A Celebration Trip Full of Surprises - May 2015 PTR (New 9/15 - New TR Link!)

[SimplyGoofy]

Your plans in Epcot sound great!!! Also, I have to agree about Test Track, I just much preferred it pre-refurb but definitely still a must-do!

Thank you!

I'm so torn on Test Track - we LOVED it pre-refurb but weren't very impressed last time. At least they still have the outdoor track - that's the best part!

Oh Franc... that movie is the best!

Love all your must dos. I'm so curious now about the Test Track refurb! It was still closed the last time we were there. Are there really a ton of differences?

How exciting that you leave soon! Yay for Magic Bands!

It certainly is! I don't even know how many times I've watched it!

Thanks! As for Test Track, the ride vehicles and the track itself are essentially the same (including the awesome fast part outside at the end), but they've given it an overlay of the dark with a bunch of neon blue-ish lights. Several people describe it as Tron-track - it's very futuristic. They also have you design your own cars prior to the ride and it ranks your designs throughout the attraction. It just seemed bizarre to me and really made me miss the old ride. It's still a fun ride, though, and definitely worth a visit!
We got our last set of magic bands today! Super, super close!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Must-Do’s – The Hollywood Studios Edition

I hope all of you are ready for an onslaught of updates during the next two weeks – I have a lot to get through before I go!

(18 more days!)

I know Hollywood Studios is losing ground for a lot of people, but we still really enjoy this park. We’ve slated three days of Fastpasses for it (I’ve got to get my rides in on Toy Story Mania!) and our favorite attraction is here (looking at you, Tower of Terror!). This is also Anika’s favorite park behind Magic Kingdom, so it certainly warrants a good chunk of our time.

On the top of the list is our beloved tower:

Including the best elevator ANYWHERE:

We love, love, love the Tower of Terror! From the theming and the details to the crazy queue to the drop itself – it’s the best attraction in all of Disney World!

Right next door is another favorite – we can’t wait to sing (um, scream? ) along with our friends from Aerosmith:

The takeoff for that ride is insane (in the best way possible!).

Another attraction at the top of the must-do list is a 3-D selection of midway games with all of Andy’s friends:

I simply don’t understand the people that don’t love this attraction. I wish the lines would be a little less insane as I would go on it over and over again if I could. (I may lose all feeling in my arm, but sometime sacrifices must be made! )

I get better every time I go on it (I'm on the left - apparently we always sit on the same sides!):

I can’t wait to see what happens on this trip!

We’ll be enjoying Star Wars weekends this time, so we’ll be sure to have a few rides on this:

Fingers crossed that we get something other than the pod race!

If my avatar is any indication, we’ll be sure to catch the entirety of the show (pre-show and all!) with our favorite gang of Muppets:

I’ve loved and adored the Muppets from a very young age. I even have a Swedish chef sitting in my kitchen!

We do it every trip regardless, but one of Anika’s favorite attractions happens to involve scenes from the movies:

The movie clip sequence at the end always reminds me of all the great movies I still need to see.

On another note, I will beg, borrow, and steal to get the cowboy scene this time. Seriously. It’s happening.

A trip to Hollywood Studios (and Disney World in general) is simply not complete without a trip through One Man’s Dream:

If you haven't been in One Man's Dream yet, do yourself a favor and get your butt in there. It's chock full of Disney memorabilia, models of attractions and park icons, and tons of really neat things to look at.

Maybe this will be the year that I don’t cry at the movie at the end? (I wouldn't make any bets on it… )

I'm also really excited to try the class at the Animation Academy - even Anika seems game for it. I may also try and find time to see Indiana Jones again. We haven't seen it for years and we better make time for it in case it gets the boot with the grand park plans!

