August 2006 At POP!!!!! (8/22-8/29) *UPDATED 9/24 WITH LOTS OF PICS*

[metsfan11]

WELCOME TO MY SUPER DUPER GREAT TRIP REPORT (with pics!!!)

Since this is my FIRST Trip Report, I will give you guys some background info.


I have been to WDW 3 times in my life, once in 2001, 2003, AND NOW 2006! We love going early in the morning and staying late. Here we gooooo:

The CAST:

ME! 16, Knows Everything About WDW

DS, 11, Tags Along, Loves Roller Coasters

DM, 40 ish, Watches Our Things While We Go On The Rides!


We are staying at POP, non preffered, with a 7 day MYW PH with the Water Park and more option. We have a set itinerary and MANY ADR's, but you will find these out very soooooon....





DAY ONE:

It is August 22, and I have woken up at about 4:00 am for a 9:15 flight out of JFK airport. I sit laying in my bed, in shock that in a few hours I will be in FLORIDA! Our plan for the day was to arrive at POP and go to MGM for our H&V ressies then catch some FANTASMIC! So once we get to the airport, we arrive a few hours early so we just chill out in the gate. I am listening to my IPOD with my WDW Podcasts getting me in the mood for the trip. When we get on the plane, its ALL TV! YAY FOR JETBLUE!

Haha. So once we arrive in Orlando, we hop on DME and head to the POP.

Finally we arrive on WDW property, and eventually, reach the POP

At check in, we find we are in a room in the back of the 70's section, which was to my dissapointment. So I ask if anything else is availiable, and they give me a room in the 50's section with a beautiful view of the lake. It was great because it was not facing the pool and it had to be the closest thing to being preffered. I could get to the food court in under a minute.

We now head off to MGM to hit some rides before dinner. We first encountered the icon of the park, Mickey's Sorcerror's Hat. It really looks great as the icon.

Of course, the first ride is going to be TOT!!! It seemed so much better then years before! We got on in about 20 minutes, and it was well worth it.

Next, there was RNRC, front row! So much fun! Since we were just going to MGM for the rides and planned to go back next week, we decided to skip all of the shows, and went straight to the parade. It was OK. Not bad, just kind of a distraction for me during the day. But I was happy.

Here's DM at the parade:

Here's Minnie and her friends:

After, we went to H&V for dinner. Waited for 20 minutes outside even though we had ADR's. Food was average, and when I looked at the bill, if I actually had to pay for that, I wouldn't be happy.

Next, we headed off to shop on Hollywood Blvd. Next, we had reserved seats for Fantasmic. We headed off to Oscar's and walked through the back of MGM to get to our Fantasmic seats. They were just to the right of the center, about the 5th row. While we were waiting for it to start, a MASSIVE WAVE flew threw the audience. After Fantasmic, we sprinted to the bus and headed back to POP.

NEXT DAY INCLUDES: AK!!!, EE!, HOOP DE DOO REVUE!

(And I appologize if this beggining of the TR seems rushed, I really need to go to sleep. But this weekend when I continue, expect more pics, info, details, ect)

KEEP LOOKIN FOR UPDATES!

 

[MomofCKJ]

Love your pics and looking forward to the rest of your report. We are staying at Pop in December for the first time. I requested the 50s. How did you like the resort overall?

Allyson

 

[FortWildernessCamper]

Great start to your report and great pictures! looking forward to the next installment.

 

[momma leaps]

Great Start !!!

Love the pics. And I can't wait to hear about Hoop de doo. We're doing it the first time in a few months !

 

[bbump]

.... I was also lucky to sit in the front of the Rockin Rollercoaster on 8/30...it was amazing.

 

[dizprincess27]

Great pics and report so far - subscribing!!

 

[mommykds]

Hey Metsfan11! It's so cool to see a teenager who loves Disney!!!!

Great report so far! Can't wait to read & see more!

 

[Tina1]

Can't wait for the rest. Tina

 

[metsfan11]

Hey everyone, I'm back!

First off, I really appreciate the praise for the first section and it definetly motivates me to write even more and even better info.

AND!

I will answer all of your questions if there are any.

Now lets go to work:

DAY 2!

