Joy to the World: an offsite Christmas extravaganza at Disney, Universal & SeaWorld – Dec. 2016 TR

We weren't nearly as creative for you as we should have been. We call you Burlington Carey. Should we rename you to your suggestion? :scratchin

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at the very least you have to change it to Oakville Carey. That will totally mess with Steve.

BTW, if that boat captain told me to take a snack or two for later....you know I would have picked up the whole basket and walked off with it.

The cruise sound amazing. The Dolphin is actually named for the dolphin fish. I found a picture for you View attachment 245978. I'm not sure the statue looks much like that fish either though. ;)

Who knew???? I always thought the statue looked dumb because it is a giant fish and there are no two ways about that. I guess now it doesn't look so bad.
 
It just occurred to me that I should take suggestions for my new 'name'.

Let's hear em...........
 


Merry Carey? You make us all laugh!
Dancin' Carey Like your signature?
or maybe Daring Carey? Fearless that you are!
Merry Carey....:scratchin

That one got me thinking. One of my closest friends was terrified of me when we were in grade 9. If I was coming down the hall she would turn and go the other way. By the following year she was part of the inner sanctum. Neither one of us can remember why she was so scared of me. She called me scary Carey and more than 30 years later we still laugh about it.
 
Loving the updates to the TR! Beaches and Cream is one of my favorite places (and yes it is small!). I did Kitchen Sink once by myself (as part of a bet between me and a fellow CM). Let's just say...I think I barely made a dent in it!

Holiday Illuminations is my favorite Epcot night show! So beautiful

Can't wait for the Hoop edition! Love that show! I try to go once a month (and going next month for my birthday)
 


So glad you all had a great time on the cruise. It is so good to watch illuminations from the pontoon. It is something you always remember. Our captain was a fireman, not too talkative but easy on the eye :thumbsup2

We love the fort wilderness area, and offer go to rent a pontoon or one of the sea racers before having a mosey round the campers. I think I mentioned that my Christmas Present was a carriage ride at FW after we had seen hoop de hoop. That was a wonderful night :santa:

Sorry you had to cancel your plans for the Wishes cruise (which is also amazing but something you can plan for next time...), I bet everyone was sadden by the turn of events. Glad you managed to sort out the cancellations but 2 hours at guest services is my idea of a nightmare :faint: you and Steve just seemed to roll with it, so you both deserve a medal for that :goodvibes
 
View attachment 246056
at the very least you have to change it to Oakville Carey. That will totally mess with Steve.

BTW, if that boat captain told me to take a snack or two for later....you know I would have picked up the whole basket and walked off with it.

Who knew???? I always thought the statue looked dumb because it is a giant fish and there are no two ways about that. I guess now it doesn't look so bad.

Oakville, Burlington......they really seem like one and the same to us non-Torontonians. It's hard to tell where one stops and the other one starts. We were close, right? :o

We did end up taking a couple of snacks for later.....a pair of brownies and a couple of their chocolate chip cookies.....and you know, we MOVED those darn things with us to Michigan. We did finally eat them sometime in February :p.

It just occurred to me that I should take suggestions for my new 'name'.

Let's hear em...........

Crazy Carey? ;)

Merry Carey? You make us all laugh!
Dancin' Carey Like your signature?
or maybe Daring Carey? Fearless that you are!

Oooohh, I like Merry Carey ::yes::. She does bring us all a regular giggle.

Merry Carey....:scratchin

That one got me thinking. One of my closest friends was terrified of me when we were in grade 9. If I was coming down the hall she would turn and go the other way. By the following year she was part of the inner sanctum. Neither one of us can remember why she was so scared of me. She called me scary Carey and more than 30 years later we still laugh about it.

Oh, Scary Carey is perfect :rotfl2:. Your wit has terrified me on more than one occasion :blush:.

