1200 pics, 1100 miles, 15 deluxe dining meals, 1 great time at POR *Completed 9/5*

[alan_renfroe]

We took the bus from Magic Kingdom back to POR, changed clothes, and drove to Blizzard Beach. We had the water parks package with our tickets, so admission was included. We got there about 2:45pm on Wednesday, June 4th. It was a hot day....perfect for an afternoon at a water park! We had hoped to go earlier in our trip, but afternoon showers kept us away.









We found a couple of chairs to call our 'home base' then got in the wave pool for a bit...







I love this place! So much to do! I always tell myself that at some point on a Disney World vacation, I really need to keep a full day open just for a water park. It would be neat to come early and maybe even rent a cabana area and just chill (pardon the pun) all day long!

DS, DD, and I got in the lazy river while DW relaxed in a chair. After we made one complete lap all the way around the lazy river, she joined us and all four of us made another lap around.

We found a MemoryMaker photographer, so we got some family shots!





and I had some fun with Disney's back drops with some of the pictures.







(I figured "Frozen" would be appropriate for a picture at a place called Blizzard Beach!)

After that, we left the park and drove back to POR. We got ready for dinner and drove to Disney's Beach Club Resort for our dinner reservations at Cape May Cafe. This was the first time we had ever been to Cape May OR Beach Club. It's a beautiful resort!









We arrived a few minutes before our reservation and looked around the resort a bit.








Coming up next: Clam Bake dinner at Cape May Cafe

 

[PrncessA]

I love the impromptu Blizard Beach day! I think it would be fun to spend a day at one of the WDW water parks, but we have never made it to one. We spend at least 3-4 weekends in the Wisconsin Dells a year (in fact we leave Sunday to stay for 3 days), which they claim is the waterpark capital of the world, so I don't want to waste any of our "Disney" time at waterparks. Then I see how themed and fun they are and wish we did go.... oh the choices!

Can't wait to hear how Cape May dinner is! We had the Cape May breakfast and it was yummy!

 

[annie170]

With the deluxe dining plan, it shouldn't make any difference if the restaurant is quick service or table service to get your appetizer. That's just crazy!

The Disney water parks are so much fun! We haven't been to one in serveral visits because there never seems to be enough time.

Looking forward to reading about your experience with Cape May.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

OMG the Space photo. I know I shouldn't laugh (but you included it for a reason... right?) but those looks are priceless.
I know the ride hasn't even started yet, which makes it even funnier. What have we done?????

How fun to run into some folks from home.

Ahhh Blizzard Beach. I can honestly say that I've seen the parking lot/bus stop and that's about it. I do love hearing about it though. So cool that they even have photographers.

 

[alan_renfroe]

I love the impromptu Blizard Beach day! I think it would be fun to spend a day at one of the WDW water parks, but we have never made it to one. We spend at least 3-4 weekends in the Wisconsin Dells a year (in fact we leave Sunday to stay for 3 days), which they claim is the waterpark capital of the world, so I don't want to waste any of our "Disney" time at waterparks. Then I see how themed and fun they are and wish we did go.... oh the choices!

Can't wait to hear how Cape May dinner is! We had the Cape May breakfast and it was yummy!

Hi Sara! I haven't commented on your TR lately, but I think I'm up to date....I made it to the part where Ethan was having a meltdown. Unfortunately that happens quite often...even with kids who don't have ADHD. It's just such a sensory overload, and if you are like us you're not used to spending 24/7 with each other in a small place.

You make a great point. We really don't have a good water park nearby. (There's one in Atlanta about 2 hours away.) We are thinking on our next trip of doing the parkhopper instead of water parks and more, since they are the same price. We loved our late nights at MK so much I think we may do other parks in the day and end up at MK or Epcot at nights. Also, I've always wanted to go to Wet N' Wild. We may take that approach next time. You're so right about all the choices! It's just about impossible to fit in everything you want to do at Disney World!

Clam Bake at Cape May coming up next!

