3 Mountains by 2 o'clock....A mid November, Princess filled Trip Report

[brandijo5]

Welcome to my trip report. If you followed my pre trip report, I ran into some technical difficulties of keeping it up. I promise to do better with my trip report. The reason it has taken me a month to get started is because I wanted to make sure my photopass pics were in before I posted. We got some great shots. I also want to do something a little bit different about what I would change for a future trip and what I keep the same.

Ill start by introducing everyone. It is me, Brandi, 34, DH is Kevin, 36, DD3 is Ava and DD1 is Alice (really 15 months). DH and I honeymooned back in 2007 at POR in Alligator Bayou. This time we originally wanted a Little Mermaid room at AoA but no free dining there, so I upgraded us to a Royal Room at POR with a water view (didnt care about the view, but that was what was available.) I thought about the other Values and Caribbean Beach but this being DD3 and DD1s 1st trip, I treated them to a Princess Room. I figure therell be plenty of time to stay at other Values.

I got really short on time and had to scramble to get all my plans together and in place. We were scheduled to leave the evening of November 10 and here I was on November 8 still making hair bows!!! But after a couple late nights, I got it all done and pulled together. I worked all day November 9, and then got up early November 10 and went to get my toes done. I dont know why I went to get my toes done because I knew Id be in tennis shoes all week, but a pedicure was just what I needed; some peace and quiet before the trip. My mom kept the girls while DH fished (I know who wants to go fishing when we could be heading to Disney!!!).

I got back home and started packing. DH was off on November 9 which was Friday, and got all of his packing done, but I still had to pack mine and both girls clothes. I dont know how many parents are reading this, but to try and pack your suitcase for a week and the suitcase for two kids while said kids are running around the house makes for utter madness.

But somehow I persevered and managed to get everything packed. By the time DH got home, I had everything loaded, both girls bathed and in their pjs and me showered and in comfortable traveling clothes. DH jumped in the shower and changed into comfortable traveling clothes and we were off. I wanted to leave at 6 PM and we pulled out the driveway at 6:07 PM. So far so good&..

Things I would change: Start packing earlier!!!

Things I would keep the same: The driving at night was a great idea, but I would make sure DH and I were more fully rested before pulling out.

Arrival Day: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=46898700&posted=1#post46898700
EPCOT Day One: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=46938869&postcount=4
Magical Magic Kingdom: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=47029516&postcount=5
DHS Surprises: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=47029560&postcount=6
A princess is born - DTD Day: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=47029643&postcount=7
Gettin Wild at AK: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=47029710&postcount=9
Magic Kingdom part deux: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=47029787&postcount=10

 

[brandijo5]

We stopped at Chick Fil A because it was right off the interstate and fast. Both of the girls had eaten, but DH and I were starving. We drove until Picayune, MS and stopped at Sonic. Both girls were fast asleep, so we each grabbed a milkshake and headed off again. We claimed we needed the sugar to keep us awake while driving, but in reality we both have a major sweet tooth, and we were on vacation. We are also HUGE LSU fans and they were playing Miss State that night. We managed to listen to the game on the radio, in its entirety.

We drove until we got to Tallahassee, FL and DH said he was really tired. I was tired too, so we pulled off the interstate and DD3 woke up and saw the lights of the city. Sleepily she asked, “Disney World?” with excitement in her voice. I had to gently explain that we were not at Disney World yet, but we would be after a good night’s sleep. We pulled into the Red Roof Inn and got a room. All four of us piled into a king size bed and DH promptly fell asleep. DD3 was next, and DD1 and I fought until she finally got still and fell asleep. It seemed as soon as I fell asleep, an alarm was going off to wake up. We ate breakfast at McDonald’s, because it was close and off we went to Disney.

I'm not sure why, but it seemed like it took no time to get to Disney. We even stopped in Gainesville to eat lunch and still it seemed as if no time passed before we were seeing this

I can not describe the feeling I get when I see this sign. And it was even better when DD3 saw it, because she started yelling, “Disney World!!!!” She knew we had arrived, and the excitement in the van was evident.

We pulled up to POR around 3 PM. I had debated whether or not to do online check in before we arrived, and opted not to. It was one of the better decisions simply due to the fact that there were approximately 5-6 people in line waiting for online check in, but I walked right up to a very lovely CM who checked me in through regular check in. I was in and out of there and I don’t think the online check in line even moved!!!

We headed to Oak Manor, where I dreamed of a beautiful view of the Sassagoula River. Instead, I got a view of the feature pool. I was a little bummed but I figured it didn’t really matter. I mean how much time was I gonna spend looking out the window?

I snuck in the room and laid out the gifts from Tinkerbell while DH rolled the girls around the resort in the stroller we rented. We rented from Orlando Stroller Rental, and I must say I would do it again in a heartbeat. It was there waiting on us when we arrived, and we didn’t have one problem with it the whole week. It pushed like a dream even with both girls, an under bag full of souvenirs and a heavy diaper bag hanging off it. I was in the room when the girls arrived and the look of amazement on their faces was one I’ll never forget. We explored the room, and DD3 found the fireworks on the headboard. Before I knew it, it was 4:30PM and we had a 5:05 PM ressie at O’Hana’s. Back into the van we go and head off to the Poly.

I'm not sure why GPS units are so insistent of sending us to service gates, but that’s exactly where we ended up. Luckily the main entrance was right down the street and we made it there only to find a line a mile long waiting to check in. I was thinking we’d never eat tonight, until a lady called out, “all those with Advance Dining Reservations, please step over here.” DH looked at me and I jumped over into the line and checked in. Turns out we were standing in the standby line and the wait was already 45 minutes with about 20 families waiting to check in.

I really wanted to take pics of food. I've stalked the foodie board and drooled and I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to take museum quality pics of potstickers and remember how delicious they were. But I was so hungry and food was flying off the table as fast as the poor waiter could bring it, so I gave up. Our meal was beyond delicious; SPOILER ALERT (by far and away the best of the trip.)

I don’t care for bread pudding. I knew that was the dessert at O’Hana’s and I decided I would try it as several people swear it is the best thing they’ve ever tasted. I won't go quite that far, but it was very good, so much so that I ate most of it. Even DH ate a good bit of his and he only likes chocolate.