Loving the updates to the TR! Beaches and Cream is one of my favorite places (and yes it is small!). I did Kitchen Sink once by myself (as part of a bet between me and a fellow CM). Let's just say...I think I barely made a dent in it!

Holiday Illuminations is my favorite Epcot night show! So beautiful

Can't wait for the Hoop edition! Love that show! I try to go once a month (and going next month for my birthday)

You attempted the Kitchen Sink all by yourself? :eek: That's bravery right there ::yes::. I can't even imagine!!

We loved Hoop Dee Doo....it exceeded our expectations. I would totally go back again on a future trip. It's a pricey night, but super fun and the food was delish. What a perfect place for a birthday celebration!

So glad you all had a great time on the cruise. It is so good to watch illuminations from the pontoon. It is something you always remember. Our captain was a fireman, not too talkative but easy on the eye :thumbsup2

We love the fort wilderness area, and offer go to rent a pontoon or one of the sea racers before having a mosey round the campers. I think I mentioned that my Christmas Present was a carriage ride at FW after we had seen hoop de hoop. That was a wonderful night :santa:

Sorry you had to cancel your plans for the Wishes cruise (which is also amazing but something you can plan for next time...), I bet everyone was sadden by the turn of events. Glad you managed to sort out the cancellations but 2 hours at guest services is my idea of a nightmare :faint: you and Steve just seemed to roll with it, so you both deserve a medal for that :goodvibes

You know, while it was a crazy long wait, there was not much we could do. I think we both understood that getting fussed up wasn't going to help the situation much, and being the Christmas season....well, I figure those poor CM's see enough impatient guest behaviours that they didn't need any attitude from us, too. They were doing their best, and that's all we could ask. The price one pays for visiting so close to a major holiday!!

I have been trying to come up with an idea for a little something special to add to our October trip (something on the Disney side, since the rest of the trip is focused on Universal) and I'm almost tempted to see if we can get in on a Wishes Cruise share. Reliving the Illuminations Cruise in this report makes me want to do it again. I considered adding on a day at one of the parks (thinking Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios....we haven't been to either since 2009) but I just can't justify more than $100 per person for tickets, parking, food, and other incidentals for a day. Maybe I'll just look at a fun ADR somewhere.......since I couldn't get Ohana, maybe somewhere else we haven't been yet (Whispering Canyon? Planet Hollywood? Homecomin' looks good but OMG, its pricey for fried chicken!! :scared:). The amphicars at the Boathouse look like a hoot but again, the cost seems completely outrageous no matter how awesome the fun factor.
 
Wednesday, December 21st (continued) :santa:

After our dinner photos were taken by the Photopass staff, we were escorted inside Pioneer Hall to our waiting table.

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We were among the first guests to be ushered inside: within the first dozen patrons, at most. We both fell in love with the western, rustic décor. From the wood beams to the glass lanterns to the checkerboard napkins, the room exuded a warm, cozy and casual atmosphere.

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There was a small amount of garland wrapped with Christmas lights hanging along the sides of the room in the spirit of the season, but the festive décor was quite minimal inside the dining area.

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Paper menus were waiting for us at our table, which we perused while we waiting for our server to arrive.

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We had done our research in advance of the trip and pretty much knew what the menu items consisted of, but the fact that alcohol was included was a bit of a surprise. The menus turned out to be quite a handy tool, then for deciding what to drink from the lengthy list of options :thumbsup2.

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Within a few minutes of our arrival, our server came over to greet us and take our beverage selections. She turned out to be a real gem: we were exceptionally well taken care of all evening, wanting for nothing as she quietly replenished both food and drinks without us hardly realizing she had come and gone. I had a red sangria, while Steve had strawberry lemonade. The sangria was really, really nice…….fruity and delicious :drinking1. I was glad I was not driving :teeth:.

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Many guests were still being brought inside the building and shown to their tables when the first components of the meal began to arrive. We started out with cornbread (that same, wonderful, mouthwatering cornbread that they serve at Trails End……YUM :love:) and a garden salad. The aluminum bowls were so darn cute.