Finally, thanks to our wonderful dinner package, we don’t have to wait in a huge line to get a great spot for Fantasmic:

Wishes is still number one for me, but we always catch Fantasmic. I’m never a big fan of leaving the theatre (you’d think they could come up with a better way to clear the crowds?), but it’s worth it to see Sorcerer Mickey kick a little [insert word not suitable for the DISboards]. It may rhyme with "glass".

Did you notice that pretty much every Hollywood Studios attraction makes the must-do list for us? We really enjoy Hollywood Studios - despite its growing pains, there are still lots of great things to be found here. All of these are definitely must-do's!

Up Next: Animal Kingdom Must-Do's

 

[KathyM2]

Great plans!! I'm too chicken to go on ToT...but I'm thinking on our next trip I may try to just walk through the queue if they let us do that without riding? Would I have to waste a FP+ just to get to do that though? Everyone says the theming is awesome...but I've never seen it.... I haven't been to DHS in years thinking that my DD was too young (and we are ride wimps) for a lot of the stuff there...but now I think we could manage at least some of it...and for sure the movie rides and maybe now she's old enough for the animation class etc...we shall see. I do love me some Muppets too!

 

[Tracy161]

A trip to Hollywood Studios (and Disney World in general) is simply not complete without a trip through One Man’s Dream:

I couldn't agree more!!!

Your DHS/MGM must-dos look great! I still love this park, too

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

(If I tell Anika I ordered Canadia magic bands, however, I can't imagine the strange look I'd get! )

Now you need to.

(And, oh dear, what soundtrack did they change?! )

Next update.

*******

I find MGM (or DHS for all you non-conformists) to be a conundrum. Not a ton of stuff, but the stuff they do have is among my favorites. So it`ll always warrant attention from me.

I'll admit I'm not as over the top for TSMM as some, but I certainly do enjoy it. Just wait until they add the second theatre. Theoretically that should cut the wait in half.

A trip to Hollywood Studios (and Disney World in general) is simply not complete without a trip through One Man’s Dream:

Yup!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Great plans!! I'm too chicken to go on ToT...but I'm thinking on our next trip I may try to just walk through the queue if they let us do that without riding? Would I have to waste a FP+ just to get to do that though? Everyone says the theming is awesome...but I've never seen it.... I haven't been to DHS in years thinking that my DD was too young (and we are ride wimps) for a lot of the stuff there...but now I think we could manage at least some of it...and for sure the movie rides and maybe now she's old enough for the animation class etc...we shall see. I do love me some Muppets too!

Kathy, I'm pretty sure there IS a chicken exit at Tower of Terror! You still go through the regular line (so plan accordingly so you don't wait in a gigantic line!), and then go through the entrance, see the movie in the library, and then go through the "basement" to the elevators. I believe the middle elevator is a regular elevator that takes you up to the exit! (Ask a CM to be sure - I've obviously never taken the chicken exit! )

I think there are a lot of really fun things at Hollywood Studios. Anika and I are both thrill ride fans so we love it all, but Toy Story Mania, the Great Movie Ride, and the Muppets would all be fine for the non-thrill ride crowd. I hope you find things to enjoy!

I couldn't agree more!!!

Your DHS/MGM must-dos look great! I still love this park, too

One Man's Dream is just so fabulous. I love wandering around in there.

Thanks! I'm glad I'm not alone in the love of the Studios!

Now you need to.

Next update.

*******

I find MGM (or DHS for all you non-conformists) to be a conundrum. Not a ton of stuff, but the stuff they do have is among my favorites. So it`ll always warrant attention from me.

I'll admit I'm not as over the top for TSMM as some, but I certainly do enjoy it. Just wait until they add the second theatre. Theoretically that should cut the wait in half.

Yup!

I may mention it to her when I see her on Sunday - it should result in quite a face!

I'll be waiting on pins and needles to find out which attraction they screwed up.

I very much agree - it's not my favorite park but they have some of my favorite attractions there (ToT, RnRC, TSMM, etc.). We always visit this park at least twice.