With the deluxe dining plan, it shouldn't make any difference if the restaurant is quick service or table service to get your appetizer. That's just crazy!

The Disney water parks are so much fun! We haven't been to one in serveral visits because there never seems to be enough time.

Looking forward to reading about your experience with Cape May.

That's exactly what I thought! I tried to argue that point, but was told that none of the QS restaurants serve "appetizers" with the dining plan...even deluxe. Oh well, it only cost us snack credits. I wasn't too broken up over it.

You're right about not having enough time. We really didn't get our money's worth for the water parks and more on this trip. DW and I went to Typhoon Lagoon for a couple of hours one morning, and all of us went to Blizzard Beach for a couple of hours on this day...and that was it. Just not enough time to do everything.

Cape May is on the way!

OMG the Space photo. I know I shouldn't laugh (but you included it for a reason... right?) but those looks are priceless.
I know the ride hasn't even started yet, which makes it even funnier. What have we done?????

How fun to run into some folks from home.

Ahhh Blizzard Beach. I can honestly say that I've seen the parking lot/bus stop and that's about it. I do love hearing about it though. So cool that they even have photographers.

Hi Rob! Were those Space Mt pics not absolutely hilarious!!! Could ya tell it was their first time to ride? Of course DS and I may have built it up to be a little scarier than it actually is! But that picture is a keeper!

It was great to see our hometown friends and now we will have pictures to mark the occasion forever!

Both Blizzard Beach AND Typhoon Lagoon are absolutely great parks! If there is ever an occasion for us to have a longer trip, I would love to spend a day at each place. I love thrill rides and Crush N Gusher at TL is one of my favorite rides at Disney World! That being said, we will most likely trade water parks option for park hopper option on our next trip.

You gotta love having a MemoryMaker photographer IN THE LAZY RIVER! Hey, I want THAT job! Q: "What do you want to do when you grow up?" A: "I want to be the photographer in the lazy river at Blizzard Beach!"

 

[alan_renfroe]

We arrived and checked in at Cape May Cafe at 7:15pm twenty minutes early for our 7:35pm reservations on Wednesday, June 4. We were given a beeper and just looked around at this beautiful resort.









The restaurant was really busy! We were seated at about 7:30. Our server was Oskar and he did an okay job. Of course all he really had to do was bring our drinks since this was a buffet.

So, we place our drink orders with Oskar and proceeded to the buffet lines!



















We primarily chose to eat here because DS LOVES crab legs! That kid can eat his weight in crab legs and he's loved them since he was a little boy! What amazes me is how he can get ALL of the meat out of them almost every single time. That takes skill!

Anyway, everything was good. I mostly ate just crab legs and salad. The salad was really good.



I think I would've appreciated it more if we hadn't had three straight nights of signature dining (Narcoossee's, Flying Fish, California Grill). That being said, it was really good and the whole family enjoyed it.

Now....to me....the best part of this meal was the desserts!











These were amazing! I liked that they were small so you could sample different bites. We certainly didn't leave here hungry!

Overall, I'd probably say that Cape May is the best buffet I've had at Disney. I'm just not much of a buffet person I guess. We didn't know it at the time, but this would be end up being our last dinner at Disney World for this trip.

Coming up next: DD and I decide to go back to the Magic Kingdom for a late night!

 

[maryj11]

I really like the new fantasyland and SDMT
We ate at BOG for lunch May 28th which was the Wednesday before you were there and almost the same time, our reservation was 11:40. I also had the braised pork and I thought it was delicious
Oh and the Cape May food looks so good. Cape May is on my to do list.

 

[mickeystoontown]

We ate lunch at Be Our Guest too and we really enjoyed it. I agree that the restaurant is beautiful and definitely a step above most restaurants. Oh and when we got there, our orders weren't in the system either. Guess that happens quite frequently.

It looks like ya'll had a nice afternoon at Blizzard Beach. Had you been there before? We had been to Typhoon Lagoon a couple of times but this was our first time at Blizzard Beach and I think that I liked it more.

