Boo to the Halloween on the Highs Seas Crew

[jenseib]

I was very disappointed by the lack of 45th anniversary merchandise.

I can't believe they didn't have a ton of this stuff all over the place. You would think people would love it! Everything I had liked that I had seen online was sold out.

It did not look much further along than on your photo when I was there a month or so later.

It's now finally got an opening date.

All caught up again!

Yay!!!

Bowling looked fun and the food looked delicious! I could never talk myself into actually bowling though, I hate doing stuff that I can do at home. I would rather tour some resorts or something that I can't do at home. I don't go very often though so I don't like to waste a minute

We don't bowl to often at home because Skip has so many body part issues aching. So for us it was a treat....and plus we weren't doing parks, so it was nice to try. I had heard the food was good from Jeanne too so I wanted to try it.

I did mini-golf, eons ago, it seems! Back in 1999/2000 we did all of the course at both locations. It was fun but I don't know that I would do it again.

I don't think I would normally do this with park days planned every day. But for a trip like this it was perfect. I want to try different things and I never allow myself to do so on a full blown Disney World vacation. If I have a park ticket....I want to be there!!!

I love Claire's look she gives you...I am starting to get that same look from Kira

It will get more common and WORSE!

I love hearing your voice, makes me feel like I am there with you. I'm still gonna cry watching everyone post from the AEP on FB

Awww! I am going to say it again...I wish you were coming. I am going down a few days early now because the flight was so much cheaper and I got a great price at a Springhill Suites. So now I am going to try and do some other Orlando attractions of sorts. But its about 3 weeks away or so, so I will change my mind 40 more times on what I will actually do.

We spent $200 on our Disney suitcase in WDW and we found out in Galveston that it doesn't roll very well. It's fine if you stay in a line but it doesn't like to change directions We will be buying another Disney American Tourister before our next trip

UGH! We have the small carry on hard side one and it rolls really nicely. But the thing is you never really know till you load it up full and then drag it through carpet and different types of flooring. I bought a carryon for Paige a year ago and I got it at Target. I put stuff inside it and walked it around the store and on the carpeted areas too. LOL.

 

[jenseib]

We made our way over to T-Rex.


hallowday37 by Jenseib, on Flickr


It’s always so confusing where to check in with a reservation verses a walk in, but I checked in and they said they would call us once they started seating people and gave me a piece of paper. Others were getting different info, like they had to go and put their name in with a 2nd person after they opened. My mom was having a fit that I was doing it all wrong.


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We stood around and waited since we were early and I took pictures and some live video as well.


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My Mom was sure we were being missed and I went up to ask if I needed to check in with a 2nd person and was told no. About 2 seconds later another person asked and they were told yes????? OK???? Then our name was called so all was good, but my Mom is really impatient and she was driving me a little nuts at the moment.


hallowday41 by Jenseib, on Flickr


We were seated in the ice room.


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After we were seated and we made our order I took a quick walk around for pictures.


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The last time I was here was just a few weeks after the fish tank had broken and they had a fake fish banner inside.


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I just love how colorful this place is.


hallowday78 by Jenseib,


Soon our food came. Claire got a steak…she LOVES steak.


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I got a combo with seafood and steak.


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I don’t remember what Mom got and I didn’t take a picture. The food was fabulous as always. This is one of our favorites at Disney.


We also had to order dessert! This heath thingy (yeah that’s not the real name) is soooo good and I normally don’t like heath. We shared it.


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Claire wasn’t sure she would like it but she did and devoured it.


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We finished off what we could and paid the bill. I do surveys and different little things to earn gift cards. I had earned $100 for T-rex and I used that to pay for it. Our bill was over $100 for the 3 of us (it’s not cheap there at all), so mom left the small remainder and the tip. You can’t beat that Claire and I got a free meal. I am starting to save points up for a future trip now. Every little bit helps. And I had also paid for my CSR reservation from doing surveys as well.


While we were eating, the rest of the family was all getting ready to fly in. There were 3 different flights coming in, with Katie’s family arriving first. She texted me and let me know that they had stopped and eaten at the airport and had just got on Magical Express and they were going swimming then. Gail’s family and Mary and Geoff were in the air and Amanda, Laura and Jan would be just heading to the airport.


We moved on and I stopped off to do something…probably texting or something and Mom and Claire went ahead to World of Disney.


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I then went in and couldn’t find them. They were already done and went back to where I was. I kept texting that I was at the entrance and they kept saying they were too. Now I know there are several entrances and I kept looking at all of them but they were not really in front of one. I did finally find them.


We moved on.


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I wanted to check out the new Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique location.


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I went in and asked if I could just take a peek around the corner and a picture or two but was denied.


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It’s only for princesses! Dang it!


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We decided to start working our way over towards the bus stop and shopped along the way.


