"Even the Garbage Cans Have Flowers!"-A September 2016 Mother-Daughter TR!- NEW TR LINK 9/13!

[Raeven]

Yay! I tried to talk Josh into a quick March trip, but we ended up deciding we'd maybe do a quick MVMCP trip instead.

The Dumbo is so cute! I think you chose the right one.

 

[ariane37]

First, I think I need to visit our local Goodwill store more often.
Next so awesome on your March trip but we miss you by 5 days!!! We're missing everyone on our March and May trips Anyway I'm so glad I get to see Wishes again before it's gone and glad you do too OK, we stayed value once for 3 nights back in 2014 because I wanted to try the LM room at AoA so I begged my boys to try it. It was far from a bad experience! Being used to deluxe and having a couple,moderate stays under our belts it was an adjustment but it extended our 7 day trip to 10 days and that was the important part. You'll be fine because your trip is going to be so great!
We also did March once but earlier in the month so no spring break crowds. You're right, you won't have Easter crowds since its in April; you may have some spring break crowds but I don't think it'll be near crazy at all. You'll also get to experience F&G on your Epcot day, I LOVE that! When DH and I do our kid-free trips we do way less planning as far as where we'll eat and it always works out fine so I don't think you should worry too much

 

[BellaBaby]

That Dumbo is adorable!!

DH and I did a quick trip with 1 month advance notice a few years ago with some friends and had a great time! I'm sure you will too!!

 

[the2ndstar2theright]

How exciting! I understand how you feel about Wishes--I definitely cried when I saw it for the last time!!

 

[MrsPMcD]

Oh how exciting! I'm so sad that I won't see Wishes again but focusing on all the new exciting things! That will be an emotional last viewing of it! Did you get the 2.0 magic bands for this trip? You'll have to let us know what you think of them - not sure I'm a fan of the bulkier design and may get one of the hanging accessories for our next trip (well played Disney marketing!).

 

[Somnia]

Oh how exciting! I'm so sad that I won't see Wishes again but focusing on all the new exciting things! That will be an emotional last viewing of it! Did you get the 2.0 magic bands for this trip? You'll have to let us know what you think of them - not sure I'm a fan of the bulkier design and may get one of the hanging accessories for our next trip (well played Disney marketing!).

I'm sad also that I won't be able to see it one last time though I am excited to see all of the new stuff when I go back in December, there will be so much to see!

Molly I'm glad you are able to see it one last time though!

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

Okay, those milkshakes! That's worth a trip there for sure.

How exciting that you are going on a girls trip. It will be fabulous no matter where you stay. I did stay at All Star Music a long time ago in the Family Suites. They are in the preferred location so we were right up front. It was fine, and my kids loved it.

 

[tinkerbell1991]

I think you've swayed me to start collecting pins but via the mystery packs (I'm gonna end up spending a fortune over 21 days haha)

 

[Terra Nova guy]

Great news about your shopping finds and your exciting trip. I'd give you advice but I've never done a short trip to a value resort so I can't enlighten you much. I'm sure it will be a great trip.

And in case you didn't find that Lapu Lapu recipe yet, here's a link to a site I like with a lot of drink recipes from WDW. Enjoy!

http://www.partythroughtheparks.com...recipes/tag/polynesian-lapu-lapu-drink-recipe

 

[maggiepie87]

Yay for March trips, we'll be there the 18th - 25th (I'll say hi if I see you ). The middle to end is when we have gone the last 4 years and every year the crowds are different. One year it was super busy and the next not as bad. I'm hoping it won't be as bad as last year because of Easter not being until April. We had to wait 10 minutes for the people mover The weather is super nice too. Enjoy your trip!

 

[missangelalexis]

Nice score on the Disney movies! I have a bunch of VHS tapes that I don't know what to do with, I can't bear to let them go!

I love the stuffed Dumbo you got!

Wow how exciting that you have a girls weekend planned! So fun!!