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We had opted to book category 1 (hoping that the small extra cost in ticket price would be well worth it), and we were not disappointed in the location of our table. We were virtually dead center of the room, except more closer to the front than toward the back. We had a full-on view of the stage and could hear and see absolutely perfectly. As we finished off the cornbread and Steve polished off his serving of salad, we sipped our drinks and patted ourselves on the back for the good choice in purchasing the best seating available.

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I will say, though, that I don’t think there’s a “bad” seat anywhere in Pioneer Hall. Some guests were sat more dramatically to one side or another (which isn’t ideal) but the dining room was smaller and more intimate than I envisioned it to be. That meant that no one, regardless of the seating category, was miles away from the stage.

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The show kicked off once all guests had been seated. The cast were full of energy and the whole stage sprang to life with singing, dancing and a stream of corny jokes.

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The performers weren’t just relegated to the stage: they moved about the room and interacted with various guests throughout the evening. At one point, they all joined hands and danced in a circle around our table……we were literally in the middle of the show! Miss Claire de Lune took a particular shine to Steve (it’s that beautiful bald head…..it draws the ladies like magnet :rotfl2:) and somehow, she ended up on his lap :rolleyes:.

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He hated all that attention. Can you tell? :rolleyes2

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The main entrees appeared not long thereafter: a feast of fried chicken, barbecue ribs, mashed potatoes, baked beans, and buttered corn. Everything was piping hot, wonderfully tasty, and in huge enough portions that we didn’t even come close to requiring a refill of any items (though the offer was made by our friendly server, more than once).

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The eating continued right along with the songs, the dance, and the horribly bad (but oh-so-funny) humour. We found ourselves wanting to sing and clap along as the night rolled on: it was the kind of universally-appealing entertainment that appealed to every age in the room: very much Disney-designed ::yes::.

15781042_10155329876411416_3592237629754850943_n.jpg


There was a perfect ebb and flow to the show: high-energy moments punctuated by a quiet song or two before the tempo kicked back up to high. Every character had a very unique personality, and each performer carried off their specific role absolutely perfectly.

15741051_10155329875691416_695098560516369354_n.jpg


Dessert was announced with enthusiasm and a special song :).

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And oh, what a dessert it was!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

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We had a massive portion of strawberry shortcake for just the two of us: seriously, the above picture does not, in any way, do the size of the dessert plate justice. I can’t tell you how AMAZING this tasted: aside from my mom’s homemade version, I think this was easily the best strawberry shortcake we’d ever eaten :worship:. We wanted to finish the whole thing so badly, but after what we’d already consumed…..we just couldn’t do it. Heaven knows we gave it our best shot :teeth:.

The fun and jolly night concluded with a loud, interactive finale in which diners were provided with washboards to use as musical instruments: we licked off those shortcake spoons and strummed away with all the gusto we could muster :banana:.

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I think there was a smile on every face in the room as the cast took their final bows on stage to a well-deserved applause. What an incredibly fun evening!! :goodvibes

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Heading outside after the show into the calm, starry night, we briefly considered taking in a wagon ride before heading back to the resort. The horses were waiting as we exited Pioneer Hall, and they looked so charming in the glow of the soft light of the lamp posts. After a brief moment of discussion, we decided we were just too full……a swim at the resort would be a much better remedy for our overindulgence at dinner.

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The conclusion of our Wednesday is next.

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I tried to get an ADR for Ohana (dinner.....one of the few Disney meals still on our wish list) for our October week but sadly, I came up empty handed. Fingers crossed you get all the places you want when your window opens on Saturday :thumbsup2. I know I was late to look considering my 180 day point is long since passed, but I figured it was worth a shot.

Don't give up on Ohana yet unless you need to firm up your dinner plan. Keep checking because things open up, especially closer to the date.
 
