~ Rachel Made it to DISNEY! Christmas at AKL ~ Oh. My. Gosh! ~ 1/22

[shannn]

OH Mary! That's so horrible, and I completely understand how it can happen. It's so stressful when you've been the planner and you want everything to turn out perfectly. It's especially hard to be there with people who don't understand that.

I'm glad you made it to Le Cellier for your lunch. My husband loved it so much that he wanted us to just have ADRs there every night for our next trip!

 

[tinytreasures]

so glad you made up I was sick to my stomach thinking about it.

glad you got your GAC I wish we had gotten those for Avy and Hayden we had the hardest time on our trip because they made the kids walk instead of letting them stay in the stroller
I didn't know about them till after we got home

 

[kdzbear]

Yeah for water!

I am so glad that you and Joyce were able to work things out. I have gone on friends only trips and know that tensions can sometimes get high, but then the trip ends up being one of the best trips ever! I am so happy that you had no problems with your GAC card. I was so nervous for you as Epcot is where we had problems with Tyler's card. Your dessert at Le Cellier looks amazing! I am so glad that you made it to lunch! Great updates!

 

[TarzansKat]

I'm glad you were able to resolve your conflict. I've had those types of moments on my trip sometimes and it's always so uncomfortable until you can figure out exactly what people want!

Seems like everything is going pretty smoothly, and your smores dessert looks divine!

 

[praisehisname]

So glad you and Joyce are OK now, and you weren't even that late to your lunch! Your meal sounds so good! Looking forward to more!

 

[maroo]

I'm glad that you were able to work things out so quickly. That makes a bit of a rough start to the trip.

I'm glad you were able to make it to your first ADR!

It was a rough start! But it just gets better from here!!

Woo-hoo for water!!!

You are too nice! I would have been beyond frustrated and hurt by Joyce not remembering the details you so painfully and carefully arranged and discussed and by the whole driving incident. If you want to be my TA and arrange everything for me, I will be happy to do everything you tell me to and when you tell me to.

Glad you got to Le Cellier on time and had a nice meal after the seating logistics got settled. Looking forward to more happy times and less grumpy butt!

I would love to be your TA! HA! I wish I could be a TA...I am sure giving enough advice!

Grumpy may make one more appearance....we will just have to see.

I'm so happy things smoothed out for you and wow! that you made your ADR..very cool, Maroo. : Looking forward to the next update

Next update....is hopefully coming tonight.

I have an urgent matter tonight to take care of..... I HAVE to watch 24. I love Jack Bauer!

Glad you two made up quickly!

Le Cellier deserves all the hype - - yummy!


Kathy

It was GOOD! I definitely enjoyed it. I still can't believe it is only one TS credit. I bet that changes in the future.

OH Mary! That's so horrible, and I completely understand how it can happen. It's so stressful when you've been the planner and you want everything to turn out perfectly. It's especially hard to be there with people who don't understand that.

I'm glad you made it to Le Cellier for your lunch. My husband loved it so much that he wanted us to just have ADRs there every night for our next trip!

I was pretty stressed during this trip! But it does get better!!

Le Cellier every night...now THAT sounds YUMMY!

so glad you made up I was sick to my stomach thinking about it.

glad you got your GAC I wish we had gotten those for Avy and Hayden we had the hardest time on our trip because they made the kids walk instead of letting them stay in the stroller
I didn't know about them till after we got home

Oh yeah...next time you go you guys need to get a "use a stroller as a wheelchair" for any of the kids that need that.

Yeah for water!

I am so glad that you and Joyce were able to work things out. I have gone on friends only trips and know that tensions can sometimes get high, but then the trip ends up being one of the best trips ever! I am so happy that you had no problems with your GAC card. I was so nervous for you as Epcot is where we had problems with Tyler's card. Your dessert at Le Cellier looks amazing! I am so glad that you made it to lunch! Great updates!

Water. It is SO nice to have water!!

We did end up having a GREAT trip! The CM there was great for us!

I'm glad you were able to resolve your conflict. I've had those types of moments on my trip sometimes and it's always so uncomfortable until you can figure out exactly what people want!

Seems like everything is going pretty smoothly, and your smores dessert looks divine!

Exactly...and trying to figure out what people want (and dealing with 6 people and their different wants)...well, you know how that is!

So glad you and Joyce are OK now, and you weren't even that late to your lunch! Your meal sounds so good! Looking forward to more!

It was yummy!!!!

An update.....should be forthcoming!

I want to finish this TR before my March trip...which is coming FAST!

 

[yinyanggirls]

Wow, that was close! 10 mins to spare! You guys remind me of my sister and I when on vacation. Only we wouldn't hug and makeup!

 

[that's nice]

All caught up!

Glad you are able to drive through the stress and make it to AKL in pretty good time!

