*FINISHED 1/26* Welcome to Disney, Where Wait Times are Made Up and the Crowds Don't Matter! - July 2021

[rdkeim]

Thanks for including your pre and travel day! I like reading those. I'm more of a hit the road at 5 am gal but your way seems to work well for your family.

 

[Stargazer9]

Excellent start to your trip! I enjoy the pre and travel days! Looking forward to reading along.

 

[Newsies]

Great travel day. Can't wait to read more!

Thank you so much, I appreciate you following along!!

Thanks for including your pre and travel day! I like reading those. I'm more of a hit the road at 5 am gal but your way seems to work well for your family.

You got it! I like reading and writing about our travel days, too, they're always so exciting!!

Excellent start to your trip! I enjoy the pre and travel days! Looking forward to reading along.

Thanks for commenting and for joining along!!

 

[absolutmey]

can't wait! I love reading your reports.

 

[starousse]

So happy to see another review. Looks like a great start of the trip. Looking forward to hearing about the rest of it.

 

[JasonTCV]

Thank you for sharing all this information. Especially as someone staying a Poly in a few weeks and deciding what to do about Ohana. Great to hear another first hand experience!

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

Can't wait to hear all about your trip.

 

[bravenyc]

I love your trip reviews and can't wait to read the rest of this one as we leave in a few weeks. Hope you got plenty of your favorite pink donuts in.

 

[alohamom]

Ohhhhh following!
Loving your enthusiasm and your rose gold ears! They are so darn pretty!

 

[Newsies]

can't wait! I love reading your reports.

Thank you so much, I am so happy to have you here!!

So happy to see another review. Looks like a great start of the trip. Looking forward to hearing about the rest of it.

Thank you so much, so thrilled to have you here! Will update soon!

Thank you for sharing all this information. Especially as someone staying a Poly in a few weeks and deciding what to do about Ohana. Great to hear another first hand experience!

You got it, thank you for joining along! Can't promise my review of 'Ohana will be posted before you leave, but hopefully, people have made enough of a stink by then that some things will have changed. I can't imagine the shrimp casserole will stay for long.

Can't wait to hear all about your trip.

Thank you so much for following along!!

I love your trip reviews and can't wait to read the rest of this one as we leave in a few weeks. Hope you got plenty of your favorite pink donuts in.

Thank you so much for following along, for the kind words, and for remembering that I love the pink donuts! I appreciate that you remembered, but I have to make a confession since you brought it up... I actually did not eat a single donut this trip! we ate SO many other good dishes that I never had the time or stomach room for one!

Ohhhhh following!
Loving your enthusiasm and your rose gold ears! They are so darn pretty!

Thank you thank you thank you!!! So happy that you're here!! I got my ears from the park back in 2017 and they're one of my favorite pairs You are too kind!

 

[Newsies]

Check-In/Epcot/Orlando: July 11
This is a Game Called: "Emotional Support Snacks"​

My alarm was set for 5:00 in the morning on our check-out day. Typical Kaitlyn behavior.

I woke up at 5:00 and it took me about 30 minutes to get ready (after we all said happy birthday to Grace, of course!) My outfit for the day was Lizzie McGuire themed! Shirt by Lilly & Co Apparel, ears by Shimmering Ever After, both on Etsy. This is the best photo I could find of my outfit before I got all Florida-sweaty:

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We ended up checking out of the resort closer to 6:00 and we were back on the road heading towards Florida. The rest of the drive down was a breeze and we only stopped once, which was to use the bathroom and get some snacks at... BUC-EE'S!

Buc-ee's is a Texas-based gas station that has finally opened up two locations off of I-95 in Florida, one closer to Daytona Beach and one closer to St. Augustine. We stopped at the Daytona Beach exit one this time but we stopped at the St. Augustine one last time and they were both equally fabulous. If you take I-95 to WDW... you MUST stop at Buc-ee's! Buc-ee's is so much more than a gas station. It is an entire experience. They have the biggest, best, and cleanest restrooms, AND they have the best food. The best brisket in the entire world probably.

We didn't get a lot here because we knew we'd be back at the end of the week, but everyone scooped up a coffee and some type of breakfast dish. I got an iced coffee, a small cup of tater tots, and I couldn't resist the siren call of a cone of fresh candied pecans. Everything was terrific, but the real star of the show here was the cup of brisket slices and cheese cubes that dad pulled from one of the fridges. The brisket is so good!!!

