Follow us LIVE from WDW 1/17-1/21

[thepowellslovedisney]

This is my first trip report so hang in there with me and hopefully it will be super-enjoyable for all. I know I just love when it when people post live so here goes!

Meet the Cast of Characters
DH a web specialist for a major medical device company
Me a stay at home mom in her last few quarters of her master’s degree in higher education
Daniel (4) Eli (2) and baby Audrey (5 mo)

We arrived in Fl last Wednesday. We spent the first few days of our trip in Naples at the beach and in Tampa visiting family. We got to Disney yesterday at about 11:00am. I was so excited to get here I got misty eyed at the Welcome to Disney World sign.

My kids were so busy playing with our iphones we had to tell them to put them down and look out the window…

We got to Saratoga Springs and went through check-in. No way would our Studio room would be ready, it’s a holiday weekend and crowds are expected to be 8’s. But let the pixie dust begin…. It was!!!

Our room has a lovely view of DTD and fits us just great. Hubby and I have the bed, boys have the pull-out and baby Audrey has the pack-n-play. I wondered if it would be too tight but I was wrong. Yay! I really love our balcony too.

When we got in we were all hungry so we headed up to the Artist’s Palate. Boys had chicken nuggets and hot dog kids meals. Husband had a flatbread and I an Asian salad. They were good. But really we were all distracted because the Vikings vs. Cowboys game was on and of course we were supporting out team. Go Vikings!!! The guys had on their jerseys and everywhere (and I mean everywhere) we went we were congratulated and cheered. It sure was cool, like we personally played the game or something. Man, only in Disney. I LOVE it here!

After eating we headed to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We have decided to give driving a try since we have a car and the thought of trying to get three small children with a double and a single stroller on and off the busses seemed scary. Got into DHS and parked in Music…row 60!!! Good grief. How bad would it have been to drag those strollers???

Hoofed it all the way to the front gate. By now it was 3pm and I could hear the block party bash. We purchased our annual passes (with our DVC discount but still crazy expensive) and headed in. Crowds were expected to be an 8 and sure enough they were. Not only we were stuck at the gate because of the mass of people, the block party only intensified the clog. But we were in Disney and it honestly didn’t matter. We watched the party and enjoyed the continual cheers of “Go Vikes!” On a side thought, it was a good thing we were winning the game, it sure would have brought the day down to be constantly hearing, “I’m sorry, I wanted your team to win”. Just a thought in case you ever decide to wear your jersey in the parks.

So my boys are enamored with Playhouse Disney and so the VERY first thing they wanted to see was……not the Magic Kingdom…..not the castle…..but of course, Playhouse Disney Live on Stage. So we made our way back there and they had just started a show. So, it was going to be about an hour till the next one. So we headed into the Animation building. I have to admit now that I haven’t ever gone in there before. It was really cool. We got into line to meet Sorcerer Mickey and got some great pics. Plus my kids did great! In the past they have been afraid of the characters. So I was such a proud momma! Yay!!!

After that we got into to see Playhouse Disney Live on Stage. The kids LOVED it. Eli danced and jumped and sang.

Daniel cheered for Rocket when we won the race. And Audrey took it all in and smiled. Man, they sure know what they are doing here.

Once we were done we headed over to the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set. My kids thought it was fun but some of the items spray water and this really upset Daniel. He got sprayed and wasn’t expecting it. He had panicked and I had to calm him down. I thought the set was ok, but from a parental point of view, it is super hard to keep an eye on your kids in there. We played in there until they closed and then we decided to go see the Cars characters.

I sat on a bench and nursed Audrey and Daniel decided to stay back with me since he does not like the roar of Lightning’s engine. Eli and daddy got in line. Yesterday was a cool day weather wise and there was a lake wind advisory, this made it quite difficult to nurse. So, I publicly apologize to everyone I inadvertently flashed yesterday. HAHAHA!