 

[TeresaNJ]

Hello! I'm so happy I found your TR! I usually hang out on the Dining Reports board, but thought I'd mosey on over here, and found your report yesterday, and have spent the last day and a half reading it! You are just too cute, and I love your TR writing style! Your Disney love and enthusiasm shines throughout your TR! Congrats on your BFF trip. I've done girl only trips twice so far, once in December 2012 with my sister, and then in May 2013 with my BFF. Now me, my sister, & my BFF are taking a girls' trip this May! WooHoo! Yes, my fam is jealous, but we've all been together many many times, and sometimes moms/mom moms need to just get away! You'll understand this more someday in the future, lol. Can't wait to read about the rest of your adventures!

 

[Neverland_Girl]

Yay for more Disney trips! We'll be there next week so I'm glad I get to see it one (hopefully 2) more times before it leaves. I'm excited to see what they do but I just love Wishes so much I don't know if anything can top it for me.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Following along and loving it!

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

This trip marks a lot of firsts for me! Including:

First time staying at a Value Resort

First time going during March

First time doing a park solo

First time going for less than 5 nights


If anyone has any advice/experience with any of these things, PLEASE fill me in! I’d love your input!

Hi! I just jumped into your trip report and saw this.

A value resort is an adjustment from the moderate and deluxe level, but you'll likely find that it is adequate for your needs. One thing I do like is that the buses come pretty frequently and the lines at the resort have roped-off queue areas like at the parks. The downside is that you can't sit while in line and the lines are also uncovered. Another thing I like is the food courts have many options. I dislike that there are no coffee pots in the rooms.

The values can be really busy or really calm; it really just depends on if there are large groups while you are there or not. I find the deluxe class resorts can also be really busy with day guests visiting the restaurants, so this isn't limited to the value resorts. Music has a long and narrow layout of their buildings; you might put in a request to be close to transportation.

Doing a park solo is both a blessing and a curse. At first, you're thinking, "Yay! I can do whatever I want!" - and you can. Then, you realize that joy is multiplied by sharing it, so you might get a little lonely at points throughout the day. Then you remember that you can do all the things on your schedule and dawdle or rush as much as you'd like. It just takes some getting used to.

Epcot is a good park for going solo because there are so many performers in World Showcase. My favorite park to go solo might be Animal Kingdom because of all the lush trails and animals to watch, but Epcot is a good choice too, especially since I think you'll be there during the Garden Festival! I like playing with my camera and try to get some artistic shots. I also take full advantage of any single-rider lines, although there are not many at Epcot.

If you're used to long trips, this one will feel like a blur. Go in knowing you won't do "what you usually do" because this is not a usual trip for you. Adjust your expectations to what can reasonably be accomplished in the time you do have, and you'll enjoy it more. Your priority is seeing Wishes, so anything beyond that is a bonus. Are you planning to watch from outside the park somewhere on a non-MK day?

 

[MrsPMcD]

Thank you so much for reading! AHHHH, you totally should! Trust us, they're addicting (we speak from experience )

Took your advice! We actually ended up booking for this year! We both got so excited and carried away and there was a great deal at my favourite resort (YC) and on flights so off we go! We will be there for my Mum's birthday and are already planning to do MNSSHP one night and excited to be right next to Epcot for F&W. Yay

 

[Mollydolly334]

Yay! I tried to talk Josh into a quick March trip, but we ended up deciding we'd maybe do a quick MVMCP trip instead.

The Dumbo is so cute! I think you chose the right one.

GIRL I am soooo jealous at how often you are getting to go this year!! Do you think you'll be renewing your AP's for next year?! You are definitely getting your money's worth I've always wanted to see WDW during Christmas time! Maybe going in March will be a test for me to see how I handle the heavier crowds

First, I think I need to visit our local Goodwill store more often.
Next so awesome on your March trip but we miss you by 5 days!!! We're missing everyone on our March and May trips Anyway I'm so glad I get to see Wishes again before it's gone and glad you do too OK, we stayed value once for 3 nights back in 2014 because I wanted to try the LM room at AoA so I begged my boys to try it. It was far from a bad experience! Being used to deluxe and having a couple,moderate stays under our belts it was an adjustment but it extended our 7 day trip to 10 days and that was the important part. You'll be fine because your trip is going to be so great!
We also did March once but earlier in the month so no spring break crowds. You're right, you won't have Easter crowds since its in April; you may have some spring break crowds but I don't think it'll be near crazy at all. You'll also get to experience F&G on your Epcot day, I LOVE that! When DH and I do our kid-free trips we do way less planning as far as where we'll eat and it always works out fine so I don't think you should worry too much

Goodwill has so many hidden gems! The prices can't be beat and you can find the coolest things there sometimes!