After a filling dinner, we hopped on the monorail, or as DD3 called it, “the flying train” and rode around the Magic Kingdom. The look on her face when she saw the castle all lit up was worth every penny I spent on the trip. We headed back to the Poly, loaded up and headed home. The girls fell asleep and DH and I spent a lovely evening whispering and admiring the beauty of the resort.

Things I would change: I absolutely love POR and it is near and dear to my heart, but I fully plan to stay somewhere else next trip. I want to try different resorts (it’s my goal to stay at all of them). Wilderness Lodge is high on my list!!!
Things I would keep the same: O’Hana’s. I will eat here again and DH has requested a nightly dinner here on the next trip. (While I’m not sure we’ll eat here nightly, we may eat here twice on the next trip.)

 

[GBChicinMaine]

Thanks for sharing! I've subscribed!

Christine from the Nov FB group.

 

[brandijo5]

The next morning we awoke refreshed and ready to take on the world, literally. We had a late breakfast with some lovely princesses in Norway scheduled so we slept in and took our time getting ready. I suggested letting the girls have a minor bite to eat as I felt 11 was too long to go with nothing, but DH wanted to leave right then. He also wanted to drive to EPCOT, but I wanted to take the bus. We ended up driving and managing to keep the girls occupied to forget their hunger. We walked around EPCOT for a bit, making our way towards Norway. The girls were starting to get hungry and it was about 10:30 so I thought maybe we could check in early. Boy was I wrong. First of all, there were about 30 families waiting to get in and the CM, while very nice, was adamant she couldn’t check us in any earlier than 10:50. So for 20 minutes we let the girls run around and tried to occupy them, but they were hungry and fussy, and it was a frustrating start to the day. I had snacks to tide them over, but they wanted real food. Finally at 10:45 I went to stand in line, which had shortened considerably, only to have the CM tell me she absolutely couldn’t check me in before 10:50 (it was seriously like 10:49). So I make my way to the back of the line (behind like 5 families or so) and wait my turn again. I'm not sure what the holdup was, but it was 11:05 before I got checked in and then we waited probably another 20 minutes before they called us in.

Once inside, the princess parade started and DD3 was devastated that she didn’t get to be a part of it. We assured her we’d stay until they did it again. She soon cheered up when she saw her favorite princess

It was at that point I realized I messed up big time. I pre purchased the photopass plus and I had the voucher, but I still had to go to a photopass counter to get my card. The photographer at Akershus was very nice and explained that I could pick up the card at anytime and all my pics would still be available as a plus member.

The breakfast food at Akershus was very good. We had a buffet with bread items, yogurt, and fruit. We also had a family style platter with bacon, eggs, sausage, and potatoes. The sausage was very good. DH who isn’t very adventurous in his eating habits, loved the sausage. The girls loved the princesses and DD3 got to participate in the princess parade, which made her whole day!!!!

After breakfast, with the girls less fussy, we set off throughout the countries. We met Mulan in China

We met Belle in her blue dress in France

DD3 proceeded to ask Belle a million questions, like where Gaston was. And where was Mrs. Potts and Chip? Poor Belle looked to me for help, but handled it very well telling DD3 they were all back at the castle getting ready for dinner.
I wanted to stand in line and meet Aladdin and Jasmine in Morroco, but DH wasn’t crazy about the lines just for pics, so we skipped them. We headed to Japan to do the pick a pearl. DD1 was asleep by this point, so DD3 picked her oyster for her.

I am so proud of my girl!!! The first one she picked, for her, was a grey/blue 7 ¼ mm pearl. The second one she picked for DD1 was a pink 7 ½ mm pearl. I had bought the carriage necklaces on EBay ahead of time and just had them set the pearls in the carriage necklace. They tried to charge me for the necklaces, but once I explained that I brought the carriage necklaces in with me, they set the pearls in them and let us go.

We headed to UK next and took pics with DD1’s favorite character, Pooh and Tigger. DD1 was asleep so it was just me and DD3 while DH stayed with DD1. Once we snapped our pics we let DD3 run around in the maze while we enjoyed the shade.

EPCOT was crowded and I thought that maybe we’d head back to the resort and rest a bit before heading back that evening for the fireworks. Both kids were raring to go so we did The Seas with Nemo and Friends, which both girls loved and then Turtle Talk with Crush, which DD3 really loved. Then DH and DD3 rode Nemo again while DD1 and I hung out outside the attraction.

Next we headed over to the character spot and met some friends.

After the meet and greet, we headed to The Land, and ate at Sunshine Seasons. We had decided to eat supper and head back to the resort, foregoing the fireworks. We both knew there was no way the girls would make it until 9. I thought Sunshine Seasons was a great choice as they offered multiple selections. I was wrong. The food wasn’t horrible, but I won't rush back to eat there.

Even though our meal wasn’t fantastic, the parade for the kids was. All the kids grabbed an instrument and paraded around the restaurant. Then in the middle of the food court the staff and the kids performed the chicken dance. There were these two women, probably in their fifties, that I imagine where either sisters or lifelong friends, who just started dancing. They didn’t have a care in the world and were having the time of their lives. They even stuck around and did the hokey pokey with the kids. I hope one day to be that age and be that carefree. They were a delight!!!

After dinner, we rode Living with the Land and it was very interesting. The girls seemed to enjoy it, even though I know the tour was way over their heads. On our way out, DD3 and DH rode Spaceship Earth while DD1 and I claimed my photopass plus card. Then we headed back to the resort and called it a night, but not before we got a family pic

Things I would change: The restaurants. While Akershus was very good, EPCOT is far too diverse to eat at the same restaurants every time. If the girls are into Princesses on the next trip, we’ll eat there, but we’ll also try something else. Also, Sunshine Seasons will not be a choice next trip.

Things I would keep the same: Photopass plus. As you’ll see later on in the week, it’s worth every penny.

 

[brandijo5]

Ok between Christmas and DD3 having her tonsils and adenoids out, I've been pretty busy. Today, so far has been a relaxing and calm day, and I am going to try and post the rest of the report.