After the pic we headed to the ABC Commissary for dinner. This is one of our stopping grounds. We have found that we can get our strollers in and out easily and the food is good. Eli had chicken nuggets, Daniel a cheeseburger, Mom a cheeseburger, and Dad a chicken sandwich. Again we met another family that came over and congratulated us on the Vikings win. They were from NY and had driven down on Friday. They were so nice and our kids hit it off great. See, not only is Disney the happiest place on earth, I have found that the majority of guests are the friendliest people on earth. There is pixie dust in the air here.

After dinner we did a few more things in Hollywood Studios. I let hubby go on Star Tours while I watched the kids and we walked around and enjoyed each others company. Then we hoofed it back to row 60 in the parking lot to get our car. We got into the room and everyone just fell into bed. The first day was over and it had been great.

I have a tendency to get up super early so here I am at 6am writing to all of you. And near by are gifts that Tinkerbell brought in the middle of the night. We must have all been on our best behavior yesterday!!! I just love when she brings us all presents for good behavior!

So, it is on to day two! We will see what today brings and we are so happy to have you along for the ride.

 

[disneylovin24]

Great start!!!! Can't wait for more I love the idea of live reporting!


Let's GO Vikings!!!!! I'm actually not a viking fan, but a Giant fan and I was thrilled to see the Cowboys finally lose yesterday!!!

 

[patches07]

Can't wait for more

 

[SuperSplashGirl]

I'm subbing! Can't wait for more!

 

[marieNJkitty]

Thanks for posting your live TR! I look forward to more!

 

[cmp1111]

Wow, for a first TR you are off to a great start! I love the pictures, and the idea of live posting.

Can't wait to hear more!

 

[TKH]

You're making me wish I were there!!!
Have a great trip Powell family!

 

[Tink9721]

I love the live reporting! I can't wait to read more!

Hope you're having a great time

 

[thepowellslovedisney]

Day 2
Breakfast in the room, cereal and milk with apple juice. Yummy!

This morning we started out at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We decided to drive again and this time we chose to try the tram. So we crammed a double stroller, a single stroller, DH, myself, DS, DS and DD in her infant carrier all into one row.
Animal Kingdom was a tough park for us. It is the smallest park, the paths are small and it was beyond crowded (there are a TON of tour groups here right now ). But we headed in and took off to Rafiki’s Planet Watch.

The kids adored the train.
I enjoyed the walk once we were on the trail. The vegetation here smells so fresh and it is just so nice outside. When we got into the conservation station we saw the animal care center. They were doing a procedure on a bird. I am not sure what was wrong with the little guy. But then, we turned around and there was Jiminy Cricket! Daniel and Eli were suddenly themselves again and afraid of the characters so Audrey and I got our picture taken with him.

It was great! A character I could look in the eye!

After we were done we went to get a snack. Eli and daddy had bananas. Daniel and I wanted something a little more scandalous so we went in search of something yummy. We ended up at Kusafiri. It is a coffee shop/bakery.

We got a brownie bear paw and a giant rice krispie treat to share. We were not disappointed and it was certainly worth the long wait.

The boys found drums in Africa to play.

And then we decided to do the Maharajah Jungle Trek. The boys and I led the way, maps in hand.

The boys especially liked the tiger, but they got to see lots of different animals.

While we were there though this poor little girl got sick all over her daddy. We offered them some water and they said they were ok but I am still thinking of them and I hope she is feeling better.

After the Jungle Trek it was time to find some lunch. We were so stoked because we were going to go to Pizzafari since we have never eaten there before. We got over there and headed to the door and the line was outside! Did I mention there are a TON of tour groups here right now??? Well, they all decided to eat at Pizzafari for lunch today. Eli was devastated that we couldn’t eat there. This was our first meltdown of the trip. My poor baby, I quickly realized though that our dinner reservation for tonight was at Tutto Italia and he for sure could have Pizza there. So that was then ok with him. We decided we couldn’t take Animal Kingdom anymore after that. So we decided to head out to Epcot and on the way we would get lunch at McDonalds. The kids were happy with this idea. It seemed a bit wrong to me to come all the way here and eat there but honestly, did it really matter? As long as they were happy, so was I.

After lunch we headed to Epcot. This is us in front of Spaceship Earth.

We immediately boarded since this is a favorite in our family. This was Audrey’s official first Disney ride.

