A Jolly Holiday with Masseys: THE TRIP REPORT - WDW Dec2019

[vamassey1]

Not too bad. But no sun is a bummer.

No sun was keeping the temps down and the crowds.

Pocahontas? (I suck at these.)

Actually, you're spot on! Good job!

 

[vamassey1]

Great story, and a lovely family! Sounds like it was a lot of fun! Looking forward to more stories from you!

and Thank you! Happy to have you here following along. We have lots more to share.

 

[vamassey1]

Such a beautiful park entrance. :

Yes it is!

Isn't Navi such a wondeful ride? So much to look at!!

It's a visual smorgasbord. I think it's really great for the younger kids.

 

[vamassey1]

Think craic is of Celtic origin but it's in common everyday use here even though we are speaking English (or our version of English just like you have an American version)

Ok, so it's Celtic slang. Every section of the US has different slang too. It's what makes all areas interesting.

The world will seem safer when we are all sorted. We are pretty much on the same time-scale here

 

[vamassey1]

Wednesday, December 18th-Animal Kingdom - More of the Best Day Ever!

So sorry, I had planned on posting more last week but got real busy at work. I'm having trouble with computer time at home since Danielle is back in school with most being virtual. She does have one class that the professor is meeting on campus but he also has to post the class online afterwards. She only has class on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. She has started an internship on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Old Governor's Mansion . This also counts as an elective since she is a History Major. She gave her first tour last Thursday to the Mayor of Natchez, Mississippi. She really loves it so far.

Moving along. . . .

So far our morning had been going really well. We made rope drop, it was cold but the crowds were really good. After leaving Pandora we headed towards Asia. I grabbed some quick decoration photos, these were taken at 9:12 am so we were doing really well.




It was time for a ride on Everest.


Michelle, Danielle and I jumped in the short line while Dennis had JP duty. The line was pretty much moving the whole time but we grabbed a few photos and of course a selfie.







And of course a ride photo.


After the girls enjoyed their fun it was time for the guys to have some fun. We headed back to Dinoland so JP could play around while Dennis and Danielle rode one of his favorite's Dinosaur. John Paul loved Triceratop Spin as much as Dumbo and due to the low crowds he got to ride it several times.








More Dinoland to come . . . .

 

[vamassey1]

While Dennis & Danielle were riding Dinosaur and Michelle & John Paul were riding Triceratop Spin multiple times I was taking pictures of the Christmas decorations.







I bet this was pretty at night. I don't think we made it back here to see.



The Christmas decorations in Dinoland are loud and bright kind of like in DHS but just not as classic.

Dennis and Danielle were done with Dinosaur before 10:00.



Up next is Character Overload!

 

[pkondz]

No sun was keeping the temps down and the crowds.

So... you're saying it was perfect for a Canadian.

Actually, you're spot on! Good job!

I think that just might be a first.

I'm having trouble with computer time at home since Danielle is back in school with most being virtual.

I hear you.
Luckily the girls have their own laptops, as do I, so it's not an issue here.

She has started an internship on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Old Governor's Mansion . This also counts as an elective since she is a History Major. She gave her first tour last Thursday to the Mayor of Natchez, Mississippi. She really loves it so far.

Wow! That's so cool!
I've opened the website in another tab and will take a peek in a bit.

I love when people "discover" this.

Great shot of you guys.

John Paul loved Triceratop Spin as much as Dumbo and due to the low crowds he got to ride it several times.

Great!

Awww... he sure looks like he's having a great time.

Michelle's expression! Love it!!!

I bet this was pretty at night. I don't think we made it back here to see.

That's a ton of lights.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Wow you got so much done in such a short time. I love all your photos-the Christmas decorations are gorgeous too. Everyone is having such a great time!
The Governor's Mansion looks like an amazing place for a History student (or anyone else) to work. It's a beautiful building with an interesting past. Great that Danielle loves working there

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

And of course a ride photo.

This is amazing!

due to the low crowds he got to ride it several times.

And also a photo of pure joy!

Looks like a great day so far.

 

[vamassey1]

So... you're saying it was perfect for a Canadian.

Pretty much.

I think that just might be a first.

I'm so proud of you.

I hear you.
Luckily the girls have their own laptops, as do I, so it's not an issue here.

Danielle has a laptop and an ipad but still uses my desktop too. She takes notes on the ipad, uses her laptop for the video stream and my desktop w/2 monitors for slides and so forth.

Great shot of you guys.

Thank you! We all do look like we're having fun.

Awww... he sure looks like he's having a great time.

He really did.

Michelle's expression! Love it!!!

She is the Queen of expressions.

 

[vamassey1]

Wow you got so much done in such a short time.

We really did!

I love all your photos-the Christmas decorations are gorgeous too.

Thank you! I wanted to make sure to get lots. Our last trip with decorations was 2005/2006 and I didn't get many.

Everyone is having such a great time!

We really were, it was "The Best Day Ever".