You definitely had tight plans on arrival but glad they all worked out! IF you were able to get into your room you would of never made your ADR.

We had the S'mores at LE Cellier too. It was good huh?

 

[maroo]

Wow, that was close! 10 mins to spare! You guys remind me of my sister and I when on vacation. Only we wouldn't hug and makeup!

Joyce and I are good friends - and I am really glad that we made up! Not sure when I will we go on vacation again, though...

All caught up!

Glad you are able to drive through the stress and make it to AKL in pretty good time!

You definitely had tight plans on arrival but glad they all worked out! IF you were able to get into your room you would of never made your ADR.

We had the S'mores at LE Cellier too. It was good huh?

They were very tight! I really did not plan that part of the trip well. I knew we were losing an hour...but I thought we would make it up a little better, I guess.

If our room was ready...we DEFINITELY would have missed our ADR...but that story is coming up...

 

[maroo]

Let’s see, we are full and happy from our meal at Le Cellier. I failed to mention something earlier in this report and I should mention it now.

For weeks I had been looking at the weather. The 15 day forecast had highs in the 60’s and lows in the 40’s. Rachel does not do well in cold weather. During the winter, she avoids going out much and would turn down an invitation to any outdoor event. She tends to get sick when she is out in the cold and does not regulate her body temperature well since her spinal cord injury.

The week prior to our trip, I sent a box full of warm clothes because the forecast still had highs in the 60’s and lows in the 40’s.

I even asked questions on this board…to get suggestions for what to do in cold weather – where we might get some shelter from the cold at the parks. And I even asked you guys to specifically pray about the weather…that it would be warmer for her big trip.

A few days before we left, the temperatures were still listed to be highs in the 60’s and lows in the 40’s.

But…as we got to the day before, the forecast changed…to highs in the 70’s and lows in the 50’s – even 60’s some nights!! Woo Hoo!

You guys just don’t know how much of a blessing this forecast was! Rain was predicted on a few days, but we can take rain as long as the temps are warm!

This brings us back to our first afternoon. We were all in jeans for our nice meal at LeCellier. It was quite warm outside. Probably in the 80's. Joyce and I laughed about the fact that our prayer was answered! And vowed to not complain for a second about the “heat”… (I know how hot it can get in FL and 80’s really was not all that hot!) But we were sweating in our jeans and long sleeve shirts.

We took a bathroom break that took a little while and then made our way to the American Pavilion.

Rachel wanted to meet Alladin on this trip. He appears in Morocco sometimes and Rachel was trying to hunt him down. She waited in line for a bit, but it was just Jasmine. We really needed to get to the Candlelight Processional so that she could get one of the handicapped seats toward the front of the stage so she could see. We promised her we would seek him out another day.

So, we arrived at the Candlelight Processional 35 minutes before the show (our paperwork said to arrive 30 minutes prior). But they had already let in all of the lunch package guests, including all of those in wheelchairs and ECV’s. The only spots to watch were way in the back of the theater. Rachel would be able to hear the Processional but not be able to see. What to do?

A CM spotted us and came over to try to help us. We explained the situation. We eventually decided we should transfer her to a regular bench seat for the show. We transferred both Rachel AND her seat cushion so that she would have some cushion – it would not be on her back, but at least it would be under her. It took all three of us to transfer her and the cushion at the same time. What a sight.

I took LOTS of pictures of the Candlelight Processional!


I just love all of the decorations.

The candle pictures hanging on the side of the theater.

The orchestra area.

After a while, the program began. The orchestra was seated and played several Christmas songs.

It was so peaceful.

Then the actual Processional began.

The first thing I noticed is that these poor people were wearing these HEAVY looking gowns. They looked like they were made out of this really thick material and had these pretty sequins all over the top of them. Wow. They are going to get HOT in those – it is hot out here!

The candles were pretty. I did wish that it was already dark – it would have been more pronounced if it was dark out.

The music was beautiful. The story was read by Abigail Breslin. She was in Little Miss Sunshine and My Sister's Keeper. She is so cute! She did a good job with the readings.

I was so impressed that Disney had created a program that was based on the Christmas story has told directly from the Bible. They went to the source of the story. It was perfect.


The lighting.

The music.

It was just beautiful. Very well done.


But the heat was brutal. And I bet it was much hotter under the lights on stage. The choir appeared to be made of mostly high school students on the outside sections.

One student fainted. I barely noticed it until a man with an earbud in his ear came and carefully escorted her from the stage.

A few minutes later the same man with the earbud came and escorted a young man from the other side of the stage!


These poor kids! I am sure they were nervous. Knees locked. And hot. And down when ANOTHER one. This one I saw. She really turned white and down she went. And she didn’t come back up. The man with the earbud went quickly to the stage and basically carried her off. She was not walking well and really looked like she was pretty massively overheated. Bless her heart.


