Merry Mickey and Me

[DVC Kelly]

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and that’s because I’m back at Disney! For anyone that is following along for the first time, I have the very fortunate job of working for my father in law (known here as Daddio) in the family business at David’s Vacation Club Rentals and I spend my days talking all things Disney.

One of the perks of the job is having the opportunity to visit Disney on a fairly regular basis to “research” the new things which I have not yet experienced. This year’s trip has lined up to be extra exiting as it occurs during the Christmas season and I’ll have the chance to see how Disney decorates for Christmas.


Cast of Characters:

Me

DH- Disney Husband

DSiL – Disney Sister in Law (my boss)

DBiL – Disney Brother in Law

DN – Disney Nephew

DMiL –Disney Mother in Law (also my boss)

& Daddio – Disney Father in law (head boss)


Of course the schedule is always subject to change, but here are a few highlights that will be first time experiences for me and I’m really looking forward to; 1. seeing the Christmas decorations from various Disney Vacation Club resorts, 2. seeing the Osborne Lights at HWS, 3. Partaking in the Member’s Merry Mixer and last but definitely not least going to the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!!!!!!!

Each time I’m told that I’m going back is just as exciting as the first time I came to Disney (back in 1990). I love the excitement, the grandeur but most of all, its the magic of Disney that can’t be found anywhere else.

I can’t wait to see what this week brings.

 

[DVC Kelly]

Day 1:

Arriving to Disney never gets old. Seeing that familiar sign instantly places a smile on my face (and a smile on everyone else’s face in the car).




Even better is when you arrive to your room and see the “welcome home” mat. Disney does it right, they really make you feel like this is your home away from home.





The 5 of us (DH, DSiL, DBiL, DN and I) arrived at Saratoga Springs in the early evening and found that both of our rooms had been placed together in the same building (very convenient for the rest of the week). After settling in, Daddio and DMiL met up with us (they are staying at BWV) and the whole group headed to the Artist’s Palette for dinner.

Here is where I would usually show a photo of my food choice, however after a long day of travelling I was so hungry (almost hangry) that oopsies I forgot to photograph it. I’ll do a better job to remember to pause and take the food photo tomorrow.

The décor at Artist’s Palette has always been one of my favorites. The light fixtures (you’ll soon notice I have a thing for photographing light fixtures) always appeal to me and I like the overall feel of the restaurant.

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Dinner was a great chance to catch up with the family. Everyone was pretty tired after a day of travel so we made a plan to hit the ground running tomorrow. I’m starting the morning spending time with DSiL and then we will meet up with the group later in the afternoon. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings! [/URL]

 

[DVC Kelly]

Day 2:

Woo what a busy day! DSiL and I hit the ground running this morning and headed out to see the decorations at 3 of the DVC properties.






First stop was Wilderness Lodge. Walking into the lobby you are instantly greeted by the feature Christmas tree and it is a beautiful site.







Another great area for photos is by the Bubbling Spring.





We strolled into the Villas section of the resort and once again I was reminded why I love this property. The fireplace in the main lobby is a draw for many people, however I’m more drawn to the DVC building which has numerous little fireplaces that provide a great place to rest/read or wait for family members.




Next DSiL and I travelled over to the Polynesian. This was my first chance to see the new lobby in person and it's gorgeous. I don’t miss the fountain at all and their new light fixtures are stunning.




Disney decorates at every resort for Christmas and the unique design of each property is integrated seamlessly into the holiday decorations. For instance, the Polynesian tree was adored with flowers and wooden fish figurines.

 

[DVC Kelly]

A casual stroll onward and we found ourselves at the Grand Floridian.




In the DVC building we found this display made entirely of chocolate by the Grand Floridian bakery team. I think it would be very challenging to create artwork using chocolate as I can’t even ice a cake without sampling the icing and claiming that its “quality control”.






Seeing the Grand Floridian during the Christmas season has been on my list for such a long time. I have dreamed about that gingerbread house and to finally see it in person was well worth the wait.








