8 Nites Of Practically Perfect Pop!!! NEW PICTURES, PAGE 13!!!

[Disneysnel]

I am loving your trip report! You 2 are so similar to us - we are going the exact same time next year, 4/22-5/5. We are celebrating our 15th anniversary which is actually in August of this year. Are children our grown so they will not be with us (no grandkids yet ). We also always promise ourselves a day at Universal and I am dying to know if you went or not!
We were planning on staying at Port Orleans Riverside and Wilderness Lodge but after living vicariously thru you , and seeing how much time you actually spent at your hotel, I wonder if maybe POP would be a better choice and it would save us tons of $$$$.
Going to price things out now - thank so much for sharing your wonderful trip (oops I mean practically perfect!)and I love the pics!
Kelley

 

[DonnaW]

Thx again for the nice comments...I need to add my own thx to Mark for posting the pictures. Thank you, Mark!

And to answer a few questions...

Yep, I wrote in my PassPorter every day during the trip. Not like the great American novel or anything, but just some little comments about what we had experienced the day before. I would usually fill up my mug at the food court in the morning and go and sit on a bench by the lake and write! Mark told me he wishes he would have filled out a PassPorter, but said he'll just use my trip report instead!

We brought a "white noise" machine, that we bought at the Sharper Image just before the trip. I'm kind of a light sleeper, and I had read a lot of posts that the walls are somewhat thin at POP, so what a "white noise" machine does is kind of play...ssszzzsssszzzhsszzssss...! There are also other noises it will do, but I'm kind of partial to that soft hissing sound. The one we bought is also a clock/radio and even has the temperature on it. (We just have to remember to *bring* the darn thing...we stayed in a hotel this weekend, and the "white noise" machine stayed home, ummmm..not good!)

Hoping to update the trip report soon...stay tuned!!!

 

[DonnaW]

MJKMOM....you asked how long it took us to get from POP to the Grand Floridian. If you take Disney Transport, you would need to go to the Magic Kingdom and then take the ferry or monorail over there, and that could take awhile, depending on buses, boats, etc. We took our own car, and honestly, it's not really that far. You go out on one road, turn on another, turn once more and you're pretty much there. I was dropped off at the entrance (like the princess I am ), and it did seem to take Mark a really, really long time to park, so you need to allow a bit of extra time for that. Driving, I would say allow about half an hour or so. Hope that helps!

TRIP REPORT COMING ATTRACTIONS: Did we *finally* go to Universal??? The Spirit of Aloha (Polynesian Luau) dinner show!

 

[DonnaW]

Friday, May 5

Okay, so you know how when you work, and the calendar says it's Friday and you're like, oh, thank God, it's Friday, and TGIF and all that stuff??? Well, when you're on vacation, especially a vacation you're LOVING as much as we were LOVING our practically perfect Disney World vacation, and the calendar says it's Friday, you go...oh, NO! It just can't be Friday yet!!!! I can't believe it's Friday!!!! CBIF!!!!!

But, alas, even though my thoughts were CBIF, yes, indeed, it really was Friday. Again, I needed to remind myself to live in the moment and shake off the "it's almost over" feeling and get on and "enjoy the moment" !!!!

The night before, we had really enjoyed strolling along the Boardwalk and really, really liked the Atlantic Dance Hall. (Has it been there for a long time? That was a "whole new world" for us!)

So even though we had stayed out late partying the night before (well, for us late is like, I dunno, about 11! ), we still woke up early as usual (well, after we turned off the white noise) and did the traditional take-it-easy-we-love-to-just-hang-around-the-resort-thing that we did just about every Disney morning. We looked at the pictures from it's *already* Thursday and had the "my pictures are better than your pictures contest".

Then it was time for the Universal Studios discussion. You know, we CBIF and all and we still haven't gone to Universal. But, we still haven't done everything we want to do at the Disney parks, and we still have tickets, and we still have free, yes, free!! transportation, not to mention free!!!parking at the Disney parks...and well, we didn't go to Universal Studios on Friday, either.

I looked at my trusty weather channel and saw that it was gonna be hot. Really hot. (I think, actually, some temp records were broken). But, that's okay, we're in Florida, we're on vacation, we're at Disney World...just fill up the ol' water bottle and let's get crackin'!!!

We actually decided to go to Epcot. Well, apparently, so did a whole lot of school kids on a field trip. A whole, whole, lot of kids. Maybe about half the population of Orlando! Remember our ever-so-perky tour guide, Rae, from the Keys to the Kingdom tour?? She had told us that when lines look longish, always try to go to the line on the left...it would usually be less crowded. We headed over to the line on the far, far, far, far, far LEFT from where half the population of Orlando was lining up, and we waltzed right on in to Epcot!!! Wow, what a concept, gotta remember that one!!!

Remember that ever-so-kind cast member that drew me the map of how to find Minnie's Magnificent Butterfly Garden?? We decided this was a do-not-miss attraction, and headed in to Epcot on a MISSION to find it!!!