I'm so happy that you posted pictures at Cape May because it's been on our radar for a while now. However, it never makes the cut.

 

[themommy]

I guess I got a little behind. Reading the thread that is...I do not have a little behind and just got a kick out of typing that! Anyway, I guess I got volunteered to be the picture taker for the teacup texting challenge. This ought to be good!

Isn't Be Our Guest beautiful. I ate the Pork as well and absolutely fell in love with it. Yummy! DS got the ham and cheese sandwich and I thought it was awful and he loved it. Guess it's all in the taste buds. We ate dinner there once also and I got the FO soup. It is divine! If you ever go for dinner, the puffed pastry with the scallops and shrimp and the steak are both great.

I have never been to a water park at Disney. I am not a water park kinda girl but, it looks very nice though. I was shocked that they had a photographer there. That's very cool.

Cape May looked awesome. I have never eaten there. The asparagus picture reeled me in. Then the deserts made it a totally wonderful looking place! Maybe one day I will get to eat there. Glad ya'll enjoyed it!

 

[DaisyDuck001]

I guess I got a little behind. Reading the thread that is...I do not have a little behind and just got a kick out of typing that! !

LOL!


Alan, when you went to Blizzard Beach, did you leave your phone in a locker to keep it dry, or is there some other way to keep your phone safe/dry there?

It looks like the MagicBands are waterproof? Also speaking of MagicBands, I was reading how they sell covers for them at the parks. Are lots of character pictures available as the covers, or mostly just Mickey and Minnie? How about holiday themes like Halloween and Christmas?

 

[maryj11]

We ate lunch at Be Our Guest too and we really enjoyed it. I agree that the restaurant is beautiful and definitely a step above most restaurants. Oh and when we got there, our orders weren't in the system either. Guess that happens quite frequently.

It looks like ya'll had a nice afternoon at Blizzard Beach. Had you been there before? We had been to Typhoon Lagoon a couple of times but this was our first time at Blizzard Beach and I think that I liked it more.

I'm so happy that you posted pictures at Cape May because it's been on our radar for a while now. However, it never makes the cut.

We had the same problem. Outside at check in our reservation was there but inside we had to reorder everything.

 

[alan_renfroe]

I really like the new fantasyland and SDMT
We ate at BOG for lunch May 28th which was the Wednesday before you were there and almost the same time, our reservation was 11:40. I also had the braised pork and I thought it was delicious
Oh and the Cape May food looks so good. Cape May is on my to do list.

Yeah we loved it too! The New Fantasyland has really elevated the Magic Kingdom for me. I think it has had its intended effect for sure. And being able to ride a 'coaster' in that part of the park is like a treat in itself! We really liked BOG also and that braised pork WAS delish!

Cape May was really good also, but I suppose anything would've been a bit of a let down after Narcoossee's, Flying Fish, and California Grill back-to-back-to back! They were amazing!

We ate lunch at Be Our Guest too and we really enjoyed it. I agree that the restaurant is beautiful and definitely a step above most restaurants. Oh and when we got there, our orders weren't in the system either. Guess that happens quite frequently.

It looks like ya'll had a nice afternoon at Blizzard Beach. Had you been there before? We had been to Typhoon Lagoon a couple of times but this was our first time at Blizzard Beach and I think that I liked it more.

I'm so happy that you posted pictures at Cape May because it's been on our radar for a while now. However, it never makes the cut.

Hi Lisa! I think that ever since they started the BOG FP+ for lunch, they haven't ironed out their system yet. I don't think I've talked to anyone that had their pre-order in the system. Guess they've still got some growing pains.

Blizzard Beach was SO much fun! DS and I went there in 2008 and the whole family went in 2009. The rest of the family likes Blizzard Beach better than Typhoon Lagoon, but I'm undecided....I love them both! BLizzard Beach has better slides and more things to do, but Typhoon Lagoon has Crush N' Gusher and I LOVE that ride!

Cape May was really good, but of course it is a buffet. Everything was good there, but the desserts were stand-outs!