What I loved about the gingerbread house (and Disney in general) is that the little things count. Above each windowsill of the gingerbread house is a scene from a Disney movie including the recently released Inside Out.








Those little touches are what I believe cause people to fall in love with Disney. The little things are what creates our memories, and our memories are what we take home with us and share with the world.

 

[DVC Kelly]

Day 2 continued:

After a great morning with DSiL, it was time to meet up with the rest of the family at my favorite place within the World…Magic Kingdom!




This was DN’s first time at Disney and first time on rides. It was wonderful to be part of that experience. Seeing the smile on his face (as well as Grandma’s, Grandpa’s and his parents) is indescribable.

When I was last at the World there was quite a lot of construction occurring, so to see that the construction fences are down and MK is back to its traditional bursts of color was enchanting. Magic Kingdom has gotten its’ magic back!







This park has created so many wonderful memories for me that it still makes me smile like an 8-year-old child every time I walk onto Main Street USA and see Cinderella Castle.




That evening the group headed to Disney Springs for dinner reservations at the Boathouse, my first time dinning at that restaurant and the décor is great.





Yes, décor counts, however when it comes to a restaurant taste always outweighs everything else. The Boathouse did not disappoint; the food was delicious! Throughout our group we enjoyed the Mahi Mahi tacos (not pictured), scallop special, shrimp and grits and the jumbo crake cake.







DH tried to take a nice photo of the crab cake but came to the conclusion that “no matter what angle you shoot a crab cake at, there is no way to make it look fancy”




The night wrapped up with me checking another “to do” off my list by finding an “oh so delicious” gingerbread cookie.




Tomorrow the plan is to travel the world at Epcot.

 

[DVC Kelly]

Day 3:

It was a ‘relaxing pace day’ to sit back and enjoy my surroundings. Over the past 2 days I have been in search of a work out room that offers a rowing machine for DH. I’m a runner and accordingly I love the various jogging trails throughout the World. Staying at SSR gives me a great path for a morning jog and it's breath taking to watch the sun rise over the trees. DH does not run. He prefers a rowing machine and after searching for 2 days I have only been able to find one at the Contemporary. All of the DVC gyms I’ve checked out offer treadmills, elliptical and various other work out machines, but regrettably no rowing machines. As a result, I think DH is going to have to forgo rowing this week and instead put on those running shoes to go for a jog with me





Today’s weather was beautiful! We had a late morning leisurely stroll to Disney Springs and enjoyed lunch at Spllitsville. My owe my the personal pizza is GIGANTIC!!!! Had I realized how large it was going to be, DH and I would have shared it rather than ordering our own meals.





In addition to being a bowling alley Splitsviille also has about 30 TV’s which makes it a great place to catch the game (any game). The staff had a layout of what game was going to be broadcasted on each TV and this allowed us to be seated in the area that corresponds to the match you wanted to watch.


After enjoying a great lunch, the group met up at Epcot to begin our world tour. We rode the Three Caballeros in Mexico and were able to see the updated design at the end of the ride.





Even more exciting was walking off the ride to find that Donald Duck was taking photos and only had a 5 minute wait!

 

[DVC Kelly]

Along our tour Daddio and DMiL showed us a great place in Italy to pause the tour and enjoy a break. The Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar is a little lounge that offers a fantastic wine selection which can be paired with mini plates of food.







I enjoyed the “Anytime Whites” wine flight and DH had “Soft Elegant Reds”. The flights were perfect to give us a chance to try 3 different wines and then decide our preference.



This little gem, was a great break away from the sun and Florida heat.






I’ve always enjoyed strolling through the countries in Epcot. For me it’s a different side of Disney where I’m not racing from one ride to the next, instead I move at a more relaxed pace and have a casual evening with family.

 

[DVC Kelly]

One of my must do’s while at Epcot is visiting the manatees who are found near the exit of the ‘Seas with Nemo and Friends’. I can’t explain why I love it so much, other than I just do! Seeing these massive creatures swimming so delicately through the water has always put a smile on my face. Tonight it was even more fun as we had the opportunity to see them while they were snacking on heads of lettuce.



