Sure he has his Disney driver's license... a March 2016 Trip Report

[Sydney2977]

This makes me want to go in the spring sometime to experience this festival! I'll probably have to wait until I retire from teaching though! Although, maybe I could save up a few personal days and take an extended long weekend!!!

A little Disney trip would be the perfect boost to help get your through the rest of the year! My mom is a retired teacher so I know the teachers start to look forward to the end of the school year as much as the students.

Oh wow, there ARE some different topiaries than when we were there in 2013 and 2015! The ranger one is adorable, and when we went last year Anna and Elsa were over in FW - well, by the entrance to WS where you go either left or right....not sure exactly what to call it. And the dragon was probably in China but we didn't see it That one is cool!

Norway used to be my favorite pavilion too, but I'm not a Frozen fan. I don't want to bash it, and I don't mind a little of it.....I was very sad when they changed the display in the Stave Church. And of course when they closed Maelstrom We'll try FEA in November because I like to try everything, but it's not like I'm dying to try it!


Mmmm When DH and I were at F&G last year we split like 3 orders of these lol. We loved that sauce!

I am glad DH has a good eye because I would have been embarrassed asking a CM where the dragon topiary was, only to have them point out it was right in front of me! But it really did blend right in. We all like Frozen, but it's almost getting too run into the ground. If we had daughters I'd probably be sick of it! We will try the ride too and hopefully by the time we get to go again in a few years the initial hype will have died a little bit. I'm sure it will still require a fp or an hour wait though.

Exactly! All the beautiful flowers and topiaries! AND the nice weather and low crowds! WOW! I really want to go early March now! I have been in mid May when the F & G festival was going on so I have seen the flowers and topiaries. So, creative and beautiful.

Thanks Sydney for taking and sharing your photos! I have saved some to my computer so I can watch a slideshow later and imagine I am at Disney.

Thank you for reading and watching along! I scrapbook and when I need a Disney fix I pull out the albums and relive our past trips. I never thought about "watching" my saved pics as a slide show- I'll have to try that.

 

[Sydney2977]

Tuesday March 8: Imagination and Fascination

Our journey to find topiaries continued as we found DH's favorite- Sorcerer Mickey from Fantasia! I probably should have mentioned that as another of his favorite characters. (He has the hat with ears.)


Being a former ballerina, my favorite part of Fantasia in the dancing hippos and crocodiles. (See boys- I can be silly in pictures too!) I wonder if DH could trim two of the bushes in front of our house to look like this?


DS wanted to pose with one too- I guess he's trying to look like an ostrich, but he's missing the ballet shoes.


These little guys are so cute! It reminded me of the Fantasia Gardens mini golf hole- you'll see that later in our trip.


It was time for our 4:55 fp+ for Journey Into Imagination, but we really didn't need it. The line was only 10 minutes. That ride always puts me in a good mood. Afterwards DS played a few minutes in the interactive music part for old time's sake. He and his brother loved that section when they were younger.
Next door where Captain Eo was on our last trip was the Pixar Short Film Festival so we decided to go in to watch. The pre-show history of Pixar was pretty interesting itself. The shorts are really cute and worth watching. The 4D effects make it even more fun.

On our way to the next attraction DH had to stop and check out this tree he'd seen at the beginning of the day.


I had never heard of it and didn't remember seeing it on past trips so I didn't know if it was just there for F&GF or if it had always been there and we'd just walked right past it. Or maybe since our past trips had been in fall and winter we hadn't seen it look like this before.


Dh took the camera and was like a nature photographer taking shots from different angles and distances. Some of the silk stuff was blowing off of the tree and he had to grab some to take home- it was his souvenir.


We found another garden along the way. Does anyone remember the song that starts "We're pollinators"? I can't remember what attraction it was from but it's stuck in my head now.


How ironic that the last garden our family looked at was for edible flowers. I think I'll just stick to planting the pretty flowers- I don't want to get confused and try to eat one I'm not supposed to.

 

[Sydney2977]

Tuesday March 8: Back to the Future... World

To finish up our day at Epcot we had a few things left we wanted to do in Future World. First up was The Seas with Nemo. A cute little ride and the technology of having the characters "in" the tanks with the real undersea creatures is cool. Plus who doesn't want to ride in a clam shell?


We looked around the aquarium some too but I didn't get any pictures. We found some eels that we liked and some beautifully colored fish.