HDDR is good fun. My DD (now 17) loved it and played the washboard with gusto. We all had a great night as you did too. We were in catergory 2 seating, which was downstairs to the left of the stage as you look at it. It really wasn't a bad view and as you said there was plenty of interaction with the crowd.

We went to WC for our Christmas Day meal, but it was a special holiday offering, so not the regular food that is served there.

You could always book a meal and a Wishes cruise, then share the cost by posting on the illuminations and Wishes cruise thread to share it. That's where I managed to get places both times and it worked out really well. :)
 
Oakville, Burlington......they really seem like one and the same to us non-Torontonians. It's hard to tell where one stops and the other one starts. We were close, right? :o

We did end up taking a couple of snacks for later.....a pair of brownies and a couple of their chocolate chip cookies.....and you know, we MOVED those darn things with us to Michigan. We did finally eat them sometime in February :p.
No joke the dividing line is Burloak Drive. Always make sure you're on the right side of it.

:p.



Crazy Carey? ;)

You know me so well, it warms my heart. :love:
 
Miss Claire de Lune took a particular shine to Steve (it’s that beautiful bald head…..it draws the ladies like magnet :rotfl2:) and somehow, she ended up on his lap :rolleyes:.

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Steve isn't a shy one is he????? I do agree it's the bald headed guys who get all the attention. It happens to Tony also, and while he "claims" to hate it, we all know he secretly loves it. Men are so silly.
 
Don't give up on Ohana yet unless you need to firm up your dinner plan. Keep checking because things open up, especially closer to the date.

I will certainly keep looking, just in case. I have signed up for an ADR watch on Touringplans so hopefully that will give me an alert when something opens up :thumbsup2.

HDDR is good fun. My DD (now 17) loved it and played the washboard with gusto. We all had a great night as you did too. We were in catergory 2 seating, which was downstairs to the left of the stage as you look at it. It really wasn't a bad view and as you said there was plenty of interaction with the crowd.

We went to WC for our Christmas Day meal, but it was a special holiday offering, so not the regular food that is served there.

You could always book a meal and a Wishes cruise, then share the cost by posting on the illuminations and Wishes cruise thread to share it. That's where I managed to get places both times and it worked out really well. :)

I have been toying with that exact idea. I looked up personal watercraft rentals, but Steve and I exceed the weight maximums (when added together) for the water mice, and a pontoon rental would be $90 for an hour. We could hopefully do a share for less than that, and have the added benefit of the Wishes fireworks and snacks/drinks. Of course, I'm also not ruling out a last-minute purchase of MNSSHP tickets, either .... I'm still trying to decide if we should or shouldn't in that regard :blush:.

You know me so well, it warms my heart. :love:

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Steve isn't a shy one is he????? I do agree it's the bald headed guys who get all the attention. It happens to Tony also, and while he "claims" to hate it, we all know he secretly loves it. Men are so silly.

Now I know why Steve wants a hair cut just a few days before every trip :rotfl:.
 
Wednesday, December 21st (the conclusion) :santa:

Back at the Grande Vista, we opted for a late-night swim. It was pleasant outside and we hadn’t indulged in any pool time yet this trip, so it seemed like the ideal time. We had been in contact with Kerry multiple times over the course of the night to check on both David and Robert, and we didn’t expect to be hearing any more from her until the following morning when we had plans to meet for breakfast at the Trattoria with another Diser and her family, @Lynne G .

Rather than walk all the way over to the two main pools, we opted to visit the quiet pools that were located just down from our building. Those pools were definitely ‘quiet’: there was not a soul in sight when we first arrived.

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We were impressed on how pretty the secondary pool areas were: still nice and lush even though they were on a much smaller scale from the other two large pools. The resort really is incredibly beautiful :goodvibes.

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It felt marvelous to sink into the warm water and just bask in the serenity of the peaceful night. As we watched the stars overhead, we were both quietly reflective: our trip was now half over, and it was almost hard to believe we would be going home later that weekend. We did remark on how difficult a moment like this was to remember that Christmas was literally just a scant few days away……it was going to be a tough adjustment, weather-wise, when we touched down in Buffalo on Saturday night :cold:.