 

[DonnaW]

Once we entered Epcot, on a MISSION to find the Butterfly Garden, we realized we had no clue where to go. In spite of the ever-so-kind cast member who had ever-so-kindly drawn me a map (which was ever-so-foolishly LEFT back in the room at the hotel!) We decided to wing it (pun intended ) and look for Minnie's Butterfly place on our own. Looking at the trusty park map, it looked like it was near Test Track so we headed in that general direction. I was thinking of getting a FastPass for Test Track, but Mark was still on a MISSION, so we kept on looking for Minnie's butterflies.

Mark finally broke down and did what no-man-likes-to-do and ASKED for DIRECTIONS. Me, I was still wandering around the FastPass machine at Test Track, when he pointed me in the direction we should be headed and lo and behold, the MISSION was finally a success!!!

Minnie's Butterfly Garden *was* pretty special. I don't know if it would quite qualify as "Magnificent", but there were a lot of really cool looking butterflies in this walk-thru aviary-looking kind of garden area. We, of course, took six hundred thousand five hundred pictures, and just kind of enjoyed the moment. (See, I CAN enjoy the moment!!! )

After completing the MISSION, we decided that since it was May 5, or Cinco de Mayo, we absolutely, positively, without a doubt * needed * to eat some sort of Mexican food for lunch! We went to the Cantina de San Angel outdoor counter service place and took our food (my word, the portion sizes are HUGE here) to a table right along the lagoon. It was quite nice to just sit by the lake and look across at the countries of the World Showcase. Again, we enjoyed the moment!!! Notice a kind of theme to this day??

 

[DonnaW]

After our lunch, we decided we kind of *needed* to take a nice "stroll" along the World Showcase of Epcot. We stopped here and there to take some pictures of the countries, or the views to the other side of Epcot or to just watch some of the entertainment. We went in to the Moroccan pavilion and were quite impressed with that whole area...seems a million miles away from Disney World in there! Our stroll eventually brought us to the French pavilion, and I finally got to go in to the bakery!!! (I was waiting for this like, I don't know...all week!!! )

Soon I was lusting after all the various and sundry deserts that were displayed in the glass cases (croissants, chocolates, Quiche, eclairs...I could go on and on...just read, they all looked *and smelled* GREAT! )...I had to ask the cast member what he thought was the best one. He recommended a light, flaky pastry kind of thingie, and hey, since it was *recommended* by the French guy, I had to get it!!!! I took this treat out to the table in the little courtyard area, and LOVED every single bite!!!! Talk about "enjoying the moment"!!! (I know, it really doesn't take much to thrill me, but this was an awesome, awesome tasting desert! )

The movie in the French pavilion was due to begin, so we went in to the (nicely air conditioned) theater and watched the gorgeous movie about France. The music for the film is quite beautiful (I know here I go with the music again, but it really is very, very good--even my trusty PassPorter says it's the best musical soundtrack at Walt Disney World! )

I reluctantly left the France pavilion, because I kinda wanted to try to go to Downtown Disney to do some shopping before we had to head over to the Polynesian for the Luau dinner show. On the way out of Epcot, we stopped in to the Art of Disney store because I wanted to get a Precious Moments figurine I knew they had. (I love Precious Moments and have been collecting them for long time, and the piece I wanted is *only* available at the Disney parks!) We asked for the piece to be sent back to the resort (how great is that service, anyway?? ) and headed out of Epcot.

Mark was planning to just head back to POP Century and relax until I got back from doing the shopping thing, so we both got on the bus to head back to the resort. This wasn't a very crowded bus, but the bus driver was quite talkative...to the point where he was still chattin' away even though no one was even left on the bus! This really cracked us up...gotta "enjoy the moment"!

My wonderful DH decided he would drive me to Downtown Disney (after I said, gee, I hope I don't get lost going by myself!), saying he would just stay in the car while I shopped. So, we get there, and does he stay in the car?? Ummm..well, no...he thought he might look for some ice cream. Does he get ice cream? Well, no...we agreed on a time to meet, and I went in to the World of Disney store, and lo and behold, he was pretty much right behind me!

We bought...let's just say...quite a few things... in the World of Disney store. That is one GIANT store, isn't it? If you have a Disney card and your purchase is over $25, they give you a discount...well, of course I have a Disney card, and over $25 was NOT a problem.

We looked around the Marketplace a bit, taking our usual way-too-many-of-the-same-thing pictures. Soon, though, I realized it was getting like ummmm..*way* too late for us to still be there, since we had to get over to the Polynesian and we still needed to head back to POP Century to get ready!!!

 

[DonnaW]

We had the early seating booked for the Luau, and so we high-tailed it out of Downtown Disney, heading back to POP. Why oh tell me, why is it that when you are in something of a hurry, you hit *every* single red light?? Or does that just happen to us?? (It *was* kind of cool to see the casting center sign, saying that Disney was "hiring"---unfortunately for me, the commute would be just a *tad* too long! ) We hurried in to our room and quickly changed.