The next morning we awoke at the crack of dawn. I was determined to see the Magic Kingdom open and I promised the girls a delicious breakfast if they cooperated. I dressed them in their finest attire

and away we headed from the bus stop. I had to work to convince DH to take the bus that morning, but I managed to do so and we arrived at the front gate right at 7:40 AM. We were able to see the show and be some of the first in the Magic Kingdom. First things first, we had to take pics.

I had imagined this moment for so long. I wanted a pic of my girls in their dresses in front of the castle, and honestly, this is where photopass plus paid for itself. They captured some wonderful pics of my girls and I am beyond pleased.

So I promised the family a delicious breakfast. Where was I to take them? Why Main Street Bakery of course. I was devastated to hear that the Bakery would be closing to make way for Starbucks, which I love, but I don’t want a part of my Main Street. I want to pretend I’m somewhere else and the real world doesn’t exist, at least for a while, while I'm in the park.

We got a cinnamon roll, which was big enough for all of us to share, and DH and I got a ham and egg croissant with fruit, which we shared with the girls. We were pleasantly stuffed and headed off back down Main Street to the castle. But first we had to duck behind the Parlor to use the facilities. I must take a moment to digress and give props to Disney for making sinks children can use to wash their hands. I loved that DD3 could walk up to the sink and wash her hands by herself. She loved it too, and would ask when we were in a resort bathroom, why she didn’t have a sink.

I know you're probably thinking why on earth would she get there at rope drop just to eat breakfast? I wanted to get started early in the day, I knew we were spending another day in Magic Kingdom, and I was okay with not seeing and doing everything today.

We headed towards the castle, the one thing DD3 had been talking about since she saw it Sunday night. She wanted to go in the castle and as we walked through it, I saw two people coming out of a side door. A quick glance in and I realized that was the apartment!!! I wanted so badly to corner the couple coming out but DH was pushing the stroller like a madman and DD3 was so enthralled with the castle that I knew I’d never find them if they went on without me. So I followed my family and headed toward Fantasyland. We rode the carousel, Peter Pan, Small World, Tea Cups, Dumbo, and Philharmagic with no wait whatsoever. Things were going along just fine. While standing in line for Peter Pan, I asked the CM what my chances for getting into New Fantasyland were and she asked if I had AP. I told her no, and she said “Very slim.”
I was bummed, but thankfully I didn’t listen to her, because about 30 minutes later, I was standing in line for Enchanted Tales with Belle, which had a posted 25 minute wait. I must say the line was pretty long, but we only waited about 15 minutes before we were in the invention room. I’m not sure who was more excited me or DD3. Okay it was me because I knew what was coming. All DD3 knew was Belle was gonna be there. For all she knew it was another picture she had to take.

Imagine her surprise when they pull one of her favorite characters out of the wardrobe and picked her to play that part!!!

Then we head into the library and she was shocked again when Belle entered and asked her to help tell a wonderful story. She thoroughly enjoyed the show and I thoroughly enjoyed watching her enjoy the show. We got some great pics from photopass and then we headed off to ride Little Mermaid, which both girls loved.

We had lunch at Be Our Guest, and I must say, by far, it is THE best Counter Service meal anywhere on property. I almost left a TS open for dinner here, but didn’t at the last minute and I regret that. I will most definitely eat here again!!! I had the braised pork and DH had the steak sandwich. DH definitely wishes he’d gotten the pork, although he said his sandwich was very good. We also got the girls the pork dinner, which they both devoured. We sat in the main ballroom, but after further inspection, DD3 said she wanted to sit in the west wing next time.

We both also had the triple chocolate cupcake, but I had to share mine with the girls. It was very moist and delicious. After lunch we rode small world again with almost no wait. Then we headed over to Frontierland, where both girls promptly passed out.

We hung out in Frontierland and waited for the parade. DD3 woke up just in time to see Jessie and Woody walk by. She loved seeing all the characters in the parade. Next we fastpassed Jungle Cruise, as the wait was 45 minutes. DH and DD3 did the treehouse while DD1 and I people watched. By the time DD3 was done with the treehouse, it was time to use those fastpasses. I love the corny jokes and super scary (not) animals in the jungle cruise. I also loved that DD3 broke out into an LSU chant when we passed the Tiger. Yep, she’s my girl!!!

After jungle cruising, we decided to head towards the front of the park as it was getting later, and we had 5 PM ressies at Chef Mickey’s.

I wanted to do Chef Mickey’s to make sure the girls met the Fab Five. I will never do dinner there again. First of all, the bathroom is ridiculously placed downstairs (I mean it’s closer and easier to go out the restaurant and head toward the elevators. Secondly the food was awful. No seasoning to any of the foods, the service was ridiculously slow and the characters all seemed to need a break right as they were coming to our table.

We saw and got pics with all the characters, but it’s very hard to keep small children occupied when all they want to do is interact with the characters. Our bill was over $100 which I would’ve been very upset to have to have paid for.
We hopped back on the monorail to the Magic Kingdom just in time to catch the Main Street Electrical Parade, which was beautiful. We then headed down Main Street, for fireworks, where we were trapped. We were stopped near Casey’s unable to move forward or backwards. We watched the fireworks, and then found a very nice lady who let us pass by her to get on the sidewalk where people were heading out the park. We made it to the busses just as one pulled away. I’m not sure how long we waited, but I know I saw four All Stars Busses
come in while waiting for one POR bus.

I had these plans that we would watch a movie one night in the courtyard. That never happened. By the time we got back to the room, gave the girls a bath, DH and I were exhausted and just wanted to sleep. Too bad both girls seemed to have more energy than I've ever had. We managed to get them to sleep, but it was more work than we were used to.

Things I would change: Chef Mickey’s – never again. Also, make ressies for dinner in the park. It was horrible getting caught in that crowd and DD3 even made the comment that she didn’t like the crowd.

Things I would keep the same: Not really plan out a day at MK one day and just go with the flow. We only managed to do Fantasyland and New Fantasyland, but the breakfast time was wonderful. Also, I fully plan to eat at BOG for lunch and dinner next time.