Today was really the "start" of our vacation because it was our full day at the parks. The first night I didn't really get too much sleep partially because of excitement and partially because I was just adjusting to a new sleep envioronment (sometimes I do have sleep problems).

So anyway, I woke up nice and early to Stich saying: WELCOME TO STITCH KINGDOM (then mixed ramblings). I then threw down the phone and started to moan because I DISPISE STICH (sorry to all who like him). I just find him annoying. ANYWAY, while DM and DS were getting dressed, I went outside our room and took some pics. They turned out HORRIBLE, but they give you a basic idea of where we were in relation to the main entrance:

View of the 60's building across from us:

So now OFF TO AK! I have been waiting to ride EE since they announced the beggining of the contstruction of it. I love roller coasters, and I was intrigued by how they combined roller coaster technology, with an actual true and believable story line. So after a quick breakfast (Using a Snack Service we got a muffin, bagel, and box of cereal), we set off to AK. We got to the entrance about 10 minutes prior to opening, so we were entertained by a walking talking palm tree (the AK version of Push at MK). Once the park opened, we got to the Tree Of Life. I was so excited that I was going to walk to AK, but NO! I had to watch Mickey and his friends pull up in a coach bus and talk about the day ahead. This was cute and smart and witty, but I was in NO MOOD. It was BLISTERING HOT AT 9 AM! I WANTED TO BE ON MOUNT EVEREST! So after that, I joined the massive croud of people following the rope to Asia. My DM stayed behind to get fast passes and meet us at the exit while DS and I went to try and get to the front of the rope. So as we are walking, we find that taking the little sidewalks on the right side (while not going in front of the rope), helped get us to the front. As we go deeper and deeper into the park, I am extactic about seeing EE. And this is the first sight that I saw:

Isn't that beauitiful? So as we approach Serka Zong, we get to the quene line which is extended by rope to the LEFT SIDE! So we had to cross over to get onto the line, losing about 10 minutes! So before I talk about EE itself, here are some tips I came up with about getting there and being one of the first riders of the day:

-Don't go through Dino Island. It may be shorter, but if you don't beat the Asia croud, it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to join the line.

-STAY TO THE LEFT! WHEN YOU ENTER EE'S INITIAL LINE, IT IS ON THE LEFT! THIS WILL SAVE YOU TIME!

-It doesn't matter where you are when you are waiting on line outside of the park. Once in, ignore Mickey and his friends and go to the top right corner by the rope to be first.

So we get on line, walk through the beautiful quene, but of course not paying much attention to detail as I REALLY want to get on. We pretty much walk all the way to the station, until we get to the guy who asks how many are in your party. We say 2, but we also request a front row seat. We are told to stand to the side, and we waited about 40 seconds until we were told to go to the front row. I HIGHLY RECCOMEND THIS! THE FRONT ROW IS UNCOMPARABLE!!!

The ride is great! It wasn't super roller coaster scary (considering I have been on EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE including something with a 450 foot drop going 128 mph). I would say it is double the scare factor of BTMRR, and maybe 2 and a half times the scare factor of Splash Mountain. If you can do RNRCC, this will DEFINETLY not be a problem.

Even though I had seen most of the ride in videos, everything was so new and surreal, and I screamed myself hoarse. The yeti was uncomparable. The best creation the WD Company has ever come up with. It is SOOOO lifelike and intense, I couldn't believe it was real.

Here are some pics of the ride:


Going Up:

No Track Left?!? Where Are We Going To Go?!?!?!

Yeti In The Cavern:

Overview of the Drop:

Going Back Into The Mountain:

THIS RIDE WAS GREAT! And by the time we had caught up with DM, it was 9:15 and she had picked up 10-11 fastpasses. So we made our way to Dinosaur. No lines because everyone was at EE. This ride was incredible! Much better then I had remembered in the past. We did it twice in about 15 minutes.

After, we headed over to Chester and Hester's because we still had some time to kill before it was time to go back to EE. My main goal was just to ride Primerial Whirl and we did just that. It was ok, just a wild mouse Disney style. Afterwards we just walked around, played a quick game, and just relaxed. It was a beautiful morning and I was at WDW. I was so happy! .