I guess I got a little behind. Reading the thread that is...I do not have a little behind and just got a kick out of typing that! Anyway, I guess I got volunteered to be the picture taker for the teacup texting challenge. This ought to be good!

Isn't Be Our Guest beautiful. I ate the Pork as well and absolutely fell in love with it. Yummy! DS got the ham and cheese sandwich and I thought it was awful and he loved it. Guess it's all in the taste buds. We ate dinner there once also and I got the FO soup. It is divine! If you ever go for dinner, the puffed pastry with the scallops and shrimp and the steak are both great.

I have never been to a water park at Disney. I am not a water park kinda girl but, it looks very nice though. I was shocked that they had a photographer there. That's very cool.

Cape May looked awesome. I have never eaten there. The asparagus picture reeled me in. Then the deserts made it a totally wonderful looking place! Maybe one day I will get to eat there. Glad ya'll enjoyed it!

LOL! That cracks me up! I'm going to have to remember that one next time I get "a little behind!" LOL!

Oh I cannot WAIT to see the pictures of the "texting while teacupping" challenge! That's gonna go viral and become "a thing!"

I totally agree about BOG. The pork was fantastic. The sandwiches seemed a bit lackluster, especially DS's turkey sandwich. As with most places, I guess it's what you order. I know I loved my Tuna Nicoise Salad. I would definitely order that again. Oh, and that's so funny that you mentioned the shrimp and scallop dish at dinner...I was looking at the BOG dinner menu online this week and when I saw that dish I immediately thought, "Mmmm, that's what I would order right there!"

The two Disney water parks are SO much fun! But as a previous poster said, most folks can visit a nice water park near their homes. We probably won't go back on our next trip, but I definitely hope to go back again in the future. I think I would definitely go, but I wouldn't do the water parks package. You can go for a single day cheaper than the package....so in order to be worth it you need to go to a water park twice during your stay, which we did. But weather is always a factor also. I thought that was a cool job being a photographer in the lazy river!

That asparagus and those cheeses were really good at Cape May. I forgot that i had a bite or two of those!

LOL!


Alan, when you went to Blizzard Beach, did you leave your phone in a locker to keep it dry, or is there some other way to keep your phone safe/dry there?

It looks like the MagicBands are waterproof? Also speaking of MagicBands, I was reading how they sell covers for them at the parks. Are lots of character pictures available as the covers, or mostly just Mickey and Minnie? How about holiday themes like Halloween and Christmas?

I took a really small cooler into Blizzard Beach with us just to keep my glasses, phone, van keys, etc. and kept the cooler on my chair and didn't rent a locker. I knew we wouldn't be there but for a couple of hours, so I didn't think renting a locker would be worth it.

Yes, MagicBands are DEFINITELY water proof! You can shower with them, get in the pool, hot tub, go to water parks, get soaked on Splash Mt, etc. We loved them! They were so convenient! And yes there were shops everywhere selling bling for MagicBands. I can't remember what all they offered but it seemed to be the hot thing this year.

We had the same problem. Outside at check in our reservation was there but inside we had to reorder everything.

Yep that's exactly the way it happened for us. We felt privileged to be able to walk past that entire line, but once we got to place our orders the privilege stopped. No pre-order in the system, no free appetizer because we were on the deluxe dining plan, etc. But it was still awesome!

 

[Amy&Dan]

On a hot afternoon there is nothing more fun than escaping to a waterpark!

I am now rethinking our decision NOT to do BOG! A bowl of cheese may be calling my name....

 

[alan_renfroe]

On a hot afternoon there is nothing more fun than escaping to a waterpark!

I am now rethinking our decision NOT to do BOG! A bowl of cheese may be calling my name....

SO true! Maybe it says something about my personality, but you can't beat floating around a beautifully themed park in the lazy river!

BOG is a must! And who can say no to a big bowl of hot cheesy goodness?

