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

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.
uh-if we ever get to meet and my middle kid is with us she will grill you as well-but just be warned some of your personality may end up in one of her stories later (she has several online books published on wattpad).

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!
Me too! I am hoping we get to go in November as well-the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

My window of opportunity to give her an Orlando experience is all but gone now.
And that is why I am trying to talk my parents into a trip. I don't care if we even do any rides-just want the kids to be with grandparents in such a magical place. My son loved when his other set of grandparents (DH's dad and stepmom) were able to come for a couple days in 2014. Grandma loves Star Tours almost as much as DS and I lost count of how often they rode that!
 
I am all caught up again, the resort pictures are beautiful
The kitchen sink looks delicious and the cruise to see Illuminations sounds awesome.
I'm sorry your friends were under the weather for the HDDR night, we did this last August and loved it! I agree with you about the strawberry shortcake it was very good.
The pool area at your resort looks so peaceful on a warm evening, looking forward to your MVMCP!
 
uh-if we ever get to meet and my middle kid is with us she will grill you as well-but just be warned some of your personality may end up in one of her stories later (she has several online books published on wattpad).

Me too! I am hoping we get to go in November as well-the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

And that is why I am trying to talk my parents into a trip. I don't care if we even do any rides-just want the kids to be with grandparents in such a magical place. My son loved when his other set of grandparents (DH's dad and stepmom) were able to come for a couple days in 2014. Grandma loves Star Tours almost as much as DS and I lost count of how often they rode that!

Oh, I so hope you are successful in getting them to agree to go. Life is so short, we all need to seize these opportunities when we can ::yes::.

I am all caught up again, the resort pictures are beautiful
The kitchen sink looks delicious and the cruise to see Illuminations sounds awesome.
I'm sorry your friends were under the weather for the HDDR night, we did this last August and loved it! I agree with you about the strawberry shortcake it was very good.
The pool area at your resort looks so peaceful on a warm evening, looking forward to your MVMCP!

Thank you! Another entry is coming up soon! :goodvibes
 
Thursday, December 22nd :santa:

We awoke to another spectacular, sunshiny, warm morning :sunny:: December could not get any more perfect than that. We didn’t waste any time in getting ourselves showered, dressed and out the door: we not only had plans to meet Kerry, Robert and David for their goodbye breakfast at the Trattoria at Portofino Bay, but @Lynne G and her kids were also planning to join us. We were super excited to be meeting Lynne after many years of friendship here on the boards :goodvibes.

We texted Kerry as we were pulling into the parking area at Portofino.

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Their plans had called for a noon-ish departure, as they had a two-hour commute (assuming no traffic delays) to their home in the Jacksonville area: that would give them plenty of time for breakfast, and perhaps an hour or two at Universal, before beginning their journey. Their trip so far had not gone off as we so carefully had planned, and we prayed that the ending would at least be a good one. She was equally as excited to meet Lynne and her family, so this breakfast was a much-anticipated finale for her. We were super saddened, then, to hear that David was feeling even worse that morning: after a rough night with more fever issues, Robert was loading their car and they were getting ready to head home immediately in the hopes of securing a doctor’s appointment for David later that afternoon .

We were both so gutted :sad1:.

Kerry met us briefly down at the doors to the Trattoria: we were all looking more than a little dejected. She had a little gift bag for Lynne that she asked us to pass along to her on her behalf, and of course we were happy to do so. We exchanged long hugs as we said our goodbyes and expressed our gratitude for the amazing experiences we shared with them, and there were more than a few tears from both of us :sad:. Not only were we both sad for the things that Robert and David’s illnesses forced them to miss out on, but we were blue that the excitement of the planning process was over. We had had so much fun creating this grand adventure: it brought us close together on a daily basis despite the 1000+ miles between us.

We vowed, right there in the piazza, that we would do it again :thumbsup2. We didn’t know when….life was full of uncertainties as Steve and I embarked on a new life in the USA…..but we would make it happen. A prospect that made us smile through the tears.