While planning the trip I had noted what characters we hadn't met before. In Epcot that included some princesses, who either weren't out when we went through the pavilions or had long lines. I thought if there were only a couple people we'd wait, but I wasn't about to wait over half an hour. But for Baymax- that was a different story! The line earlier in the day was half an hour to an hour. By this time it was down to only 10 minutes! We would have waited anyway since we'd done everything else, but even better with a minimal wait. The CM there said she'd be happy to take pictures with my camera. DS had to get out of his ECV and hobble over to greet him.


This moment melted my heart! It brought me back to our second trip when DS was three and hugging every character we met as tight as he could! No matter how big he gets he's still my baby!


We all love this movie- if you haven't seen it I highly recommend it! Such a great story!


The two CM's working there were really fun. One complimented me on my magic band and mentioned she had been Tiana for Halloween last year. The guys had to show her theirs too and she loved those as well. The other CM then noticed DH's shirt and they both got a laugh out of it. She said the boy kind of looked like DS, and we said yes, he does have that sneaky smirk sometimes too!

It was only about 6:30 but since we'd done everything we wanted at Epcot we decided to head out for the day. We'd been outside for the most part and the sun had drained us I think. I had to get a final shot of "the ball."


A young couple walked by and the guy asked if we'd like a family shot. I said sure and went to hand him the camera when he said "Oh, give it to my wife, she's the one who's good at taking pictures." I hope she didn't mind being volunteered!


In my original "plan" we were going to stay at Epcot and just eat at food booths or somewhere cs. I asked the guys what they wanted to do for dinner and they both asked if we could go back to CSR for...


I agreed so we jumped on a bus a headed over. We have stayed at CSR twice and really enjoy Tex-Mex so I think it has just become a must-do for us, even when I don't plan it!

The Pepper Market is set up in stations where you go to order based on what type of food you would like. They have a good variety- soups and salads, pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and Tex-Mex. They used to have a weird way to order and pay. You got a paper ticket and the CM at each station would stamp it for what you ordered. Then you would pay after you ate as you left, like a ts, plus there were "servers" and you were expected to tip, but the drinks and other things were self serve. Now it's like a normal cs. It wasn't crowded at all even though it was a normal dinner time.
Great minds think alike as we all ordered the nachos- chicken for me and beef for them. The serving size is generous and they make them up fresh with whatever toppings you like. The meat is seasoned well too. For $10.99 it's a good deal.


When we were finished stuffing ourselves we caught another bus back to Epcot and then to POFQ. We had a little time to relax in the room and then crashed for the night. Good thing since tomorrow is another park day!

 

[mdsouth]

Tuesday March 8: Back to the Future... World

But for Baymax- that was a different story! The line earlier in the day was half an hour to an hour. By this time it was down to only 10 minutes! We would have waited anyway since we'd done everything else, but even better with a minimal wait. The CM there said she'd be happy to take pictures with my camera. DS had to get out of his ECV and hobble over to greet him.
View attachment 163749

This moment melted my heart! It brought me back to our second trip when DS was three and hugging every character we met as tight as he could! No matter how big he gets he's still my baby!
View attachment 163759

We all love this movie- if you haven't seen it I highly recommend it! Such a great story!
View attachment 163755

The two CM's working there were really fun. One complimented me on my magic band and mentioned she had been Tiana for Halloween last year. The guys had to show her theirs too and she loved those as well. The other CM then noticed DH's shirt and they both got a laugh out of it. She said the boy kind of looked like DS, and we said yes, he does have that sneaky smirk sometimes too!

Great update! I know what you mean when you said that your son will always be your baby. I love how your son embraced his childhood and hugged Baymax just like he did when he was a toddler. His cute grin and your big smile say it all in that photo.

I agree your son does has a similar look to the boy from Maelstrom.

In my original "plan" we were going to stay at Epcot and just eat at food booths or somewhere cs. I asked the guys what they wanted to do for dinner and they both asked if we could go back to CSR for...
View attachment 163753

I agreed so we jumped on a bus a headed over. We have stayed at CSR twice and really enjoy Tex-Mex so I think it has just become a must-do for us, even when I don't plan it!

The Pepper Market is set up in stations where you go to order based on what type of food you would like. They have a good variety- soups and salads, pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and Tex-Mex. They used to have a weird way to order and pay. You got a paper ticket and the CM at each station would stamp it for what you ordered. Then you would pay after you ate as you left, like a ts, plus there were "servers" and you were expected to tip, but the drinks and other things were self serve. Now it's like a normal cs. It wasn't crowded at all even though it was a normal dinner time.
Great minds think alike as we all ordered the nachos- chicken for me and beef for them. The serving size is generous and they make them up fresh with whatever toppings you like. The meat is seasoned well too. For $10.99 it's a good deal.
View attachment 163754

When we were finished stuffing ourselves we caught another bus back to Epcot and then to POFQ. We had a little time to relax in the room and then crashed for the night. Good thing since tomorrow is another park day!