 

[brandijo5]

Wednesday was DHS day. We got a late start as I didn’t feel there was a huge need to be there at rope drop as Toy Story Mania was the only thing we wanted to do and we had a dinner ressie in the park. We slept in, had breakfast in the food court, and arrived at the park around 10:30. DH headed for Star Tours with DD3 and DD1 and I headed for fastpasses for TSM. We got FP for 4:05 PM and DH called to let me know DD3 wasn’t tall enough to ride Star Tours. I'm not sure who was more upset, DD3 or DH. I mean I realize Disney is a business and if they let one kid slide, they have to let them all slide, but she was literally a hair too short. And later in the day I rode both Star Tours and Toy Story Mania. I felt that TSM was more jerky than Star Tours, and it should probably come with a height restriction. I rode with DD1 and had to hang on to her a couple of times when we twirled around.
I consoled her by showing her Woody and Buzz right across the street and we waited to meet them as DH stalked off, determined to ride Star Tours. He made it back to see the girls meet Woody and Buzz just in time.

We piddled around the day, doing Disney Jr live on stage (which the girls loved), Muppets 3D (which I think I napped in), Great Movie Ride (which DD1 cried in during the gangster shoot out part), Voyage of the Little Mermaid (which I’m pretty sure added fuel to DD3’s new obsession “The Little Mermaid”), and Walt Disney One Man’s Dream (which I found to be very interesting, even though we didn’t stay for the movie part). We also let the kids run around the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground, which gave DH and I a chance to rest.

We ate lunch at Rosie’s, which I thought was pretty good. DH and I both had the burgers and the kids had the chicken nuggets. I had the carrot cake, which was pretty standard and DH had the chocolate cake which he said was good. The girls shared the cookie.

We had dinner at Sci Fi. I heard mixed reviews on Sci Fi, but I decided to give it a try. I loved the concept of the drive in, and the menu seemed to have something for everyone. I had the strip steak, which was delicious. DH had the chicken pasta, which he said was very good. The girls had a hot dog which they shared and seemed to love. Our waiter was very good and prompt, and it seemed like our car was the only one he had. Despite the good food and the great service, I’m not sure I’d dine here again. First of all, our children are little, so this time it wasn’t as big a deal, but with two adult and two bigger kids, the cars won’t have any room. Secondly there’s hardly any light, which I get with the overall concept, but it made it very hard to read menus and the bill. The only way I go back is if I’m assured that I’ll get the table we sat across from.

We didn’t make Fantasmic, which was my whole reason for doing DHS that day, but I wasn’t upset as I figured that was something we’d have to do on the next trip. On the bus home, DD3 made a friend, a cute and sweet 8 year old girl who told me Fantasmic scared her. I was even happier we skipped it as I knew it would’ve probably scared my girls too.

We did make the Osbourne lights. I loaded the girls up in the stroller and headed off towards the lights while DH rode Star Tours for the third time. The girls loved the lights and the music. I wanted to do a pic but the line was insanely long. In fact the line for the pic in front of the nutcrackers was longer than the line for Goofy Santa.

We met DH by Star Tours where he encouraged me to ride while he played with the girls in Tatooine Traders. I enjoyed it, but with him being a Star Wars geek, he enjoyed it more. We managed to catch the last Jedi Training Academy of the night. It was very fun to watch, and maybe when my girls are older I will be at rope drop to sign them up.

We headed back to the room and while the girls and DH crashed for the night, I did a load of laundry. I brought a pop up hamper with us that fit very well into the corner. Once it was full, I decided to wash for two reasons. One, the girls had worn their Minnie Mouse dresses Tuesday to Magic Kingdom and I wanted them clean as we were going back Saturday. Two, I didn’t want to face three or four loads of laundry when we got home. So I sucked it up and washed clothes. Luckily for me, we were in Oak Manor right by the quiet pool and the laundry room. I put the clothes on and 30 minutes later went back and put them in the dryer. I went back thirty minutes later, but the dryer was still going. A very nice lady explained that the dryers went for an hour, despite the sign saying they would cut off after 30 minutes. I came back 30 minutes later and the dryer was STILL going. I took the clothes out anyway and brought them back to the room to fold them. I think I got to bed around midnight.

Things I would change: Make sure both girls are tall enough to ride everything before I go back. It was heartbreaking to hear DD3 cry when she couldn’t ride Star Tours with her daddy. In fact, she keeps asking if she is tall enough now to ride. Also, I would have a better plan for the park as it seemed we walked from one end to the other and back and then started all over.

Things I would keep the same: I really enjoyed Sci Fi and wouldn’t hesitate to make an ADR here again.

 

[brandijo5]

The next day was our “down day”. It was also the day the extended family arrived. The extended family consisted of my mother and father in law, brother and sister in law, and their three boys ages 5, 4, 2 ½. DH and I planned on hitting DTD with our girls and resting. You know the saying about best laid plans.

We had a 9 AM breakfast at Kona. After reading and hearing so much about how delicious Tonga Toast is, I had to try for myself. We decided to pay for this out of pocket and headed over to the Poly where we promptly seated. We had an excellent server who explained not to pour the strawberry sauce over the top because it might make it too rich. Instead, dip the toast in it and if you like it, then add more. I’m so glad I listened or I would’ve probably drowned my poor Tonga Toast in strawberry sauce. It was delicious, but I could’ve easily shared it with someone. DH had the Big Kahuna, which he ate every bite of. The kids had the Mickey Pancakes which DH complained were bigger than his, but out of all of us, he was the only one who managed to finish his breakfast.

I treated myself to a pressed pot of coffee and the only disappointment was that I couldn’t take it with me. It was delicious!!!! While I thoroughly enjoyed the breakfast, the only way I’d eat breakfast there again was if I stayed at the Poly. It was quite a hassle getting up and dressed, and worrying about getting to the Poly to make the ressie. It’d be so much easier if I could get dressed and walk downstairs.

Afterwards we headed to DTD. I was looking forward to this day because number one I love to shop, and number two I thought we’d be done by two at the latest and we might get a nap in before the rest of the family arrived. As soon as we walked into World of Disney, DD3 spotted Bippity Boppity Boutique and all was lost. She immediately wanted to do it. I didn’t make a ressie, thinking maybe she was too young, or it could be a focal point of the next trip. But I had a hard time saying no to my girls this trip and this was no exception. I gently explained that it was possible there were no openings and it may not happen. Imagine my surprise when the kind CM explained they keep times open for walk ups and they would be glad to transform my toddler into a princess.