The Luau was the only "event" at Disney I had planned that I was going to wear a dress. Last September, when the trip was originally going to be on our REAL anniversary, the Luau was what I had scheduled for the actual day of our anniversary. So I bought a dress at the Disney store. If you ever shop at the good ol' Disney store, you've probably seen it...it's a sleeveless dress with lots of Mickeys and Minnies all over it. Well, I bought it and never wore it, so brought it to wear especially for the Luau!

Hurrying back to the car, we drove over to the Polynesian and were stopped at the security station and got a parking pass. We sort of ran thru the lobby of the resort, and out to the back where Luau Cove is located. We were very, very close to being late, but were greeted with a warm "Aloha!" and were each given a nice-looking Lei.


Okay, I have to insert here that once upon a time we had actually considered going to gasp!...Hawaii..gasp!...Instead of...gasp!...Disney World. We were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary, after all, and we had been to Disney before, and we had never been to Hawaii and Mark was really, really, really wanting a beach vacation...BUT, there was that pesky little issue of my being afraid to fly and I didn't think I could exactly *drive* to Hawaii!!!

So...we were kind of looking forward to the Polynesian Luau with great anticipation! Now we knew it wasn't Hawaii, but had read/heard that the dancing was quite authentic and we were looking forward to a great evening!

 

[DonnaW]

I have to say that the Luau was just not quite what we expected it to be. First of all, we had the impression that the whole thing would be just a bit more intimate than it was. The Luau Cove place is HUGE, two tiers, probably space for a few hundred guests. (I was pleasantly surprised that even though it was still kind of hot, the fans kept it cool, so we were not at all uncomfortable ). We were seated at long, long row of tables and Mark and I were smack in the middle of one of the rows, with not a whole lot of room on either side of us. When we got to the table, the salad/appetizer was already set up in the middle of the table on a leaf-looking sort of plate. The food was all-you-can-eat and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't exactly memorable, either. And, I have to say that the show just wasn't all that great. Especially considering the Disney entertainment that is available...and included...in all of the Disney parks! Granted, the fire dancer was talented and all, but we saw a fire dancer in the Animal Kingdom. From where we were sitting, we also had a bit of trouble with the sight lines...and the acoustics weren't all that good, either, so it was a struggle to hear, too. In summary, I'm glad we were able to experience this, but wouldn't go back. Not the best part of our whole Disney adventure....

 

[DonnaW]

We walked around the grounds of the Polynesian and of course, took a few more pictures before heading back over to POP Century. It was an "extra magic hours" evening for Epcot, so we seriously considered heading over there. Should we/shouldn't we?? We're kinda tired, but we've never done it before, might be fun, it's not *that* late...

The "yes" vote won and we changed out of our Luau stuff and got on the bus to Epcot. There was only *one* other family on the bus with us, so it was like we had a private limo ride over there! The bus driver cm said that buses would head back to POP all the way until about 2 in the morning and I laughed and said ummm..we *won't* last that long and he said you never know, you might get that second wind!!!!

At Epcot, most people were heading OUT and we were heading IN! What fun was that!!!! We wanted to go to Soarin' again and started heading-quickly-in that general direction, when we saw a whole bunch of people standing-in-a-line and realized that they were ALL Disney resort guests and we needed to get a special bracelet in order to be able to stay in the park after-hours. We got our WE ARE THE SPECIAL PEOPLE bracelets and then continued on our path to Soarin'.

 

[DonnaW]

Seemed like all of the WE ARE THE SPECIAL PEOPLE were also heading to Soarin' and the line was kind of long, but we really, really, wanted to ride it again, so we decided to go ahead and wait. Had a nice chat with some folks that lived in Florida and had just checked in to enjoy the weekend at Disney (how cool is that?? ) We still loved Soarin' and afterwards, went over to Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. The preshow has changed, we used to really enjoy the "True Colors" they had in there, the new one, not so much. But, the 3-D adventure itself was still amazingly fun. Glad we had the chance to do that one!!!

I think the day and enjoying all the moments had finally caught up with us, cuz we decided to call it a night and head back to POP. I thought the wait for the bus might be awhile, but again, we waited only for one bus to leave and another one was like *right* behind it...I LOVE POP Century!!! ...and the one other family that was on our private limo ride over to Epcot was also on the bus going back to the resort.

We settled in to our practically perfect room, turned on the white noise machine and dreamed yet another Disney day to come!!!

 

[DonnaW]

We are going to try and post a few more pix...

 

[DonnaW]

MISSION accomplished...

 

[DonnaW]

Awww...

 

[DonnaW]

Enjoying the moment...

 

[DonnaW]

Mark in "Germany"...

 

[DonnaW]

Viva Le France...

 

[DonnaW]

Beyond delicious.!!!

 

[DonnaW]

Fire dancer...

 

[DonnaW]

Aww--- aren't they cute???

 

[jaycns]

Aww--- aren't they cute???

Well, YES...they are! I love your special dress! How Disney perfect!!

Thanks again for sharing your trip with all of us!