We have stayed at both CSR and PORFQ. We loved the food at Pepper Market but the weird ticket thing was a bit crazy. It is good to know that they changed that. When we were at CSR we had a steak and baked potato meal from Pepper Market that was considered to be a counter service meal on the dining plan. I remember we liked it so much that we had it two nights while we were there.

 

[Sydney2977]

Great update! I know what you mean when you said that your son will always be your baby. I love how your son embraced his childhood and hugged Baymax just like he did when he was a toddler. His cute grin and your big smile say it all in that photo.

I agree your son does has a similar look to the boy from Maelstrom.





We have stayed at both CSR and PORFQ. We loved the food at Pepper Market but the weird ticket thing was a bit crazy. It is good to know that they changed that. When we were at CSR we had a steak and baked potato meal from Pepper Market that was considered to be a counter service meal on the dining plan. I remember we liked it so much that we had it two nights while we were there.

Thank you! I really like taking pictures myself but I think next trip I will invest in memory maker. The CM got an up close picture of his face as he hugged Baymax- adorable!

I think Pepper Market is a hidden gem, but I'm ok with it being our little secret!

 

[Sydney2977]

Wednesday March 9: Breakfast at Capt. Cook's

We went to bed at a decent time the night before so we managed to get a good amount of sleep to be rested up for our MK day. There were extra magic hours from 9-11pm that night so I figured there was no rush and we'd get there in plenty of time to do what we wanted. I got ready first as usual and then the guys woke up a took their turns. I think they appreciated me not bugging them to be up at a certain time and I appreciated them not being grumpy and getting up on their own! I spent a little time outside looking around.


It was a little cool and slightly overcast. Again I hardly saw anyone out and about.


This is the square where they show the movies several nights a week. Had DS not been in a cast he would have loved to play catch with a football or baseball or even kick a soccer ball around this field. I could see him finding other kids to get in on the action with him.

If you look closely you can see one guy down by the river. If you want a quiet resort- this is it!


We got to the bus stop and had to wait a little while for an MK bus. While waiting we were chatting with another family- they were so nice! The grandpa was in an ECV too with a boot on. He asked DS how he hurt his foot so he told him. Then when DS asked how he got hurt the gentleman asked "Have you ever heard of ladderitis?" When DS gave him a puzzled look the grandma sighed and rolled her eyes I knew it must be something funny. He told us he fell off a ladder while working on the roof! Their two daughters were with them and their grandson who was about 3. He was so cute carrying an Eeyore plush and behaving so well (there were adults waiting for the bus being impatient, but not him!). His mom told us he was excited to go meet Mary Poppins at breakfast. Once we got on the bus we all chatted some more about where we were from and our vacations so far. Once we got off the bus at MK we continued together to the monorail to get to our breakfast destinations. We said goodbye then since they had to load the scooters on to separate cars. When our monorail pulled up I was so excited to see it was a Zootopia one!


It wasn't crowded at all and we had only two others in our car. Since we always take the buses to the parks now I kind of miss parking at TTC and taking the boat or monorail to the park- but you can't beat the time difference and not having to get back and forth from your car! To get the monorail ride in I have been planning meals at the monorail resorts.


Once we got to the Polynesian we found the elevator to get down to Capt. Cook's. We brought our rrm's to use for drinks at breakfast and to fill with water throughout the day. The ordering area is pretty small so I went to order while the guys found a table. We were given a pager and had to wait almost 10 minutes for our food. The seating area is small as well but I did notice there was additional seating outside. When we did get our food it was hot, fresh, and did not disappoint. We have enjoyed breakfast at O'hana's and Kona Café and this was comparable for a cs choice.

DS got the bounty platter and gave me his eggs- they were fluffy and cooked well. He loved the variety of French toast and biscuit, bacon and sausage, and said the potatoes were crispy and nicely flavored.


DH got the breakfast burrito but substituted the eggs for more potatoes. He also enjoyed the potatoes, said the bacon was nice and crispy too, it had just enough cheese, the tortilla tasted fresh, and the salsa was actually flavorful.


I fell in love with Tonga toast at Kona, so when I saw you could get it here I was elated- can you tell the picture is blurry because I was so anxious to eat it? It did not disappoint- crispy outside, warm and soft inside, gooey banana filling, just enough sweetness to satisfy, with plump savory sausage on the side. I ended up giving one of my sausages to DH because along with the eggs I was stuffed!


