Old Key West - December 17

We are up fairly early and have not slept as well as I would like. Our studio room is very bright and we are used to sleeping in a much darker space. Otherwise, our room is fine and is in an excellent location.

The evening before, we picked up a danish at the store so have that for breakfast along with coffees my husband walks over to Hospitality House to pick up for us.

It's another nice morning but the weather forecast is for rain moving in ahead of a cold front.

Once again, we are heading to Animal Kingdom. This morning, we have a fastpass for Navi River which is a ride we enjoy very much. We have also made fastpasses for the Safari and enjoy another nice ride there. Again, the gnus are very close to the road. Our last fastpass for the day is for Expedition Everest but we know this ride will close if the weather is bad. After a visit to It's Tough to Be a Bug, it looks like weather might be getting ready to come in.

Instead of waiting, we decide we'll do some holiday decoration sightseeing so we get a bus to Wilderness Lodge. After looking around the lobby, we head over to Geyser Point and have lunch there. While we are dining, the skies just open up - there was no warning - one moment there was no rain - the next moment it was pouring. By time we finish eating, the rain has stopped and the sun is even out a but, so we take the boat over to Contemporary.

After checking out the shops and decorations at the Contemporary, we board the monorail and move to the Polynesian where, once again, we check out the decorations and shops. Our next stop is at the Grand Floridian. We walk into Enchanted Rose which is already quite busy though it is still only mid-afternoon. We don't linger here but do enjoy the decorations and make a stop at the gingerbread house where we purchase a 1/2 lb assortment of ginger bread cookies.

When we get to the Magic Kingdom, we disembark and make our way to the bus stop for a bus to Old Key West. It's very busy here - there are people everywhere - many of them making their way into the park for the evening's Very Merry Christmas party.

Once back at our resort, we stop at the Gurgling Suitcase and enjoy a drink before heading back to our room. The weather seems to be holding so we decide to go to Disney Springs to see the Trail of Trees. Now, we have already been through the trail this year but that was a daytime visit and it always looks so much nicer after dark!! We enjoy all the trees and and falling snow before heading into a couple of shops. When we are ready, we head back to the boat ramp. The temperatures are beginning to fall and the wind is really picking up. I'm glad I had brought a jacket with me!!! One boat driver tells me he is surprised they have not already shut down the boats since the boats don't steer well when the wind is too high. After he leaves, we begin to see lightning off in the distance. When the next boat arrives (still not our boat), that driver tells us the boats are now shut down due to lightning and we'll have to bus back to Old Key West.

We make our way to the bus stop. By time we get to the bus stop, it is drizzling out. We don't have any wait at all for our bus. By time we arrive at Old Key West, it is pouring!!! (It's only around 8 pm so I'm guessing the folks at the party are no longer having fun!!) Fortunately, the Disney Springs bus makes a stop at Hospitality House first instead of last (We usually get off at the first bus stop and walk back to our room from that stop). It's also a good thing that my husband brought the umbrella with him when we went over to Disney Springs. Even with that, we are both quite wet by time we get into our room.

We change into some comfy clothes and watch Christmas movies while the rain continues!!