I certainly hope that's the case for Toy Story Mania! I would love the opportunity for more rides!

I know you're also a big One Man's Dream fan. I hope they never remove it - I would be crushed! Even Anika really enjoys it!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Must-Do’s – The Animal Kingdom Edition

Three parks down, one to go!

Animal Kingdom grows on me each trip. It’s unlikely to ever be my favorite park, but it has some excellent attractions and I couldn’t imagine a trip without visiting it. A Disney-themed zoo? Sign me up!

At the top of the must-do list is one of my favorite attractions in Disney World:

How can you not love Expedition Everest? I love any rollercoaster, but add in a phenomenal queue, fantastic views, a surprise backward drop, AND a yeti?! Heck, yes!

I’m also a big fan of Animal Kingdom’s other top attraction, Kilimanjaro Safaris:

I adore any zoo experience, but this whole attraction is just so well done. It’s almost surreal to seem SO CLOSE to all these fantastic animals – Disney hit it out of the park ( ) on this one!

Another top attraction for me is one that freaks out several guests. I may not be fond of the real life versions, but I love hanging out with this group of cartoon bugs:

The fact I can even get Anika to go to this every single trip (she HATES bugs! ) demonstrates that this attraction is not-to-be-missed.

As I’m a zoo fan in general, it’s no surprise that I love both animal trails at Animal Kingdom:

Both of them are excellent, and in my opinion, are not to be missed. How can you miss awesomeness like this?!

I’m also determined to catch both theatrical shows at Animal Kingdom.

We saw Finding Nemo: The Musical on our 2012 trip. I really enjoyed it, but we missed it last trip as I wasn’t feeling the best on our Animal Kingdom day. I’m very excited to see it again!

We also saw Festival of the Lion King in 2012 – we thought the show was okay but weren’t bowled over by it. I feel we need to give it another shot as so many people seem to LOVE this show:

If we can swing it, I’d really like to try and make time to see Flights of Wonder. It’s one of the few Animal Kingdom attractions I’ve never experienced and I always hear good things about it!

Overall, I’d really like to spend our two days at Animal Kingdom truly enjoying the park and taking time to stop and smell the roses. I’ve spent most of my time at Animal Kingdom rushing from attraction to attraction, and although this occurs at every park, I think Animal Kingdom is one where you see and enjoy more when you take a step back and really take it all in.

I’m good about doing that on the trails in Africa and Asia, but I’d also like to make the effort to wander through the Oasis and all the other nooks and crannies of the park and search for other pockets of animals.

I'm also looking forward to introducing our uncle to the park – this is the other Disney park he’s never been to and I think he’ll get quite a kick out of it. It certainly is a unique and interesting park!

Up Next for 2015: Downtown Disney and Waterpark Must-Do’s

 

[MEK]

Great must-do's for both parks. You hit all my favorites. I love that picture of the service elevator. Very creepy. Did you take that? You pictures for the last two updates are perfect for your review of your must-do's. And, yes, ToT is tons of fun, as is RnR.

I love all the walking treks at AK and Nemo is probably my favorite show at WDW. I LOVE that picture with the 4 rhinos all lined up in a row. That's awesome!

 

[KathyM2]

That will be so nice to take more time at AK...I've never had that much time there either...even on our next trip I'm allowing a whole day and that's more than we have done before! Looking forward to it though. Also, taking in some of the shows you mentioned will be awesome too!!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

I'm the same way. AK will never be my favourite, but when all the new stuff is open, I think it will turn into a full day park at last.

If I recall, for your 2012 Lion King experience you were pretty tired I think. I think with a clear mind, you both will love this show.

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

I am a total zoo sucker too. I love all those animal pics you got! Couldn't agree more with the rest of your must-dos. Finding Nemo is amazing!

 

[glennbo123]

I caught up on 2 "must do" updates today. I agree ToT is the best elevator anywhere. This coming trip will be my son James' first time on it, he hasn't braved it yet. But now he goes on roller coasters at Six Flags that I won't do so I can't imagine him backing out. He'll love it once he tries it.

