AOA + Poly Labor Day 2024

[Tikibar]

Trip Report Labor Day Weekend

This vacation to WDW checked off a few bucket list items:

• Stay at the Poly for the first time, with the added urgency to do so before the Tower is open and additional daily guests to the pool and restaurants/bars change the vibe
• Stay at a resort with the Skyliner (AoA)
• Fireworks view from resort- added bonus with MNSSHP fireworks and AoA partial view of Fantasmic
• Trader Sams visit
• MNSSHP

We are a family of 3- DW and 12 yo boy, Michael. Come on along!

 

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Wed, Aug 28 Day 1: Drive from ATL to AoA

Picked up Michael early from school at lunchtime and got on the road at noon. Aside from the usual stops for snacks, dinner, and to refuel, driving was smooth and we could not wait to get to AoA!

1 big tip for those driving I-75 South- there is a Toll Road that makes the last 20 miles (?) to Buena Vista easier and faster (not free though). When we crossed into Florida, we stopped at a Publix and bought a Sunpass Pro. Made the final 30 minutes relaxing and traffic was light.

We arrived at AoA at 8pm and check in on the Disney app could not have been easier with room assignment and opening the door! Since we were in a Little Mermaid room, it helped not having to stop at the front desk in the main building first.

We were on the 3rd floor, Room 9828. We dropped off our bags and went to the Big Blue Pool as Michael wanted to get a swim in after the drive. I went straight to the Drop Off Pool Bar for a much deserved Mai Tai! We stopped by the front desk to get key cards for the parks and room key backups.

When we went back to our room, we got to watch a few minutes of Fantasmic show from our room window. Bonus!

We got ready for bed, and I got my park bag ready for Epcot in the morning. Can't wait!

 

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Thur, Aug 29 Day 2: Epcot

Set an alarm for 645am and at 7am got a boarding group for GOTG for early afternoon. Walked over to Skyliner and at 7:30am was a walk on.

The Skyliner is amazing and it was a blast to ride to Epcot!

The plan was to rope drop Remy since we were entering the park from the International Gateway for the first time!

Timeline:

730-750 Skyliner to Epcot, a few slow downs on the way
800 Queued near the front of the bridge which is pleasantly shaded
830-847 Remy rope drop
900 waited for Les Halle to open, got a table, lattes and pastries. Yum love this place!
935-945 Frozen (LL)
953-958 Fiesta Tour (walk on)
1011-1034 GOTG (Single Pass, wanted to ride my favorite WDW ride twice!)
1045-1105 spaceship earth- got stuck 3 times, the final time in the zero g position which was back therapy
1108- 1115 Walk through Moana area
1125- 1134 The Seas with Nemo (LL)
1140- 1200 Soarin (LL)
1215- 1229 Mission Space (LL)
Lunch- tried to eat at La Cantina but there was a line. You cant go wrong finding a place to eat in Epcot and the World Showcase though! We found a covered table outside with ceiling fans at Lotus Blossom Cafe and ate noodles and sweet and sour chicken.
Germany- bought a butter bar (delicious) and caramel popcorn (sadly, stale and sticking together)
Japan- Mitsukoshi shopping
1425- 1455 GOTG (VQ)
UK- bought a Harp draft on the way out
1528- 1546 skyliner to aoa

It was the first day of the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival. Crowds weren't too bad and Im glad we did Epcot first as I figured more people would come for the festival over the weekend.

While it was easy and fun to travel on the Skyliner, we could not motivate to return to the park for dinner/evening/Luminous. Instead, we went to the pool and relaxed the rest of the day.

 

[footballmouse]

 

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Fri, Aug 30 Day 3: Hollywood Studios

Got up early again, this time to bring our bags down to bell hop and check out of AoA before heading off to Hollywood Studios.

One more day of Skyliner riding!

735-755 Skyliner to HS
804 Super early rope drop for everyone!
809- 8:40 RotR- rope drop
845- 9 Smuggler's Run- walk on
Mobile order Morning Wrap (5/5)
926- 940 Toy Story Mania (LL)
955- 1015 Rocking Roller coaster (LL)
1034- 1049 Star Tours - walk on
Mini Churros from ICH (5/5)- so many great snacks here!
1100- 1130 muppets 3d
1140-1200 tower of terror (LL)
1210- 1222 Slinky Dog (LL)
1224-1244 Mickey’s Runaway (LL)
Market snacks- Pineapple coconut slushy (5/5) and Jacks nom nom cookie (4/5)
1300- 1400 Frozen sing along- fun would do again
1426-1505 sci-fi diner (4/5)- nice to be in a/c and in the dark watching sci-fi shorts. food was good, one and done though.
1510- 1535 Skyliner to AoA
1550- 1610 Drive to Poly and room check in via app

Excited to be at the Poly for the rest of the trip. DVC studio room was great- lake view with balcony.