Near the end of the evening it was the perfect time to enjoy an iconic Mickey Mouse Ice Cream bar and as usual I was smiling like an 8-year-old child because I’m having ice cream.




Today provided a great relaxing day.






Tomorrow we will be heading to HWS where I will see the Osborne Festival of lights for the first time! I have seen the pictures and watched countless videos but to see them in person is something that I have looked forward to for years!!!!

 

[DVC Kelly]

Day 4 (will henceforth be known as the day I was schooled by a Toy Story Character):


Woo wee the weather this morning was chilly! The smart choice would have been pants but I was overly optimistic and chose shorts. Oh well, that’s not going to slow us down.


We met Daddio and DMiL at Boardwalk which gave me the perfect chance to snap more holiday decoration photos.

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The whole group had breakfast at the Yacht Club’s Captain’s Grille and then we were off to HWS.





A quick recap about me and thrill rides. I really do enjoy them, however every photo ever taken of me on a thrill ride looks like I’m dying/crying/or both. Today was no exception.

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[DVC Kelly]

Toy Story Mania is one of my favorite rides. Not only because it’s a whole lot of fun but also because it is the ride that has spawned a bit of competition in our family. There is the rivalry between DH and I. I was so close to beating him today, 1 more 5000 point plate and I would have done it.

Even more entertaining, is the ongoing rivalry between my husband and his father (Daddio). Neither DH or Daddio will admit that there is a competition, however when the time comes to ride Toy Story Mania both are laser focused and determined to achieve the high score. This unspoken challenge has provided a whole lot of entertainment for the other family members watching as it plays out. As usual, my lips are sealed as to who had today’s high score.

As some people know, in the past, if you yelled “Andy’s coming” around a Toy Story character they would fall to the ground and freeze (just like a toy). Over time the characters have stopped falling to the ground, which is understandable as it would be exhausting to do it over and over again day in and day out. In previous visits to the World I have yelled “Andy’s coming” to see what would happen and in the past I was turned down (the army guy shook his head “no” and kept on walking).



Today presented a perfect opportunity to try once more. An army guy was walking right by me and I yelled “Andy’s Coming”; he stopped pointed at me, shook his head, and then had me do the pushups! Yep the Army Guy cleared a space on the side walk for me to do pushups. I tried stopping after 3 and he made me do 2 more.


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It was hilarious and DH is still laughing at me. I’d like to say that today has taught me to stop yelling “Andy’s coming”…….. but I might need to try it one more time.

 

[DVC Kelly]

Day 4 continued:


As the day winded down and the sun was starting to set DSiL, DBiL and DN headed back to the resort. Daddio, DMiL, DH and I stuck around and it was finally the time I had eagerly been waiting for…. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing lights.





When it was announced that this will be the last year of the dancing lights at HWS I was crushed because I hadn’t had the opportunity to see them. However, when DSiL let me know that I would be going to Disney in December is was as if a choir of angels were singing!!!! I was going to have the chance to see the lights dance.


Pictures and Videos are great; I love seeing what memories people are able to capture on film, but in my opinion they do not compare to standing in the middle of the street being surrounded by these lights.

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The only word I can use to describe the night is MAGICAL.



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Before exiting the park we had one quick chance to see Mike and Sully (always a favorite of mine).




Our evening concluded by meeting friends at the Crew’s Cup Lounge in Disney’s Yacht Club. This lounge is a perfect place to share stories with friends; its comfortable and not too loud.


Today was such an amazing (and exhausting) day I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.

 

[DVC Kelly]

Day 5: 8 hours and Counting Until the Christmas Party

The warmer weather returned today and it was a beautiful morning to start my day visiting Disney’s Polynesian Resort.






DH and I had breakfast reservations at O’hanas and arrived early enough that we had time to explore the property and took the chance for a more in-depth look at the new DVC buildings.

The seating area inside each individual building is both welcoming and very comfy.







As usual I fell in love with the light fixtures.