Steve, bless his heart, was just as downcast as I was. He had wanted to see David so badly before they returned home, and was looking forward for one more chance to spend time with his buddy. We were a sorry pair as Kerry made her way back to find her boys, and we stood in the peacefulness of the morning :(.

Time to regroup. I texted Lynne: gave her the news about Kerry’s need to depart early, and confirmed that Steve and I were still on for breakfast. I was elated to receive her reply that she and her teens were on their way :cheer2:.

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It was easy to keep occupied while we waited for them to arrive by water taxi. The piazza was virtually deserted and we could really appreciate the beauty of the architecture as we strolled around with the area virtually to ourselves.

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This resort is incredibly well themed and so elegant: this would easily be my choice of properties if I ever stayed onsite at Universal. If a person can’t get to Italy, this is surely the next best thing ::yes::.

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We were standing by the water, both lost in our own thoughts, when Lynne texted again to say that they were on the taxi and would be arriving any minute. When the boat pulled up, there was a round of hellos and introductions once they easily spotted us waiting for them in the piazza. After all these years, we finally meet in person!

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I have to apologize again here that despite a wonderful buffet meal and the greatest conversation among new friends, I was so caught up in the meet-up and the meal that I didn’t get a single photo. I can’t believe it :headache:. On a positive note, it was because we were having such a fantastic time getting to know each other outside of the boards (and for anyone who wonders if these casual meet-ups with other Disers is awkward in any way, the answer is a resounding NO…..it’s awesome to finally put faces to screen names and the chatter comes as easily, or perhaps even easier, as it does on the Dis ::yes::)….but still, I was heartbroken to realize, after the fact, that those memories weren’t preserved in pictures as all. @Lynne G , you know this means we need a re-do on a future trip, right? ;)


The meal itself was great (not my favourite breakfast buffet at the Universal resorts...that honour is bestowed on the Kitchen at the Hard Rock...but still really tasty), and the Trattoria was a perfect setting for our meal together. The restaurant boasts a charmingly elegant yet casual vibe, and it was only moderately busy so not at all noisy. Lynne’s son and daughter were great sports about indulging their mom for the meet up, and we were so grateful to have the chance to make the acquaintance of her awesome teens. Fun all around.

Lynne brought us a lovely little Christmas care package that included some special treats from her hometown: Tasty Kakes! My waistline was seriously doomed . Lynne, these things are addictive!! :hyper: We loved every bite.

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Eventually, we bid Lynne and her kids adieu, and we both headed back to our respective vehicles. As we passed by the entrance to the hotel, we stopped to admire some of the fountains and other adornments that we missed in our hasty arrival. Very charming and so fitting for the theme of the resort.

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On our way back to the Grande Vista, we decided to stop and do a little shopping at the Nike Clearance Store in Kissimmee and the Lake Buena Vista Factory Outlets. There were a few things we wanted to bring back for Jake…..no trip is complete until there’s a new pair of shoes for the boy in the suitcases…..and it was the perfect time to take care of that little bit of important business. We didn’t have to leave for the Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom until later in the afternoon, and we hoped we’d miss the pre-Christmas crowds by shopping earlier in the day.

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We easily found everything we went for…including some fun souvenirs for our cat sitter (who had sent us pictures of Violet and Dash wearing antler ears :eek: just the day prior….oh, they would be so happy for us to come home!! :rotfl:) and a few extra items to boot. We may have treated ourselves to a little reward for being great shoppers :teeth:.

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Back at the resort, we unloaded our purchases and enjoyed some rest and relaxation before our much-anticipated big night at Disney. We called and talked to Jake for a bit, and I touched base with my mom by phone. I cleared out texts, emails and Facebook messages while Steve indulged in a short siesta :faint:. Then, it was time to get dressed and begin our trek to the Ticket and Transportation Center: it was officially PARTY TIME! party:


Next up, we're rockin' around the Christmas tree at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party .

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What a shame about Kerry and her family. No wonder you were all a little sad :sad1:

The sky is so blue in your pictures, that day we were enjoying the beach and lovely weather before travelling back up to Orlando the next day. Our paths must have nearly crossed as we were in the same state!
 