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[jenseib]

Did I loose everyone?

 

[dizneeat]

No, I am still here, just so busy! Reading - YES!!! Commenting - just no time at the moment. But I REALLY enjoyed your TR so far.

 

[jenseib]

Let’s look in the Christmas store.


hallowday57 by Jenseib, on Flickr


Claire had me take a picture of this Dalmatian because I would be one for the Halloween party.


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I was trying to get artsy with ornament pictures but my point and shoot just can’t do it like the big camera can.


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I don’t think we made any purchases. Off we went and I got a few pictures of the outside.


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The family would be arriving soon and we wanted to get ready for the Halloween party as well so off to the bus stop we went. We saw a photopass photographer so I made us stop. I had been planning on buying the 1 day memory maker for tonight anyways, so why not get a few extra pictures.


WDWRESORTSANDMORE_CHALET3_20161021_392487711115 by Jenseib, on Flickr


WDWRESORTSANDMORE_CHALET3_20161021_392487741514 by Jenseib, on Flickr


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We headed out to the bus stop and I took some pictures of the area today.


This is where we were always dropped off.


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And then you enter into the shopping district, which is pretty, but I have no use for that kind of shopping at Disney.


The bus directory……..we have to walk all the way down to the other end and around to reach the different bus stop peninsulas…..Unless you are lucky enough to be staying at one of the resorts along that line.


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I hadn’t realized Planet Hollywood was being refurbished. I am not sure if it is getting a makeover or what? I have never gone, nor have had the desire to and I haven’t heard very many good food reviews so I just never even tried to make it there.


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We made it to the other end and now we are headed to our row.


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And then CSR is almost all the way back down again.


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I understand why it has to be set up this way, but it is a pain to walk it, especially when you are tired.


A Dr. Strange bus came by so I clicked a picture.


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I still have not seen that movie and really it’s not on my list so it will probably one of those I see when I happen to find it on TV.


Back to CSR we went.


My sister Gail and her family and Aunt Mary and Geoff had landed and were getting ready to make their way over via Magical Express.

Amanda, Laura and Jan were just getting ready to take off, but we would not see them today as they were all staying at the Hyatt at the airport.

 

[jenseib]

No, I am still here, just so busy! Reading - YES!!! Commenting - just no time at the moment. But I REALLY enjoyed your TR so far.

I totally understand that. I have barely been able to post my own stuff let alone read anything.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

I also love T-Rex. I've eaten there a couple of times and my meal was always good. We are heading back this month and my kids have requested eating at one of the new restaurants in Disney Springs. Not sure which one but I'm leaning toward The Boat House.

 

[MerissaAndMomLoveDis]

Did I loose everyone?

Hi! I read all your trip reports--I just don't post very much--but yes, I'm still here reading along. Love your trip reports and all the great photos and helpful hints. ~Rhonda

 

[mom2rtk]

Did I loose everyone?

Not sure what happened. The alerts are so unreliable. I had missed several updates.

What a great story about Claire getting so worked up about the parks. You've done your job right! I hope you're able to work out a return trip this spring to reacquaint he with the parks! Of course, she might cry once she gets into DHS when she sees how much is closed off now!

I can't believe how different Disney Springs is from the last time we were there. Not sure what I think. I'm sorry to hear World of Disney has changed so much. That's really disappointing. But Disney merchandise in general has been pretty disappointing in recent years.

Love the photos at T-Rex! We've never been there and now you have me thinking we might have to give it a try.

 

[rndmr2]

I'm still here!

 

[chamberlain]

I'm following along and enjoying every minute of it! I feel Claire's pain about not going into the parks. The night before our cruise last year we rode the monorail to the entrance to Magic Kingdom just to look around. So sad that we couldn't go in but at least got a little glimpse of the park. And got to watch Wishes from the Contemporary balcony. Next time Claire!

 

[Woth2982]

Didn't lose me!.....well actually you did lol. I had the busiest close of my life this past week! I am actually working a bit this weekend too

All caught up! I get Claire being sad about not being at the parks. Must be hard to be there but not really be there, especially when you are a kid. It looks like you all have enjoyed some great food! I showed my bf the photo of your Sundae, and he has declared we just HAVE to go there....ok if you insist, twist my arm why don't ya? I love TRex too, but I don't eat there often. Have not had a ton of time to get to DTD the last couple trips.

Love the photo of you giving Claire the bunny ears and she is just rolling her eyes lol. I still can't believe she is this old! I feel like I JUST started following your trip reports yesterday when she was 3!

 

[Majordis]

I feel the same about the new stores in Disney Springs, although DD needs no excuse to visit a MAC store lol. How long is the bus ride from Coronado? We usually take the boat from POR

 

[jenseib]

I also love T-Rex. I've eaten there a couple of times and my meal was always good. We are heading back this month and my kids have requested eating at one of the new restaurants in Disney Springs. Not sure which one but I'm leaning toward The Boat House.