They handed me a pager and off we went to explore the store. About 30 minutes later our pager went off and we headed back to BBB.

We were paired with a lovely Fairy Godmother in Training, Norma, who was so patient and did an excellent job on my baby. Of course once Norma transformed DD3 into a princess, she wanted to really look the part. She begged for a dress. DH knew I was going to say yes, even though I was kicking myself because all the DISer’s told me to bring my own dress with me. $135 later

This is where I think photopass plus paid for itself. The photopass photographer who saw I had the card told me since I’d already pre purchased the photopass plus, I could go to their DTD location and have some pics taken of my princess. So away we went.

Yes $135 is a lot of money to spend on a Cinderella dress and a princess hairdo for a three year old, but the look on her face and the way she adored everyone calling her “princess” was priceless. We finished up our shopping at World of Disney and headed out to see the rest of DTD. The girls loved the Lego shop more than I thought they would.

We were going to eat at Earl of Sandwich, but the line was so unbelievably long (I mean does everyone in the area eat here?) We ended up grabbing a quick bite from a vendor and headed down to Once Upon a Toy, where it seems like we spent hours. We had totally lost track of time. DD3 was invited by BBB to be in the princess parade at 2. We walked outside and the parade was starting to come by us, so I pushed her in line and followed her to the carousel, where one of my most favorite and cherished pics of this angel was taken.

She rode the carousel and then we went to Goofy’s Candy Co. The girls then grabbed a quick nap in the stroller while I browsed around the Christmas shop.

At this point we could either head back to the resort and rest for about 30 minutes before dinner at Boma, or we could go meet the family pulling into Fort Wilderness. I was excited to see the look on the Grandparents faces when they saw DD3 in her princess gear. Sadly, we had to leave before they got fully checked in in order to make our dinner ressie at Boma.

We make it to AKL and get caught up with the security guard who proceeds to tell us all the do’s and dont’s of Disney, and half of the info was incorrect. (I knew this thanks to the knowledgeable and wonderful people of the DIS.) We finally get away from the security guard, find a place to park and race to Boma to check in for dinner on time. We make it there, but still wait about 30 minutes to get a seat. I’m not sure why it took so long for us to get seated, especially since there were families who checked in after us who were seated before us.

Once we were seated, we had THE best service out of any restaurant we ate at. This was also the first restaurant where we had a female waitstaff. I’m not saying anything against men, because we had excellent service at several of the restaurants we dined at. But Lucy went above and beyond, was extra patient with our fussy and messy children, and kept DH’s drink topped off. The food was phenomenal and the dessert bar alone is worth the trip to AKL to eat here.

They had some kind of lamb stew that was absolutely delicious. I’m not a big fan of lamb, but the taste of the meat was not the focal point of the dish and it was very good. DH is not a huge fan of stews but loved the carving station which served roast that night. The soups were very good, and DH commented how wonderful the salads were. I also loved that my girls had a little more to eat here than the standard mac and cheese and chicken fingers.

The desserts were so good my mouth is drooling just writing this. I will confess I have heard so much about zebra domes that I booked a dinner here just to try them. They did not disappoint. They were very good, as were the twelve or so other treats I tried. I will most definitely book another dinner here next trip.

We headed back to Fort Wilderness to meet up with the rest of the family. My mother in law was furious at this point, as she had been moved three different times. The first site was too small for her motorcoach. The second site had no electricity. The third site was okay, but it was a little smaller than she liked and her tow vehicle had to be maneuvered so that it would fit on the site. We visited and they loved DD3 dressed up like a princess. DBIL, DSIL, the nephews, and my family all loaded up on a boat and headed across the lake to the Contemporary. The boys wanted to ride the monorail and see the fireworks at Magic Kingdom. We get to the launch and the boat driver says he is going to the WL but he can drop us off at the Contemporary. We get to the Contemporary and manage to grab a seat on the monorail in a car all to ourselves. That is where I noticed DD1 needed a new diaper.

DH wanted me to change her right then and there, but I wanted to wait as I didn’t want to change her on the monorail itself and while it was moving. I should’ve listened to him, because once we stopped and were standing in front of Magic Kingdom, we noticed the diaper had leaked.

And I’m not talking about a minor leakage. I’m talking about all over my jacket, her clothes, covering this poor baby from the back of her head to her heels. We promptly stripped her down and wiped her off, all while the fireworks are going off. If you happened to pass by the Magic Kingdom entrance, right by the boat launches and park benches on the night of November 15 around 9 PM, we were the ones with the stripped down baby.

Luckily I had extra clothes for her and we changed her. However, I had to put the dirty clothes in the bag, which meant when we got back to POR I had to do another load of laundry.

We made it back to the campground and made our plans to meet up at AK the next morning. I instructed them to be there at rope drop. I explained we would already be in the park as we had an 8:00 AM ressie at Tusker House. They all agreed they’d be at the park at 9, and we left, headed back to POR.

Things I would change: I'd plan a whole day here and not plan it as a down day. There is a lot to do here and you almost need two full days to see and do it all.

Things I would keep the same: I'd do BBB again. It was worth every penny and DD3 loves telling everyone how she went to DW and became a real princess.

 

[brandijo5]

The next day was our “down day”. It was also the day the extended family arrived. The extended family consisted of my mother and father in law, brother and sister in law, and their three boys ages 5, 4, 2 ½. DH and I planned on hitting DTD with our girls and resting. You know the saying about best laid plans.

We had a 9 AM breakfast at Kona. After reading and hearing so much about how delicious Tonga Toast is, I had to try for myself. We decided to pay for this out of pocket and headed over to the Poly where we promptly seated. We had an excellent server who explained not to pour the strawberry sauce over the top because it might make it too rich. Instead, dip the toast in it and if you like it, then add more. I’m so glad I listened or I would’ve probably drowned my poor Tonga Toast in strawberry sauce. It was delicious, but I could’ve easily shared it with someone. DH had the Big Kahuna, which he ate every bite of. The kids had the Mickey Pancakes which DH complained were bigger than his, but out of all of us, he was the only one who managed to finish his breakfast.