Okay I don't remember how far back it was but everybody was talking about wearing socks and sandals and yesterday while I was on the Toronto Transit System I saw this and thought of you all.
Enjoy this look. It is a little blurry because I was trying to be nonchalant.
 

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I'm still really sorry we missed Kerry and family. We had treats for them too, but with our rather long flight delay (so much so that we got vouchers), it took all my might to get the kids up after arriving at MCO at 4am.

It certainly was great to meet you and Steve in person. And yes, we need another DISmeet one of these days again. I'm glad you enjoyed the treats and our company. The breakfast was nice and the food good. I think all went back for another plate.

Awesome pictures of the Portofino. I like that hotel very much, and a picture taken from the taxi, of the hotel, is my wallpaper. I never tire of seeing it.

And, the party was great, though my son got sick and left early, only to have issues with the Poly, which I had booked for one night as a treat. I am still thinking of doing the last party this year. But the trip is already more expensive, since we are spending most of our time in Disney.

Follow on.
 


I love Kandy (Tandy) Cakes! Krimpets are the best tastycake.

How true about taking grandparents on trips. Our 2013 trip had some bumps along the way, but I am so glad my DD's great gram was able to go. She braved Christmas week crowds with us as kids and I am so glad she got to go with all her great grandkids. I could never convince my other grandparents to go with us, even for just a day trip. :-(

In spite of the bumps so far, you seem to be having a great trip and as always, are posting such a great trip report. I literally have 2 offsite suppers on our next trip and I am not sure which of the restaurants to pick because you keep introducing me to new things!!!

Did you start work this week or is it next week? Either way good luck!
 
Hi Gina! I can't believe I fell so far behind again. I loved your report on the Hoop-De-Doo-Review! We went with extended family in 2010. It doesn't look like it's changed much, but why should it? It's great! We had a table up front and to the side. My son, then 6 years old, ended up on stage with the cast and his own part in the final skit. It was hilarious! Afterwards, they gave us photos of him on stage, signed by all the characters. It was awesome!

We leave for West Palm Beach tomorrow, then on to the Keys Sunday! I'll start working on a potential October Orlando trip and DISMeet soon after we return.
 
What a shame about Kerry and her family. No wonder you were all a little sad :sad1:

The sky is so blue in your pictures, that day we were enjoying the beach and lovely weather before travelling back up to Orlando the next day. Our paths must have nearly crossed as we were in the same state!

Wasn't that just spectacular weather??? It was almost hard to remember that we left Buffalo in a snowstorm just 6 days before.

One of these days we MUST get a Dismeet arranged :thumbsup2. I don't suppose you want to plan an impromtu trip for October? :rolleyes: Or next spring?

Okay I don't remember how far back it was but everybody was talking about wearing socks and sandals and yesterday while I was on the Toronto Transit System I saw this and thought of you all.
Enjoy this look. It is a little blurry because I was trying to be nonchalant.

Jake would be having a fit....aren't those Nike socks with Adidas sandals? Now THAT'S a fashion faux pas :rotfl:.

I'm still really sorry we missed Kerry and family. We had treats for them too, but with our rather long flight delay (so much so that we got vouchers), it took all my might to get the kids up after arriving at MCO at 4am.

It certainly was great to meet you and Steve in person. And yes, we need another DISmeet one of these days again. I'm glad you enjoyed the treats and our company. The breakfast was nice and the food good. I think all went back for another plate.

Awesome pictures of the Portofino. I like that hotel very much, and a picture taken from the taxi, of the hotel, is my wallpaper. I never tire of seeing it.

And, the party was great, though my son got sick and left early, only to have issues with the Poly, which I had booked for one night as a treat. I am still thinking of doing the last party this year. But the trip is already more expensive, since we are spending most of our time in Disney.

Follow on.

What happened at the Poly??? I am so sorry to hear that the end of your night turned out to be less than magical :guilty:.

You guys were such troopers to meet us for breakfast after such a late (or would that be 'early'? :scratchin) arrival. I can only imagine that you were all asleep on your feet by the end of the party.

Our October dates don't align this year, do they? Rats :headache:.

I love Kandy (Tandy) Cakes! Krimpets are the best tastycake.