It's my go to spot, but I do need to try new places. I might be trying on there at the end of the month but won't know till last minute as I put in a request to do something else and I won't find out till a few days beforehand.

Hi! I read all your trip reports--I just don't post very much--but yes, I'm still here reading along. Love your trip reports and all the great photos and helpful hints. ~Rhonda

Glad to have you! It got so quiet here and I wondered if something happened on Dis and if no one could see anything.

Not sure what happened. The alerts are so unreliable. I had missed several updates.

I have that issue every so often too. It's ever since they changed the format.

What a great story about Claire getting so worked up about the parks. You've done your job right! I hope you're able to work out a return trip this spring to reacquaint he with the parks! Of course, she might cry once she gets into DHS when she sees how much is closed off now!

We have cancelled the early summer trip. I haven't told Paige, but I think she might have been leaning that way anyways. With all that is going on her way, I just didn't see it working out as a perfect trip. I gave Claire another option and she said she rather do that...and when I email you and tell you, you are going to be surprised!
I have till Feb. 28 to change my mind...and I don't want to change it, but you never know.

I can't believe how different Disney Springs is from the last time we were there. Not sure what I think. I'm sorry to hear World of Disney has changed so much. That's really disappointing. But Disney merchandise in general has been pretty disappointing in recent years.

It's very different. Some parts flow better, so there is that, but I am just not a fan of the deluxe shopping.

Love the photos at T-Rex! We've never been there and now you have me thinking we might have to give it a try.

It's a hit for us, be we don't have a T-rex or Rainforest near us.
I will try and email you later today. It's been another busy week. And we might be going away this evening to watch Alexis dance.

I'm still here!

Ok, good! So glad people didn't leave me.

I'm following along and enjoying every minute of it! I feel Claire's pain about not going into the parks. The night before our cruise last year we rode the monorail to the entrance to Magic Kingdom just to look around. So sad that we couldn't go in but at least got a little glimpse of the park. And got to watch Wishes from the Contemporary balcony. Next time Claire!

It is hard, especially when you are property, but you know how much cruising costs and unless I win the lottery, we just have to make cuts here and there.

Didn't lose me!.....well actually you did lol. I had the busiest close of my life this past week! I am actually working a bit this weekend too

I have had a really busy week too, so I totally understand.

All caught up! I get Claire being sad about not being at the parks. Must be hard to be there but not really be there, especially when you are a kid

It is, but I just gave her a choice of parks or something else yesterday and she chose the something else and I am so excited she did.

It looks like you all have enjoyed some great food! I showed my bf the photo of your Sundae, and he has declared we just HAVE to go there....ok if you insist, twist my arm why don't ya?

Both of our Sundaes were good...beaches and creams and Ghirardelli's ! So you might have to have both!

I love TRex too, but I don't eat there often. Have not had a ton of time to get to DTD the last couple trips.

It was nice to get to check out more of Disney Springs than what I would normally do on a trip.

Love the photo of you giving Claire the bunny ears and she is just rolling her eyes lol. I still can't believe she is this old! I feel like I JUST started following your trip reports yesterday when she was 3!

I am so uncool to her! So it's fun to tease her.
Yes, I started writing way back then and I can't believe how fast she has grown too.

I feel the same about the new stores in Disney Springs, although DD needs no excuse to visit a MAC store lol. How long is the bus ride from Coronado? We usually take the boat from POR

LOL!
I don't remember really. I don't think I ever timed it. Probably 10- 15 minutes.

 

[jenseib]

When we got back to Coronado we headed to our room and got ready for the Halloween party.


Several months before we had started talking about what we wanted to dress up as. I threw out ideas and Claire didn’t like them. Finally she agreed to be Cruella DeVil and I would be a Dalmatian. Mom was going to be one too. Basically I was wearing all white and putting spots on with tape. I tried this out at home and the spots seemed to stay on forever. Mom was going to be in all black and where white spots (as she has a lot of black clothes). Sounds easy right?


When the wig came Claire started to have doubts as she wasn’t sure she wanted to wear a wig and I told her she had to or no one would know who she was. She agreed to finally and we got her costume together in pieces and I thought it looked great.


We got dressed and mom pinned Claire’s hair up and we put her wig on and she was thoroughly embarrassed but I told her she would be fine as others were going to wear much more than that.


Mom and I put on our spots and they immediately started falling off! UGH! Really? Why did they stick so well at home, but here they fall off with every move I make?


Gail and the rest of the gang had arrived. They were starving and getting something to eat so we ran up to the Pepper Market to say hi.


Everyone was excited. The vacation had truly started for all of us now.


Gail snapped a picture of Claire and I.


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As you can see, Claire is embarrassed.