Aw man After I booked the trip, I was wondering when you were going to be there because I remember your ticker being quite low!

I am actually pretty excited to try a Value because then I'll have experienced at all 3 price tiers! Plus, I have never seen those large- than-life icons before so it will be a cool experience! I agree, longer trips are always better than shorter trips

You're right, I need to stop being so nervous and just go with the flow! Back when we would go when I was a kid; we would literally wake up in the morning and ask each other, "What park do we feel like going to today?!" I remember waking up and telling my Mom that I wanted to eat at Chef Mickey's that night, and her just calling the restaurant and booking an ADR for 7 PM that night Times sure have changed, but hey, how can I be upset when I'm at Disney World?!

I am so excited to do a day solo as well as experience F&G!! We've been during F&G a few times, but I believe that was before they put in the booths and everything! I'm already starting to make out a list of foods/beverages I'd like to try, and a Frozen Violet Lemonade is at the top

That Dumbo is adorable!!

DH and I did a quick trip with 1 month advance notice a few years ago with some friends and had a great time! I'm sure you will too!!

Thank you!! I love Dumbo, he's so sweet

Thanks for the reassurance! I am so excited because I've never done a trip so close and instead of waiting for a long time, I get to go really soon!!

How exciting! I understand how you feel about Wishes--I definitely cried when I saw it for the last time!!

Thank you! We're like twins; I saw you just took a weekend trip too! I'm following along the TR and I love it so far!!

Oh how exciting! I'm so sad that I won't see Wishes again but focusing on all the new exciting things! That will be an emotional last viewing of it! Did you get the 2.0 magic bands for this trip? You'll have to let us know what you think of them - not sure I'm a fan of the bulkier design and may get one of the hanging accessories for our next trip (well played Disney marketing!).

Thank you! I've already told Gabi and Kaley that I'm going to be a basket case, so at least they'll expect it, right?! And the magic bands should be coming in the mail any day now! I'm excited to see the new design; I thought the old ones were oddly shaped and I'm hoping these will be a bit more comfortable! I definitely agree with you about Disney having great marketing skills; I'm going to stick with the bracelets for now because I feel like I would lose that thing in a heartbeat!!

I'm sad also that I won't be able to see it one last time though I am excited to see all of the new stuff when I go back in December, there will be so much to see!

Molly I'm glad you are able to see it one last time though!

Aww, thank you I agree that it's going to be sad to see Wishes go, but knowing Disney, the new show is going to be amazing as well Wishes just has such a nostalgia factor for me and the music is so touching! Hopefully the new show will be like Soarin' Around the World, where they keep the same general music theme as the old one!!

Okay, those milkshakes! That's worth a trip there for sure.

How exciting that you are going on a girls trip. It will be fabulous no matter where you stay. I did stay at All Star Music a long time ago in the Family Suites. They are in the preferred location so we were right up front. It was fine, and my kids loved it.

When I saw those milkshakes, I was like , then That strawberry shake with the slice of cake has my name written all over it!!

Thank you! I agree, this is the perfect trip to try a new resort because it is short and sweet, plus this trip was totally unexpected so any hotel is just seen as a bonus!! I'm crossing my fingers that we get upgraded to a Family Suite! Hey, a girl can dream, right?

I think you've swayed me to start collecting pins but via the mystery packs (I'm gonna end up spending a fortune over 21 days haha)

Yes, do it!!! It was so fun to anticipate and try to guess the pin before I opened it! And wow, 21 days?! That is amazing, I'm so jealous! I could only wish to go to WDW for that long!!!

Great news about your shopping finds and your exciting trip. I'd give you advice but I've never done a short trip to a value resort so I can't enlighten you much. I'm sure it will be a great trip.

And in case you didn't find that Lapu Lapu recipe yet, here's a link to a site I like with a lot of drink recipes from WDW. Enjoy!

http://www.partythroughtheparks.com...recipes/tag/polynesian-lapu-lapu-drink-recipe

Thanks! And no problem, I'm excited to just go with the flow and not have any expectations, since this trip is just a bonus anyway!!

