Weird and Ninja Shout Out to You! (updated on 7/14)

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

I'm not a fan of horror movies or anything like that either, but the Haunted Mansion doesn't bother me so much anymore. It has actually become one of my favorites! Though I do remember being a bit timid about it on my first ride through- and probably a few more after that until I got used to what to expect.

 

[RachelNinja]

Ahhh, more great photos!! We'll be there next week, and seeing these is making me even more excited than I already am!!

And, I totally agree...part of the reason we love WDW is that we really do feel like it's an escape from reality, and it's so fun to get caught up in all the details and feel like you are far, far away from the stresses of every day life!

Oh yay for another trip for you! I wish we were going next week, but instead I get to go back to work, haha.

Yeah, I can totally imagine lying on a beach and thinking about everything that's at home, but at WDW, it's a completely different world! The only possible worry that one might have is being on time for an ADR or FP window!

I'm not a fan of horror movies or anything like that either, but the Haunted Mansion doesn't bother me so much anymore. It has actually become one of my favorites! Though I do remember being a bit timid about it on my first ride through- and probably a few more after that until I got used to what to expect.

I tend to creep myself out for no reason, haha. I might think about how it might feel to get on Haunted Mansion by myself, which is something I don't think I'd be able to do! Like if I did a solo trip, I might avoid it, haha.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Excellent photos, as always! I especially love the "detail" photos with things you may not usually notice - it shows just how detailed the attractions (and the bathrooms!) are.

You were very successful at Magic Kingdom that morning! It's too bad Buzz didn't like you that morning, but it's nice that you had multiple chances (and got so many great pictures!).

I look forward to seeing what you chose for lunch!

 

[RachelNinja]

Excellent photos, as always! I especially love the "detail" photos with things you may not usually notice - it shows just how detailed the attractions (and the bathrooms!) are.

You were very successful at Magic Kingdom that morning! It's too bad Buzz didn't like you that morning, but it's nice that you had multiple chances (and got so many great pictures!).

I look forward to seeing what you chose for lunch!

Thanks! Howard and I actually were supposed to go to WDW this April and BOTH take pictures with DSLRS, but our plans changed all of a sudden. I'll explain that in the next update because I'm dying for a taste of Disney!

 

[RachelNinja]

Hello everyone! It's been quite a long time since I've updated this trip report. The school year just takes over, which I guess is a good thing because if I weren't busy, you'd know I wasn't doing my job correctly, haha. Of course, it's not all school stuff either. Being a wife and having an apartment to take care of since Howard and I have to be adults and handle things on our own can be time-consuming too. I know it seems obvious to say this, but after almost 3 years of marriage (our anniversary is tomorrow!), we STILL feel that we took advantage of the fact that when we lived at home, we didn't have to worry about laundry or making dinner!

Anyway, the reason why I'm back right now is because I'm dying for some Disney! You see, back in April during the Easter break, we were supposed to go to WDW with my family at their timeshare. Unfortunately, just about two or three weeks before we were to leave, we got news that Howard's grandma in Hong Kong suffered a stroke. He ended up going with his immediate family to visit her. I didn't want to stay at home by myself especially with my family still being away, so I still went with them. I got a little bit of Disney in Florida, and he got a little bit of Disney in Hong Kong Disneyland, but it was definitely not the same as touring the parks together. I wanted to go back to our last trip to relive those memories.

I have had some Disney fun though posting pictures from April. It was the first time I brought a DSLR, which I don't know very well because I often have to ask Howard to adjust settings, so I definitely messed up a bunch of shots. Even so, I think a lot came out decently so I started a public Instagram account if you wanted to take a look: @mrs.hfotography (Howard's is @hfotography). I'd love a few more IG friends there if you're interested!

Okay, so now after that explanation, let's get back to this trip!

Early Lunch Delight

On our April 2012 trip with my family, we got coupons while walking into the MK gates. They gave us 15% off our meals if we ate before 11am or something like that. In an attempt to save every little penny we could, we did eat early and realized that they gave us that offer so that they would try to spread out the lunch crowds. Since then, we have always eaten early even without the discount! We love the quietness of the places themselves and the fact that we don't have to wait on any lines. Now that we also eat a really small granola bar breakfast, we are actually really hungry by 10:30am.



