Bringin' the HAPPY back! A (do-over) Spring Break TR!

[michellem1118]

Sounds like a great morning at DHS!

It's been so long since I stood in the stand-by line for TSM, I forgot how cute it is.

I am pretty impressed with your bravery in taking pictures during ToT! BTW, did you notice a second set of ghosts during the drop sequence? It seems like it was in the final drop-the doors opened, it was dark, and I could see some "shadowy" figures. My sister and I both noticed it, and didn't think we'd ever seen that before.

No, I didn't... I'll definitely look for that next time!

 

[heaven2dc]

Great pics at HS! It is SO hard to get a pic before the drop sequence starts but you did great I love how close HS is to the BWV's - we walked back one evening on our last trip and we beat the boat. We learned quickly to hop off at Swan/Dolphin hotel and walk over to the BWV instead of continuing on the boat.

 

[michellem1118]

Great pics at HS! It is SO hard to get a pic before the drop sequence starts but you did great I love how close HS is to the BWV's - we walked back one evening on our last trip and we beat the boat. We learned quickly to hop off at Swan/Dolphin hotel and walk over to the BWV instead of continuing on the boat.

Thanks for the complements on the pictures! I love trying to get ride pics at WDW, especially with my little camera, which is waterproof & shockproof. I put the good camera away on most rides, assuming I've even taken it to WDW in the first place. I didn't take it on this particular trip.

We never walked to DHS - we had good luck with the boat from Beach Club in the mornings, and by the time we were heading back to the resort, we were usually too tired to walk it.

 

[tinkgurl]

We seriously had to have walked right by each other at some point during the day!

Those are some awesome pics overlooking the park from ToT!

 

[MeMom]

From ToT, we headed over to use our FPs on RnRC, and then to TSM. DH won this round:

And would we meet any DIS friends in our daily travels?

But your accuracy was higher.

DIS friends? I will hope the answer is !

Sounds like maybe you walked by some you didn't even know were there, too!

 

[michellem1118]

We seriously had to have walked right by each other at some point during the day!

Those are some awesome pics overlooking the park from ToT!

I'm sure we did! But I didn't know to look for you!

Thanks for the compliments on the pics!

But your accuracy was higher.

DIS friends? I will hope the answer is !

Sounds like maybe you walked by some you didn't even know were there, too!

My accuracy is always higher in TSM, even though DH nearly always wins.

You'll have to wait and see on the DIS friends...

 

[mousetravel]

.......and then headed to World of Disney.

Worst. Idea. Ever.

I've never seen WoD so crowded before. We didn't even make it halfway into the store before deciding that we'd had enough.

I know what you mean about the WoD crowds! We were there last week, and I think WoD was more crowded than the parks were!!!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

OK what camera were you being so brave with on ToT???

 

[vamassey1]

What a great morning! ToT is my favorite ride but I've never tried to take pictures. I'm using my hands to hang on! When left from DHS to eat at Cape May. We got off at the Swan and Dolphin then walked around checking out the Boardwalk before heading in for dinner. I love that area.

 

[michellem1118]

I know what you mean about the WoD crowds! We were there last week, and I think WoD was more crowded than the parks were!!!

WoD definitely felt more crowded than any of the parks did that particular night... well, except for the night that we arrived at MK right as Spectro started.... but you'll have to wait a bit for that story...

OK what camera were you being so brave with on ToT???

The camera is an Olympus Stylus 1030SW (now called the Olympus Tough or something similar) - it's waterproof and shockproof, so it's pretty safe on the rides, as long as I don't lose it. I haven't been brave enough to get the dSLR out on most of the rides, though...

What a great morning! ToT is my favorite ride but I've never tried to take pictures. I'm using my hands to hang on! When left from DHS to eat at Cape May. We got off at the Swan and Dolphin then walked around checking out the Boardwalk before heading in for dinner. I love that area.

I usually hang on during ToT too. I'm not sure what possessed me to try to get pictures this time, but I'm glad I did, they turned out pretty well. We also loved the Boardwalk area, now I'm scoping out DVC resales for the resorts in that area. Not that we can afford them right now, but... it never hurts to look, right???

 

[michellem1118]

Since we were able to book AKV-CLUB LEVEL!!! for spring break next year, I had to drop our wait list for the MK view room @ BLT for our actual anniversary night (we ran out of points ). There are some pretty good passholder rates for that night at the other deluxe resorts, and I really don't want to spend that night at SSR (where we're currently booked). Beginning the day after our anniversary, we're moving to BLT for 5 nights.

So, I added a poll to this trip report: Which deluxe resort should we stay in the night of our 2nd anniversary? We won't be springing for a special view or anything, since it'll be a cash ressie, so keep that in mind when you cast your vote.

Edited to add: We have stayed at AKL/AKV before, on our anniversary trip last year, and will be staying there again next year on spring break. We've never stayed at any of the other three resorts in the poll.

 

[michellem1118]

Monday, March 15, continued

After leaving DHS, we headed down to the boat dock. Since our AP's were expiring today, we needed to go to Epcot to buy our F&G Festival exclusive pins, so we decided to head there for lunch as well. We rode the boat all the way to Epcot (by the way, it's a rather long boat ride... we would've saved 10+ minutes by getting off at Beach/Yacht Club & walking to the International Gateway). At any rate, we arrived pretty quickly at Epcot, made it through bag check, and entered through the International Gateway.