How true about taking grandparents on trips. Our 2013 trip had some bumps along the way, but I am so glad my DD's great gram was able to go. She braved Christmas week crowds with us as kids and I am so glad she got to go with all her great grandkids. I could never convince my other grandparents to go with us, even for just a day trip. :-(

In spite of the bumps so far, you seem to be having a great trip and as always, are posting such a great trip report. I literally have 2 offsite suppers on our next trip and I am not sure which of the restaurants to pick because you keep introducing me to new things!!!

Did you start work this week or is it next week? Either way good luck!

My first day of training is this coming Monday. I was fortunate to have a full week off between jobs to get some personal stuff done and get a few more entries up in this report. I would have liked to have finished it completely, but that's obviously not going to happen. I have a hard time keeping things brief, as I'm sure you figured out by now :blush:.

As for the bumps in the road.....well, you know they're always going to happen: be it weather, sickness, or something else out of your control. Disappointing as it is, you just have to roll with it. I know that's how @dsmom Kerry approaches life, too. We're all better for it in the end if we can focus on the positives, and we had many of those to revel in :goodvibes.

Hi Gina! I can't believe I fell so far behind again. I loved your report on the Hoop-De-Doo-Review! We went with extended family in 2010. It doesn't look like it's changed much, but why should it? It's great! We had a table up front and to the side. My son, then 6 years old, ended up on stage with the cast and his own part in the final skit. It was hilarious! Afterwards, they gave us photos of him on stage, signed by all the characters. It was awesome!

We leave for West Palm Beach tomorrow, then on to the Keys Sunday! I'll start working on a potential October Orlando trip and DISMeet soon after we return.

From what I have read, Hoop Dee Doo is pretty much unchanged from its debut in 1974. That kind of family-friendly entertainment never goes out of style. How cool that your son was one of the kids picked to be on stage!! :banana: Those kinds of experiences are what makes Disney so special.

Have a safe trip and fun vacation in south Florida!! (I'm more than a little jealous, ya know ;)) I hope you're nowhere near tropical storm Cindy....she looks like she's packing quite a nasty punch.
 
Our bands could not open the door to our room, and it took 2 managers to get them to fix the door's mickey reader at 1 am. I was not a happy trooper. We checked out at 11am on the dot. He felt better in the morning. I think he was just exhausted, and his allergies were getting the better of him. Seems most live plants are not good for him. Every pollinating plant/tree/grass he's allergic to their pollen.

And yes, rats, we do miss each other in October. You'll have to plan the beginning of the month, rather than the middle or end. I try to go over Columbus Day, as that's a free work day for me.

And yes, the weather was awesome. I am crossing every finger and toe that we have such great weather this holiday. We're back for round 3. Crowds are us. Mouse and Potter this time though.

Hope your new job will go well, and you will enjoy it. Good luck training this Monday.
 
I'm glad Steve is a sport about your Dismeets. I don't know if I could talk my hubby into hanging out with folks he doesn't know. As goofy and outgoing as is with family and close friends, he is a pretty big introvert in general! I could never get him to willingly attend things like work Christmas parties, etc. So sorry that Steve didn't get another chance to hang out with his little buddy :(
 
Wasn't that just spectacular weather??? It was almost hard to remember that we left Buffalo in a snowstorm just 6 days before.

One of these days we MUST get a Dismeet arranged :thumbsup2. I don't suppose you want to plan an impromtu trip for October? :rolleyes: Or next spring? .

I would love to have another trip in the offering but not this year I'm afraid :sad1: for me the long travelling day and flight prices means we've have to come across for 2 or 3 weeks to make it worthwhile. Maybe next year we'll manage a trip.
 
Okay I don't remember how far back it was but everybody was talking about wearing socks and sandals and yesterday while I was on the Toronto Transit System I saw this and thought of you all.
Enjoy this look. It is a little blurry because I was trying to be nonchalant.
Usually the teen boys wear those shoes with ankle socks but I still hate it. Apparently it's a style. Can anyone explain this to me? I don't get it. If your feet are cold then put on closed toe shoes. If they are hot then what do you need the socks for? And then there is the shower shoes with the white socks that are now brown from the dirt of walking around like that all day.
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I got so far behind!