We had a few minutes to take some pictures too. Every time we go, we kind of plan to give our cameras to more CMs so that I don't have to do the one-handed shot thing,b ut we never really remember it when we're there. We kind of just want to keep moving, so we just do it ourselves! It'll definitely be more of a requirement when we have kiddos.



VIDEO: Waiting for Columbia Harbour House

Howard's second love ... light fixtures, haha.



The theming of the restaurants is awesome. I remember the first time I ever stepped foot into this place. It was to just take a break in air conditioning. My family and I sat downstairs just to rest, and even then, we didn't even think about how we should try eating there instead of at Cosmic Ray's all the time. I distinctly remember the feeling I had there that it didn't feel like a place I wanted to eat, but I think it was because I was so used to how Cosmic Ray's feels more like a plain ol' fast food restaurant, and this place with its wooden walls and chairs felt like it was outdated. Clearly, I was a kid who didn't understand what Disney was all about!



VIDEO: No Salty Language

After we ordered our food, we went directly upstairs because that is the best place to eat! People watching is one of our favorite pasttimes when in WDW!



We were able to get our favorite table all the way in the corner of the section that's above the walkway between Fantasyland and Liberty Square. For some reason, we usually stay on the Haunted Mansion side.



VIDEO: Kingdom Keepers Meeting at CHH

Howard ordered the Fried Fish Basket. The first time we ate here, Howard and I split one and then my mom and younger brother split one too. We weren't sure if we'd be able to finish the food, and we HATE wasting food. When we realized we could definitely eat more, we went to order another to share! I really like how the fish isn't greasy. I know it's not the same as the authentic fish and chips that you can get from the UK pavilion, but this is a tasty thing to have instead of a regular burger or chicken nuggets.





I started getting the Lighthouse Sandwich a few years ago so that I could avoid eating the fried fish. I had my gallbladder removed about 8 years ago, so sometimes I know I have to make smart choices and avoid foods with high fat. Even though the doctors said that I could go back to a regular diet once I recovered from my surgery, I feel as if that never truly happened. Things with too much fat or oil make me feel funny at first, and then if I don't watch it, I start to feel sick. So that's why I stick with this sandwich to avoid feeling sick in the parks because that would be the worst. Plus, I really appreciate how light the sandwich is but still packs a ton of protein and carbs so I have energy without feeling bogged down.



I LOVE the chips! Even though they're not really staying about from the too much fat and oil thing, I can handle them since the sandwich itself isn't heavy. I am a huge potato chip fan, but to some degree, I don't really like the thin Lay's ones anymore. I mean, if they're available, you can bet I'll be snacking on a few, but my favorites are the thicker ones with extra crunch like kettle chips. I feel as if they are more substantial so I can be satisfied with the portion they give. I'm glad they went back to these homemade chips instead of the bagged ones they gave out for a while. Though it was nice to throw those in my bag to save for later, I like the taste of the homemade ones better.



Clearly, I am a very happy girl when I have food in my hands! Recently, I posted a picture of Winnie the Pooh on my Instagram account, and I found the perfect quotation by A.A. Milne about eating when I was looking for a caption: “Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.”



Having our Staples order of drinks was the best. I actually tried maybe like, two other Honest Tea flavors, and I'm not that crazy about them. The Half & Half is the best, in my opinion.



Time to people watch! Seeing all these people reminds me of how much I appreciated the cooler temperatures of January.



Michael, the CM in front of CHH, is the best. He really seems to love his job and interacting with guests.



Look at the little Merida! That hair is ridiculously cute on a little girl!



We particularly love CHH because even after we finish eating, we like to sit and relax a bit before we feel that we're ready to get up and go. We do take our bathroom break in there too since it's usually pretty clean. I'm sure all of you Disney fans already know, but the bathroom is all the way as close to the Fantasyland side as possible since there were no indoor bathrooms during colonial times. There are no other bathrooms in Liberty Square, but they had to put them in CHH so that's what they did to keep it as accurate as possible.



When we left, I asked Michael if I could take a picture with him, but he wanted Howard in it too. So he stopped a random group of girls and asked one of them to take this for us!



I brought Howard to the other side of the restaurant and had him stand here and look ...



I had seen it in pictures, but I was excited to see the hidden Oswald in real life! I love these little details, don't you?



Time to move on to our next stop! I was glad that we had all of our FP+ booked ahead of time instead of having to figure things out at the kiosks.