I treated myself to a pressed pot of coffee and the only disappointment was that I couldn’t take it with me. It was delicious!!!! While I thoroughly enjoyed the breakfast, the only way I’d eat breakfast there again was if I stayed at the Poly. It was quite a hassle getting up and dressed, and worrying about getting to the Poly to make the ressie. It’d be so much easier if I could get dressed and walk downstairs.

Afterwards we headed to DTD. I was looking forward to this day because number one I love to shop, and number two I thought we’d be done by two at the latest and we might get a nap in before the rest of the family arrived. As soon as we walked into World of Disney, DD3 spotted Bippity Boppity Boutique and all was lost. She immediately wanted to do it. I didn’t make a ressie, thinking maybe she was too young, or it could be a focal point of the next trip. But I had a hard time saying no to my girls this trip and this was no exception. I gently explained that it was possible there were no openings and it may not happen. Imagine my surprise when the kind CM explained they keep times open for walk ups and they would be glad to transform my toddler into a princess.

They handed me a pager and off we went to explore the store. About 30 minutes later our pager went off and we headed back to BBB.

We were paired with a lovely Fairy Godmother in Training, Norma, who was so patient and did an excellent job on my baby. Of course once Norma transformed DD3 into a princess, she wanted to really look the part. She begged for a dress. DH knew I was going to say yes, even though I was kicking myself because all the DISer’s told me to bring my own dress with me. $135 later

This is where I think photopass plus paid for itself. The photopass photographer who saw I had the card told me since I’d already pre purchased the photopass plus, I could go to their DTD location and have some pics taken of my princess. So away we went.

Yes $135 is a lot of money to spend on a Cinderella dress and a princess hairdo for a three year old, but the look on her face and the way she adored everyone calling her “princess” was priceless. We finished up our shopping at World of Disney and headed out to see the rest of DTD. The girls loved the Lego shop more than I thought they would.

We were going to eat at Earl of Sandwich, but the line was so unbelievably long (I mean does everyone in the area eat here?) We ended up grabbing a quick bite from a vendor and headed down to Once Upon a Toy, where it seems like we spent hours. We had totally lost track of time. DD3 was invited by BBB to be in the princess parade at 2. We walked outside and the parade was starting to come by us, so I pushed her in line and followed her to the carousel, where one of my most favorite and cherished pics of this angel was taken.

She rode the carousel and then we went to Goofy’s Candy Co. The girls then grabbed a quick nap in the stroller while I browsed around the Christmas shop.

At this point we could either head back to the resort and rest for about 30 minutes before dinner at Boma, or we could go meet the family pulling into Fort Wilderness. I was excited to see the look on the Grandparents faces when they saw DD3 in her princess gear. Sadly, we had to leave before they got fully checked in in order to make our dinner ressie at Boma.

We make it to AKL and get caught up with the security guard who proceeds
to tell us all the do’s and dont’s of Disney, and half of the info was incorrect.
(I knew this thanks to the knowledgeable and wonderful people of the DIS.) We finally get away from the security guard, find a place to park and race to Boma to check in for dinner on time. We make it there, but still wait about 30 minutes to get a seat. I’m not sure why it took so long for us to get seated, especially since there were families who checked in after us who were seated before us.

Once we were seated, we had THE best service out of any restaurant we ate at. This was also the first restaurant where we had a female waitstaff. I’m not saying anything against men, because we had excellent service at several of the restaurants we dined at. But Lucy went above and beyond, was extra patient with our fussy and messy children, and kept DH’s drink topped off. The food was phenomenal and the dessert bar alone is worth the trip to AKL to eat here.

They had some kind of lamb stew that was absolutely delicious. I’m not a big fan of lamb, but the taste of the meat was not the focal point of the dish and it was very good. DH is not a huge fan of stews but loved the carving station which served roast that night. The soups were very good, and DH commented how wonderful the salads were. I also loved that my girls had a little more to eat here than the standard mac and cheese and chicken fingers.

The desserts were so good my mouth is drooling just writing this. I will confess I have heard so much about zebra domes that I booked a dinner here
just to try them. They did not disappoint. They were very good, as were the twelve or so other treats I tried. I will most definitely book another dinner here next trip.

We headed back to Fort Wilderness to meet up with the rest of the family. My mother in law was furious at this point, as she had been moved three different times. The first site was too small for her motorcoach. The second site had no electricity. The third site was okay, but it was a little smaller than she liked and her tow vehicle had to be maneuvered so that it would fit on the site. We visited and they loved DD3 dressed up like a princess. DBIL, DSIL, the nephews, and my family all loaded up on a boat and headed across the lake to the Contemporary. The boys wanted to ride the monorail and see the fireworks at Magic Kingdom. We get to the launch and the boat driver says he is going to the WL but he can drop us off at the Contemporary. We get to the Contemporary and manage to grab a seat on the monorail in a car all to ourselves. That is where I noticed DD1 needed a new diaper.

DH wanted me to change her right then and there, but I wanted to wait as I didn’t want to change her on the monorail itself and while it was moving. I should’ve listened to him, because once we stopped and were standing in front of Magic Kingdom, we noticed the diaper had leaked.

And I’m not talking about a minor leakage. I’m talking about all over my jacket, her clothes, covering this poor baby from the back of her head to her heels. We promptly stripped her down and wiped her off, all while the fireworks are going off. If you happened to pass by the Magic Kingdom entrance, right by the boat launches and park benches on the night of November 15 around 9 PM, we were the ones with the stripped down baby.

Luckily I had extra clothes for her and we changed her. However, I had to put the dirty clothes in the bag, which meant when we got back to POR I had to do another load of laundry.

We made it back to the campground and made our plans to meet up at AK the next morning. I instructed them to be there at rope drop. I explained we would already be in the park as we had an 8:00 AM ressie at Tusker House. They all agreed they’d be at the park at 9, and we left, headed back to POR.

Things I would change: I wouldn't really change anything here. It was a lovely, slow paced park. The kids found a zillion things to do and some really great character interaction. Great park for mid week as a break from the other parks that seem to require you to go, go, go!!!

Things I would keep the same: FTB. It was really good. I would also eat at TH again.

 

[brandijo5]

The next morning we left bright and early to make our ressie. We drove and parking was fairly close. We confirmed we had an early ressie with someone outside the gate before we were let in. Once we were in, we walked to the back of the park and stood in yet another line to check in for breakfast. I was shocked; I mean how many people can they really serve at 8 in the morning?