Thank you so much for the link! This website is amazing, although quite dangerous as I think I will have to try a lot of the recipes on here

 

[Mollydolly334]

Yay for March trips, we'll be there the 18th - 25th (I'll say hi if I see you ). The middle to end is when we have gone the last 4 years and every year the crowds are different. One year it was super busy and the next not as bad. I'm hoping it won't be as bad as last year because of Easter not being until April. We had to wait 10 minutes for the people mover The weather is super nice too. Enjoy your trip!

YES!! Please say hi if you see me, I love meeting people from the DIS! I'll keep a look out for you too!

Interesting about the different crowds each year; like you said, it's keeping me optimistic that we will not be there during Easter week! Yikes, 10 minutes for the People Mover?! That's when you know Disney is crowded! Thanks for the input!!

Nice score on the Disney movies! I have a bunch of VHS tapes that I don't know what to do with, I can't bear to let them go!

I love the stuffed Dumbo you got!

Wow how exciting that you have a girls weekend planned! So fun!!

Thank you! I'm happy because we have lots of Renaissance-era Disney movies like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, etc., but none of the classic era!! You should look for a VCR and Goodwill! Then, if you find one, tell me about it so we can both have movie marathons!

Thanks! I'm excited to see WDW with my besties

Hello! I'm so happy I found your TR! I usually hang out on the Dining Reports board, but thought I'd mosey on over here, and found your report yesterday, and have spent the last day and a half reading it! You are just too cute, and I love your TR writing style! Your Disney love and enthusiasm shines throughout your TR! Congrats on your BFF trip. I've done girl only trips twice so far, once in December 2012 with my sister, and then in May 2013 with my BFF. Now me, my sister, & my BFF are taking a girls' trip this May! WooHoo! Yes, my fam is jealous, but we've all been together many many times, and sometimes moms/mom moms need to just get away! You'll understand this more someday in the future, lol. Can't wait to read about the rest of your adventures!

Hi Teresa!! Thank you so much for your kind words! Disney is one of my passions, and I am so happy that I have found a place where I can share my love for it and talk with others who feel the same way!

Girl's trips at Disney World are the best! Although I'm also hoping to honeymoon at WDW one day too! Yay for your girl's trip coming up That sounds so fun; Moms going on vacation without their kids!! Even at 22, people still ask me, "Why do you like Disney so much?! It's a kiddie vacation!" And I kindly tell them to not ruin my fun! Glad other people still love to travel to WDW as an adult. Thanks for following along, an update should be up tonight!!

Yay for more Disney trips! We'll be there next week so I'm glad I get to see it one (hopefully 2) more times before it leaves. I'm excited to see what they do but I just love Wishes so much I don't know if anything can top it for me.

Ahhh, have so much fun girl! I definitely agree with you there; I'm trying to keep an open mind about replacing Wishes but I will miss it sooo much Although, I was upset about them replacing Celebrate a Dream Come True, but I love FoF now so maybe it will be the same for Wishes?!

Following along and loving it!

and thank you so much for reading!!

Hi! I just jumped into your trip report and saw this.

A value resort is an adjustment from the moderate and deluxe level, but you'll likely find that it is adequate for your needs. One thing I do like is that the buses come pretty frequently and the lines at the resort have roped-off queue areas like at the parks. The downside is that you can't sit while in line and the lines are also uncovered. Another thing I like is the food courts have many options. I dislike that there are no coffee pots in the rooms.

The values can be really busy or really calm; it really just depends on if there are large groups while you are there or not. I find the deluxe class resorts can also be really busy with day guests visiting the restaurants, so this isn't limited to the value resorts. Music has a long and narrow layout of their buildings; you might put in a request to be close to transportation.

Doing a park solo is both a blessing and a curse. At first, you're thinking, "Yay! I can do whatever I want!" - and you can. Then, you realize that joy is multiplied by sharing it, so you might get a little lonely at points throughout the day. Then you remember that you can do all the things on your schedule and dawdle or rush as much as you'd like. It just takes some getting used to.