We said goodbye to them and headed back to the room to gather up our stuff to head over to the party so that we could enter as close to 4 as possible. Gail was running late but they said they would get dressed and be over as soon as possible.


Mom took another picture of Claire and I before we headed out.


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We then headed to the bus stop and had to wait a bit before the bus came. Literally every other park had 2 buses go by before the Magic Kingdom bus came.


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There was a bus monitor there but it never changed time. We realized it didn’t work. Well that is useless!


Finally a bus did come and we jumped on and patiently waited as we made our way over to the Magic Kingdom.


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Woohooo!!! We’re here!


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We walked through the bag check area and then I am randomly selected to get the extra measures and I have to take off my bag again and anything else and go through the metal detector. I was super annoyed as I had just put my glasses back on and arranged my bag over me, and adjusted my backpack on my back. I told Claire to go with mom but when I got done I realized my mom followed me through even though she didn’t need to. Oh well. I understand the reasons for this, but I wish he could have selected me before I had put everything back on me. And he made it sound like I had just won some magical experience. LOL.


We went in through the party line and soon were in the park. Yippee!!!!


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They routed all of us who were party goers through a backstage area to pick up our bags.


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These cute guys were back there too.


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We are now all excited and ready to go!


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We had a fastpass to get to though. When you have a party ticket you can make up to 3 fastpasses to use between 4 and 7. It is hard to get all 3 to work right, but I was able to. Gail could only get 2 for them. Actually I did it for them if I remember right because she was never getting on to do it, so I did them and told her to make any changes later if she wanted to.


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Claire was pretty excited about this fastpass as it was going to be her first time on this ride.


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We circled around making our way to it.


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Here we are!!!!


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The fastpass line was out the gate, but that typically is because people can’t handle the process of scanning to get through or they try to go in early and argue about it.


We made it in and there was a line, but it moved pretty steadily.


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While waiting in line there was a mom with 2 young girls and she could only ride with one child obviously and the one girl was pretty nervous about riding on her own. I started talking to her and told her she could ride with me. She seemed to like that idea. …..and she screamed almost the whole ride…..with glee!


Mom and Claire rode in front of me.


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Our Fastpass picture….I crack up at my Mom. She doesn’t do a lot of rides anymore and this one must have been tickling her.


MK_MINETRAIN_20161021_392303777597 - Copy by Jenseib, on Flickr


MK_MINETRAIN_20161021_7837089301 - Copy by Jenseib, on Flickr


And that little video they take. (If you click on it, it should take you to the site to play. That's the only way I could get this one to work).

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All too soon the ride is over.


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I love this ride, but I refuse to wait a long time for it. Claire was so happy to have finally ridden it. She gave it a thumbs up too.

 

[Timon]

I'm still here

I had something crazy come up yesterday that took all my focus off of everything else

Seems like a weird way to do the bus stops

I love Claire's rolley eyes

I did Planet Hollywood back in 1999 and have zero desire to return there really

 

[mom2rtk]

Sorry the spring plans fell through, but I can't wait to hear about plan B!

I'm so glad Claire finally got to ride the 7DMT. I'm surprised her wig didn't fly off!

Can't wait to hear more about the party.

 

[buteraa]

Great trip report and pictures!

 

[dolphingirl47]

It’s always so confusing where to check in with a reservation verses a walk in, but I checked in and they said they would call us once they started seating people and gave me a piece of paper. Others were getting different info, like they had to go and put their name in with a 2nd person after they opened. My mom was having a fit that I was doing it all wrong.

I am glad I am not the only one who found this confusing.

We were seated in the ice room.

I loved this room. We were in the one just before the ice room.

I had earned $100 for T-rex and I used that to pay for it.

That was definitely worth having.

And I had also paid for my CSR reservation from doing surveys as well.

Very nice.

Did I loose everyone?

I finally have some computer time. Changing jobs is so stressful.

We saw a photopass photographer so I made us stop.

That was a stroke of luck. I had heard that they now have photographers at Disney Springs, but they were in very short supply when I was there.

Basically I was wearing all white and putting spots on with tape. I tried this out at home and the spots seemed to stay on forever. Mom was going to be in all black and where white spots (as she has a lot of black clothes). Sounds easy right?

I love that idea.

Mom and I put on our spots and they immediately started falling off! UGH! Really? Why did they stick so well at home, but here they fall off with every move I make?

This may have something to do with the humidity in Florida.

They routed all of us who were party goers through a backstage area to pick up our bags.

That is a great idea.

We had a fastpass to get to though. When you have a party ticket you can make up to 3 fastpasses to use between 4 and 7. It is hard to get all 3 to work right, but I was able to.

Well done for making this work.

Corinna

 

[dizneeat]

Great start to your party! Oh, and btw - you are a cute dalmation.