A dad and his daughter…..he was a firefighter, and she was 12…..joined us in the pool after a while. They were wonderfully friendly and super chatty: the tranquility of the evening was exchanged for animated conversation, especially when they learned we were from Canada. They had a million questions for us (especially the little girl, who gushed "OH MY GOD, I'VE NEVER MET ANYONE FROM CANADA BEFORE!!!"), and we were happy to answer them all. We probably stayed for almost an hour after they arrived, but by then we started feeling rather waterlogged so we bid them goodnight as we returned to the villa to dry off. Surprisingly, we were not quite ready to turn in for the night just yet, so we opted to walk down to the waterfront to see if there was a fire in one of those wonderful big fire pits.

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On our way out the door, we grabbed one of the s’mores kits that we had brought with us (originally earmarked for Chip & Dale’s sing-along at Fort Wilderness, something we had planned to do with Kerry and her boys after our Hoop Dee Doo reservation), threw on our fleece sweaters, and off we went.

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We were thrilled to see the soft glow of a small fire as we approached, and were immediately greeted by four friendly young people (all in their early 20’s) who were relaxing in the Adirondack chairs around the pit. We commented on how happy we were to see that the pits were being used, and they sheepishly admitted that they got their hands slapped by resort staff for utilizing the fire pits. Apparently they asked if they could build a fire, and were told that only staff were permitted to do so. The staff said they would send someone out to get something going, but no one ever showed up. After an hour of waiting, they decided to take matters into their own hands, left the resort to purchase a small bundle of wood, and returned to get a fire going themselves. When the staff saw the glow of the flames lighting up the dark of the night, they came out to scold them for going against their orders. I felt kind of sorry for their little group: they were super nice kids, very well spoken and perfectly behaved (no rowdy behavior, no profanity, very respectful and genuine) and they were looking to enjoy a relaxing night to celebrate the birthday of one of the young men. The resort staff allowed them to keep their little fire burning for an hour or so, but from their reports I think they acquiesced grudgingly. They invited us to join them and offered us both a beer from their little cooler. We thanked them and declined the beverages but happily took a place in the chairs.

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Again, we enjoyed some fun conversation with our new young friends. Eventually we opened up the s’mores kit and passed it around the fire. We had a second kit still back at the room, so after Steve and I each enjoyed a gooey, sticky treat, we offered the balance of the kit (which was substantial…..the box made 20 s’mores so the six of us barely scratched the surface of the contents on the first round of snacking) to the young people, and they happily accepted. When we bid them goodnight and headed back to the villa, they were still happily roasting away in the wavering embers of their little fire.

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The courtyard was deserted as we made our way back to our building. Silent Night .

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We had no problem drifting off to dreamland once again: the big meal, the refreshing swim, and the crisp night air were more effective than any sleeping pill could ever have hoped to have been. While our plans certainly didn’t pan out as expected, we still had another most spectacular day.

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Our next day was shaping up to be a busy one, and perhaps one of our most anticipated activities of the trip: the itinerary had us kicking off the morning with a breakfast at Portofino Bay [with friends! :cool1:] and bid adieu to Kerry, Robert and David as they began their journey home :sad1:. From there, we would be gearing up for a very special night of festive fun at our first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party .


Our Thursday is next.

 
I love reading your reports (a longtime fan, if you will!)...but have to admit I am anxiously awaiting the MVMCP portion. We are attending the party for the first time this November!
 
I admire your ability to stay up late. We never seem to make it to the fire pit wherever we go. It's a goal of mine to do that though.
 
Wednesday, December 21st (continued) :santa:

After our dinner photos were taken by the Photopass staff, we were escorted inside Pioneer Hall to our waiting table.