It was a straight shot to Florida from there and by 9:00 AM, we were pulling into our happy place... Disney's Polynesian Village Resort!

While the Resort side of the Poly was still closed due to COVID-19, check-in was being facilitated at Pago Pago. This did NOT hinder the experience of check-in at all. The Poly CMs were still as fabulous as ever, I think they're truly the friendliest Cast Members in all of Disney World. We got our luggage taken care of and checked-in, then we walked over to the Grand Ceremonial house to inhale the smell of the lobby for the first time since 2018.

It was good to be home!!

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We didn't spend a lot of time in the lobby, we really just walked over so that I could buy Grace her birthday present, which was this headband from the Aulani resort that has made its way to Boutiki at the Poly. We saw this on either the DIS youtube channel or RTV1 a few weeks before the trip:

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I got one for Grace as her birthday present and I got one for myself as well-- we both love Duffy & friends!

After we got the headband, we walked back over to the bus stop and took our our masks, since masks are still required on Disney transportation. We masked up and got on the bus to Epcot, which we didn't wait more than 5 minutes for.

Now, rope drop for Epcot is at 11:00 AM, but we rolled up to the tapstiles at 10:15 or so and it was pretty empty. Yes they were lines for the tapstiles, but it wasn't nearly as chaotic as it would be on a busier day. I spotted my friend Sarah at one of the tapstiles! Sarah is one of my friends from my second program and I was thrilled to see her and give her a big hug.

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We were let in through the tapstiles closer to 10:30 and went to rope drop Soarin'. They held us there until 10:50, and then we were allowed to go inside and head to the attraction of our choice. Our first ride of the vacation was Soarin' and we couldn't have been more happy with that selection! We were on and off before the park even opened and then decided it was time to head to the World Showcase so we could snack around the world for a little bit.

Our first stop was in Mexico, where we got a light lunch at Choza de Margarita and La Cantina de San Angel. I got the Fiesta Margarita and empanadas for the table, dad picked up some chips and guacamole at Cantina.

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Fiesta Margarita: A frozen margarita made from mango, lime, and strawberry flavors. I've had this before and loved it, so it was the first thing on my mind this trip. It was tasty as usual, I think the lime may be my favorite flavor. My problem is that I never learn my lessons. I get SO obsessed with the idea of drinking a margarita in Epcot that I forget how sick I get when I drink tequila in 100 degree weather

Empanadas de Barbacoa: Beef empanadas topped with chipotle sauce, crema mexicana, and queso fresca. It comes with a little cup of corn esquites on the side. The CM at the stand recommended these and they were good! They weren't spicy, they had just the right amount of filling, but other than that, they weren't the most memorable dish I've had on property. Everyone had half of an empanada and ate it right up. The corn was okay, too!

Chips & Guacamole: Sooooo good. No stale chips here. They were warm and crispy, like they had just been made that day. Every bite was crunchy and filled with guacamole, and the house-made guacamole was slightly spicy with nice chunks of avocados throughout. This was the perfect snack to share with the table!!!

We continued onward with my margarita in hand. We got to Germany and decided it was time for a pretzel.

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Jumbo Pretzel: IMO, the DISboards is pretty split on a debate over whether this jumbo pretzel from Germany or the classic Mickey pretzel reigns supreme at WDW. I will be completely honest-- I don't run to either of these snacks when I come to the parks, and I would pick a pretzel from Auntie Anne's over both of the options, any day. BUT! If it's strictly between the this or the Mickey pretzel, I pick the Jumbo pretzel, especially with ample mustard packets. Every Mickey pretzel I've ever had has tasted stale, so I have no choice but to assume that's their natural state of being. The Jumbo pretzel was still dry, but at least it tasted fresh, and it was the perfect bready treat to nosh on while I tried to recover from chugging a margarita on a hot Epcot afternoon.

While Grace, dad, and I were finishing up the pretzel, mom went to see if Der Teddybar was open. She's been waiting for it to re-open since the Parks came back up from COVID and explained that she would be upset if it was still closed this trip. We finished the pretzel and we made a quick pit stop and the bathroom, and when we came out, mom met us with a bag of caramel corn from Karamell Kuche in her hands.

"Der Teddybar wasn't open," she explained. "This is my emotional support popcorn."

We had one stop left in the day, as it was now unbearably hot, but there was one more thing Grace really wanted to eat before we left:

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Cookies & Cream Funnel Cake: Grace and I tackled this funnel cake from the kiosk in American Adventure by ourselves. What is there to say about this funnel cake? It was warm. It was covered in oreos, ice cream, and chocolate sauce. It was INCREDIBLE. I don't love anything quite like I love a warm funnel cake with oreos and vanilla ice cream. It's a strong contender for one of the best dessert treats in the World Showcase. Grace and I absolutely devoured this.