We all left very satisfied and I can definitely see making this a quick before park breakfast on future trips. The fountain in the Polynesian lobby used to be a must-do picture spot for DH and I (he knew they removed it and was still muttering "I can't believe they got rid of the fountain"), but we had to settle for one in the new lobby. Then it was back on the monorail for a quick trip to MK.

 

[Sydney2977]

Wednesday March 9: Here we go!

According to my picture we arrived at the Magic Kingdom at about 10:30. The lines weren't bad and we got through pretty quick. It was overcast and a little cooler than the day before.


We originally had our first fp+ for Big Thunder at 9:35, but after I mentioned that to DS the night before he suggested I change it if possible so we wouldn't be riding right after breakfast. Good point- so I moved it to the afternoon. So first up now was Peter Pan at 10:35. Even though we were already within our window we still took a little time walking casually up Main St. and taking in the atmosphere. I had to get a picture that we take every trip- it's fun to compare how much they've grown every time!


Ugh, the castle doesn't look so magical with a big ugly crane behind it. I tried to ignore it and listen to the music from the show as we passed by on our way to Fantasyland.


We made it to our destination, got right through, and the CM told us that DS would have to transfer and they couldn't slow the belt down. No problem- DH and I just helped him hop on and we were off to Neverland!


This is one of our favorite rides and it was closed last trip so we were happy to be able to ride again. I still don't understand how a continuous loading ride can consistently have an hour wait.
Our next fp+ wasn't till 11:40 so we decided to see what else we could enjoy in Fantasyland. But first- a stop at our favorite restroom- Rapunzel's! Wow, last trip this was pretty new and not many people were using it. This time there were tons of people. (Later my DS's GF would tell me that there are charging stations so that's why it's so popular!) I had to play Find the Hidden Pascals while I waited.


I couldn't entice the guys to Ride Small World with a 20 minute wait even though it was right there, but with a 10 minute wait we took in


I know it's named after Mickey, but I feel the real star is Donald. The 4D effects make it funny and we all enjoy singing along to our favorite Disney music.

We wandered through the castle arches near the carrousel and noticed Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, and Drizella were doing meet and greets. They were funny to watch interact with guests. Passing by Gaston's Tavern we had to stop for another break. These are probably one of the funniest signs in the land.


It still wasn't time for our fp+ so we got in line for Little Mermaid which listed a 20 minute wait. We've never had to take much time in this line but I found the things to look at hidden in the rocks and other details to be neat. I absolutely love Prince Eric's castle too.


Some not so smart parents were letting their kids climb all over the rocks and completely ignoring them while playing on their phones- I'm glad they didn't fall. Soon enough it was time to go under the sea and we enjoyed journeying with Ariel to her happy ending.

 

[Lizzards]

Enjoying your report! The pollinators song is from the it's tough to be a bug 3D show.

 

[Sydney2977]

Enjoying your report! The pollinators song is from the it's tough to be a bug 3D show.

Glad to have you reading along! Thanks for clearing that up- and now I know where I've heard it. See I have this irrational fear of roaches (although I guess it's not totally irrational since I found out recently that I am allergic to them) so I've never actually watched the It's Tough to be a Bug show. But I must have that song on one of my Disney cd's.

 

[Sydney2977]

Wednesday March 9: Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to Liberty Square we go

It was right about noon and time to use of fp+ for the Seven Dwarves Mine Train- one of our most anticipated rides! Older DS had ridden in Dec. and said it was his new favorite ride! His GF even loved it and she does not like the Snow White movie- scary memories from childhood.


The regular wait was up to like 80 minutes and people in that line were giving us dirty looks, I swear. We still had to wait about 10 minutes in line but it was cool to go through and see all the little details they added to make you feel like you were in the forest.


They should incorporate a Snow White meet and greet in this area somehow. Before we knew it we were loading into the mine cars. Again, the detailing is amazing.


What a wild fun ride! I love how there are fast parts but also parts to make you feel immersed in the story. Towards the very end we got stopped on the track for a few minutes so I snapped a picture real quick- I was afraid it would start moving any second so I didn't want to take more than one.


Everything ended well as it should in any Disney story and we had a nice ride back to the start.


I had planned lunch in Liberty Square but no one was really hungry yet so we stopped at another of our favorite attractions and the wait wasn't too bad. Besides, the line is fun and interactive anyway.