The one good thing about having FP ahead of time meant that we had time to explore and just mosey instead of rushing to grab tickets (though for me, that's the part of the Disney trips I did love because we would get a ton for each day!). Hmm, where to next?​

 

[RachelNinja]

Exploring Fantasyland

Since we had just eaten, we decided to just take a stroll through Fantasyland to enjoy the atmosphere. I am very cautious about what we ride with a full belly. I just don't want to do anything crazy that I'll regret later. Food or drink sloshing in a tummy just isn't pleasant! So as we walked around, we noticed that there was some fanfare going on near the sword in the stone.



VIDEO: Sword in the Stone

I think it might have been the first time I had seen the sword pulled out in real life. In the video above, you can hear my mentioning something about a Mr. Toad's Wild Ride pin. That's because in Virtual Magic Kingdom, you could use the Sword in the Stone pin (if you happened to get one after riding Peter Pan or Alice in Wonderland) to try pulling it out. If you did, you'd get a magic pin! By the way, can I just mention how awesome it is that there is still a way to play VMK?! I didn't know until someone posted about it on one of the Disney photography Facebook groups I'm part of and Howard pointed it out to me! Though we don't go on every day or even every week, I'm still excited that once in a while, we can play a game of Haunted Mansion.

In this photo that Howard took, you can see that the musician second from the left has his music in front of him. When I was in high school, I was part of the marching band. We each had to have little music folders like that for our football games and such. Everyone else was able to attach the music to their instruments, but flautists had to attach it to their arm. Then it ended up being something we barely used because our band director wanted us to memorize the music because it looked more "professional" when we marched in parades, especially the big ones in Manhattan like the Yankees ticker tape parade or the one to celebrate Buzz Aldrin. I have to admit that I was thinking that that guy shouldn't have his music because it kind of messes with the image, but then in the video, you can see the one on the left holds out his hand to hear the clarinet player. Maybe he was completely new to the group!



We popped into a few of the shops to trade pins too, and I saw this shield with pins. There wasn't anything on it that I needed, but I really like seeing different ways that they have pins on display for trading.



Howard enjoyed the light fixtures that we don't see very often because we don't often peek into these stores.



I saw the huge display of Beautifully Disney and took a look at all the different nail polish colors. Of course, at this point in time, I think everyone knows that they're phasing this out.



When I was in Florida just this past April, I saw these products in both Character Warehouse outlet stores. The nail polish colors were only $0.99 each! I was contemplating getting one just because it was Disney-specific, but I have colors very similar to what was offered. A CM in the store was showing me the black and white polka dot top coat and said it was very pretty layered on a different color, but I already have the Maybelline one just like it (I was wearing it as my manicure on this trip).





More FP+ lines! There were so many people there in the mornings. I'm glad it's all available online. Was it always available online for non-Disney resort guests? I know it was for April at 30-days out.



One last shop we popped into before heading to our next destination had these adorable Winnie the Pooh characters! I absolutely die when they make them this cute. I even love that the colors are a bit muted too. I want them all!



Thankfully, I'm pretty good at saying no to souvenirs because we don't have the money or the space. A photograph will just have to do!​

 

[jane2073]

It is good to see you posting again!!
Though I do completely understand about the business of school!! The end is near!!

 

[marDgreen88]

Glad you're back! It's cool that yall are in the habit of eating lunch so early at Disney. It makes so much sense! Not only are you beating the crowds, you're getting away from them (and watching from afar, haha)! That's a great idea.

I feel like a good percentage of Howard's pictures are of stuff I've never even seen before! I think it's so cool that he looks for that stuff to photograph. It makes it a lot more interesting!

 

[Fantasia79]

Caught up! Great report! Teacher here too, May is the worst. THE WORST!

One, wrist bands, they work so well. I luckily haven't used them in about 15 years, but I still pack them.

I was glad to see you successfully had water delivered and explained how you did it. Probably going there on our next trip (package delivery there).

Amazing pictures inside Buzz! I really like the hidden Buzz picture.

Clarinet group at the sword, very cool. I've never seen that before. Making a point to catch that.

Baby! That's cool it's in the conversation. It's pretty amazing when you realize you've gotten to that point. We had our lasts pre-baby trip in February and now she's here. Crazy. Love your names (Luke and Leia). Gotta make that happen.

 

[RachelNinja]

It is good to see you posting again!!
Though I do completely understand about the business of school!! The end is near!!