Apparently the place is bigger than it looks from the outside, as we all got in. We waited approximately 20 minutes before we were called to stand in line yet again to take a pic with Donald. The kids were hungry and getting a bit antsy, and I was worried we’d still be eating when the family got to the park. Once inside, I quickly fixed the girls plates while DH got them settled and ordered our drinks.

The punch at Tusker House breakfast is beyond delicious. I could’ve drank a gallon of this stuff. DH also ordered me coffee, which is why I love him. He knows how I love my coffee. The food was just so so. The character interaction was good, much better than Chef Mickey’s, however DD3 was disappointed Minnie wasn’t there.

Toward the end of breakfast the photopass man came around and offered us the picture package. I showed him the photopass plus card and he said he was going to get me a bag. I'm not sure if he had to hike to Magic Kingdom to get this bag, but he was gone FOREVER!!! I seriously was about to leave without the pic, but the family wasn’t even at the park yet!!! And it was 9:15. I know I’m a little OCD, but I had a plan and they still had to stop at the ticket counter and buy tickets, even though I told them to go Thursday night to the front desk and get their tickets, they didn’t listen.

After breakfast, we did the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, while waiting for the family. The girls loved looking at the animals and it was the perfect place to wait for the family. They finally got to the Safari around 10:15 and the wait was 40 minutes. We were going to fastpass the attraction, but an attendant saw my father in law in a scooter and told us they’d bring us to a special truck. So our wait time was drastically reduced.

The animals were moving around that day and we saw tons of animals. The kids really enjoyed it. Next we did It’s Tough To Be a Bug. All of the kids said they hated it because spiders dropped out the ceiling. We did Discovery Island Trails next and the kids quickly got over their fear of spiders falling on them.

Next we headed to DinoLand where DH and DBIL tricked poor DN5 and DN4 into riding Dinosaur with them. DD3 was traumatized because she wasn’t tall enough to ride, but I brought her to the boneyard and she quickly forgot about it. DN5 wishes he could say the same about Dinosaur. The poor ride scared him so bad he refused to ride almost everything else. DN4 however loved it and wanted to ride again. The family decided to eat their sandwiches and DH and I hit Flame Tree Bar Be Que. Now DMIL cooks some mean baby back ribs. And while FTB was good, the ribs were nowhere close to hers. However, we will eat here again. DH had the pork sandwich which he said was very good. I had the half chicken half rib platter and DD3 got the chicken leg with grapes and applesauce. DFIL ate her chicken leg and she ate his sandwich.

I want to digress for a moment to point out something not everyone may be aware. When you get the dining plan, you get adult table service and child table service. But for counter service it’s all the same. I wish I had known this Thursday, as I would’ve gotten DFIL an adult plate. In fact, I would’ve planned it out so that DH and I could take advantage of this and used them for breakfast and lunch as they give enough food for us to share with both girls.

After lunch, we walked around, exploring the Jungle Trek. DH, myself, and DBIL rode Expedition Everest. I love roller coasters. I love thrill rides. I thought I had some buddies to ride the big rides with me while DMIL and DSIL watched the kids. We got off EE and DH was green. He said he was fine, but there was no way he could ride again. DBIL loved EE, but he said his head was spinning and he would ride it again, but would rather not. I got off the ride and wanted to get back on. I was not the least bit sick and would’ve gladly walked back on the ride. The wait was only 10 minutes!!!!
We made our way back over to Discovery Island and watched the parade. The kids absolutely loved the parade. They loved seeing the characters and enjoyed the music. After it was over DN4 asked me why didn’t they throw any candy? Ah the joys of being from Louisiana where every parade includes trinkets being dispensed.

After the parade we decided to leave and head to Fort Wilderness to meet up with the rest of the family and enjoy some dinner. On the way out, we stopped in front of the tree and took a family pic.

Unfortunately, DD1 dropped her favorite tiger print blanket and it was gone. We were long gone before we even realized it. I quickly called DBIL who was headed to Camp Minnie-Mickey with his boys and begged him to stop by lost and found. He got the number for us to call and we did, but no one had turned anything in yet.

We headed to the campground and DH pulled out his fishing pole and off he went in search a huge Florida largemouth. He didn’t even have a bite. But DD3and I walked around with him and found this wonderful little path that lead to a secluded beach with a perfect shot of the castle. Disney could easily make some sites right there and charge a fortune for the Magic Kingdom view!!!

We ate dinner with the family and headed to the campfire with Chip and Dale. The kids enjoyed running around and listening to Chuck Wagon sing songs, but they LOVED Chip and Dale. In fact, DN4 became obsessed with them. He started hoarding acorns he’d pick up off the ground to give them. It was so funny to watch him because we had no idea he loved them so much.
As we were getting ready to leave DD3 threw a fit. She wanted to stay with her cousins. DMIL took her and agreed to meet us in front of Magic Kingdom at 7:30 the next morning. I was nervous because they were supposed to be at AK at 9:00 this morning and that didn’t happen. I stressed that this was the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the crowds would be thick, and this is Magic Kingdom, not Animal Kingdom. DMIL assured me they’d be in front of Magic Kingdom at 7:30 with DD3.

I left my princess with them and prayed I wouldn’t have to do rope drop without her.

 

[brandijo5]

The next morning I awoke super early. I mean like 5:30. I was determined to be at our bus stop at 7. I couldn’t very well stress to the rest of the family to be in front of MK at 7:30 and us be late. I got up got dressed, got DH up (which was a pain in and of itself), and got DD1 up and dressed. I packed our bag and headed to the food court to grab a quick bite to eat. We grabbed cinnamon rolls and filled our mugs and headed to the bus stop.