And the little sweetheart, she fell asleep, my sweet baby. After that we headed to the Seas to hang out with Nemo, Dory and Crush. We walked right on Nemo, which was great. After, we spent some time looking in the Aquariums.

We have been here a bunch of times but we have never gone upstairs in the Seas building before. That was pretty neat. We saw some manatees, the tanks and even a hidden Mickey.

Then it was time for Turtle Talk with Crush. Man, this was hilarious. We have done this experience before and so I thought I knew what to expect but there was something in the air in there. Everyone was just giddy.

Crush was super funny and the kids were just precious. So when Crush goes off and comes back with the thing he found and doesn’t know what it is (the bikini top) he asks the kids, “What is this?” and a ton of kids yell out, “A bra!” “What?” said Crush. “What is it for???” He asked, trying to hint at the kids that it’s a swimming suit. And some kid yelled out “To hold your ****s up!”I think the parents all just about died in there. Good lord, you would think the actor would know what was coming…. Anyway it was great and we had a blast. We laughed through the whole thing.

After all that we decided to walk through the World Showcase and give the kids a rest. Audrey screamed through most of the “rest”. Yay….. (insert sarcasm here).

Then it was time for our dinner reservation at Tutto Italia.
Man, was that good! The boys got their pizza, I got the Lasagna and DH had the lobster ravioli.

For dessert, Tiramisu.

All the food was excellent and the service was good too.

When we came out it was dark and starting to get pretty cold. We decided to head back to Saratoga Springs to get some rest.

Tomorrow will be a big day. We have a character breakfast in the morning and we are moving to Disney’s Bay Lake Tower at The Contemporary Resort. We are super excited!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Great start!

 

[cmp1111]

I've heard some really good things about Tutto lately - looks fantastic!

And, I can imagine AKL could be hard with smaller kids - my boys are 7 and even there, it's a half day park for us.

Thanks for keeping us updated!

 

[Pills]

Agreed on Animal Kingdom. The main problem is that there aren't a lot of indoor and air conditiioned places to rest; it's hard with little kids. When we go back in November, we're considering skipping it altogether (though we may want to eat at Tusker House again, and the girls love the face painting there, so we'll see...).

I think the best thing about Spaceship Earth, besides the ride itself, is its capacity to put small children to sleep. Your kid doesn't want to take a nap? Go ride Spaceship Earth!

Have a great rest of your vacation!

 

[marieNJkitty]

Great update! We usually only spend a half a day at AK too. Sorry about the tour groups! I've never been to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. I'd love to try that next time. I also would love to try Tutto Italia. It looks like you had a great experience. I'm always scared to take my kids to a sit down restaurant.

My favorite ride is Spaceship Earth. I wish I was there right now! How is the weather? We are thinking about going this time next year. Have a magical vacation!

 

[dl0015]

"Crush was super funny and the kids were just precious. So when Crush goes off and comes back with the thing he found and doesn’t know what it is (the bikini top) he asks the kids, “What is this?” and a ton of kids yell out, “A bra!” “What?” said Crush. “What is it for???” He asked, trying to hint at the kids that it’s a swimming suit. And some kid yelled out “To hold your ****s up!”I think the parents all just about died in there. Good lord, you would think the actor would know what was coming…. Anyway it was great and we had a blast. We laughed through the whole thing."

Ive been one o those parents! Back in 07 my 5 year old told Crush that the bikini top looked like a "butt crack"!

 

[MHTeacher]

Loving the live updates! Enjoy your visit!

 

[Racey]

I cant thank you enough for taking time out of your vacation to write. Im enjoying it so much and i'm sure everyone else is.

I cant wait to read the update

 

[disneylovin24]

Bay Lake Towers

That food looked good. I've never eaten there before but maybe I'll consider it in the future.