Thank you! It really feels good to be back and thinking about our last trip. The end really is near! In a month, it'll be the summer for me!

Glad you're back! It's cool that yall are in the habit of eating lunch so early at Disney. It makes so much sense! Not only are you beating the crowds, you're getting away from them (and watching from afar, haha)! That's a great idea.

I feel like a good percentage of Howard's pictures are of stuff I've never even seen before! I think it's so cool that he looks for that stuff to photograph. It makes it a lot more interesting!

I can't even imagine going back to the days of waiting in line for such a long time just to get the food and then having to search for a table! I think that kind of experience would turn off a first timer too.

Thanks! Howard appreciated your comment

Caught up! Great report! Teacher here too, May is the worst. THE WORST!

One, wrist bands, they work so well. I luckily haven't used them in about 15 years, but I still pack them.

I was glad to see you successfully had water delivered and explained how you did it. Probably going there on our next trip (package delivery there).

Amazing pictures inside Buzz! I really like the hidden Buzz picture.

Clarinet group at the sword, very cool. I've never seen that before. Making a point to catch that.

Baby! That's cool it's in the conversation. It's pretty amazing when you realize you've gotten to that point. We had our lasts pre-baby trip in February and now she's here. Crazy. Love your names (Luke and Leia). Gotta make that happen.

Yay! Thanks for joining in! I read the first page of your TR too and love it! I'll definitely catch up soon. I enjoy seeing how fellow teachers deal with the fact that we can't just go at any time of the year, haha.

Package delivery really is the best. I was just telling my colleague about it recently too. It saves so much money, and even when we don't finish all of the bottles, we just throw them in our suitcase to bring home.

I imagine every aspect of life with a baby now, haha. As early (and slightly crazy) as it is, I actually started Googling homeschooling options yesterday!

 

[RachelNinja]

Doing What WE Want

Howard and I were totally in love with the January crowds. Even though more people showed up in the middle of the day, it was definitely not horrible the way Easter week usually is or even that time we decided to go during CHRISTMAS just because we had annual passes. We don't do too well with insane crowds, so even though we were in the parks on Christmas day, we left during the special parade because we just needed to get away. January was proving to be the BEST time to go because it wasn't too cold either. Too bad I'm back to a teacher's schedule now!

Because I was wearing my Buzz Lightyear bow from abowtiqueshop on Etsy, we went to get a picture with him. Oh, and when we say "WITH" him, we mean with Buzz in the background because we're not really the kind of people who do meet and greets.



Since we were in the area, we hopped on the TTA, but we got stopped at the beginning, so Howard got this shot. I like how they put the monitor right there to let everyone know, "Hey, we can see you. Behave yourselves!"



It was odd placing my bag across from me. Normally, I only use a small Lesportsac crossbody bag, so I keep it on me at all times of the day. Having a big ol' backpack was quite a change for me. I don't know why I feel this way, but I sometimes think that my stuff will fly out even on the TTA! It's weird not having it either wrapped around me or at least on my lap. In NYC, I feel that you always have to keep your stuff on you. When I used to take the bus or ferry, if I wanted to close my eyes, I made sure that my bag was still on me, and I wrapped my arms around the bag itself too. I mean, I'm sure that people do that everywhere, but I think there's just something about commuting here that can kind of shady depending on where you are or what time of day it is!



I took a quick video right at the beginning. Touring the parks with just the two of us is so much fun because we get to choose what we want to do. We don't have to worry about the fact that it might seem a little crazy to walk all the way to the Frontierland Trading Post JUST to trade Vinylmation! Of course, now that they've removed Vinylmation trading from the parks (WHY, OH WHY?!?), there will be fewer back and forth treks. I haven't been to our Disney Store yet, so I'm hoping it's still available there. In the past, we used to trade for any of the Pixar characters so that we could specifically trade with the ones in the Pixar-only box. That's why we racked up a few Emiles! But we did trade one of them away as you can see in the video below.

VIDEO: Riding on the TTA



I love pictures like this! I look at all of Howard's pictures and can't wait to go back where we both just take the time to stop and enjoy the photography aspect of a day in the parks.