Epcot is a good park for going solo because there are so many performers in World Showcase. My favorite park to go solo might be Animal Kingdom because of all the lush trails and animals to watch, but Epcot is a good choice too, especially since I think you'll be there during the Garden Festival! I like playing with my camera and try to get some artistic shots. I also take full advantage of any single-rider lines, although there are not many at Epcot.

If you're used to long trips, this one will feel like a blur. Go in knowing you won't do "what you usually do" because this is not a usual trip for you. Adjust your expectations to what can reasonably be accomplished in the time you do have, and you'll enjoy it more. Your priority is seeing Wishes, so anything beyond that is a bonus. Are you planning to watch from outside the park somewhere on a non-MK day?

Hi and Thanks for reading along Also, I love all of this detailed advice! The planner in me is jumping for joy at your post

Good to know about no coffee pots in the room! I am also excited to check out the food court! That was one of Mom and I's favorite thing about CBR; all of the options were so diverse and it was great when you just wanted to grab a quite bite at the resort! Since we are spending a lot of time at the pool this trip, I'm sure we will frequent the food court often.

Isn't it funny that the bus service at the Values can be better than the Deluxes? I'm hoping the lines won't be too long, and if they are, we may just utilize Uber too since I am not used to being at a more isolated resort location.

I'm not too worried about crowds, but I am relieved that there seems to be no large group events for that weekend!! If it happens to be during Cheerleader Weekend, I may go deaf And this is no diss to cheerleaders; I myself was a cheerleader for 3 years!! I put in a room request for the Broadway section, since I love musicals. Is that close or far away from the main building/busses??

I am actually SO excited to do Epcot solo. When I applied to the DCP, I made a "bucket list" of things I wanted to do if I got in. One of those items was to do all parks solo at least once. Sadly, I didn't make it into the DCP, but I'm excited I still get the fill a bucket list item. I know that throughout the day, I will find myself missing my friends! But, contrary to how I seem on the boards, I can actually be quite introverted and I really enjoy my alone time and doing things on my own time! I will definitely be using the single-rider line at Test Track a few times, and I can't wait to get some shots of the topiary for F&G!! Oh, and get some tasty treats from the booths as well

I love your last paragraph!! So true, go in with no expectations, and how can you be disappointed?! We are planning on watching Wishes from inside the park, although if the crowds are too heavy I may suggest heading over to the Poly to watch it at the beach! I'm so excited to do a fun girl's weekend at WDW and show Gabi and Kaley the Disney ropes!!

Took your advice! We actually ended up booking for this year! We both got so excited and carried away and there was a great deal at my favourite resort (YC) and on flights so off we go! We will be there for my Mum's birthday and are already planning to do MNSSHP one night and excited to be right next to Epcot for F&W. Yay

Hi again!! YAY, that is so awesome!! Mother-daughter trips are truly awesome! My family LOVES the YC too, so you definitely picked the right place to stay. It reminds me of the GF with how stately and proper it is, and with girl's trips, I feel like the more elegant resort the better! You should do a PTR so we can read about all of your planning, I would love to hear about it!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Day 5: Part 1- “Finally, I’m a Beautiful Butterfly!”



Hello Disfriends! Whether you’ve been with me all along or you are just joining in, I’m really happy to see you It’s been a crazy whirlwind planning my March girl’s trip! I may also do an update on it sometime later this week to keep you guys in the loop!


But for right now, it’s September 7, 2016, at 7:50 AM!! Mom and I had a jam-packed day ahead of us, and we wanted to get an early start. Morning definitely came very early today In addition to our tiredness, I was also starting to get the last-day blues. Even though we still had 2 ½ park days left of our trip, we were on the back end of our vacation and I was feeling pretty depressed My mom could sense this, and kept asking me if anything was wrong, which in turn made me snap, “NOTHING’S WRONG!”


Luckily, my mom knows me better than any person on this planet, and knew that I was just sad about the trip coming to an end. My mom is always in a great mood no matter what the circumstances, and can always bring me back down to Earth! She gave me a big hug and told me that I would be way more upset after the trip if I ruined the last few days by being sad!