We went to the Lava Pool for a few hours to swim and relax. There are so many great food options at the Poly, especially after our first few nights at AoA and having just the one quick service restaurant. We ordered Thai Coconut Meatballs and Noodle- both 5/5.

 

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Sat, Aug 31 Day 4: Magic Kingdom

7 VQ for Tiana's- Group for late morning ride
730-745 Monorail to MK
800 through early entry point in front of Cheshire cafe. I've never been this close before rope drop!
830- 845 7 Dwarves- rope drop
850- 907 It’s a small world- walk on
910- 920 little mermaid- walk on
930- 950 bfast at Gaston's- Cinnamon roll and Creme Brule Croissant (5/5)- will have the croissant again!
1009- 1027 haunted mansion (LL)
1035- 1054 thunder mountain (LL)
Outpost snacks- beignets & lemonade
1119- 1135 Pirates (LL)
1145- 1215 Country Bears- love the new show, will do it again!
Pineapple Floats at Aloha Isle
1245- Boat back to Poly

We went back to the Lava Pool to relax and eat lunch.

We got a morning VQ group for Tiana's at 7am, but unfortunately the ride was down after 10am. I then realized I couldn't get a VQ for Tron at 1pm since we left the park too soon. Rookie mistake! Tiana's did come back up at 3pm, and when we returned later on I wasnt sure if they would let us ride since our group had been called but they did- thank you CMs!

530- 545 Boat back to MK
555- 617 Tiana's (VQ)
623- 649 Mickeys Philharmagic
650- 659 Peter Pan (LL)
706- 725 Space Mountain (LL)
735- 755 People Mover (LL)
800- 830 Cosmic Rays snacks- 4/5, entertaining though!
900- 920 Fireworks
935 Boat back to Poly

MK Fireworks- We got a good spot sitting down behind a roll of strollers on the right side off the Tomorrowland bridge waiting for the fireworks show. I was not expecting that 30 minutes before the show they make everyone stand up, move close together and then wait. I may need to do a firework party next time or just enjoy from afar!

 

[Tikibar]

Sun, Sept 1 Day 5: Day Off!

I was really looking forward to a park day off and day to enjoy the Poly resort. I thought about going to Disney Springs during the day or watching the drone show at night, but the Poly was just so relaxing and fun and I needed a rest day.

DW and I went to Kona Cafe for breakfast. I enjoyed the Macadamia Nut Pancakes and DW had Polynesian Egg Platter. We went to Oasis Pool and hot tub in the morning and then switched to Lava Pool in the afternoon. Took a nap at 4pm, and then ate outside at Capt Cooks. We tried to get noodles from Tambu Lounge, but most days there was a line to sit at the bar and I was having a line free day! I put our names on the Trader Sam's waitlist, and we got paged to go at 7pm.

Trader Sams was great- enjoyed a Mai Tai and DW got a Polynesian Pearl which comes in a cup that you keep. Nice surprise! We left after 1 round of drinks so we could have a drink in the hot tub and watch the MK fireworks from a distance.

 

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Mon, Sept 2 Day 6: MNSSHP

Enjoyed another partial day off. We stayed put at the resort again, going to the pool and doing some packing up before heading out at 4pm. I heard that the initial pre-party wait queues were significant, so we aimed to arrive a little after opening.

1615 MNSSHP check in
1644- 1710 Space mountain
1723- 1747 People Mover
Cosmic Ray snack, waiting for Tron to be a walk on since we missed it on our MK visit
1807- 1838 Tron
1855- 1923 Speedway
1940- 1955 Thunder Mountain
2000- 2045 Found a good spot for the Boo to you Parade in front of The Hall of Presidents
2100- 2120 Hocus Pocus show
Caseys mobile order
2145- 2220 Not So Spooky Fireworks

 

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Tues, Sept 3 Day 7: AK and drive back to ATL

715 Brought our luggage to bell hop and jumped on a bus to AK
809- 835 FoP- thought we were rope dropping, didnt realize the park opened at 8am doh
858- 930 Navi
945- 1039 Lion King show
1045- 1110 Gorilla Trail
1115- 1148 Safari
Mobile order at Harambe Market- shaded, fans, and lots of tables. Great food! 5/5
1233-1250 Asia trail
1255-125 Everest - rode it twice!
135- 215 Bus back to Poly
215- 905 drive back to ATL

 

[DLo]

Thank for taking the time to report . Fellow Atlantan here . I always drive down .