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We were among the first guests to be ushered inside: within the first dozen patrons, at most. We both fell in love with the western, rustic décor. From the wood beams to the glass lanterns to the checkerboard napkins, the room exuded a warm, cozy and casual atmosphere.

15697996_10155329876966416_7984107764865770561_n.jpg


There was a small amount of garland wrapped with Christmas lights hanging along the sides of the room in the spirit of the season, but the festive décor was quite minimal inside the dining area.

15780734_10155329878096416_2747707432579468333_n.jpg


Paper menus were waiting for us at our table, which we perused while we waiting for our server to arrive.

15822691_10155329876486416_6353074454756610680_n.jpg


We had done our research in advance of the trip and pretty much knew what the menu items consisted of, but the fact that alcohol was included was a bit of a surprise. The menus turned out to be quite a handy tool, then for deciding what to drink from the lengthy list of options :thumbsup2.

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Within a few minutes of our arrival, our server came over to greet us and take our beverage selections. She turned out to be a real gem: we were exceptionally well taken care of all evening, wanting for nothing as she quietly replenished both food and drinks without us hardly realizing she had come and gone. I had a red sangria, while Steve had strawberry lemonade. The sangria was really, really nice…….fruity and delicious :drinking1. I was glad I was not driving :teeth:.

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Many guests were still being brought inside the building and shown to their tables when the first components of the meal began to arrive. We started out with cornbread (that same, wonderful, mouthwatering cornbread that they serve at Trails End……YUM :love:) and a garden salad. The aluminum bowls were so darn cute.

15727121_10155329876631416_6881741818699050823_n.jpg


We had opted to book category 1 (hoping that the small extra cost in ticket price would be well worth it), and we were not disappointed in the location of our table. We were virtually dead center of the room, except more closer to the front than toward the back. We had a full-on view of the stage and could hear and see absolutely perfectly. As we finished off the cornbread and Steve polished off his serving of salad, we sipped our drinks and patted ourselves on the back for the good choice in purchasing the best seating available.

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I will say, though, that I don’t think there’s a “bad” seat anywhere in Pioneer Hall. Some guests were sat more dramatically to one side or another (which isn’t ideal) but the dining room was smaller and more intimate than I envisioned it to be. That meant that no one, regardless of the seating category, was miles away from the stage.

15665575_10155329878991416_8706292333797139473_n.jpg


The show kicked off once all guests had been seated. The cast were full of energy and the whole stage sprang to life with singing, dancing and a stream of corny jokes.

15727171_10155329876261416_390760913900504284_n.jpg


15665724_10155329877851416_7312781844007798345_n.jpg


The performers weren’t just relegated to the stage: they moved about the room and interacted with various guests throughout the evening. At one point, they all joined hands and danced in a circle around our table……we were literally in the middle of the show! Miss Claire de Lune took a particular shine to Steve (it’s that beautiful bald head…..it draws the ladies like magnet :rotfl2:) and somehow, she ended up on his lap :rolleyes:.

15781626_10155329878191416_7696133889712555193_n.jpg


He hated all that attention. Can you tell? :rolleyes2

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The main entrees appeared not long thereafter: a feast of fried chicken, barbecue ribs, mashed potatoes, baked beans, and buttered corn. Everything was piping hot, wonderfully tasty, and in huge enough portions that we didn’t even come close to requiring a refill of any items (though the offer was made by our friendly server, more than once).

15741194_10155329877466416_1325547913209881156_n.jpg


The eating continued right along with the songs, the dance, and the horribly bad (but oh-so-funny) humour. We found ourselves wanting to sing and clap along as the night rolled on: it was the kind of universally-appealing entertainment that appealed to every age in the room: very much Disney-designed ::yes::.

15781042_10155329876411416_3592237629754850943_n.jpg


There was a perfect ebb and flow to the show: high-energy moments punctuated by a quiet song or two before the tempo kicked back up to high. Every character had a very unique personality, and each performer carried off their specific role absolutely perfectly.