We popped into one of the stores, and we saw the food magnets that came out around that time. Yes, I know they've been out for a while at this point, haha, but it was completely new to us then, and I hadn't seen it in TRs or pictures beforehand! It caused us to take this entire series of photos, haha, because I felt that each one needed to be showcased! The first was the donut. I am a sucker for donuts! It's not very often that I'll buy one myself; maybe twice a year I'll use a gift card to get a drink from Dunkin Donuts and then use the coupon from a previous visit to get the free donut. But other than that, I can't see spending money on donuts. However, when someone brings a dozen to school and it's left in the teachers' lounge? Um, yes please. I feel that when you're trying to get through a school day, a donut can pick-me-up so I don't even think about how unhealthy it is. Haha, yeah, that's kind of bad, but I kind of have a "if-it's-free-I-might-as-well-eat-it" mentality!



I've never had a Mickey rice krispies treat because my mom makes really good ones. I love the ratio of marshmallow to krispies that she uses because I don't like it when they're too sweet. It's just enough so that it all sticks together.



Mickey pretzel! We've never gotten this either. I really am intrigued by the jalapeno cheese pretzel, but we've never had the opportunity to try it. In college, there was a guy who brought his cart near the edge of campus, and my friend would always get a hot pretzel to snack on, but I'd get a knish. I think that's how I feel when we're finally in the parks. Sure, the pretzel would be good, but there are other things I enjoy more that always take priority.



We've never had Mickey waffles either! The best waffle I've ever had in my life was at some random hotel in Maryland, I believe. It was the first time I used a waffle maker, and that Belgian waffle was kind of life-changing. Beforehand, we've really only had the frozen ones, and my mom would cut them perfectly on the lines for my brother and me when we were kids before putting on the syrup. But trip opened my stomach to the wonders of fresh ones. I don't know that a Mickey waffle will ever beat that experience, but one day I think we'll try it. Oh, does it count that we've had the spicy chicken waffle before? I know some people would probably say no because it wasn't shaped like a Mickey head!



Haha, we kind of can't have ice cream, so that's why Howard is making this face. We're kind of lactose intolerant. We still eat things with cheese, but we both have things that we know will automatically make us sick. If we do risk having things like ice cream, it'll be at home. Actually recently I was in Target and passed by the ice cream section. I actually picked up Breyer's Blasts: Oreo Cookies & Cream Chocolate ice cream, and it was PERFECTION. We both enjoyed a little each time so as not to overdo, and we were okay! But in April when I met my mom after school to get the free cone of soft serve from Carvel, I felt sick after that, so I guess I still have to watch it.



The turkey leg is so small in comparison to the other magnets, haha. The FIRST turkey leg I had was in Animal Kingdom with my parents just a year or two after the park opened. We sat on a ledge and all just took bites out of it. It was deliciously tender and incredibly tasty. The second time we got it as a family, it wasn't as good. That's when we realized that it's hit or miss. My dad still thinks about the turkey leg, but I've definitely moved on from that phase of my life, haha. I just don't feel the need to eat massive quantities of meat. Now that Howard was diagnosed with gout, we avoid turkey too. We'll have a turkey sandwich once in a while, but I don't buy ground turkey for chili anymore.



Lastly, look at that cute churro! Is it the best snack in the park? No, not at all. But do we still get it on rare occasions? Yes! Sometimes it just hits the spot! I think Costco has some pretty gosh darn good churros, haha, so that's why it's not incredibly unique. There was one occasion where we had a churro that was a little TOO crunchy and not as warm, so that was a little disappointing considering it's a snack that disappears sometimes faster than the time it took to wait on line to get it! I hear that there are different flavors in Disneyland though, so that's enticing to me!



After the fake food fotography (haha, yes, I know it's photography ...), I just picked a random one up and took a picture with it myself! You know, to prove that I was there on this vacation too, haha.



Moving on!​

 

[RachelNinja]

Hub Friends

Howard wanted to get some photos of the statues in the hub, so we made our way to the center of it all. We don't really spend much time there because of how crowded it can get and the fact that there's no shade, but January weather made that much more enjoyable. I'm glad the hub is completely changed now and even still under construction because it felt a lot more open when I was there in April.



Now that I've actually used the DSLR before and know what aperture is, I'm interested in seeing what kind of photos I will get when he and I take our time to take pictures. I look forward to going somewhere, taking pictures, and then comparing them when we get home. Even though it's technically the same object or scene, we see things differently. I know that as a whole his photos are going to be a lot better than mine, but I get excited when there are a handful of mine that surprise him too! He's the best teacher because sometimes he tries explaining things to me, and I have to say, "Um, can you give me like, the kid version explanation of that?"