We love Illuminations (to the extent that we had the music playing during the signing of the register at our wedding...) so I'm glad to hear you loved it too.

It's such a shame that David was poorly and plans had to be changed. I know it's well in the past but hopefully he recovered quickly. HDDR looked like great fun though and I'm glad your DisMeet went well.

Looking forward to reading about MVMCP!
 
So sorry that David and Robert got sick...that is just terrible. You know we visited Portofino and thought it looked great, then we stayed there. It was nice but we decided we liked Royal Pacific better. We did club level at both and just enjoyed our time at RPR more.
 
How cute is your Minnie Mouse fleece? Love it!

Sorry that your friends were sick, getting sick on vacation is the worst. Kerry must have been especially devastated after putting so much planning into the trip. :( At least you guys were able to spend a few days together before the sickness hit.
 
Thursday, December 22nd (continued) :santa:

The party we were attending was the final one of the 2016 Christmas season: it was long since sold out, and we expected to see volume both in transit to the Ticket and Transportation Center as well as at the park. We left with plenty of time to make it to the Magic Kingdom for a 4 pm party entry, even if we encountered traffic or similar delays.

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Surprisingly, the commute was super smooth and without any kind of slowdowns. We paid our parking fee and headed to the lot, ending up on the Villains side in very much the same place as we usually find ourselves for the Halloween Party. We were off to a good start :thumbsup2.

Since we had made such good time getting there, we decided to utilize our spare minutes and take the ferry to the park rather than hop on the next monorail. We had never taken the ferry before, and had said more than once over the years that we’d have to do it “someday”. The weather was unbelievably lovely so this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

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We had our sweaters in tow….expecting that they might be needed after sunset when temperatures typically take a noticeable drop…..but we sure didn’t need them right then. It was warm and comfortable and just like a summer’s day as we pulled away from the dock. It certainly didn’t feel like we were on our way to a Christmas party.

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I had tried to convince Steve to wear an Ugly Christmas Sweater t-shirt but he firmly (albeit lovingly) turned me down flat. Ditto to the Christmas Mickey ears :laughing:. He’s a pretty good sport, my big Steve, but even he has his boundaries :rolleyes:. So, I was the only one decked out in a holiday-inspired outfit for this very festive occasion. While he wasn’t interested in any holiday-themed, mouse-inspired duds, he was fully supportive of me rocking my Disney side.

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I have to say, I loved the ride on the ferry :love:.

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The views across Bay Lake were picturesque and serene, and a simply wonderful way to kick off the party.

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While I wouldn’t necessary want the open-air breeze on a cold or rainy day :cold:, on a pleasant weather day I think it will now be our go-to manner of getting to the park :sail:. I’d also opt for the monorail if time was of the essence, but we’re generally not usually running late....tardiness is not in either of our natures…..so we will definitely keep the ferry as an option on future visits ::yes::.

It was exciting to see the park entrance come into view :banana:. That first glimpse of the Kingdom is always a little……magical pixiedust:.

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Taking our place in the dedicated line ups for party guests, we were just a few families from the front of one of the lines. It was around 3:30 in the afternoon, so we figured we’d have 30 minutes to hang out and wait for entry. A very ‘jolly’ CM became everyone’s favourite cast member of the day when, at 3:45 pm, he cheerily announced that the gates would be opened and immediately began scanning the first tickets. Let the fun begin!

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Town Square was decked out in its Christmas finery and was unbelievably festive. It absolutely oozed holiday cheer with a massive tree, life-sized toy soldiers, and garland adorning every building. The light posts were decorated with Christmas Mickey heads:

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…..and holiday wreaths with candle inserts and cheery red bows hung all down Main Street USA.

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I absolutely could not WAIT to see what the park would look like after dark. It was absolutely stunning by day, and I anticipated it would knock my socks off at night.

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Heading up Main Street, we stopped for pictures with one of the Photopass photographers. A castle shot when visiting the Magic Kingdom is an absolute must.

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We were just getting started…..much more yet to come!
 

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