 

[DaisyDuck001]

I took a really small cooler into Blizzard Beach with us just to keep my glasses, phone, van keys, etc. and kept the cooler on my chair and didn't rent a locker. I knew we wouldn't be there but for a couple of hours, so I didn't think renting a locker would be worth it.

It's great that the small cooler with your stuff was still there when you got back from the lazy river and the other rides/slides. I wouldn't have felt comfortable just leaving my things out there.

 

[alan_renfroe]

It's great that the small cooler with your stuff was still there when you got back from the lazy river and the other rides/slides. I wouldn't have felt comfortable just leaving my things out there.

That's one of the reasons why DW didn't join us on our first trip around the lazy river. She wanted to establish our 'spot' and watch out for the cooler. We didn't leave it unattended for very long at all.

 

[alan_renfroe]

After a great dinner at Cape May Cafe, we drove back to POR. DW and DS were ready to call it a day, but DD and I decided to go back to the Magic Kingdom one last time! This was our last night at Disney World and we wanted to make the best of it!

It was around 9:00pm when DD and I went to the East terminal at Port Orleans Resort. First we saw an Epcot bus. Then a Hollywood Studios bus. Then Downtown Disney. Then Animal Kingdom. (I thought that was a late bus for Animal Kingdom?!?!) Then Epcot again. Then HS again. You get the point. We had no problem with the bus service all week long, but we had been waiting for 25 minutes or so at this point for a Magic Kingdom bus. We were the only people at the bus stop and finally one of the drivers asked me what bus we were waiting on. I told him Magic Kingdom and he said the very next bus after him would be for MK. It was! So, finally, we arrived at the Magic Kingdom for the final time on this trip. As the bus made the left turn into the bus terminal, that magical music began to play. It was bitter-sweet as we knew this would be the last time we would hear it until next time.

The park was open until midnight, so we still had time to do plenty.



We went straight to Fantasyland. The wait time for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was STILL at 90 minutes! The good news was that it seemed like everyone was in that line! So we took advantage! The wait for the Many Adventure of Winnie the Pooh was only 10 minutes so we rode.

Next we rode Peter Pan's flight:









I love this ride! I think it is my favorite 'dark' ride at Disneyworld!



Since we didn't have time earlier in the day to see Mickey's Philharmagic, we did that next. There was no wait at all!





Then we made our way over to Tomorrowland:





There was only a 10 minute wait for Buzz, so we rode!



It was starting to get late and we knew we didn't have much time left. One of the things I promised myself that I wanted to do on this trip was Carousel of Progress. I remember going on this attraction when my parents brought me to Disney World in the 70s....and I have not been on it since. I thought it would be neat for DD and I to have that experience together. She graciously agreed...and I think she was surprised that she actually liked it!







Alas, it was time to call it a day. MK would be closing soon, so we headed back to the bus terminal.





It had been another awesome day! We all enjoyed the Magic Kingdom from rope drop until after a great lunch at Be Our Guest, then we had fun at Blizzard Beach in the afternoon, and a great meal at Cape May. And the day ended with DD and I enjoying a few more attractions and getting in some father/daughter time.

This would be our last night at Port Orleans Resort. We would be checking out tomorrow, but we still had a full day of fun left before leaving Disney World!

Coming up next: checking out and going to Downtown Disney, and later we return to Hollywood Studios one last time!

 

[JoeyEmmaMomma]

Yay for late night MK fun!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Alan, I don't know what it is, but on the last several trips I've taken actually with people (I've been solo the last 2), I run into the exact same thing. The last night and nobody wants to go to the parks. Heresy!! Not this guy though. No way, I'm closing the parks down on my last night. So kudos to you and DD for doing the right thing!!!

Yes, Peter Pan is THE Disney dark ride. So old and outdated and PERFECT!

 

[annie170]

Your meal at Cape May looked delish. Did I hear correctly that they are removing the clams from the menu? That wouldn't bother me, my husband likes that place mainly for the seafood.

That's great that you were able to spend some one on one time with your daughter. You can sleep at home, close the park!