Crisis averted! Mom and I finished getting ready and were out the door by 8:55! Mom is not really a breakfast person, but I took a pack of Pop Tarts from the room to hold me over until lunch. We were still feeling a bit groggy, so we stopped at Gasparilla for some coffee for me, tea for Mom. Then, we headed out front towards the bus stop! These were our plans for the day:


FP +

2:50- 3:50 PM- Tower of Terror
4:00- 5:00 PM- Rock n Roller Coaster

ADRS

5:35 PM- Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater
10:20 PM- Beaches and Cream


We were going to do some park-hopping today, starting with Animal Kingdom in the morning and moving over to DHS after lunch! Usually, we try to make a whole day for each park, but to make room for a rest day we had rearrange our normal trip schedule. This ended up working out really well, because we don’t spend too much time in AK and weren’t super impressed with DHS last year! We feel that DHS is in a transition stage, and as long as we get our favorites done, we aren’t too worried about spending a whole day there!


Even though I was feeling pretty pitiful that morning, I was actually really excited for today because we were dining at my favorite Disney restaurant tonight: Sci-Fi! Plus, we were pumped see Fantasmic again since we rediscovered it on our last mother-daughter trip!!


When we arrived at the bus stop, the digital signs said that a bus for Animal Kingdom would be coming in 20 minutes. However, the CM operating the stop took a poll over where we were all headed, and an AK bus ended up showing up about 10 minutes later We arrived in Animal Kingdom at 9:40 AM.


From this day on to the end of the trip, I took a TON of pictures! I wish I would have taken more at the start, but I think i was just trying to absorb all of the Disney I could! So, be prepared for more Disney pics from now on


We decided to take the scenic route to Africa to ride Kilimanjaro Safaris! Not sure why, but we like this to be our first ride in Animal Kingdom! As soon as we turned onto one of the trails, we ran into this beauty…

DeVine!! Not gonna lie, I thought she was a statue at first, but when she started moving, I jumped probably 10 feet into the air I’ve heard on the DIS that she is a rare sight nowadays, so we watched her for a little bit before moving on.

I loved these gorgeous parrots on the trail! They were posed so perfectly and looked like two lovebirds So punny, I know…


Eventually, we reached the clearing and got a great view of the Tree of Life!

I love the guy in the lower left corner taking a selfie The Tree of Life is such a unique landmark! The detail on this is so stunning and it really takes your breath away the first time you see it. On our 2000 family trip, we were at AK and my dad said, “Look at that tree, Molls! All of those animals were hand-carved by the workers!” Apparently, I answered, “How were their hands sharp enough to carve the wood?!”

On our way to the Safari, we ran into this guy!!

Okay, I haven’t seen A Bug’s Life in forever, but it’s one of my boyfriend Tom’s favorite Disney movies! The line was only 3 minutes long, and we had never taken a picture with Flik before, so we couldn’t pass it up!


Finally, we got in line for Kilimanjaro Safari! That’s the thing about Animal Kingdom; there are so many cool things to see that you often forget to ride the rides here! 10 minutes later, we were on! Mom and I are really happy that they got rid of the “Little Red” theming; sometimes you just need a good ole’ safari without a gimmick


The animals were pretty active this go-around! I’ve heard from other TRs that the animals tend to be more energetic in the morning. Even the lions were up and moving! We got up close and personal with this adorable giraffe.

Even closer!!

Overall, this was probably the best safari ride we had ever been on! To keep up our good animal luck, we decided to take a peek in the Pangani Exploration Trail. According to my notes, we saw a hippo sleeping. Awww, how cute We also saw this little guy.

Looking very pensive! However, nothing could top our gorilla experience in 2015, when we saw the mama gorilla squish and kill a bumblebee for scaring her baby!


Once we exited the Pangani Expedition trail, we moseyed on over to the Harambe Market! This was open on our last trip, but we didn’t take a lot of time to look through it.

I texted this picture to Tom, and he answered, “Is that place seriously called Harambe?” This was in the aftermath of the shooting of Harambe, a gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo, and people were still going crazy about it. I texted back, “Disney did it. #Illuminati”

Am I a bad person if I laughed really hard at this fake flyer?


They have so many cool decorations and quotes over in this section! I love all of the paintings on the walls and how rustic everything looks.

This quote was one of my favorites!


We were itching to ride some more rides, so we left Africa and made our way over to Dinoland USA!