The Governor's Mansion looks like an amazing place for a History student (or anyone else) to work. It's a beautiful building with an interesting past. Great that Danielle loves working there

We really need to set up a tour for Dennis and I while she's there. I haven't been there since I was in grade school and I don't think Dennis has ever been there. She comes home with so many interesting facts.

 

[vamassey1]

This is amazing!

Thank you! We didn't even try to be silly.

And also a photo of pure joy!

Yes it is.

Looks like a great day so far.

Yes, it was "The Best Day Ever".

 

[pkondz]

I'm so proud of you.

Yay me!

Danielle has a laptop and an ipad but still uses my desktop too.

Ah. I have the same problem. I use the desktop for finances and printing. The kids use it for printing.

She takes notes on the ipad, uses her laptop for the video stream and my desktop w/2 monitors for slides and so forth.

And her phone for selfies!

She is the Queen of expressions.

That she is!

 

[vamassey1]

And her phone for selfies!

Oh yes! She upgraded to the Iphone 12 yesterday so there will be so many more selfies.

 

[pkondz]

Oh yes! She upgraded to the Iphone 12 yesterday so there will be so many more selfies.

ooooohhh...

 

[mFont23]

Kinda digging Michelle's outfit and hair.

THANK YOUUUUU!

Pocahontas? (I suck at these.)

YEP! This makes for a good story later, too!

Isn't Navi such a wondeful ride? So much to look at!!

Look at, listen to, all of it. It's just GOREGOUS and so immersive. When we went in September, no fastpasses, so I finally had a chance to look at the que. There are little info cards for the creatures and things you will see on the ride. Kind of like the que for the safari, but for Pandora creatures!

I bet this was pretty at night. I don't think we made it back here to see.

Fun fact... we did. and the picture is awesome. I know because I finally worked on the photobook for this trip and came across the pic this weekend.

Awww... he sure looks like he's having a great time.

THE BEST TIME. One of his favorite rides, hands down.

Michelle's expression! Love it!!!

.... love the wrinkles that come with it too...

 

[pkondz]

THANK YOUUUUU!

YEP! This makes for a good story later, too!

Standing by.

.... love the wrinkles that come with it too...

I went back just to check, because I certainly didn't notice any.
And I was right.

 

[vamassey1]

Fun fact... we did. and the picture is awesome. I know because I finally worked on the photobook for this trip and came across the pic this weekend.

Now I'm going to have go look.

 

[vamassey1]

How's everyone's week going? I'm so happy it's Friday. I've been trying all week to get another updated posted but it's just been too busy. On the home front Dennis is working on changing the floor in our bedroom and repainting, so our furniture is in the dining room and we're staying in the spare bedroom. He's doing it around working so it's going to take awhile. I also used some "fuzzy Disney math" and booked us flights for our May trip. We were going to drive but when I checked flights the other night they were only $73 each way plus taxes and fees! I paid right under $438 for all of us. I paid a little over $1100 for our flights for the December 2019 trip. I really was looking forward to the road trip plus it would have given us a little wiggle room if we wanted to start driving the day before and stop for a night but flying does take up so much less time. I'm going to miss having the space to bring whatever I want to bring too. The fuzzy math came in due to saving on not parking at the resort, gas money, tolls and more on the road meals. Will it offset the cost of the flights and airport parking? No, but time has a price tag too. We'll be arriving right before 1 pm on May 1st and flying out at around 6 pm on the 6th. We aren't adding any park days but this will hopefully give us some down time on arrival and departure day. We would like to each lunch at one of the resorts on the Skyliner and just look around on our departure day. We still plan on DS time on arrival day with hopefully a meal at TREX (Dennis' choice).

 

[vamassey1]

Wednesday, December 18th - Animal Kingdom- Character Overload

We timed being in Dinoland just right, as Michelle and John Paul finished riding TriceraTop Spin the uptenth time the characters started coming out. I have always loved getting pictures of the kids with the characters but Dennis hates it. I have been know to purposely send him off with other kids just so we could character hunt. It broke my heart when Danielle decided she was too old for characters and would rather ride rides with Dad. Finally I had a fresh child to meet the characters. I guess Dennis has also mellowed because he actually did not fuss at all and "just went with it".

John Paul's first character was Donald Duck.


We then headed down the dinosaur trail and found Chip and Dale. I love Chip and Dale and they are so cute in their dino costumes. They also played around with John Paul and made it fun.



As we went further down the trail we found Daisy. She was very taken with Michelle's outfit. She took pictures with all of us but insisted on a picture with just Michelle.



John Paul was not impressed with Daisy.


When we exited the trail we found LauchPad! I watched many of episodes of Duck Tales with Brent when he was little so I'm a big fan. Of course John Paul has seen a few of the new version. Michelle was fangirling.


And last but not least was Scrooge McDuck, and again JP was not impressed.


By now we were all hungry. Michelle and John Paul still had a meal at Tusker House so they only wanted a little something but Dennis, Danielle and I were ready for some food. We left Dinoland and headed across the park towards the Starbucks. Along the way we ran into the puppet animals for the first time. They were soooo neat and had such personality. We only stopped for a bit but really enjoyed it.





continued . . . .