So anyways, back to EE afterwards and then we really didn't know what to do. It was about 11:30 and we were hungry. So we decided to head over to Pizzafari, where we got (IMO), the best lunch value that we had went to. We each got a large, delicious, personal pan pizza, a side ceaser salad (instead of fries), a drink, and a frozen lemonade cup, all for ONE CS!

Then, we headed over to Kilimonjaro Safaris. Since it was lunch and hot out, there was a 30 minute wait posted, but the line never stopped so it ended up being 20. We had a great tour guide (her name slips my mind), and here are some pics I snapped:

Some birds:

The tree that I always look forward to seeing (I DON'T KNOW WHY!):

Where Are We Going To Go:

Soon after, we headed over to Kali River Rapids (We had picked up fastpasses after lunch). We bypassed a 60 minute line (longest line in WDW we experienced becides Soarin). The ride was SUB PAR AND OVERRATED. In the past, you were supposed to get wet! I was steaming hot and got spritzed! The ride was way to short and I was UTTERLY dissapointed. After this, it was about 2 o clock and we have 7:15 Hoop De Doo ressies. I was getting annoying, hot, and tired. My feet hurt. It was time to go. BUT NOT BEFORE ITS TOUGH TO BE A BUG! Really fun as usual, no line, and right at the exit. So after that, we hopped on a POP-bound bus and relaxed. Got some soda and just chilled in the room watching STACY ON DISNEY WORLD TV!

Once we had finished showering and "prettying up" (as DS put it), it was time to head to Hoop De Doo at the Fort Wilderness Resort and Campsite. So (from the suggestions of my fellow Dissers), took the bus to MK and got on the bus to Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge. After stopping at Wilderness Lodge, we were on our way to FWR and C. On the way, we passed what used to be River Country. This was creepy seeing the rides and lines unatended and unused. So once we arrived at Pioneer Hall, we had about a half hour to burn so we went to sit down and relax. We made friends with Arnold and Liz from PA (not on the DIS) for about 20 minutes. They were leaving the next morning, and told us all about their trip. They were staying at the Contemporary and told us how great California Grill was (which we had in a few days!). So right before the show started, a great CM asked my DS if she wanted to start the show. She took a bell and rang it several times, signaling the beginning of the show. You should have seen how red she was! So we enter in and find we have seats on the balcony. At first, I was dissapointed, but once I realized they were swivel chairs, I was content. Our server Michael was as nice as could be. DM had a glass of sangria, I had a ginger ale, and DS had a diet coke. We had SO MUCH FUN during the show. Since it was my first time, I didn't know what to expect. But it was GREAT! Very funny, musical, and just a whole lot of fun. And since it was DS's birthday about a week before, they had one of the actors make everyone sing to her and make fun of her New York accent. It was great. The food was also amazing. MY FAVE FOOD ARE RIBS, AND THEY WERE UNLIMITED! WAS I IN HEAVEN? Also, the fried chicken was amazing. Cornbread=delicous. The strawberry shortcake was delicious as well. After the show, we wobbled back to the boat and caught the electric water padgent from the boat, then took a boat back to MK. On the line for the bus back to POP, I caught come of Wishes through the trees, but I didn't want to spoil it because I would be back to MK tommorow. We got back to POP, I made some calls, and then we went to sleep, thinking about our magical day tommorow at the Magic Kingdom.

Just a quick notice, I will not be home for Saturday and most of Sunday, so check back here on Sunday for Day 3!

If anyone has any questions about any part of our trip, please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks!

 

[metsfan11]

Just updated last night...and going to update this morning as well.

Keep readin

 

[metsfan11]

Love your pics and looking forward to the rest of your report. We are staying at Pop in December for the first time. I requested the 50s. How did you like the resort overall?

Allyson

Overall, the resort was OK! I felt cramped in the rooms and I didn't really like the feel of having to walk everywhere (I'm not a fan of the value resorts in general). But since we were at the parks for 99% of our trip, it was perfectly suitable and the food court/shopping is the best of the value resorts.

Don't worry about it, you'll have a great time!

 

[MEK]

Great pictures. They inspire me to want to post pictures of my own. If I can figure out how. They are already downloaded into this computer, but I'm not sure how to do an attachment. I'll have to work with it.

Love your trip report. Keep it up.

 

[metsfan11]

How's everyone enjoying this so far?