15741051_10155329875691416_695098560516369354_n.jpg


Dessert was announced with enthusiasm and a special song :).

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And oh, what a dessert it was!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

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We had a massive portion of strawberry shortcake for just the two of us: seriously, the above picture does not, in any way, do the size of the dessert plate justice. I can’t tell you how AMAZING this tasted: aside from my mom’s homemade version, I think this was easily the best strawberry shortcake we’d ever eaten :worship:. We wanted to finish the whole thing so badly, but after what we’d already consumed…..we just couldn’t do it. Heaven knows we gave it our best shot :teeth:.

The fun and jolly night concluded with a loud, interactive finale in which diners were provided with washboards to use as musical instruments: we licked off those shortcake spoons and strummed away with all the gusto we could muster :banana:.

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I think there was a smile on every face in the room as the cast took their final bows on stage to a well-deserved applause. What an incredibly fun evening!! :goodvibes

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Heading outside after the show into the calm, starry night, we briefly considered taking in a wagon ride before heading back to the resort. The horses were waiting as we exited Pioneer Hall, and they looked so charming in the glow of the soft light of the lamp posts. After a brief moment of discussion, we decided we were just too full……a swim at the resort would be a much better remedy for our overindulgence at dinner.

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The conclusion of our Wednesday is next.

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Seeing your photos outside of Hoop De Doo with all the Christmas decorations reminded me of my trip with my father in December 2013.

My mother had passed away in May 2013 and I convinced my father to join me in a trip to Disneyworld later that year. He was usually more of a trees, lakes, fishing, camping kind of vacation guy and crowds are not his thing, but he finally agreed to accompany me. One of his favorite parts of the trip was going to see Hoop De Doo. I still remember him with this big grin enjoying the "corny" jokes. He loved the meal as well - just his style, he said.

He passed away in February 2016. I often get sad when thinking about him not being with us anymore, but seeing your pictures brought back some terrific memories of our father-daughter trip. Thank you! :thanks:
 
I love reading your reports (a longtime fan, if you will!)...but have to admit I am anxiously awaiting the MVMCP portion. We are attending the party for the first time this November!

Aw, thank you! :goodvibes

I hope to have the MVMCP entry up either tomorrow or Friday :thumbsup2. How awesome that you get to go for the first time this year.....its super fun!!

I admire your ability to stay up late. We never seem to make it to the fire pit wherever we go. It's a goal of mine to do that though.

We did the earliest seating at Hoop Dee Doo (the 4 pm show), so we weren't up as late as it appeared. We're not generally night owls, but when we're on vacation, I swear we could spend all night in the hot tubs and pools.

Seeing your photos outside of Hoop De Doo with all the Christmas decorations reminded me of my trip with my father in December 2013.

My mother had passed away in May 2013 and I convinced my father to join me in a trip to Disneyworld later that year. He was usually more of a trees, lakes, fishing, camping kind of vacation guy and crowds are not his thing, but he finally agreed to accompany me. One of his favorite parts of the trip was going to see Hoop De Doo. I still remember him with this big grin enjoying the "corny" jokes. He loved the meal as well - just his style, he said.

He passed away in February 2016. I often get sad when thinking about him not being with us anymore, but seeing your pictures brought back some terrific memories of our father-daughter trip. Thank you! :thanks:

What beautiful memories....thank you for sharing them with us :goodvibes. I'm so sorry to hear about your parents....it has to be tough to have lost both your mom and your dad. My father passed away almost 7 years ago now, and the ache of missing him never dulls :sad1:.

You are so blessed to have had that special experience with him: I suspect it meant as much to him as it did to you ::yes::. I wish I could have convinced my mom to vacation with us for one trip, but she flatly refused to travel that far or for that long. I wish now I had pushed the issue harder in years gone past, as she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Diseases earlier this year. My window of opportunity to give her an Orlando experience is all but gone now.
 

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