This is entirely random, but Howard and I have already talked about how much I really want to homeschool our future kiddos. When he was teaching me about aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, I realized how it made sense to me if I thought about the eye and how it works. It was amazing to link the two together, and I got excited about how that would be part of the science lesson and Howard could teach them about photography things too! We know we want to buy them the digital cameras for kids so they can take pictures when we do. I can imagine going home after a Disney vacation and putting together scrapbooks (by hand or digitally) with all our pictures combined!



I just asked Howard, "Why do you like Dumbo so much?" He said, "Why do I like Dumbo so much? Because it's such a good story. It's so sad." Then he added, "It's sad, and he gets made fun of. But then he makes a friend. I don't know how else to explain it."



Though I had my digital camera with me during this trip, once in a while I'd pull out my iPhone because that took really good pictures too! Plus, I could easily post them on Instagram right away. Don't mind my look of concentration, haha.



I took three versions of this at slightly different angles and just asked Howard which one was best to post. In the past, I used to take one picture and be done with it and walk away. Howard's photography habits have started to rub off on me. I know that it's nice to have options.



Carrying the DSLR all day in April was quite a change though along with my new camera messenger bag. And to think that I was contemplating bringing another lens with me too! No way! That will only make sense when Howard is with me too because at least we can both get use out of the lenses. At Magic Kingdom, my mom offered to help me carry some things, but I felt bad about that.









I stuck my face in the middle of one of Howard's photos of Goofy. Even though I don't have any clue as to how to properly apply makeup and honestly don't have the patience for it, I really enjoy seeing how some of my DIS friends can Disneybound with makeup like Danielle (IheartDDuck) does. I just appreciate a nice eyeliner that stays in place all day long! I used to use charcoal gray so it wasn't as dark, but now I like using black. I use whatever is on sale that I have purchased and stocked up on in the past, but for days when I am out all day long, I swear by the Jordana 12 HR Made To Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil. It's not really a liquid liner, I don't think, but this pencil is so easy to apply and lasts all day long for me with smudging on the outer corners of my eyes.



And after my little random tidbit of my choice in eyeliner for this trip, I'll post this picture of Goofy's belly that I snapped on my phone.







I tried to get a good picture of the ring on Walt's finger. I kind of remember reading somewhere that there's a hidden Mickey on it. Is that true?



Look at how Mickey puts his hand on his hip to make his arm look thinner in this picture.



The last picture in the hub area is this hoodie. It's so common to find random things like this scattered throughout the parks. I always think about the family who suddenly realizes that something is missing and wonder if they will be reunited with it later on!

​

 

[Fantasia79]

Oh my. We did a New Years trip with my band, worst
experience at Disney ever.

Food in the teachers lounge. It could be old pizza crusts and people would still eat it. A doughnut? You better believe.

THANK YOU for reading some of my TR! It didn't get much foot traffic, maybe lame title?

Photo quality above is exceptional.

 

[RachelNinja]

Oh my. We did a New Years trip with my band, worst
experience at Disney ever.

Food in the teachers lounge. It could be old pizza crusts and people would still eat it. A doughnut? You better believe.

THANK YOU for reading some of my TR! It didn't get much foot traffic, maybe lame title?

Photo quality above is exceptional.

I used to think that a Disney trip during the busiest holidays was better than no trip at all. Now I actually see how it's better to actually have no trip at all! Since we have to pay for our flights, tickets, and hotel room, it just feels as if we're throwing money away! It was okay during that Christmas because we had our annual passes, but we will never do that again. Unfortunately, I also got a really bad cold near the end of that trip too, so we basically paid for a room so that I could have soup in bed. That's when I realized also that I don't agree with the people who say, "I'd rather be sick in Disney!" Haha, I don't want to PAY to be sick in Disney World! I attempted to power through and go to the parks, but it didn't work. I was already too exhausted from everything leading up to Christmas break, so being hit with a cold was way too much! I can't even imagine if we had stayed until NYE!

Hahahaha, isn't that right? Of course, nowadays there are so many of my fellow teachers who are not eating carbs or are on diet programs, and I'm sitting there enjoying a free donut before I dig into my leftover pasta from the night before!

Trip reports can be hit or miss sometimes unfortunately. I know that in the long run, I want to have the memories of my trip recorded so I can reread them. That makes it okay by me if no one really comments. Or I get excited when I have a handful of faithful readers even when I haven't updated in ages!