Next update: Tommorow

 

[uhtimex]

WELCOME TO MY SUPER DUPER GREAT TRIP REPORT (with pics!!!)


(And I appologize if this beggining of the TR seems rushed, I really need to go to sleep. But this weekend when I continue, expect more pics, info, details, ect)

KEEP LOOKIN FOR UPDATES!

You are off to a good start I"ll be back

 

[KatGarcia]

Much fun in the way of trip reports!!!...i'm gearing up to write my own in December!

 

[metsfan11]

Hey everyone. Sorry I haven't made an update in quite a few days, but my DGF had been admitted into the hospital at the end of last week, and I just haven't found the time to write this. Hopefully tommorow afternoon I will have time to update.

Please bare with me..

 

[metsfan11]

Hey everyone! I am so sorry that it took this long to re-update my TR. Just last week, my DGP had been admitted into the hospital for numerous things (diabetes, feet, heart problems), pretty much a mixed bag of injuries. And last night, he had a heart attack. I just got off the phone with him, and he is feeling better, but he will never be the same again. I have had to make numerous hospital runs over the last few days, so writing my TR is not was not an option. FINALLY, I had time today to sit down and write my next installment. I hope you enjoy:

Day 3
8/24/06

MAGIC KINGDOM!

So today was going to be great! We had 7:15 ADR's for the charecter dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern, and I was determined to have my favorite turkey leg for lunch. Park opened at 9, but there was morning EMH, so it opened at 8. DM was tired so she let DS and I head to the park, hit some big rides that she wouldn't do, then meet up with her at the train station at 9:15. So we got to MK at around 7:40, and were forced to wait in front of the train station to wait for the train. While I was waiting, I snapped some pics of the train station:

The Mayor!

Park Opening!

So finally after all of our waiting had paid off, we were allowed under the train station and out onto Main Street, and this is the first thing that we saw:

CASTLE TIME!!! So I decided that we wanted to just get onto Space Mountain real quick, then head over to Buzz. So we hurried up Main Street to the entrance to Tommorowland:

But we found that they held us THERE for another 5 minutes. I WAS CRYING! So DS and I inched our way to the rope, and because we had nothing on us (backpacks, pocket books, KIDS!), we were able to just sprint to SM. Since DS is slower than me and I play lots of sports, I was miles ahead of everyone else when I got to the SM entrance. Basically, I had the entire quene to myself for a minute, until DS caught up. So while waiting right outside of the actual entrace, I slipped our tickets into the Fastpass machine, and we got a coupon for 10:30-11:30. So I am feeling so great because I am the VERY FIRST PERSON ON LINE, therefore I am the first rider of the day. I thought of it as: I was the first person on ANY Disney Mountain in Florida and California (DL isn't open yet and SM is the first mountain that was open for the day). Ok, after that 20 minute long speil, you probably want to hear about the ride! Once the CM came to open the ride, he made my DS scream: "I LOVE MICKEY!" if she wanted to ride. When she declined (she is shy), he said well, no ride for you! My sister finally came out and said it, and afterwards, he appologized for embarressing her and gave us 2 MORE! fastpasses to come back at ANY TIME! Talk about lucky. Anyway, the ride was great. I got front row and we had a ball. The ride didn't change one bit, just the way I like it. Afterwards, we went on Buzz, which was ok (I think I'm outgrowing it a drop.) By then, it was time to meet DM back at the train station. We got there a drop early, so in the mean time we went to the Main Street Contemporary and gawked at the fudge . We also went into the main shopping store (The name escapes me) for a few moments. A 50th Anniversary CD caught my eye. It had the best of all of the theme park music from the 4 WDW parks. So finally DM arrived 20 minutes late. She said that she had to wait at POP for a bus for 45 minutes in the hot sun! She looked tired, so I suggested taking the trolly to the castle, and going on the one thing she was looking forward to doing, MICKEY'S PHILLARMAGIC! So as we approached the trolley, we saw the mayor of Main Street! I had always wanted to see him, so he seemed somewhat surprised that someone wanted to take a picture with him! He took my camera and uttered, "What is this doo hickey device? Back in my day, we had simpler things!" Haha, he's the greatest.