 

[Cory's Gal]

Jumping in here!! A fellow Minnesotan and VIKINGS FAN!!! Awesome win on Sunday!!! Anyways, my husband is an engineer at a medical device company in the Twin Cities Loving your report, your children are beautiful!! Little Audrey is a cutie pie!! Be happy you are in FL, sleet/snow predicted for tomorrow night up here!!! Can't wait to read more of the live report!!!
~Beth

 

[thepowellslovedisney]

This morning we moved over to Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort. We packed up and called bell services and then had them take our things to BLT. We jumped in the car and moved it over to the BLT parking lot and I went in and checked in. We could have had a room that was already ready but the cast member at the desk said to me that if we were willing to wait a bit she had a lake view room with a “special” view for us. Boy, am I glad we waited. To the left of our patio is the CASTLE, complete with the fireworks right outside. We are really feeling the pixie dust!

So after I checked in we hopped on the monorail and headed to Epcot.

We had a breakfast reservation at the Akershaus in Norway.

It was delicious and the kids really enjoyed it. Audrey is such a princess herself.

She was charming all the ladies. When we got our picture taken with Belle she held on to Belle’s hands and would left go. What a sweet baby.

After breakfast we rode the ride in Mexico, which the boys really liked. Then we went to check on test track to see if the wait time was reasonable. It wasn’t so we decided to head over to the Magic Kingdom and come back later since we were planning to see Illuminations.

We got off the monorail at the TTC and the line for the Magic Kingdom Express was crazy long so we took the resort monorail and walked right on. This is such a good trick so please do not share it with the world. Just keep it our little secret…. wink, wink.

The first thing we rode was the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. This ride had been closed when we were here in May so we wanted to get right on. This has also been a favorite of my husband in the past. I gotta tell you though, the script on the ride has changed and I really miss the old one. I miss the voice, I miss the nostalgia. They don’t even mention the Metro Retro Society anymore and that was part of what made it so fun. Oh well, we got our pictures of the boys and it made a great first ride in the MK so I’m happy.

While on the TTA the kids could see the Tomorrowland Speedway so we had to do that ride next. This was an interesting experience because both boys wanted to go so we decided to utilize the baby (rider) swap. It worked out great. So DH got in line with Eli and I waited with Daniel and Audrey. When they were done we walked right on. So glad for this option.

After that it was on to Fantasyland. It was busy, even Small World had a wait. I’m always surprised when that happens.

We decided to forego Fantasyland for the time being and we headed to the Haunted House and Jungle Cruise.

Jungle Cruise is always so funny to me. I’m probably the only one who doesn’t tire of their sad humor. So you know they just re-did the dock there in a very nice hickory. Which is great until it rains, then it’s a slippery, hickory, dock…Bwahh Ha Ha!!!!!

After all that fun we needed a rest. We jumped the monorail and headed back to BLT. We rested until about 6:30pm and then headed down to the Contempo Café and had dinner. Daniel and DH shared a cheese pizza flatbread, Eli and I shared pasta in marinara sauce. Each were great. Then we hoped the monorail to the TTC and then to Epcot to catch Illuminations.

We got there with plenty of time to spare so we went back to test track to give Daniel a chance to ride it. He decided he was no longer interested but of course Eli (who is too short) wanted to. Sigh…. We worked with him to get him to understand that maybe next time he would be tall enough. Hubby still wanted to go so he jumped in the single rider line that was posting a 5 min wait time. He returned to the group about 35 minutes later. It wasn’t exactly 5 minutes but he got his chance to ride it so I really didn’t mind.

Then we headed into world showcase to watch Illuminations. On the way there I rand into a friend from high school who I haven’t seen since 1993. I have a tendency to do that here. It seems like every time we are here I run into someone I know. Illuminations was beautiful. It also scared the daylights out of Eli. But it was still a great time.

So tomorrow we are going to spend more time in the Magic Kingdom and probably back to Hollywood Studios. We are having a wonderful time and are just going at our own pace. It is really the way to do.

I’m glad you all are enjoying this. I’m glad to hear we are not the only ones with issues in Animal Kingdom. MarieNJKitty: the weather is very tolerable with highs in the 70’s and lows in the 50’s. We enjoy the cooler weather being from so far north and with kids that would probably be very crabby if it was hot. I hope this time of year will work out for you too.

 

[cmp1111]

That picture of your DD and Snow White is breathtaking!

It sounds like a really nice day!