I LOVE breakfast at O’hanas! I feel like there is an addictive ingredient (probably sugar) in the pineapple bread as I actually crave it throughout the year. As well I love that the food is served family style in 1 large skillet. Unlike a traditional buffet the food is not sitting out, but brought fresh to your table and as you run low on any item the Cast Members will happily bring more.





Something I believe is new (I don’t recall seeing it before) is that in addition to traditional Mickey Mouse waffles, there are also Stitch waffles!!!!




O’hana’s is one of my preferred character dining spots as I have always found the character interaction to be top notch as well as the food to be delicious. The fruit tray that is included in breakfast was a perfect way to end the meal (paired with one more piece of the pineapple bread)!








It also allowed me the chance for a business meeting with the “big boss” Mr. Mickey Mouse!

 

[DVC Kelly]

DH and I hopped onto the monorail and headed to MK; our plan was to catch a bus back to the resort however when we arrived at MK the gates had just opened and the steam powered train was pulling into the station.




Not wanting to miss the opportunity we quickly got through the entrance and enjoyed a relaxing ride around MK. The train gives a great chance to snap some photos at a higher level.







After our mini adventure into MK, DH and I continued our trek back to the resort.

A lot has been written about the Transportation system (where in waiting for busses can be way too long, or the frustration of the end of the day and feeling like a boat will never arrive). However today’s experience is definitely worth sharing. DH and I were waiting for a SSR bus to arrive, meanwhile everyone else is headed into MK for the day. A Cast Member came over to us to enquire if we were trying to head to SSR or to Disney Springs? Once we confirmed that we were wanting to return to our resort he radioed for a bus to come and pick us up (most are only dropping off in the morning).

While waiting for the bus to arrive he talked with us and shared his experiences and enjoyment of working for Disney. Our bus (which turned out to be Disney Van) arrived and our great conversations continued with the new Cast Member who drove us back to the resort. Both Tom and Dennis were pleasures speaking with and hearing their stories of how they love their jobs because they get to be part of guest’s Disney experiences reminded me that there are amazing Cast Members in the world and these people come to work each day because they want to help make guests dreams come true. To Tom, Dennis and all of the other wonderful Cast Members, thank you for helping to create our great Disney memories.


Later that day the whole family met up and headed to the Disney Vacation Club’s Merry Mixer (another first time experience for me). Wow! That room was busy! [/URL
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The mixer offered a chance to snap photos with Disney Characters, dance in a dance party and enjoy a Disney treat (cookie or rice crispy square). Notice the big bite out of the rice crispy square. DH forgot to let me snap a photo of it BEFORE biting into the snack.






After the hustle and bustle of the Merry Mixer the family relaxed at Daddio and DMiL’s room in preparation for our next great adventure. The anticipation was killing me, I could not wait to arrive at MK and see Merry Mickey himself at the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!!!!!

 

[quandrea]

Hi Kelly. Loving your report. We are at SSR too. We are in a two bedroom booked through you! We too live it here and are enjoying all the Christmas festivities. Tonight is a second trip to the Osborne lights and Minnie's Holiday Dine.

 

[DVC Kelly]

Hi Kelly. Loving your report. We are at SSR too. We are in a two bedroom booked through you! We too live it here and are enjoying all the Christmas festivities. Tonight is a second trip to the Osborne lights and Minnie's Holiday Dine.

Thanks for following along. I've always loved staying at SSR. Hope you had a great time at the Osborne lights.

 

[DVC Kelly]

Day 5 continued, Merry Mickey is here!

My excitement had been growing all day (all week…. all month…. basically I was excited from the moment I was told we would be going to the party). The time hadfinally arrived to see Merry Mickey and all of his friends at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.




The scene on Main Street was as you would expect; the air was full of excitement. We saw families sitting on curbs 2 hours in advance to save their parade spot. Tonight’s party was sold out so I understand why people were willing to wait that far in advance and didn’t want to risk not having their preferred view for the parade.