We tried to walk over by Dinosaur, just to see the big statue out front. Dinosaur was closed during our vacation, which made us super sad since this is our favorite ride in Animal Kingdom!! We love the intro with Clair Huxtable and think this ride is a nice change from normal Disney rides. We have a priceless photo buried somewhere in our basement where Haley has the hugest, open-mouthed expression her face!


Sadly, we were only met with this sign

Oh well, can’t dwell on something you can’t change! We decided to head towards the Primeval Whirl, since we missed this on our last trip! Even though the carnival theme of Dinoland is a little un-Disney, I think it’s cute and the kids seem to love it! Mom and I almost played a carnival game, but didn’t feel like waiting in line to buy tickets. Plus, we also didn’t feel like carrying around a stuffed dinosaur all day


The line for Primeval Whirl was non-existent, so we walked right on! The ride operator there was very sarcastic and dry, but in an awkward way. He kept making jokes about us being on vacation and him being at work. To be honest, he was a bit too dark for Disney Mom and I just kind of smiled and looked away until we got on the ride.

We giggled the whole ride! Primeval Whirl reminds us of the teacups in roller coaster form! Since the line was still empty, we turned around and rode it again! We managed to dodge our awkward CM and jump on it right away!


Two times in a row on Primeval Whirl was enough for us! We decided to take another spin, this time on the Triceratop Spin (AKA- Animal Kingdom Dumbo). It was starting to get pretty hot at this point, as it usually does in AK, but the sun felt nice on our backs!


Because of the heat and humidity, Mom and I were getting thirsty and in search of a tasty treat!! I knew exactly what I wanted to get: a Frozen Coke! We checked the map, but couldn’t seem to find a stand anywhere in AK that sold slushies. But, I was on a mission and determined to find one! I’ll save our search for the next update


Coming up Next- Day 5: Part 2- “Hakuna Matata!"

​

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Hi and Thanks for reading along Also, I love all of this detailed advice! The planner in me is jumping for joy at your post

Good to know about no coffee pots in the room! I am also excited to check out the food court! That was one of Mom and I's favorite thing about CBR; all of the options were so diverse and it was great when you just wanted to grab a quite bite at the resort! Since we are spending a lot of time at the pool this trip, I'm sure we will frequent the food court often.

Isn't it funny that the bus service at the Values can be better than the Deluxes? I'm hoping the lines won't be too long, and if they are, we may just utilize Uber too since I am not used to being at a more isolated resort location.

I'm not too worried about crowds, but I am relieved that there seems to be no large group events for that weekend!! If it happens to be during Cheerleader Weekend, I may go deaf And this is no diss to cheerleaders; I myself was a cheerleader for 3 years!! I put in a room request for the Broadway section, since I love musicals. Is that close or far away from the main building/busses??

I am actually SO excited to do Epcot solo. When I applied to the DCP, I made a "bucket list" of things I wanted to do if I got in. One of those items was to do all parks solo at least once. Sadly, I didn't make it into the DCP, but I'm excited I still get the fill a bucket list item. I know that throughout the day, I will find myself missing my friends! But, contrary to how I seem on the boards, I can actually be quite introverted and I really enjoy my alone time and doing things on my own time! I will definitely be using the single-rider line at Test Track a few times, and I can't wait to get some shots of the topiary for F&G!! Oh, and get some tasty treats from the booths as well

I love your last paragraph!! So true, go in with no expectations, and how can you be disappointed?! We are planning on watching Wishes from inside the park, although if the crowds are too heavy I may suggest heading over to the Poly to watch it at the beach! I'm so excited to do a fun girl's weekend at WDW and show Gabi and Kaley the Disney ropes!!

I'm glad the information is helpful! I love the theme of the Broadway buildings - they are probably my favorite at All Star Music. They are further back, but not the farthest. The walk isn't terrible though. Another nice thing about Music is they recently renovated the food court. The decor was nice, with some subtle musical touches.

Have you seen Wishes from the Poly beach before? It's nice from outside the parks, but it's pretty far. If it was me, I would not do this option on the day you have MK tickets. I would stay in the park and get the best viewing spot you can!

The experience is so much better from the Hub than from across the lake. I would only do the outside the park option on a day you don't have park tickets. I say this because the entire purpose of your trip is to see Wishes before it's gone, and there is no guarantee the beach won't also be crowded.