Jenny, at AK you should also try to spend some time on the paths around the Tree of Life. It is so cool to see the animals in the tree up that close, and you can't believe how many more that you notice.

 

[Tracy161]

Overall, I’d really like to spend our two days at Animal Kingdom truly enjoying the park and taking time to stop and smell the roses. I’ve spent most of my time at Animal Kingdom rushing from attraction to attraction, and although this occurs at every park, I think Animal Kingdom is one where you see and enjoy more when you take a step back and really take it all in.

Jenny, I feel like you were speaking directly to me with this post! This really is so true - it's so important to stop and smell the roses and I often do the very opposite of that. Thanks for the reminder!!! I promise to do better!

 

[afwdwfan]

For our Pop Century stay, our Canadia magic bands:

I had no idea what you were talking about. So I scrolled down and now it looks like I have another TR that I'm WAAAAYY behind on that I should probably start reading. I read the far enough to at least get the Canadia explanation. Hi, @DisneyKid4Life .

We don’t love Test Track as much as we used to pre-refurb, but we agree that we need to ride it a few times this trip.

I agree. I multi quoted through all of your must do posts. But seriously, I was just sitting here nodding my head as I read through everything. You've got great taste.

As we’ve seen it around the lagoon so many times, I think this should be a fun way to view the show!

Definitely. I've never seen it from any of the restaurants and I've never had a meal there, but that is something I'd definitely like to try sometime.

I know Hollywood Studios is losing ground for a lot of people, but we still really enjoy this park. We’ve slated three days of Fastpasses for it (I’ve got to get my rides in on Toy Story Mania!) and our favorite attraction is here (looking at you, Tower of Terror!).

Again... totally agree. Well, mostly. ToT isn't quite number 1 overall in my book. But definitely right up there.

Really, as far as favorite parks go, EPCOT, MK and DHS are all right there with very little separation between them. AK isn't bad, but it just doesn't quite measure up to them.

I get better every time I go on it (I'm on the left - apparently we always sit on the same sides!):

You have to! It just makes sense. Once you get used to being on the left side, you're shooting plates that move from left to right in the army men scene. If you'd switch sides, you'd have to shoot them moving right to left. That would completely screw up your timing and hurt your score.

Fingers crossed that we get something other than the pod race!

You notice that too, huh? I've seen them all now, but I think I get this one about 90% of the time!

Wishes is still number one for me, but we always catch Fantasmic. I’m never a big fan of leaving the theatre (you’d think they could come up with a better way to clear the crowds?), but it’s worth it to see Sorcerer Mickey kick a little [insert word not suitable for the DISboards]. It may rhyme with "glass".

Totally agree with everything you said.

Did you notice that pretty much every Hollywood Studios attraction makes the must-do list for us? We really enjoy Hollywood Studios - despite its growing pains, there are still lots of great things to be found here. All of these are definitely must-do's!

For being such a small park, what is there is really pretty phenomenal. I can't wait to see what they might do with it whenever they get around to some of these rumored expansions.

Animal Kingdom grows on me each trip. It’s unlikely to ever be my favorite park, but it has some excellent attractions and I couldn’t imagine a trip without visiting it. A Disney-themed zoo? Sign me up!

Definitely! It isn't my favorite and we don't spend a ton of time there, but there's no way I could spend a week at WDW and not take a day to visit.

How can you not love Expedition Everest? I love any rollercoaster, but add in a phenomenal queue, fantastic views, a surprise backward drop, AND a yeti?! Heck, yes!

Again...

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Great must-do's for both parks. You hit all my favorites. I love that picture of the service elevator. Very creepy. Did you take that? You pictures for the last two updates are perfect for your review of your must-do's. And, yes, ToT is tons of fun, as is RnR.