This line always moves quick in my opinion and I think we only ended up waiting like 20 minutes till we got in our Doom Buggy. That was partially due to the fact that because DS had an ECV they had to take us through an alternate entrance. I think I remember back in 2010 when DH was in one they didn't let us through the line or the stretching room but instead had us wait off to the side for the same amount of time. I much prefer going through the regular line and seeing the pre-show part. The grim CM just told us going in that when the crowd exited the room that we were to follow her. There was a mom with a little girl who asked the CM if they could skip this part so she took them through a side door, then came back for us. I thought that was cool because that first part can be a little scary for young ones. We went through the "secret entrance"


and they were able to slow the belt down a bit for DS and another guest to get on. I don't know why but they thought it was ok to load all three of us into one Doom Buggy- didn't work out so well! DH and DS could lean back but I was in the middle and had to lean forward and we barely fit in the seat. We still enjoyed the grim grinning ghosts and just reminded ourselves to ask for two different cars next time.
Continuing on through Liberty Square DS insisted on getting his favorite picture of us.


Remember how I mentioned we missed the boat ride over to MK since we always took the bus? Well, one attraction we hadn't done in ages is the Riverboat, so the guys were all for a relaxing ride on her. We were told by the CM's that it would be about a 10 minute wait so we headed down the ramps to a nice shady spot to wait. Once we got on we went to the front of the boat to get a good view. I had forgotten how peaceful this ride is and all the things you see along the river, not to mention the awesome views of the Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mt., Tom Sawyer Island (we had some kids shooting at us), and Adventureland.


By the time we got off we were ready for lunch so we headed towards the castle and Sleepy Hollow.

 

[Sydney2977]

Wednesday March 9: Lunch at Sleepy Hollow turns into Lunch at Pecos Bill's

I had been looking forward to this lunch at Sleepy Hollow for a long time. I had seen postings here and read the menus form allears and thought that the waffle sandwiches would make a perfect lunch for our MK day, especially since they were only served till 5pm. I walked up to the window to order while the guys went to stake out a spot to sit outside. I approached the window but didn't see the waffle sandwiches listed on the menu board. I inquired of the CM about the sandwiches and he replied "Oh sorry, we stopped serving those about two weeks ago." What?!? After the no hot breakfast at Sunshine Seasons incident I thought I kept my cool, but this had me wanting to go into meltdown mode! Doesn't Disney know it shouldn't mess with my food plans? Why would they get rid of something that sounded so good? Dejectedly I walked back to find the guys. DH took one look at me and asked "What's wrong?" sounding all concerned. "They got rid of the waffle sandwiches like two weeks ago..." I replied. He just said "Well, pull your phone out and we'll find somewhere else to try!"

I still wanted to stick with trying new places to eat, but I didn't want to go wandering around the whole park either. We've eaten at Pecos Bill's every trip, but I remembered that they'd changed their menu from burgers to Tex-Mex- that still counts as different, right? The guys were up to try it so we headed back through Frontierland.

On the way we passed this huge long line that I couldn't figure out where it went to. Later when the guys went to use the restroom by there I learned it was for fp+ sign ups. OMG- it was ridiculous! I swear those people waiting would have been better off just waiting for the rides themselves than waiting to make fp+ choices.

We made it to Pecos Bill's and were pleasantly surprised that it wasn't super busy. DS told us what he wanted and then went to stake claim on a table.


Last trip I swear they had automated ordering systems but now I guess they are back to having CM's take orders. Along with our food we asked for three cups of ice which they were happy to provide. We used these for water at the fountains inside- which smart DS had found a table near- and then added them to our mugs to take with us.

DH ordered the beef fajitas and was very pleased. He said the steak was cooked and seasoned nicely, the black beans and rice were flavorful, and there were regular sized tortillas! With the things like cheese, salsa, and guacamole you could add from the fixin's bar he thought it was way better (and a better deal) than the ones he ordered from Maya Grill.


DS chose the Southwest burger with tortillas chips. He liked the bun, said the burger was juicy, liked that it had melted pepper jack cheese, and that he could add jalapenos, guacamole, salsa, and more cheese from the fixin's bar. He even got limes to add to the water.


My pick was the Southwest salad, and what a great pick it was! It was piled with lots of flavorful chicken, just enough lettuce, crispy chips, and I got to add pico de gallo, onions, cheese, and my favorite- guacamole- from the bar. The chipotle dressing tied it all together beautifully and my taste buds and tummy were very satisfied.


So what we thought were two disappointments actually turned into a great discovery. We miss the burgers and fixin's bar from Pecos Bill's and we missed trying the waffle sandwiches from Sleepy Hollow. On the other hand we found a new favorite cs at MK that I know we'll be coming back to time and time again!

