"I've got a WICKED magic hangover." Trip Report ***FINISHED 12/7***

[julezdisney]

Originally Posted by Poohtigeey

Julia, I really love reading your report. You really capture the hapiness, and still have those moments of aggrivation that we all have. Too bad you couldn't get Sara's attention. That would have been fun for you guys to meet. I can tell you from experience she's a great gal! You guys really had a magical trip it seems. Can't wait to read more!

I know, Monica, that would've been fun. It WAS a magical trip. Even w/those aggravating moments- I take them as learning experiences.....

Originally Posted by xoktenox

Hope you and your family had a wonderful halloween, make sure to post some pictures soon!

I was a bad mom. Again. No pix of Halloween this year. Actually, I did the best on our Disney vacation than I ever have. I'm horrible about taking pictures. As in- I don't.

Originally Posted by bob6sims

Really enjoying reading your TR
Your kids are so cute and look like they are having a great time .
There nothing that beats the first visit to WDW .

Thanks! It was a blast!

Originally Posted by xoktenox

Glad you got some good stuff at the outlet! The kids are, as always, so cute and apparently very well behaved too. They seem to be easily pleased and go with the flow. Score for you and DH!

DH and I tend to think they aren't well-behaved. Until we are around other people's kids. Then we're like- "Wow, we have angels."

Originally Posted by mom2mek

Awww....thanks Monica!


Julia, great update! Not surprised you didn't make that ADR! I can't tell you how late we slept that morning - have to wait till I get to that day in my report...I've got to pick up the pace I think! Sounds like you found some great bargains at the outlets. Yuck on the sandpaper ice cream though!

Those Lego displays always amaze me! I think I would rather drive toothpicks under my fingernails than build something like that! I just don't have the patience! T-rex looks cool and I've heard good things from some about the atmosphere and food (and cotton-tinis)!

Can't wait for Arabian Nights!

Sara

Yea, toothpicks and fingernails sound good to me to. I personally hate Legos. I mean, c'mon. Unless your kid is a future engineer- probably mom & dad are stuck putting the dang things together. T-rex looks cool but the DIS podcast crew's review was SCATHING! Don't know if I'd want to try it. We have a Rainforest Cafe out this way too so we'll probably never go to the ones out there.

Originally Posted by Lady Lallie

Another great update!

I am interested to hear how you liked Arabian Nights. I went back in 2005.

How did you like it?

Originally Posted by Charleston Princess

Too funny about the Hamburglar! Haven't thought about him in YEARS!

We have got to get to the character outlet on our next trip!

Can't wait to hear about Arabian Nights!

I'd try one of the other outlets or a flea market. It was good, but I'll bet there's better.

Originally Posted by tiggerfan1

Hi julez! I hope you had a great Halloween!

I HAVE to visit these places!! I could use some more Tigger stuff! That Lego place looks really cool, too.

The Lego place is fun- but so crowded!

Originally Posted by travelmel

Looks like fun! We went to Legoland in So Cal last year... I thought it would be a dud but it turned out to be a really fun place! Who knew?

I love seeing your family all wrapped up around WDW and seeing all those new sites. I'm so happy for you guys!

They actually just opened "The Legoland Discovery Center" in Chicago-land this summer. I'm hoping to plan a trip there in the coming winter or spring. Take away our winter-away-from-Disney blues. They got a little Lego coaster through a land of Lego people or something, and a 4-D movie. Should be fun.

[Lady Lallie]

I was a bit disapointed in Arabian Nights. I had been to the Medieval Dinner when I was 13 and I liked that one much much better. I thought Arabian Nights was lacking.

[xoktenox]

Originally Posted by julezdisney

I was a bad mom. Again. No pix of Halloween this year. Actually, I did the best on our Disney vacation than I ever have. I'm horrible about taking pictures. As in- I don't.

Haha, thats ok we'll let it slide this time You did a great job at WDW so it's forgiven

[izzyzoeybear]

Ok...I have now caught back up after being on our trip...I have to tell you...the T-Rex place in DTD scared the briches off my daughter and almost nothing scares her. She was screaming and throwing a fit when we went to go inside...There was no way she was getting near that T-Rex and she would not believe us when we told her it was not real but a robot...Poor thing..scared her for life i think...Anyway great updates...keep em coming..

[julezdisney]

Originally Posted by Lady Lallie

I was a bit disapointed in Arabian Nights. I had been to the Medieval Dinner when I was 13 and I liked that one much much better. I thought Arabian Nights was lacking.

Really?! Gosh... I'm sad about that! On the other hand, Medieval Times and the idea of eating with my hands is so disgusting I could never go there.

Originally Posted by xoktenox

Haha, thats ok we'll let it slide this time You did a great job at WDW so it's forgiven

I tried!

Originally Posted by izzyzoeybear

Ok...I have now caught back up after being on our trip...I have to tell you...the T-Rex place in DTD scared the briches off my daughter and almost nothing scares her. She was screaming and throwing a fit when we went to go inside...There was no way she was getting near that T-Rex and she would not believe us when we told her it was not real but a robot...Poor thing..scared her for life i think...Anyway great updates...keep em coming..

That's so bad! Oh no! LOL. I'm not sure if we'll ever do that or not. The podcast's review was so bad. But I don't imagine we'll get out of Orlando WITHOUT the experience next time so it probably IS in our cards in the future...

[julezdisney]

After leaving Downtown Disney for the last time this trip, and the Lego store, we headed to our reservation at Arabian Nights. "Rated Orlando's #1 Dinner attraction".... whether that's true or not is up to debate. I chose this dinner show over Medieval Times because we have a MT near us, and even though we have never gone- we have the choice to at any time. Also- I DESPISE eating with my hands and the idea of hundreds of people eating with their hands and licking their fingers is so disgusting to me I can't even tell you.