Howard appreciates your comment because I only took 4 of those pictures, haha.

 

[RachelNinja]

Dole Whip Vs. Citrus Swirl

Having an early lunch means that there's time to have a snack not to long after! We headed to Adventureland, and I caught a quick glimpse of Aladdin and Jasmine walking to their meet and greet spot. I was wondering if I'd be able to recognize Jasmine, but later on, I saw that I couldn't. If I did, I would've definitely hopped in line!



With no need to stop for some character interaction, we went to get my treat. Unfortunately, with my strange and sudden allergy to pineapple, I couldn't risk getting my all-time favorite snack. I had to walk by Aloha Isle with the saddest face ever. I always think that I'll just deal with it, but if just smelling ripe pineapple makes my throat feel a little itchy and tight, having even just a small taste when I'm at Disney World and have the rest of the day ahead of me could be a horrible mistake.



Instead of stopping at my favorite spot, I went to Sunshine Tree Terrace instead. I know it's all changed now in terms of what snack is sold where, but at the time of our trip, it was all focused on Orange Bird! By the way, do you see the construction going on behind it? It's funny how easy it is to not see these things unless you purposely look up and look around.



I actually really love Orange Bird. My mom used to have a plastic figurine on the top of a shelf against the wall next to our kitchen phone. He sat at the top there for my entire childhood. That's probably why I enjoyed collecting a bunch of the Orange Bird pins.



Look at him looking down at all his fans!



My treat was the Citrus Swirl.



I was excited to try this because I used to get an orange "bing" (icee/slushie) in the middle of the summer at a Chinese restaurant across the street from our home church. It was basically just Tropicana orange juice in a drinkable iced form. It was so refreshing. I love orange and citrus flavors, so I had such high hopes. Even though I'm slightly lactose intolerant, I figured I'd be okay with the vanilla soft serve part of it too.



Howard stuck with the Dole Whip even though he didn't want to at first. I told him that he shouldn't feel bad and avoid it just because I can't have it!



Now that I've actually tried both, I could make a final decision on which is the better snack. In my opinion, the Citrus Swirl doesn't even come close! Let me preface this by saying that I'm not the biggest fan of ice cream in the first place unless it's chocolate. The vanilla soft serve in this treat was really sweet to me. It was actually a little TOO sweet. I would've preferred more of the orange slushie swirled in because if I'm having something that has "citrus" in the name, I want that to be the dominant flavor.



I don't know if it always looks like this or if it just happened to my serving, but there's just too much white in this picture! I know there are some people who don't like the Dole Whip because it's too tart and prefer having the pineapple soft serve swirled with vanilla, but to me, that defeats the whole purpose. I really prefer that pineapple flavor, so to have this and not have every bite taste like orange was disappointing.



VIDEO: Dole Whip vs. Citrus Swirl

I kept trying and trying to finish it, but I couldn't. I was picking around the soft serve to get spoonfuls of the orange, but I just didn't like it. I absolutely detest wasting food, but at this point, it was almost as if I were forcing it down. Once I started getting sick (I have reflux, Barrrett's Esophagus, and no more gallbladder), I have learned that sometimes it makes more sense to throw something away instead of making myself ill. If it were something I could save, I would've packed it away and eaten it an hour later, but obviously it couldn't be done with this. I have to say I felt a tiny bit better knowing that we used a gift card to pay for it. In the video, we mention Will, who was Howard's best man at our wedding.



I can't remember why we took a picture of this particular stroller since we had a whole conversation about the stroller closer to us in the video below, haha.



VIDEO: Popcorn Buckets on Strollers

Alas, this was the best I could do. It's not that I would deter people from trying it, but I wouldn't recommend it as a good replacement for the Dole Whip. They really are in two separate classes, in my opinion.



Howard did me the favor of throwing it away because when I noticed we had our Little Mermaid FP coming up soon, I took it with me thinking I'd finish it. But I gave up. It beat me. I will never go up against a Citrus Swirl again.

VIDEO: Walking Through Liberty Square

So do you have a preference? Have you tried both of these snacks? What other snacks do you like to get at Magic Kingdom?​

 

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

Great updates!

I may have said this before, but I love the Buzz Lightyear bow. Too cute!!