I have always enjoyed the special ticketed events at Magic Kingdom because the seasonal parades are so well done and tonight’s Once Upon a Christmas Parade was no exception. Our family found a great spot in Frontierland to watch the first parade (second viewing we had further down on Mainstreet USA) and it was a wonderful chance to catch our beloved Disney characters dressed up for the holidays.








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[DVC Kelly]

Seeing the Toy Soldiers march in the parade was phenomenal!





The other stage shows and dance parties also offer opportunities to celebrate the season with familiar faces.








There was one upset throughout the night and that was my discovery that “Westward Ho” the snack shop in Frontierland, and what I have always referred to as the Corndog shack, no longer serves corndogs!!!! For me, having a corndog from the corndog shack is always a must do on my Disney list and to find out that it is no longer an option, was a little upsetting. I pouted for a few minutes and then got over it because I was at a MVMCP!



There are several holiday treat outposts set up throughout the park (marked by the giant candy canes) that give out complimentary hot chocolate and cookies. The cocoa cups are a perfect snack size to sip on. Once you’re ready for another cup you can go back to any of the stations to grab another and this allowed me to always have a warm cup of cocoa to enjoy.



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After the first parade our family found a great location in front of the castle to watch “Celebrate the Season” and of course my personal favorite “Wishes”. I have said it before and I will continue saying it until I run out of air. Nowhere does fireworks better than Disney! “Wishes” makes me happy (Holiday Wishes included). I LOVE when the fireworks light up the night sky and I look around to see smiles on so many faces. It’s in that moment that anything is possible and the entire world is full of Magic.










Another perk to being at a ticketed event is that as the evening transformed into the night the crowd levels began to thin out. DH and I were able to hop onto rides without any wait times.



Tonight was wonderful and in my opinion, if you’re given the opportunity to be at Disney anytime within the dates that the Christmas Party is offered it is worthwhile for a guest to go and experience it. Seeing Cinderella Castle lit up is an image that I will never forget. It was stunning and I’m very happy to have had the chance to see it.

 

[DVC Kelly]

Day 6: DH’s favorite park

After a late night at MK, we didn’t get back to the resort until after midnight, you’d think we’d have a slow start to our morning. However, AK is DH’s favorite park and so we were up bright and early to get a jump on the day.

On our way to the park it was noticeable that construction continues at AK and I’m very excited to see the transformation that will be occurring to this park over the next 2 years.





As usual I paused to enjoy the beautiful Christmas decorations.










With our early arrival, we had the chance to leisurely stroll throughout the park and once again we found DeVine striking a pose on one of the walk ways. I realize I always include a photo of DeVine in my reports, and that’s just because I think she’s awesome!








By far my favorite part of AK is the safari ride as I find the animals mesmerizing.

 

[DVC Kelly]

The walk through are also another great chance to experience the wildlife. DH prefers them, as we can go at our own pace through each of the exhibits and have the opportunity to speak with the Cast Members about the animals. For instance, the komodo dragon was not available today (being housed in another location) as Disney is renovating her living space.










Having the opportunity to see how the baby gorillas and the baby elephant grow since the last time I was at Disney was great.




Daddio and DMiL met up with us and we headed over to the Festival of the Lion King. This show knocked me off my feet! It’s packed full of high energy happiness and now a definite must do the next time we return to Disney.


















I’m very proud to report that when I was on Expedition Everest I did very well not to scream the entire time. Daddio was Periscoping the ride and I thought it would be best to not have a screaming banshee in the background. Another noteworthy achievement from the ride is that I was actually smiling in the photo!!!!!! As we have previously seen that smiling it not usually my thing, so that was a huge accomplishment for me.

 

[DVC Kelly]

After an exhausting day at AK (DH made sure we saw it all), it was time to meet up with friends at OKW for dinner at Olivia’s. Before dinner I had the chance to snap a few quick shots of OKW’s Christmas decorations.














With our group of 12, we had a delicious dinner and a great evening catching up with friends.





It was only when we were headed back to SSR that it hit me, I only have 1 day left at Disney. It’s been a great week, but I’m not ready to head home.

Tomorrow I’m going to try and soak in as much Disney Magic as I can.