Dec 2010: Mayhem Invades Disney World!!!

[Amy]

Alright...the continuation of Day 6 for Amy and F1gment...
We set off for the Italian pavilion for the much anticipated, and only, ADR of our trip, at Via Napoli. We arrived about 20 minutes early but didn't have to wait long until we were seated. We shared an individual sized Wood Fired Authentic Pizza Napoletana (pepperoni pizza) and each got our own dessert. I was fascinated by what I had seen and read about the Zeppole Di Catarina, and Mom wanted to try the Torta Di Sarena. The pizza was delicious and exactly what I would have expected from a brick oven fired pizza, Mom thought the dessert was ok, but we both thought the zeppole was amazing! I still think it is a little expensive at $10 but I would order it again. Another big plus in Via Napoli's favor was they gave us a 10% discount for being AP holders
The central part of Via Napoli has a big, long, family seating table...


I loved these lantern chandeliers. They were huge I would love to find a way to fit these in my house!


The pizza...


The three ovens...


F1gment's applecake dessert...


My dessert ~ which oddly enough also became mostly F1mgent's dessert too!


There were a lot of these gorgeous planters scattered around the Italian pavilion...


The amount of detail in the smallest things still amazes me!


We took in the sights and sounds of Norway.


I'm sure you all know about the hidden Mickey in the Norway mural...but it is always fun to spot


We skipped the movie on the way out in order to go get in line for the candlelight processional. A little drama was involved in that process. Mom had to use the restroom and I was worrying at the ever growing line. So, she went ahead to the restrooms behind the American Adventure while I got in line. More and more people piled in line and I started to grow a bit concerned that Mom would never find me. The kind people around me in line assured me they would save my spot while I went and got her. I asked a CM if my Mom would be able to wait for me at the end of the row and rejoin the line as I went by since she was in the ECV. Unfortunately the CM did not think that would be ok. He directed me to talk with another CM who was busy trying to keep people moving into the queue and really didn't seem inclined to even look in my direction, much less answer any questions. The people who were saving my spot in line noticed me at the end looking a bit harried and came to my rescue, along with the kind people that were at the end, and therefore the outside, of the queue. The guys lifted the rope, shooed us under before the CM looked our way, then we pardoned, 'scused, and gradually made our way to my original spot, which was now about 2 rows closer to the theater and right near the lagoon.

I got some really nice photos of the Illuminations barges coming in.






Jodi Bensen was the guest narrator for the Candlelight Processional that evening. It was fun to hear the Little Mermaid herself tell the Christmas story. The choirs sounded great, the trumpeters were awesome and the sign language interpreter did a great job.

[Amy]

After the show ended, we made our way through the International gateway and caught the Friendship 8 to the Boardwalk. Wandered through the lobby enjoying the decorations and out to the bus stop on our way to Downtown Disney.


Nobody in the pool I always felt a little bad for the lifeguards who were watching empty pools in the freezing cold!



I got a better picture of an elephant at the Boardwalk and didn't need to stand in the queue for the safari at AK!!


Some of the decor at the Boardwalk ~ enjoy WWTRH









Sidewalk water paintings at Downtown Disney...



We had dinner at the Earl of Sandwich. The sandwiches were really tasty but I still can't believe how crowded that place was It was a madhouse!!!
We found a few things that jumped into our basket and wanted to get out of the brisk, chilly state of Florida. After a high of only 54 today and a low around 33 while we were still out, I was starting to think somewhere warm sounded good too!

[MmeLeota]

WOW Mousekedude and Amy! Those pics are just amazing!
I love the "duck photos" from on the boat, M-dude and how awesome that you got to be evacuated off EE! (yes, I'm weird that way )
Amy, the pics of the barges and the Boardwalk are fabulous!

I am enjoying the reports so much...even if they're slowly coming in. It only adds to the excitement!

[Amy]

WOW Mousekedude and Amy! Those pics are just amazing!
I love the "duck photos" from on the boat, M-dude and how awesome that you got to be evacuated off EE! (yes, I'm weird that way )
Amy, the pics of the barges and the Boardwalk are fabulous!
I am enjoying the reports so much...even if they're slowly coming in. It only adds to the excitement!

That's why I'm taking my time...building anticipation
I liked the evacuation photos too ~ I always love seeing things from a different angle

[mindflipper]

Amy: was it your first time for the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT? My first time was a few years back with Jim Caveziel, who played Jesus in "The Passion of the Christ". Back in Nov 2010, my doctor's wife (also a doctor) was part of the chorus one weekend after Thanksgiving.