I like the Dole Whip. I have never tried the Citrus Swirl. I may have to make sure I do so I can come back and report! But I much prefer my treats to be chocolate. Otherwise they don't seem worth the calories to me!

 

[marDgreen88]

Okay, I'm SO confused because I swear I commented on your last update but it's not there? So apparently I didn't, but now I can't remember what I said (or meant to say). My apologies. Anyways, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the Citrus Swirl that much. It stinks that the treat you do enjoy is the one you can't have!

I love watching the videos you post. It feels like I'm right there with ya!

 

[MEK]

Welcome back to the DIS. Wow - multiple posts! I have some catching up to do, but enjoyed reading about your CHH lunch. I love that restaurant and I really love that view. It's great for people watching. Yummy food and a great view - what's not to love?

I'll be back to finish catching up soon!

 

[RachelNinja]

Great updates!

I may have said this before, but I love the Buzz Lightyear bow. Too cute!!

I like the Dole Whip. I have never tried the Citrus Swirl. I may have to make sure I do so I can come back and report! But I much prefer my treats to be chocolate. Otherwise they don't seem worth the calories to me!

Isn't it fantastic? I know there are so many bow makers out there now, so I'm not entirely sure how I stumbled upon abowtiqueshop. I contemplated making my own, but I don't think I'm creative in that way. I prefer papercrafting!

Yeah, it's definitely something that you should try to compare! I really do enjoy getting a chance to taste what everyone else likes to see if I like it too. I agree with you about chocolate though! The few times I have ice cream, it has to be chocolate otherwise it's just not worth it!

Okay, I'm SO confused because I swear I commented on your last update but it's not there? So apparently I didn't, but now I can't remember what I said (or meant to say). My apologies. Anyways, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the Citrus Swirl that much. It stinks that the treat you do enjoy is the one you can't have!

I love watching the videos you post. It feels like I'm right there with ya!

That's okay! I'm happy you're still here reading especially after I took such a long break! I still crave all things pineapple, but I guess after having had a reaction more than once, it's "easier" for me to stay away.

I always think my videos are a little bit awkward, haha, but sometimes they capture the moment better than just pictures.

Welcome back to the DIS. Wow - multiple posts! I have some catching up to do, but enjoyed reading about your CHH lunch. I love that restaurant and I really love that view. It's great for people watching. Yummy food and a great view - what's not to love?

I'll be back to finish catching up soon!

Thanks! If I lived near Disney, I'd probably go just to have lunch at CHH and try the other items. I feel that some of their options are a little heavier than others, and I don't want to try them on warmer days when we're about to go on some more rides! I definitely would love to enjoy the food and atmosphere and then just take pictures and then leave or something like that.

 

[RachelNinja]

Hello, Wendy Bird!

When I was little, I remember seeing more characters out and about in the parks and not really having to wait on long lines. We have photos with characters with tons of other kids standing nearby waiting for their turn as parents would watch and let them know when to step toward the character. I know the lines maintained by CMs are definitely much needed nowadays, but the possibility of running into a character is not as high since everything seems so scheduled and perfectly timed. Now that the systems is in place though, it makes random encounters like this so much fun! I really like when the characters have to walk through the crowds to head to or from their designated spot. It's just completely random to see Wendy walking around Fantasyland! How adorable is she that she waved at Howard's camera?



I have to say I think it's really fun seeing pictures on Instagram of girls who are friends with these Disney characters. It's so easy for me to not even be able to recognize them because when they are in the parks, all I can see are the characters.



As we were heading towards New Fantasyland, there was a bit of chaos with the birds flying around! I got some of it on video, which you can see below. Someone dropped french fries, and those birds were on a mission! I know it has happened in Frontierland before because that's usually where I watch for them, but it was a new experience to have to duck and dart through the people here.

VIDEO: French Fries and the Tremaines

When I was a kid, I never dressed up as a character for any reason because my mom didn't like Halloween. We never went trick-or-treating; my dad also worked for Topps so we had plenty of Ring Pops and Push Pops at home. We also didn't have dress up clothes either, so I have to admit I sometimes look at these little kids wearing adorable outfits with a little bit of envy, haha. Of course, I don't think I'd be the kind of mom who makes outfits for my kids because I don't sew, but I really like the idea of little kids Disneybounding with t-shirts and shorts in certain colors or patterns!



I just love how adults and kids alike have different ways to enjoy WDW!​