I love all the walking treks at AK and Nemo is probably my favorite show at WDW. I LOVE that picture with the 4 rhinos all lined up in a row. That's awesome!

Thanks, Mary Ellen! Yes, I did take the picture of the service elevator. (All of the pictures in the must-do posts have been mine, minus a few in the upcoming DTD/Waterpark post.) Your compliment means a lot as you take such wonderful pictures!

The walking treks sure are fabulous - not only are the animals fun to watch, but the design of the paths themselves is phenomenal!

I got some fabulous pictures on my safari in 2013 - the animals were really cooperating that day!

That will be so nice to take more time at AK...I've never had that much time there either...even on our next trip I'm allowing a whole day and that's more than we have done before! Looking forward to it though. Also, taking in some of the shows you mentioned will be awesome too!!

Animal Kingdom has some great shows - I hope you're able to catch a few of them! I think Animal Kingdom is certainly deserving of a full day with all the great attractions AND all the great animal-watching opportunities.

I'm the same way. AK will never be my favourite, but when all the new stuff is open, I think it will turn into a full day park at last.

If I recall, for your 2012 Lion King experience you were pretty tired I think. I think with a clear mind, you both will love this show.

I can't wait to see what happens to the park once Avatarland opens. I hope it doesn't become too crazy!

Yes, we were pretty spent when we saw Festival of the Lion King in 2012. I think we'll enjoy it much more with clear heads!

I am a total zoo sucker too. I love all those animal pics you got! Couldn't agree more with the rest of your must-dos. Finding Nemo is amazing!

Thank you, Lauren! I'm very excited about seeing Finding Nemo again!

I caught up on 2 "must do" updates today. I agree ToT is the best elevator anywhere. This coming trip will be my son James' first time on it, he hasn't braved it yet. But now he goes on roller coasters at Six Flags that I won't do so I can't imagine him backing out. He'll love it once he tries it.

Jenny, at AK you should also try to spend some time on the paths around the Tree of Life. It is so cool to see the animals in the tree up that close, and you can't believe how many more that you notice.

If he's already a fan of thrill rides, I bet James will LOVE the Tower of Terror!

What a great idea! I always admire the sections I view while walking into ITTBAB - I'd love to see the rest of the tree, too!

Jenny, I feel like you were speaking directly to me with this post! This really is so true - it's so important to stop and smell the roses and I often do the very opposite of that. Thanks for the reminder!!! I promise to do better!

I'm sure you'll do a better job on your upcoming trip! I think it's a reminder us park commandos need to hear (and remind ourselves of) often!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I had no idea what you were talking about. So I scrolled down and now it looks like I have another TR that I'm WAAAAYY behind on that I should probably start reading. I read the far enough to at least get the Canadia explanation. Hi, @DisneyKid4Life .

Rob's trip reports are awesome! Once your life is less hectic, you should absolutely put them on your list!

(The Canadia story came about in one of his December trips, I believe, due to a CM mistake. Needless to say, it's stuck since!)

I agree. I multi quoted through all of your must do posts. But seriously, I was just sitting here nodding my head as I read through everything. You've got great taste.

Thanks, Andy! You and your family always seem to pick great attractions, so your compliment means a lot!

Definitely. I've never seen it from any of the restaurants and I've never had a meal there, but that is something I'd definitely like to try sometime.

La Hacienda was fabulous when we tried it in 2013. We've never seen Illuminations from a World Showcase restaurant, either - it should be a fun change!

Again... totally agree. Well, mostly. ToT isn't quite number 1 overall in my book. But definitely right up there.

Is is our #1, but so many others are SO CLOSE.

Really, as far as favorite parks go, EPCOT, MK and DHS are all right there with very little separation between them. AK isn't bad, but it just doesn't quite measure up to them.

AK is growing on me, but I agree that I prefer the other three.