[Amy]

Amy: was it your first time for the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT? My first time was a few years back with Jim Caveziel, who played Jesus in "The Passion of the Christ". Back in Nov 2010, my doctor's wife (also a doctor) was part of the chorus one weekend after Thanksgiving.

No, we have been at least two other times when the Candlelight Processional has been playing. I can't remember offhand who the narrators were though. Mom really enjoys the show and was quite delighted to be able to see it since the last time we saw it was 10 years ago. She really wanted to see Trace Adkins but he wasn't until 12/17 or something like that. She was all for extending our stay but neither of us won the lottery before the trip so that option was out!

[mindflipper]

I've seen it with Caveziel and with Gary Sinise. My mom was really amazed the first time, which is why we did again with Sinise the next year.

[Amy]

I've seen it with Caveziel and with Gary Sinise. My mom was really amazed the first time, which is why we did again with Sinise the next year.

I think we might have seen it with Gary Sinise as well. I like the show, but it is a long time to sit still for me. But Mom really loves it so I'm glad we were able to see it this past trip

[NaCler]

mindflipper/Amy - I sang in it one year when I was in high school, but I don't think I have ever seen it. It was an amazing experience and I hope I get the chance to watch it one day or even sing in it again.

[Amy]

mindflipper/Amy - I sang in it one year when I was in high school, but I don't think I have ever seen it. It was an amazing experience and I hope I get the chance to watch it one day or even sing in it again.

That is very cool! Was it your whole high school choir? I'm curious, how do they choose the choirs? Is there an audition process? Does anyone know if the center tree is still made up of Disney employees?

[mindflipper]

mindflipper/Amy - I sang in it one year when I was in high school, but I don't think I have ever seen it. It was an amazing experience and I hope I get the chance to watch it one day or even sing in it again.

That is very cool! Was it your whole high school choir? I'm curious, how do they choose the choirs? Is there an audition process? Does anyone know if the center tree is still made up of Disney employees?

From what I learned from my doctor: yes, there is an audition process. You have to send in tapes/CD/whatever of your chorus performance. Then there are elimination rounds. And once chosen, there's a great deal of required training and you have to pass "inspection" (for the lack of a better term) to make sure of your progress. From the sound of it, it's a lot of hard work.

[NaCler]

mindflipper - Actually, it's not that bad. My bro-in-law's church choir performed in it last year. All you have to do is send in a tape of your choir performing 2 of the songs (don't remember which 2, but I think they do 1 fast and 1 slow) and 2 dates that the choir is available. They select a mix of high school choruses and church choirs. I believe you can also audition by yourself if you want to.

When we did it in high school we submitted a tape, got selected, then we had a pre-show practice with the guest conductor the day of the performance. It's a shame that I can't remember who our speaker was though!

Amy - Yes, they still have CM ringers (no, MmeLeota, not handbell ringers) in the choir to help.

[Polynesian Princess]

After that we headed to Adventureland to ride POTC. Afterwards on the way out, Boilerbabe was jamming to the Adventureland music, and although Aloha Isle was closed so that we couldn't get a Dole Whip (it was too cold anyway), she still couldn’t stop herself from busting out with the famous Dole Whip Dance. I was duly impressed, although I was too cold to try very hard at learning it myself:

Nobody else asked yet, but I have to ask - what is the Dole Whip Dance?

[mindflipper]

After much exhaustive research...(out of breath, wiping the sweat from my brow)...I finally found the answer to your question:

Nobody else asked yet, but I have to ask - what is the Dole Whip Dance?

And here's the link the answers it all! Go to:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5188&p=147600&hilit ... ce#p147600

[Mousekedude]

Amy: great reporting, and great pics, as usual! I especially love the ones from Via Napoli because we didn't get any good ones while we were there. By the way, there's another hidden Mickey in the Norway mural: it's on the cruise-ship lady's uniform, right at the top edge of the clipboard.

Mindflipper: thanks for doing the research for Poly P.

And now, without further adieu:
Day 12, Saturday 12-11-10…. Our last day for this trip (sniffle… )

First things first this morning… we had to pack. Here’s Mickey and Minnie guarding our luggage. These were the ones that Mindflipper gave us. The other set we got from the manager of the Coronado is packed away inside a suitcase:




We left our luggage with Bell Services and had a quick breakfast at the concierge lounge, then headed to AK so Mouseoholic could ride her beloved Expedition Everest one more time. Naturally, on our last day, after being freezing cold the whole trip, the weather was now gorgeous and warm! Go figure…
We arrived at AK without incident and rode EE. Afterwards, we had some trouble deciding what to do next. We kinda wanted to stick around AK, but the Boilers were at Epcot and we really wanted to see them one more time too (today was their last day as well). So in the end we decided to head over to Epcot and meet up with them. We went to the bus stop to catch the direct bus from AK to Epcot. While we were waiting for the bus, there was a group of totally freaky teenagers acting like idiots and irritating everyone. These kids were real psychos… dressed like something out of “Little Shop of Horrors,” only they weren’t play acting. They were rude, vulgar, and just generally repulsive on a number of different levels, and we were not looking forward to being stuck on a bus with them all the way to Epcot. Well as it turns out, we didn’t have to. The bus was taking forever to get there, and we caught sight of the bus to the TTC and got the idea of going there and hopping the monorail to Epcot. We knew it would take longer, but at least we wouldn’t have to ride with the freaks… plus it would give us one more chance to ride the monorail:




As we arrived at Epcot, Mouseoholic decided to get some “alternative view” shots of the park. They didn’t come out as well as we hoped because of the sun’s glare off the glass (plus the glass was dirty), but some of them were okay:








By now it was already about noon, and I was in a hurry to get to Mexico and meet up with the Boilers, but Mouseoholic just couldn’t resist getting a few more “artsy” pics of the park:










We met up with the Boilers and tried to decide what to do. In the end we all realized that we didn’t have a whole lot of time left, so we just decided to hang out and chat for a while. We wouldn’t be seeing each other again for a long time and wanted to make the most of the time we had together to chat and share stories about the trip. I was eager to have one more Jalapeno margarita in La Cava, so I asked who wanted to join me. Boilerbabe said she could use a little something, so while Boilderdude and Mouseoholic staked out a good spot to hang out in the plaza area, we went inside and got our margaritas. When we got our drinks we regrouped with the others in the plaza and just sat around talking and people watching for a while. We couldn’t believe the trip was over already, and that we wouldn’t have another chance to hang out together for a long time. But although we were all sad to say goodbye, we were still happy that we had spent so much time together, and we were all equally happy to have met so many of our fellow Mayhem Marauders, even though we only got to hang out with them a little bit.
All too soon, the time came for the Boilers to leave (although their flight was leaving about the same time as ours, they were taking the Magical Express to the airport, and also had to get all the way back to the Poly first, whereas we were walking distance from the Boardwalk and were taking a private shuttle service). So with hugs all around, we said our goodbyes, and Mouseoholic and I sadly watched them walk off into the distance. Then we had to decide what to do with the hour or so that we had left. About that time I started feeling sick to my stomach. I think the stuff at the bar might not have been completely clean today… either that or something was wrong with my breakfast. Either way, it was not pleasant… I’ll spare y’all the details, but let’s just say that I was very thankful Mouseoholic had some Immodium with her.
In the end we just walked around the WS taking in the sights, and then hit the Yorkshire County Fish Shop for some fish and chips. We basked in the sun and ate our lunch right next to the lake. I was still feeling a little “iffy”, but the Immodium and the food helped somewhat. Finally it was time to head back to the Boardwalk. While we waited for Bell Services to retrieve our luggage, I sat in the lobby and tried to feel better. Mouseoholic decided to be evil and take this very unflattering picture of me in my suffering:



Then she made me laugh so that she could get a better one:




Finally we got our luggage and headed out front to wait for our ride. After a while we started getting nervous because it hadn’t shown up yet. They were supposed to pick us up at 3:00, but by about 3:20 they still weren’t there. Mouseoholic called their office, and was told that the driver was running late and had failed to inform them. So now we had to decide whether to risk it and wait, or take a cab. The limo company kept saying they were on their way, but by about 3:40 we decided that we just couldn’t wait any longer and grabbed a cab for a frantic rush to the airport. We were very upset, and let the limo company know as much. They agreed to refund us half of what we had paid, which was about equal to what we had to pay the cab. They also offered us a voucher for free service on our next trip, but we’re not sure we’re going to use them again. We’ll think about it…
Anyway, we screeched into the airport (our cab driver obligingly broke all the speed limits for us), rushed through security, and got to our gate just as our flight was finishing boarding! Made it just in time! Why does every trip end with a wild adventure?! (Remember last year, when we had a wreck on the way to the airport…?).
The flight home was uneventful, I was feeling much better, and we arrived home tired and happy… but sad that the trip was over. We’re now looking forward to the next one, of course… although we don’t know when it will be.

Well, that’s it for the Mousekecouple’s version of the December 2010 Mayhem Marauders trip to WDW. I hope you’ve enjoyed it, and I’ll now leave it to Amy to finish up her version. Hopefully Boilerbabe will soon be able to add hers as well.