 

[Sydney2977]

Wednesday March 9: Festival of Fantasy Parade

After enjoying our lunch at Pecos Bill's I realized it was getting close to time for the Festival of Fantasy Parade. I didn't really plan where to watch it because I didn't know where we'd be, but I knew I wanted to watch it. We are not the type of people who have to watch parades or shows or fireworks every time (not that there's anything wrong with that, because some of y'all will think we're crazy for having CoP as one of our must-do's), but I like to see everything once. Plus this one was really intriguing for me since it features a dragon Maleficent! When DS's GF saw it last year with her parents she raved about it, and DS agreed when he saw it in Dec.
We went outside to see how crowded it was getting along the streets of Frontierland and of course at 2:40 it was already filled up for the 3:00 parade. Looking where we were we wondered if we could just stay there and still see. It was worth a try. We knew we couldn't get up close with DS's ECV and have him still be able to see, but we were far enough back where we could see over the crowd at the edge of the street. DH and I sat on a rail surrounding a little grass area and DS stayed in his seat. We settled in to wait and before we knew it the show had started!


Leading off was the band and then the family of the day serving as grand marshals. The first float featured Beauty and the Beast- and we realized we had some great seats because we could see everything well!


More Princesses followed and the floats they rode on were so whimsical and festive.


I got to see my favorite Princess Tiana! I had wanted to do the meet and greet with her and Prince Naveen, but the wait times were always over half an hour and then they'd take a break, we'd check back before they returned and there would be a huge line again. Oh well, not a big deal.






I absolutely loved the Peter Pan float- it incorporated all of the characters so well! I didn't get a good shot because I wasn't quick enough and was too busy trying to look at everything as it passed!


I had the same problem when my anticipated Maleficent float finally approached. I think I was just in total awe of seeing it in person. The trees did block the ability to take a full body picture, but I was literally just standing there staring for a minute. DH had to poke me and say "You can go up there to get a better look if you want!" When the smoke started I thought I'd lose it- utterly amazing!!!


Some of the classic characters followed, like my buddy Pluto!


I had to get some picture of the Cha Cha Girls for DS's GF- they're her favorite. I found her a shirt with one on it and got it for her early Christmas present so she could wear in on their trip. They are pretty cool!


This has to be one of my all-time favorite parades! I loved the floats and all the details, the variety of characters, the music, and all the characters and costumes in between the floats. It may be one I need to see again...

 

[DisneyJo]

I'm so pleased your disappointments turned out well in the end. I'm still grieving that the funnel cake at Sleepy Hollow is no longer a snack credit - why do Disney do these things to us???

 

[AK_Christina]

Just found your trip report! Loving it so far. We are staying at POFQ for the first time in October. =) Following along!

 

[MickeyReeds]

Just added Pecos Bill's to our plans! Looks yummy!!

 

[Sydney2977]

I'm so pleased your disappointments turned out well in the end. I'm still grieving that the funnel cake at Sleepy Hollow is no longer a snack credit - why do Disney do these things to us???

Yea, I learned my lesson the hard way- make dining plans, but check menus literally the day before you leave JUST to make sure! Actually, I'm going to start checking the day of before we even go to eat now. I've noticed on allears they haven't updated some menus that I know were different when we were there.

Just found your trip report! Loving it so far. We are staying at POFQ for the first time in October. =) Following along!

Glad you are enjoying! Hope you love POFQ as much as we did.

Just added Pecos Bill's to our plans! Looks yummy!!

Happy to help with your dining plans! DH actually asked what's to stop him from ordering tortilla chips and just making his own nachos from the fixin's bar. I told him I'm pretty sure that's frowned upon!

 

[Sydney2977]

Wednesday March 9: Adventures in,,, well, mainly Adventureland

I couldn't believe it was afternoon and we hadn't been on DH and DS's favorite ride yet- and they hadn't said anything about it either! As soon as the parade passed on we hooked a left out of Pecos Bill's and wandered into Adventureland. Only a 10 minute wait- sweet!


We went to go in but the CM said DS would have to transfer out of the ECV into a push wheelchair but that the scooter would be waiting where we came out. Ok, that sounded easy enough so we switched him out and got in line. I reminded DS to put him cast up on the seat and we had him sit in the middle between DH and I since I'd read a lot about people getting wet recently. Now we knew we couldn't do Splash Mt., but no way we were missing PotC! DH even brought a small towel in the backpack just in case. We had a full boat but only had a few splashes on our faces from the drop so no harm to the cast and it was a fun ride as always.


We got off and DS had to have us help him hop to the exit. We asked the CM we saw where to go to get his ECV and she said right outside. We followed along and we ended up in the shop with everyone else. DH said he'd just go look for the scooter while DS and I waited there. We got a good chuckle out of every kid who came off the ride immediately grabbing a sword or hook or some other toy from the shop and beginning to play like a pirate. DS remembered how he and his brother always wanted to get something too, but his favorite was the pouch of "treasure" he got one year. DH was seeming to take forever so we took some silly pictures while we waited.