You have to! It just makes sense. Once you get used to being on the left side, you're shooting plates that move from left to right in the army men scene. If you'd switch sides, you'd have to shoot them moving right to left. That would completely screw up your timing and hurt your score.

That's good logic! I'll be sure to stick to the left side!

You notice that too, huh? I've seen them all now, but I think I get this one about 90% of the time!

Yes - "Hundreds of combinations!" my foot.

Totally agree with everything you said.

For being such a small park, what is there is really pretty phenomenal. I can't wait to see what they might do with it whenever they get around to some of these rumored expansions.

Me, too!

Definitely! It isn't my favorite and we don't spend a ton of time there, but there's no way I could spend a week at WDW and not take a day to visit.

Absolutely. There are several very cool attractions there!

Again...

Expedition Everest is just awesome.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Must-Do’s – The “Other” Disney Parks

Okay, argueably Downtown Disney (Disney Springs, whatever...) is not really a Disney “park” per se, but it wouldn’t seem right to go through our list of Disney must-do’s and leave out Downtown Disney and the waterparks!

These areas have always seem to be afterthoughts in our planning. We visited a Disney waterpark for the first time on our 2013 trip and REALLY enjoyed it. I don’t think we’re going to turn into waterpark junkies, but it really was fun to do something different. A trip this long and in the warm months of May and June definitely call for some waterpark time!

We really like Downtown Disney a lot – we love wandering through the shops and also loved going to La Nouba back in 2012. We need to take a few days “off” from the regular parks to align with our 10-day tickets, so the perfect solution is to spend an entire afternoon and evening in Downtown Disney! Not only that, we’re just down the river at Port Orleans Riverside for a huge chunk of our trip so it will be easy (relatively speaking) to pop down here in the evening if we’d like!

Starting with Downtown Disney, I’m very excited to finally step foot in this big, blue building:

Disney Quest has always intrigued me. I’m a child of the 80’s and 90’s, so I certainly love my video games! We have the Water Park Fun & More Option on our tickets (somewhat of a no-brainer if you have the Park Hopper and wish to visit a water park), so this is finally on the list! I don’t know how much time we’ll spend here, but I’d love to visit some of the classic video games as well as some of the Disney-themed adventures. If we get bored or it gets too loud, we’ll escape!

Another thing on the West Side that I’d love to cross off our list is the Characters in Flight balloon ride:

We may do this in the afternoon or evening that I have planned for Downtown Disney, or perhaps we’ll stop by on Sunday morning before we have our Beaches and Cream lunch. I’m crossing my fingers that we have at least one opportunity when it’s not too windy!

As an added bonus, I found a Groupon for Characters in Flight! The two of us can go for $20 instead of the usual $30. It's just a $10 savings, but every little bit helps! This Groupon for Aerophile seems to be on there a lot and has a lengthy 90-day expiration window, so it may be worth grabbing if you want to give Characters in Flight a try!

Moving on to the Marketplace area, there are several shops that we visit on every trip. Near the top of the list is this spot:

Goofy’s Candy Company is just an awesome place. There are tons of great treats to be found, including our favorite “make your own treat” experience:

I think I’m going to forgo the rice krispie treat this time and try the ginger cookie instead!

Another favorite shop of ours is the Christmas store:

If you’re every looking to deck out your house for the holidays, Disney-style, this is the place to go! I’m very good and restrict myself to one ornament each trip, but it wouldn’t be difficult to drop hundreds of dollars in here! There are TONS of cool things!

I’m also very excited to step inside this place for the first time:

The Disney Co-op! I’ve heard a few mixed things, but as many people seem to have a positive view and I can’t wait to give it a chance! I tragically lost my Disney travel coffee mug due to an unfortunate incident between it and my driveway, so at least one new travel mug is on my “must-buy” list.

Finally, you can’t step foot in Downtown Disney and not go into the Disney store that puts all other Disney stores to shame:

We love wandering through World of Disney. I always manage to purchase enough to get my Disney Visa discount – last time my purchase included the Four Parks, One World CD (which has a permanent home in my car!). I can’t wait to see what I find this year that I “can’t live without!”