Here is DS, the mayor and I (I look horrible in this picture):

So we hopped onto the trolly just as it was leaving, so we got to stand in the back, a great thrill for me! So I took this oppertunity to snap some Main Street pics. Prepare to be bombarded! Here they are:

FINALLY, we get to the main hub. I could see that DM was extremely happy, I think she finally realized she was "there", and that all of our planning had paid off. So we headed to Mickey's Phillarmagic. Since I had not been to MK since 2003, this was just opening about a week after we were there. It was wonderful! We walked on with literally no wait at all, and the show was clever, entertaining, and the music was great! Afterwards, it was time to get on SM for our Fastpasses. After we got on, we decided to go on Buzz, another DM favorite. DM and DS got their own car, so I was by myself. From riding it about an hour before and reading about it on the DIS, I knew exactly where the big points were, so I just went right at them! This resulted in my highest score ever! Take a look:

Afterwards, we decided to to TTA, something I had never done before. It was a true delight. Very relaxing, and we all enjoyed it throughly, and I got a few good pics:



One Of My Favorite Pics:

When we got off, we got on the Carousel of Progress. It was good, kinda boring, but still a classic. Walt loved it, so I love it.

Next was lunch time. I picked up a turkey leg at the Launching Pad, and then we all made it to Cosmic Ray's. I sat and ate while they got their food. They each got burgers and fries, and the fries were particually good and crispy. When we were finished, we watched Cosmic Ray for a few moments. Then DS announced that she wants to go on Stitch and Buzz. I said there is NO way that I am wasting my time with Stich (I have heard it is HORRIBLE!) and I am darn sick of Buzz. So they say that they are doing that and they will meet me back at Cosmic Ray's in 45 minutes. I decide to just sit at my table and relax, cool off, and call some friends and relatives. It was nice to just see people come and go, to be in WDW in general. It was REALLY hot that day so I just wanted to relax. FINALLY! after they had returned back, I said that we need to go on HM right now. I was dying for it. So we get on HM with no wait, and I got my own doom buggy. Since I have researched the ride and now know lots about it, it was really a treat to ride. I found hidden mickeys, listened to the soundtrack, and just paid attention to the smaller details. Next we wanted to go on Splash and BTMRR. We got there to find an 80 minute wait for Splash and a 60 minute wait for Big Thunder! I was flabbergasted *(big word! ). So we picked up a fastpass for Splash and hoped that when we got back we could get on Big Thunder. Next we went to Adventureland, and my sister immidiently said: "Where's Johnny? C'mon, where is he! I need Johnny!". My sister LOVES Johnny Depp, and when we got on Pirates with a 5 MINUTE WAIT!, she was more than happy to see him. The ride was ok, and I was very glad the addition of Jack Sparrow wouldn't ruin the authenticity of the ride. It really didn't and I was quite happy. We then did the Jungle Cruise (We got Mark, it was his first time!), so on the ride we got to get on with our family, one more family, and about 10 Disney Executives. Knowing the ride like the back of my head, I wanted to strike up a conversation with one of the Execs. I made a comment about the ride and one laughed, and we began talking about his job, the ride, and how I aspire to work at WDW too. He gave me some info on the ultidoors at MK and lots of other undercover stuff. I really enjoyed the ride. Afterwards, it was time to get on Splash Mountain! We got on and it was better than I remembered, although I didn't get wet. This was ok because we had dinner in about a half hour. The drop was fun, and what made it even better was that the ride stopped JUST as we got to the top, so for about 3 minutes we got to stare out at the view of MK, with hundreds of people staring at us from the ground! Even DM saw us, and she screamed, "I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WEREN'T SEATBELTS! GET OFF!!" . Afterwards, we headed to dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern. We got there right when our ressies were for, and we were seated in about 5-10 minutes. As we were sitting, it took our waitress about 10 minutes to even notice us.
But it was ok, because soon after she left, GOOFY CAME OVER!