When he finally make it back with the scooter he said it wasn't right outside the shop, but way around the corner to the left of the entrance and he had to hunt around for it. Mental note- next time park it ourselves at the exit and then transfer to the manual chair!

Up next we wanted to do the Jungle Cruise. The wait time was 30 minutes, but it always seems to be about this long, and it was still pretty early so we went to get in line. A CM saw us and directed us to another CM who was giving passes to those who needed assistance. She gave us a ticket to return in 20 minutes or later so we would only have to wait in the actual line off to the side for 10 minutes. Seemed like a good system.


Since we didn't want to go too far and there was only a 10 minute wait DS and I decided to ride Aladdin. DH just took pictures from below. I would have thought he was controlling the spitting camel because DS and I got squirted three times! Still a fun ride though.


I had to make DH pose with his "Hump Day" camel.


By then it was time to get in line at Jungle Cruise again. When we went back to get in line the CM told us to be on the lookout for our boat Ida. There were several parties ahead of us waiting but it was right about 10 minutes before she pulled up and we boarded. I thought it was neat how logistically they know who is getting on when and can plan that out. Our CM was a hoot- messing around with DS before the other guests got on at the next loading platform, and then with other guests throughout the ride.


We made it safely through all the rivers and it was within our window to use our last fp+ of the day- for Big Thunder Mt. at 4:25. We had to transfer DS there again and the line seemed to move pretty quickly.


What a blast! I swear I can stand up on that ride when it dips, even though I ride with DS and we push the lap bar all the way down. SO fun though, and as you can see we got the back car so we were hands up the whole time laughing!

Next we wandered through Frontierland again and into Liberty Square. I made DS pose with the Liberty Bell. It reminds me of one of his favorite movies "National Treasure."


We had been by the Tiana meet and greet area several times through out the day but every time I checked there was either a longer than 30 minute wait or there was already a long line and she was on a break. I checked one last time but it was the same story. Oh well, I will just have to try another trip. The guys said they'd wait, but I was the one who didn't want to wait that long. We've got more fun things to do! On to the next land! But we did have to stop to take a bunch of shots in front of the castle. I was trying to get away but DH insisted I stop and let him take one of just me. Ok, it didn't turn out that bad.


Can you guess where we're going next?

 

[Sydney2977]

Wednesday March 9: Taking on Tomorrowland

For some reason we almost always save Tomorrowland for the later part of the day. Space Mt. had been at a consistent over hour long wait all day, and DS wasn't sure he wanted to ride with his cast. Buzz had been showing closed all day so I didn't know when it would open again. The first attraction we got to was Monster's Laugh Floor and there was only a 10 minute wait, so in we went. Once inside the pre-show area were directed to the right side and then got to sit front row. It's funny how some shows have accessible seating in the front and some in the back.


During the part where the two monsters ask the audience members about where they are from and one tells facts about that place, there was a lady from South Carolina. The one monster said some pretty silly stuff like the Eiffel Tower being located there, the other asked if that was right, and the lady said "I don't know." So the monster said "Well, that's the South Carolina school system for you!" Ugh, so embarrassing!

We stopped at Buzz next where two CM's were outside. They said it was closed but would be opening again on Friday, so we were happy we should be able to ride when we returned on Sat. We noticed they were having a dance party and DS wanted me to get a shot of Frozone. One of the middle school band teachers that also helps at the high school with marching band- specifically the saxophones- is nicknamed Frozone, and all the kids love him.


Of course there was no wait for Carousel of Progress so in we went. I don't care what anyone says, our family loves this attraction and hope it never goes away. They could update the final scene a bit though. My brother and I were talking recently and he was saying he wishes they'd add another theater so you could watch every 20 years and have the last one be really futuristic. I did find a Hidden Mickey in the last scene though.


It was just getting dark so we wanted to ride the Peoplemover. It is kind of a pain to get on if you're in an ECV. You have to park it completely across the way from the moving ramp and get a push chair- it's just hard to get back and forth through people. DS could hop to the seat once we got up the moving ramp and we had a nice ride.




When we got off we decided to find some dinner. I had loosely planned to get something at the Lunching Pad, but they had removed some things from the menu right before we left, so I checked the MDE app again. We had never been to Tomorrowland Terrace because it's been closed on past trips, but the menu looked good so we thought we'd give it a try, especially since it was close by.