There is quite a bit to be said about being at the bus stops before 7. There is almost nobody there. DH and I scarfed down our cinnamon rolls (delicious by the way) and hopped on the bus when it pulled up. There were probably 10 people on the bus that morning. It was so nice. We were standing outside MK at 7:15. I asked a few CM’s if the family of the day had been picked, but none of them seemed to know what I was talking about. Around 7:30 I started getting nervous, so I had DH call. Turns out, the first boat doesn’t leave until 7:30 and they were loaded on the boat and headed to us. We managed to get through bag check, the ticket gate, and were standing in front of MK at 7:50. The kids all had an excellent view and really enjoyed the opening ceremony. Upon entering the park, we took a group family pic. I would post it, but I don’t want to upset the family if they happened to see the pic and for some reason got upset with me for posting it without permission. We made our way to Tomorrowland and rode Buzz Lightyear first. The kids absolutely loved it. I've never rode it before and would venture to say I prefer it to TSM. It was a much smoother ride. We then hit Astro Orbitor, and some of the adults rode Space Mountain. We were going to try for Monsters Inc but it didn’t open til 9 and it was only 8:30. Yes you read that right, 3 rides in 30 minutes.

We then headed to Fantasyland and rode Dumbo. I must say that every ride in every theme park needs to take a cue from Dumbo. The wait area gives kids a chance to run around and distract them from the fact they are waiting in line, it gives parents a chance to rest and sit down, and it’s out of the sun.
When we were here Tuesday there was probably a 30 minute or so wait, but it didn’t even seem like it for us or the kids. Today when we went to ride, there was no wait but we decided to let the kids explore and run around anyway. They probably spent close to 30 minutes running around and enjoying the area before we rode.

We rode the teacups and my girls met Alice in Wonderland while the boys rode Tomorrowland Speedway.

We hit up New Fantasyland as well as DN4 kept asking to see the video of DD3 and Belle from earlier in the week. I knew the boys would love being a part of the story even though their parents thought it was too girlie.

Everyone was so glad that we ended up doing this. First the posted wait was 30 minutes, but the line was nowhere near as long as it was on Tuesday. We were inside the cottage in 15 minutes easy. Second, all the kids except DD1 and DN2½ got a part. However, during the parade DN 2½ jumped in and was introduced to Belle as an “enchanted friend”. He then proceeded to run to Belle and hug her tightly and everyone in the audience went “Awww” at the same time. It was such a perfect moment that it couldn't have been scripted any better.

I tried my hardest to convince the family to eat lunch at BOG, but there were no takers. DFIL wanted to but was overruled by the rest of the family. We headed to Liberty Square where we found some benches and the family ate their sandwiches. DH and I headed to Frontierland and Pecos Bill’s with DFIL. We had 3 CS left and decided to treat. I wanted DMIL to go in my place and I would eat her sandwich but she declined. I got the burger and absolutely loved the fixings bar. I added mushrooms and grilled onions to mine. DH added shredded cheese to his burger. DFIL got the Caesar chicken salad. It was all very good. DH and DFIL got the chocolate cake and I got the carrot cake.

Earlier in the week, at DHS, I had carrot cake. It was good. This one was good, but the icing was entirely too sweet. I only ate about half of it and gave the rest to the kids to share. After lunch, we fastpassed Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad. We were able to do this because we had so many people in our party and we split up tickets from the people who didn’t want to (or wasn’t tall enough) to ride. After that point it was close to 2 o’clock and DBIL exclaimed “We did three mountains before 2 o’clock!!” We rode the WDW Railroad as the kids were getting restless and wanted to ride something. It’s something I had never done, and now that I have, I probably won't do it again. It sort of ruined the magic for me seeing the parking lots and so forth.

We met Woody and Jessie, no doubt the highlight of my nephew’s trip, or so I thought. DD3 CAN NOT stop talking about Jessie. She loved it so much she begged Santa for a Jessie hat. Luckily, Santa obliged.

Next we hit Adventureland and rode Jungle Cruise and Pirates with almost no wait as it was parade time, and did the Treehouse. After that, we headed back to Main Street and waited for the Street Party at the castle. At the point I realized that the weather had predicted 40% chance of rain today and it must've scared the crowds away as the waits were minimal all day. However, the crowds were rolling into Magic Kingdom now. And so were the clouds.

In the middle of the Street Party show, it was stopped due to weather. It was lightly raining but someone must've been looking at a radar, because by the time we got to the main gate, it was pouring. We headed to the monorail thinking we’d just hang out at the GF until our 1900 Park Fare dinner.

Unfortunately everyone else was thinking the same thing. We waited and watched as two monorails were loaded before we finally got on one. Once we were on the monorail, it stopped. We waited and waited and waited until finally we made it to the Contemporary, where we waited again. They made an overhead announcement about needing to switch tracks and getting an all clear before we could move.

Once we started moving, we were about 15 minutes late to our ressie. Fortunately, they checked us in, took our pic (which I will not post because my hair looks awful after getting soaked in the rain), and seated us in less than five minutes. It was by far the least amount of time we waited for a TS all week. Once seated, we were promptly served by our lovely waitress.
The food here is by far and away the best buffet food I've ever eaten. The food was fresh, hot, and delicious. We will most definitely eat here again. The characters were friendly, made their way to our table in what seemed like no time, and interacted with my kids great. After debating about whether or not to eat at CRT, I think this was an excellent use of the dining plan to have dinner with Cinderella and only have to use 1 TS. Plus I hear the food is hit or miss at CRT. Well it was most definitely a hit here.

Also a plus, I ordered a Cinderella Slipper Dessert for our dinner here and it was worth every penny. It was a bit much for one person, but with four people sharing it, it was perfect.

I had wanted to hit MK again after dinner and walk down Main Street and browse the shops. After dinner, we were all so tired and we had to pack up and head out super early the next morning, so I chose to forgo the last walk down Main Street and instead head back to the resort.

All in all, it was a wonderful and magical trip.

Things I would change: Definitely want to stay somewhere different and eat at some different restaurants next trip.

Things I would keep the same: Photopass plus. Hands down, the best money I've ever spent on pictures. It's a bit pricey, but the laughs we've shared over the ride pics, the memories associated with the character pics, and the beautiful pics I got of my DD3 as a princess are worth every penny and more. These are pics I'll have for a lifetime and memories to cherish with my girls forever. Also, not sure if it was my imagination or not, but it seemed once the photographers noticed it was photopass plus, they seemed to take more pics and be willing to go a little further and offer a little more.

 

[amberj115]

where did you get your daughters matching dresses from?

 

[brandijo5]

A very good friend of mine made them for me. I made the bows