped by their table to say hello and we had a lovely chat. They are two of the sweetest people you can hope to meet and invited me to come and sit with them.

How sweet! You didn't get a pic??


So, was it worth it? I paid $104 for MVMCP and $99 for the Tony's party. $203 USD is the equivalent of $270 CDN which is fairly expensive. I did not regret it for a minute.....the food and drinks were great, the viewing spots for the fireworks and the parade were perfect and the ease of exiting the park after the parade was priceless. I couldn't have asked for a better experience for my first MVMCP!

I agree, although I could only see doing this again with one or two people. If I had to pay for all five of us...:scared1:

The food was excellent though, and the night we went was very chilly so it was nice to have somewhere to go warm up :-)
 
That's such a breathtakingly beautiful resort.
I just love it!
That was amazing. I loved seeing it.
::yes::
I'm so glad that both worked out for you and you had a good skipper. :)
She really set the tone for a great evening!
mmmm… that sounds good. Love a good pretzel.
It was awesome!
You look pretty darned happy about it! Great photo!
The Tweedles were hilarious! I laughed and laughed. Such a great meet. :goodvibes
Oh! Wasn't aware that happened. Shoot!
It was so fun!
Good to hear. Sure sounds good!
It was fabulous! Expensive though, I would only do it as a solo or couple trip. Paying for a family would be $$$$.
Nice! Impromptu DISmeet. :)
It was lovely!
Ha! Allie and I thought ours was super dry and ended up tossing it. Yours looks much better though.
I got mine right at the start of the party so maybe that might make a difference.
How sweet! You didn't get a pic??
Cloe's husband took a pic but I haven't seen it yet. Maybe she will post it.
I agree, although I could only see doing this again with one or two people. If I had to pay for all five of us...:scared1:
Same! Doing any of the extras as a family of 5 is so expensive!
The food was excellent though, and the night we went was very chilly so it was nice to have somewhere to go warm up :-)
It was chilly on my party night too. Having the food, warmth (and wine, let's be real) were all a huge bonus.
 

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