DS and DH went to find a table and I got in line to order. DH came back to join me as I was getting the food and helped me carry it back to the table. I was surprised how many little kids were just eating then because it was almost 8:00. There is a huge amount of seating here and even though it is not inside it is covered so I imagine would be cooler in warmer months than normal outdoor seating. They did have a section blocked off for the Wishes dessert party but there was still plenty of room for other guests.

The guys both ordered the chili cheese dogs with fries. They enjoyed them as just basic dogs and fries but were surprised that they were pretty big and filled them up. A lady walking by on her way to order actually commented that they really looked like the were worth the $9!


I had to be different and go with the lobster roll and homemade chips. Now I should probably mention that I have never had a "real" New England or Maine lobster roll, so I know some people will say these aren't good. I understand- I feel the same way about "real" bar-b-q. Older DS and I did try a lobster roll at F&WF a few years ago and didn't really like it, but something told me to try this one. I really enjoyed it! There was plenty of lobster inside and it wasn't over dressed. (When I make tuna or chicken salad at home I hardly use any mayo.) The lettuce and celery gave it a nice crunch and the bun was toasty.


Once we were all full we made our way out of Tomorrowland because there were a few more stops we wanted to make before we called it a night.

 

[ariane37]

During the part where the two monsters ask the audience members about where they are from and one tells facts about that place, there was a lady from South Carolina. The one monster said some pretty silly stuff like the Eiffel Tower being located there, the other asked if that was right, and the lady said "I don't know." So the monster said "Well, that's the South Carolina school system for you!" Ugh, so embarrassing!

OK I admit, I find this funny But I understand how you felt. The town I live in is Wappingers Falls but we're right next door to Poughkeepsie, as in like 5 minutes away. Poughkeepsie is more well-known mostly due to it being a (former) big IBM hub plus there are 2 colleges here - Vassar and Marist. Anyway, Poughkeepsie comes up fairly often in movies and TV shows that take place in NYC since we're only 90 minutes away from the city, and even though we are far from being a boonie-type area, whenever they mention Poughkeepsie it's usually in some derogatory way or to make fun of the area Doesn't make me too happy!

 

[Sydney2977]

Wednesday March 9: Are we too old for extra magic hours?

One ride we hadn't done earlier in the day was Pooh. We love the Hundred Acre Wood friends and the line was only showing 15 minutes- how lucky! When we got in line we realized that the mom, son, and aunt from the bus this morning were in front of us. We chatted with them as we waited and found out they had a great time at breakfast, had been back to the resort for a nap, and were going to try to stay for extra magic hours. DH told them he should have taken a nap to stay up! I didn't want to say it, but I was thinking the same thing. We had been waiting for less than 10 minutes, DS enjoying the play area


when a CM announced that the ride was down and they didn't know when it would be back up and running. Pretty much everyone was getting out of line and we did the same, figuring we could come back to try again Saturday. We said goodbye to our new friends and I mentioned that we hadn't been on Small World yet. The guys agreed to go on and it was a less than 5 minute wait. I think people must have been getting spots for Wishes. See, they really do love this ride!


Since we were so close and there was only a 15 minute wait, which ended up being less, we rode Haunted Mansion again. I love riding at night!


Another tradition is making PotC the last ride of the night. I asked the guys if there was anything else they wanted to do, and they were satisfied with what we'd done, so it was one to Adventureland to find Capt. Jack. Only a 10 minute wait and we still didn't get wet. DH had parked to ECV himself this time, and while we waited for him to go get it we had to take some more silly pictures.




On the way out of the park we were distracted by the new location of Aloha Isle and DH and I had to get a Dole Whip float! Delicious and refreshing as always.


DS said he didn't want anything in the park and he would have some fudge when we got back to the room. We made our way out of the Mk at a nice leisurely pace.


It was nice to not be leaving with the mass hoards. It was about 10:00 but there were still people coming in for emh. Most of the regular crowds had thinned out though.


We didn't have to wait more than 10 minutes for a bus and it wasn't really crowded- we actually got seats. Most of the week DS had either stayed in his ECV or sat in a seat if the driver asked him to, then DH and I stood on either side of the ECV to give seats to others. We couldn't believe how many people wouldn't get up for elderly people or a parent with small children. After the first day since we got on the bus first with DS getting loaded we started to take seats, and then get up when someone elderly or with kids came on to make sure they got a seat. I really have to bite my tongue NOT to tell other guests to be considerate and offer their seats- especially teenagers or adults who are completely capable of standing. Anywho, off my soapbox...

Back at POFQ we stopped at Sassagoula to fill our mugs, strolled back to the room, DS had some fudge, and it was off to bed for us.