I'd pre-purchased our tickets through ebay for $50 for the DH and I. I purchased the kids tickets at the gate w/$10 off per our Orlando Discounts card that I recieved through the Orlando Visitor's Bureau website. Their tickets came to about $42 w/tax.

A nice woman saw me trying to photgraph DH and the kids and offered to take our picture:



Once you're ushered in, you are taken to a photo area. During the dinner, we were shown the finished product and given an offer to purchase for $21. It included an 8x10 that comes in a commemorative photo-frame and two wallets, as well as a wallet-sized photo-frame that has a magnet. YES, I bought it. I had to- we looked great! If I can get it scanned, I'll include in at the end of this TR. They put in images of horses behind us and of an arabian-looking castle behind us. Really pretty.

You actually ENTER through a gift shop, and the kids & DH had to use the restroom so we all headed out and towards that area. After that, we took our seats in the pre-show area. There was a magician, I wish I remembered his name because that guy's got a future. He was WONDERFUL. Young, I think he said he's 23-25ish or something, and just amazing. Said he's had the oppurtunity to study and work with some of the 'great magicians' of the world. I believe it because some of the things he did were amazing! But I've never seen a magic show at all so maybe I'm easily pleased.

Here's the kids being amazed by something he's doing:



I could NOT get a picture of the seating and the arena w/my crappola camera. Here are just a few pictures of the show and of my family enjoying themselves:













Here's some food porn for ya:





Now, the food. You had free-flowing beer, wine, and soft drinks. I don't remember the brand. Dinner choices for kids were chicken strips or pasta. Adults had a pasta choice, a grilled chicken choice, or a steak. I chose chicken. DH chose steak. Entree's came with mashed potatos, steamed vegetables, and unlimited rolls and butter. Dessert was a creamy, tasty ice-cream pie-type of sliced something. (Yes, I'll never be a food critique, ok?) It was good, whatever it was.

I LOVED my food and ate almost all of it. Decent portions, juicy flavorful chicken, tasty veggies. Jim liked his steak and cleaned his plate! Rachael ate both her AND her brother's salad, as DS doesn't like salad. They both ordered the chicken strips, and I think they each got 5 nice-sized ones. They each ate about 3. I tried them and they were good!

Overall, Arabian Nights was an excellent experience. Our server was wonderful, although we'd completely forgotten about tip and had to use the ATM in the lobby to get his tip money. We tipped him $20 for our family of 4. Those waiters don't just serve. Your server also busses. He has an entire ROW of about 12-15 people and depending on what row of seating you have- has a lot of climbing with trays of food and dishes to deal with. He was attentive and happy and very Disney-like! Ray should work at Disney!

We got out about 8 and Jim suggested we go over to the Boardwalk! I had thought we were going straight home so I was quite excited about this! AND we had time to catch the fireworks @ Epcot from the position next to Jellyrolls that I'd read about!

Up next: On the Boardwalk......where we're havin' some fun!

[mom2mek]

Julia, it sounds like you guys had a great time! Those horses look beautiful! I just never think about some of the outside-of-Disney entertainment when I'm there - I think I should! Great update and YAY on the Boardwalk! I've never been over there, but it sounds like a fun place to hang out after night falls!


Sara

[izzyzoeybear]

Arabian Nights seems to be a lot like Dixie Stamped. We went to Pigeon Fordge in June and saw it but we did not realize we were gonna have to eat with our hands...We are not hand eating people, well us adults are not....The kids just shove it in anyway they can.. But they have the pic area and preshows and stuff. It was fun and the food was great but now that we have done it not sure we will need to do it again for a while. I have always wondered about Arabian Nights and now I know....Thanks great TR..

[travelmel]

Glad you guys had fun! That was a good pic of the black horse in the fog... nice.

I have always wanted to do the hand eating thing.. I am totally in favor of that. Just FYI, if you have a eating with hands phobia make SURE you avoid Ethiopian food. The custom in those restaraunts is to pick up the food with your finger then feed it to the person seated next to you. Stranger or not.

[Lady Lallie]

Great update! I am glad you guys enjoyed it. I don't remember eating with my hands at Medieval Times but it was years ago.

[Charleston Princess]

Arabian Nights looks like a blast -- that picture of the horse in the fog is really cool!

Now I can't wait to hear about Boardwalk!

[tiggerfan1]

I'm glad you guys had a great time at Arabian Nights! I saw an ad for it in an Orlando magazine that I got on my family's last trip to WDW and I wondered how it was.

[hlrababy]

HI! I just found your report!! I am enjoying it and can't wait to read more!

[xoktenox]

Arabian Nights sounds like it was great. Great show and great food? You can't beat it!

Looking forward to hearing about your night at the Boardwalk!

[julezdisney]

Originally Posted by xoktenox

Arabian Nights sounds like it was great. Great show and great food? You can't beat it!

Looking forward to hearing about your night at the Boardwalk!

It was great, it really was. The kids still talk about it.

Originally Posted by hlrababy

HI! I just found your report!! I am enjoying it and can't wait to read more!

Hey there Hi there Ho there! Glad to have you on board!

Originally Posted by tiggerfan1

I'm glad you guys had a great time at Arabian Nights! I saw an ad for it in an Orlando magazine that I got on my family's last trip to WDW and I wondered how it was.

IMO, a def. "worth it!" However, their gate prices are out-of-this-world! I got our tix off ebay and then used the discount card for the kids' admission.