We headed first to the pin station to get our AP-exclusive & DVC-exclusive pins, we didn't want to forget (we'd forgotten on both of our previous visits to Epcot ), then we went to the Land Pavilion to eat at Sunshine Seasons. We shared a turkey sandwich & two sides. I forgot to get a picture (actually, I thought I had a picture, but now I can't find it). We noticed on this trip that most of the CS offerings are more than enough food for two people, so we started sharing to save money. Ultimately, that was a good decision.

After we left the Land, we went over to get FPs for Test Track - the return time was fairly late, around 7:00 I believe, it was around 1:30 when we got the FPs - and then decided to do some exploration of the F&G topiaries and the World Showcase, which we often neglect.

Uh-oh, Scar is trying to eat DH...

As we walked past Innoventions, DH really wanted to go ride the Sum of all Thrills virtual roller coaster. He'd done this on the Christmas trip with his brother, and thought I would enjoy it, so I agreed. This was the LONGEST wait we had all trip - over 50 minutes. I took some pictures while we waited...

the entrance to the design lab where you use math (on vacation!) to design your roller coaster...

the ride vehicle, with a weird reflection of DH...

Sum of all Thrills was OK. It made me feel sort of the way that Mission:Space (orange) makes me feel - I just don't do simulators well. If simulators don't bother you, or if you want a mild ride, you'll probably enjoy it. I wouldn't wait more than 15-20 minutes for it ever again, though!

After we finished our virtual ride, it was time to head into the World Showcase. First up - Mexico:

Next up - Norway:

I love the roof of this building:

Perhaps the hardest picture in all of Epcot to get without random people in it:

Judging from my photos, it appears that after Norway, I began to focus on just the topiaries, and neglected to explore the countries themselves. I think I'll save the topiaries and the rest of the afternoon for the next update.

So, up next: Flower & Garden topiaries & displays, an afternoon break, dinner & entertainment, and possibly even more stuff!


and p.s. vote in my poll if you haven't yet... making a decision soon!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Vote for Poly. You are staying at BLT so CR is basically the same, WL doesn't seem "special' enough and you've already stayed at AKL so that's my vote

 

[MHTeacher]

This was one of my favorites!



BTW---I voted before I had read your post about not paying for any special view, so I need to change my vote. If you're not paying extra for any view, then I vote for the Poly--- Even the garden view is beautiful. That's the view we've had each time we've stayed there and we've never been disappointed.

 

[michellem1118]

This was one of my favorites!



BTW---I voted before I had read your post about not paying for any special view, so I need to change my vote. If you're not paying extra for any view, then I vote for the Poly--- Even the garden view is beautiful. That's the view we've had each time we've stayed there and we've never been disappointed.

The Lion King is one of my all-time favorite Disney movies... ok, really, it's one of my favorite movies, period... so I really liked the topiaries! I just wish that Spaceship Earth wasn't so washed out in the background of that picture... I need to play with that one in Photoshop! LOL

Your vote has been changed. Seems that the Poly is winning by a landslide. That's what I was leaning towards anyway... might mean breakfast at Kona too!

 

[MeMom]

ToT is my favorite ride but I've never tried to take pictures. I'm using my hands to hang on!

I usually hang on during ToT too. I'm not sure what possessed me to try to get pictures this time, but I'm glad I did, they turned out pretty well.

Top of the Tower pictures are awesome!

The Lion King is one of my all-time favorite Disney movies... ok, really, it's one of my favorite movies, period...

Your vote has been changed. Seems that the Poly is winning by a landslide. That's what I was leaning towards anyway... might mean breakfast at Kona too!

I just had that playing in the background this weekend as I did my mundane chores around the house. No one under 52 1/2 years old (me) was in the house, and I was watching Lion King.

Breakfast at Kona sounds lovely.

 

[michellem1118]

Hmm... wonder where all my readers went????

MeMom, I've been known to watch the Lion King (or other Disney movies) just to watch them. There are never children in our house, since we don't have any yet. Nothing wrong with watching Disney movies.

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Ohhhh, I'm still here! I read your update then must have gone to bed without commenting.
Scar about to eat John.
Looks like he was tempting fate.
I don't think I want to get into that simulator at Sum of all Thrills. Just the thought makes my stomach start to roll.

We have never had breakfast at Kona, I sure would like to try it one of these trips...
Would also like to stay at the Poly but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

 

[michellem1118]

Ohhhh, I'm still here! I read your update then must have gone to bed without commenting.
Scar about to eat John.
Looks like he was tempting fate.
I don't think I want to get into that simulator at Sum of all Thrills. Just the thought makes my stomach start to roll.

We have never had breakfast at Kona, I sure would like to try it one of these trips...
Would also like to stay at the Poly but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

I'll never do Sum of all Thrills again. John's on his own for that one in the future. Just like Mission: Space... the orange side makes me sick, and I find the green side boring.

I think the Poly will be the winner of our anniversary night poll. I hate to spend that much money on one night, but at the same time... I don't want to spend our actual anniversary at a value resort or SSR - it just doesn't seem "special" enough.

 

[tinkgurl]

Wow, I'm getting deja vu reading your update!

I could not believe how long the wait was for the Sum of All Thrills!

I love that Lion King topiary! So beautiful.