It’s pretty darn likely that we’ll stop in a few other Marketplace stores as well, such as Mickey’s Pantry and Once Upon a Toy. There are so many great choices!

Onto the waterparks!

I’m so, so excited to have enough time to visit both waterparks on this trip!

I’m also very excited to see this Disney waterpark for the first time:

This park may not have the "extreme slide" that's found at Blizzard Beach, but there is one attraction here that I’m REALLY looking forward to:

Crush ‘n’ Gusher! As major thrill ride folks, label something as a “water coaster” and we’ll be pretty excited about it!

I’m sure we’ll also try the Typhoon Lagoon lazy river, Castaway Creek. I’d also love to try the Shark Reef if the wait isn’t too crazy, and we’ll probably do a few more slides as well.

We really enjoyed our morning at Blizzard Beach on our 2013 trip, so we’re very excited to return!

Our favorite part of our day at Blizzard Beach? It was most certainly this wild ride:

Summit Plummet! It is a bit intimidating when you get onto the slide and allow yourself to look down (STRAIGHT down! ), but my goodness, what an awesome slide! We both thought this was excellent and can’t wait to experience it again!

We’ll probably do a few more slides as well, but Summit Plummet is a requirement!

One thing we didn’t do last time was ride on the chairlift:

We’ll have to rectify that on this trip!

I’m sure we’ll do at least one lap around the lazy river, Cross Country Creek:

Another thing we’d love to do is play at least one round of mini-golf. The most likely course would be the one next to Blizzard Beach:

Anika and I last played mini-golf a year ago when we were on vacation in Minnesota. We had such a great time that I look forward to us enjoying a Disney version!

We’ve made it to the end of the must-do lists! From the four parks, to the waterparks, to the food and the snacks… I have big plans for this trip! There are many other things I’d love for us to do on this trip beyond our must-do lists, but I think it’s good to clarify which things we absolutely can’t miss. It’s going to be a great time!

Up Next for 2015: Day by Day Plans

 

[chunkymonkey]

Aww, love all the must-dos at each park. Most of them are ours too!! Yay for getting your magic bands!

Hope you get to eat at La Hacienda as well...we're eating there too during illuminations. It'll be fun to compare experiences!!

Have a great trip if I don't see ya around the DIS...I leave tomorrow!!

 

[Dugette]

Love all the updates - I missed a bunch! You're getting me excited to go, though! I wanted to do some posts like that, but just didn't get to it.

but I have plans for us to watch Illuminations from La Hacienda

We have done this a couple times and loved it! Good food, not crowded (in our experience, at least), they pipe in the music, great views, good service, love it!

Anika and I last played mini-golf a year ago when we were on vacation in Minnesota. We had such a great time that I look forward to us enjoying a Disney version!

Wait, what?! You came here on vacation?

Also, Winter/Summerland is a really fun golf course - we did it once and got such a kick out of all the details and theme.

 

[MEK]

Great plans for Disney Springs. I don't know if I mentioned this - but we took a walk over to DS (from SSR) in February and it looks fabulous. DTD was always an after thought for me. I like shopping, but don't love it so it was never a must do for me every trip, but the new layout looks fantastic. I love it and I was actually a little sad that we aren't staying at SSR in August (but not enough to give up my BWV reservation ). You're going to love it.

Two summers ago Denny and I did the characters in flight balloon. Tip - we went up first thing in the morning - as soon as it opened at 8:30 and we stayed up 20 minutes instead of the usual 10. It was great. I highly recommend it if you are able to get there that early. Either way, the view is amazing. I definitely recommend it.

I have some non expiring water park tickets that my kids are going to use in August. Denny and I were lucky enough to have a premium AP a couple years ago so we visited both water parks - we had a blast. They are both so fun!