Then Chip and Dale:

Then the food! Food was good, just basic cold cuts, mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese (which I didn't have but DM says it was good). The food was better than expected, and we had a fun time. Afterwards, we headed quickly to Hall Of Presidents quickly before getting a seat for Wishes. James was there, as he always is, and I always make a note for myself to get a new question to ask him to see if I can stump him. I asked him the birthdate of Andrew Jackson, and by God he nailed it! That guy is great!
Here are some pics that I snapped while there:

Then, off to Main Street to try and catch a spot for Spectro/Wishes. We got there at about 8, which is WAY too late. NOTHING on Main Street was open, nor around the main hub. So I had heard that right near the Train Station there are usually spots open. Then I spotted a miracle, there was a shoe shining chair on the inside of the train station (inside, in between the staircases near the stroller rental), and it was a big comfy chair with a perfect view of Main Street. Since DM was tired, we let her sit and DS and I walked around until Spectro started. Lemme tell ya, SPECTRO ROCKS!!! It is soooooooo much fun. In between Spectro and Wishes, I took a few castle shots. Since my camera was being weird, it kept taking weird pics. Here's a pic of Main Street WITHOUT the castle!

The Castle at Night (kinda blurry):

So right before Wishes, DM and DS decide that they're gonna go back to POP before Wishes because they are tired and don't want to stand on the bus. (Anyways, we have ADR's at California Grill for that Sunday night, so we are watching Wishes from there). So I have this wonderful, comfortable seat, and it is CLOSE TO THE ENTRANCE! So after Wishes (It was spectacular), I sprinted to the busses and made the VERY LAST POP BUS before the big rush of people came our way. I got back to the resort hot, tired, sweaty, hungry, thirsty, but I WAS HAPPY!

For a last pic, this is what DM looked like after a long day at MK:

THATS IT! I hope you enjoyed Day 3 of our vacation, and will join me tommorow, as we head over to Epcot, including evening EMH, Illuminations, and Soarin about 10 times! Stay tuned! Have a great night!

 

[momma leaps]

We had SO MUCH FUN during the show. Since it was my first time, I didn't know what to expect. But it was GREAT! Very funny, musical, and just a whole lot of fun. And since it was DS's birthday about a week before, they had one of the actors make everyone sing to her and make fun of her New York accent. It was great. The food was also amazing. MY FAVE FOOD ARE RIBS, AND THEY WERE UNLIMITED! WAS I IN HEAVEN? Also, the fried chicken was amazing. Cornbread=delicous. The strawberry shortcake was delicious as well. After the show, we wobbled back to the boat and caught the electric water padgent from the boat, then took a boat back to MK. On the line for the bus back to POP, I caught come of Wishes through the trees, but I didn't want to spoil it because I would be back to MK tommorow. We got back to POP, I made some calls, and then we went to sleep, thinking about our magical day tommorow at the Magic Kingdom.

Just a quick notice, I will not be home for Saturday and most of Sunday, so check back here on Sunday for Day 3!

If anyone has any questions about any part of our trip, please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks!

Great installment ! My dd (almost 10) loves, loves ribs. I think she'll really enjoy Hoop de doo when we go.

Have you ever stayed at any of the other values? Besides Pop? If we ever go for free dining I'm thinking of doing a value. There's 6 of us so it would have to be two adjoining rooms.


Keep Up the good work. The photos are exceptional. Are you into photography ? If not, you should be !!


Sorry to hear about your DGF. Sending prayers for his speedy recovery.

 

[metsfan11]

Great installment ! My dd (almost 10) loves, loves ribs. I think she'll really enjoy Hoop de doo when we go.

Have you ever stayed at any of the other values? Besides Pop? If we ever go for free dining I'm thinking of doing a value. There's 6 of us so it would have to be two adjoining rooms.


Keep Up the good work. The photos are exceptional. Are you into photography ? If not, you should be !!


Sorry to hear about your DGF. Sending prayers for his speedy recovery.

I have stayed at All Star Movies and I would say that Pop and ASM are exactly the same except the theming.

The Free Dining Plan is THE BEST! It doesn't even matter how many people you have, what you like to eat, IT'S FREE! FREE SNACKS ARE GOOD NO MATTER WHAT!

I am NOT into photography , but as I put it, I get "lucky".

And as for my grandfather, thank you. I spoke to them and he is feeling better. Have a good day!

 

[dizprincess27]

You are such a good writer! The trip report is alot of fun to read. I felt like I was there with you (wish I were but soon) Prayers to your DGF to feel better soon!!