I believe they “lost” one more during the performance, but I sorta lost count.

I am sure the later performance was in cooler weather and I hope that they gave the students a break and lots of water between their performances.
Overall, I give the Candlelight Processional a 10/10. The performance was first rate and the premise behind the whole event was solid. It would have been even better later at night, though. (But that isn’t their fault.)


Up Next: A DIS Meet!!

 

[KathyRN137]

...One student fainted. I barely noticed it until a man with an earbud in his ear came and carefully escorted her from the stage.

...A few minutes later the same man with the earbud came and escorted a young man from the other side of the stage!

...These poor kids! I am sure they were nervous. Knees locked. And hot. And down when ANOTHER one.

...I believe they “lost” one more during the performance, but I sorta lost count.

I read somewhere (or was it on a TV special?) that they typically "lose" at least one choir member per show! Rough gig.

So glad that Rachel was able to get a seat near the stage!

I agree with the 10/10 review... we saw the CP in 2005 and I would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting WDW at that time of year! I have the CD, too, it's wonderful!

Hoping you got to meet Alladin....


Kathy

 

[maroo]

I read somewhere (or was it on a TV special?) that they typically "lose" at least one choir member per show! Rough gig.

So glad that Rachel was able to get a seat near the stage!

I agree with the 10/10 review... we saw the CP in 2005 and I would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting WDW at that time of year! I have the CD, too, it's wonderful!

Hoping you got to meet Alladin....


Kathy

I heard that on the DIS Unplugged podcast right before I left for my trip. We used to lose at least one in our big HS choir performances.

They were dropping like flies!

Alladin....... Well.....

I suppose you will just have to wait and see.

(I am not nearly as good at cliffhangers as someone else I know. LOL)

 

[yinyanggirls]

Wow, that's a lot of fainting! I love Abigail Breslin! It looks like a great program. If they lose that many I wonder why they do it during the day at all. But I guess you get more chances to see it that way....

 

[pipersmom]

I'm with Melissa on Abigail Breslin, that must have been very neat! I feel bad for those kids that fainted, you know they had to be totally excited to be in the show, then to pass out in the middle. I passed out in church once as a teenager (small country church..middle of summer..no ac) and I never heard the end of it, lol. I'm glad you guys had such a good time!

 

[jordanyosh]

how did i miss this.....okay here now.

 

[TarzansKat]

I remember in middle school chorus having specific instructions for what to do if you felt light headed. Those lights are no joke, and especially with those heavy gowns! I'm glad your day is getting better and you all got to enjoy the show.

 

[jenb1023]

CP sounds wonderful! I am glad you got the seating worked out. I am really surprised about all of the fainting - I guess heat, nerves, hot lights and heavy gowns are not a good combo. I hope Aladdin shows up in Rachel's future!

 

[maroo]

Wow, that's a lot of fainting! I love Abigail Breslin! It looks like a great program. If they lose that many I wonder why they do it during the day at all. But I guess you get more chances to see it that way....

I guess it usually is not that hot? I wonder when they start during the year?

But, you are right...if they started later in the day, it would be cooler and you could see all of their lights. But it was PACKED...so I am sure they need to do 3 performances to be able to fit everyone that wants to attend.

I'm with Melissa on Abigail Breslin, that must have been very neat! I feel bad for those kids that fainted, you know they had to be totally excited to be in the show, then to pass out in the middle. I passed out in church once as a teenager (small country church..middle of summer..no ac) and I never heard the end of it, lol. I'm glad you guys had such a good time!

Oh no! That is horrible!

It was cool to see her so "up close" and she really did a great job.

how did i miss this.....okay here now.

to my TR! Thanks for posting! Glad you are here!

I remember in middle school chorus having specific instructions for what to do if you felt light headed. Those lights are no joke, and especially with those heavy gowns! I'm glad your day is getting better and you all got to enjoy the show.

Exactly!

My day just keeps getting better and better!

CP sounds wonderful! I am glad you got the seating worked out. I am really surprised about all of the fainting - I guess heat, nerves, hot lights and heavy gowns are not a good combo. I hope Aladdin shows up in Rachel's future!

I was surprised there were so many of them fainting. And I was worried about that third girl. But you can tell it happens a lot, because Disney was totally prepared. I guess they have someone specifically watching the kids and then someone just goes and gets them - fairly seamlessly - except the one girl that could not walk well.

 

[jordanyosh]

I just caught up. Thank you for the links!

You're a saint. I pretty much would've been done when Joyce started going off.

 

[kdzbear]

The Candle Light Processional sounds amazing. I wish we could have stayed a few extra days to see it. Did you get to see some of the Santas from around the world too? I also think that you should be able to reserve a handicapped seat with your reserved processional seating. I am amazed at how fast the handicapped seating areas for shows and parades fill up so quickly! I am glad you liked the show!