Once we were finished with the funnel cake, it was pretty obvious that everyone was ready to go back to the hotel, so we headed back. I stopped to say hello to my friend Jess while she worked at the Norway stand, and the family walked back without me while I chatted for her a little bit. You will meet Jess later on in this TR a few more times, but she was a friend I made online after my second college program who lives in my neck of the woods. We've met up in person several times in the past year and we're pretty close now, she's now one of my best friends from my adult life and I love her dearly. I said hi to her (I couldn't stay for long, as she was working) and then trekked forwards on my quest to get back to the resort.

It was a HOT, hot day in Epcot I mentioned this in the prologue, but I cannot stress enough how bad the heat was this year. I have never experienced heat like this at the parks in my entire life. I was SWEATING when I finally arrived at the bus stop, but the good news is that a bus was waiting for me at the stop to take me home.

(Click HERE to continue!)​

 

[rdkeim]

You accomplished a lot in your partial Epcot day! Lots of delicious looking treats - especially the funnel cake. Your drink looks so good and refreshing on a hot day. Hope you got a great room at the Poly!

 

[Belles bakery]

Love your writing!! I feel like I’m there. Can’t wait for more!!

 

[Nee Nee and Biddy]

It takes us about the same amount of time to get to WDW, except we are coming from Missouri! I like seeing how other people handle the ride. Looking forward to more!

 

[the2ndstar2theright]

SO PUMPED for another Newsies TR!! Sounds like a smooth trip down and great first afternoon in Epcot! That funnel cake looks divine

 

[missangelalexis]

Joining in! Sounds like a smooth drive down to Florida!

Your Lizzie outfit is perfect!

Sounds like a good time at Epcot despite the terrible heat!

 

[Newsies]

You accomplished a lot in your partial Epcot day! Lots of delicious looking treats - especially the funnel cake. Your drink looks so good and refreshing on a hot day. Hope you got a great room at the Poly!

Thank you very much!! Everything was wonderful!!

Love your writing!! I feel like I’m there. Can’t wait for more!!

Well thank you so much for the kind words and for joining in!! Can't wait to bring you along with me

It takes us about the same amount of time to get to WDW, except we are coming from Missouri! I like seeing how other people handle the ride. Looking forward to more!

Thank you so much, can't wait to update!!

SO PUMPED for another Newsies TR!! Sounds like a smooth trip down and great first afternoon in Epcot! That funnel cake looks divine

YAY YAY YAY HELLO LINDSEY!!!! I am SO THRILLED to have you back and I can't wait to update you!!! The funnel cake was really good... 10/10 recommend!!!

Joining in! Sounds like a smooth drive down to Florida!

Your Lizzie outfit is perfect!

Sounds like a good time at Epcot despite the terrible heat!

HOORAY!!!! I am so happy to see you here Alexis!!! Thank you for the Lizzie outfit love, it was one of my favorites from the week We had a great time in Epcot!!

 

[Newsies]

This is a Game Called: "Unpacking/Birthday Dinner in Orlando"
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I got to the bus stop in Epcot and didn't see any of my family, so I assumed they had already gotten on the bus and were back at the resort room. We got the "room ready" text while we were in Mexico, so we had an idea of where to go.

I ended up perfectly timing my arrival to the bus stop, a bus was already waiting for me to get on and it ended up just being the bus driver and I on our drive back to the Poly. We got there and I was pleased to find that our longhouse, Tokelau, was in a pretty great location-- a short walk from the bus stop and a short walk to the Grand Ceremonial House.

Here it is, our home-away-from home for this trip: Tokelau 2926.

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I apologize for not having photos of the bathroom/closet space to share!

We love the Poly suites for convenience and space. We love the one-and-a-half bath set-up, Grace loves her daybed, we love that there is closet space. I think the DVC suites in general, especially 2926, are starting to show signs of wear-and-tear. You can see the chips/scratches all over the wooden table and the legs of the bed and the shower faucets leaked (the waterfall shower in the half bath needed a lot of work, the handle for the water temperature wouldn't stay in place and fell to "extremely hot" no matter what you did). Take it from the person who slept on the daybed: the daybed mattress needed to be replaced.

While Tokelau 2926 wasn't the most up-to-date room we've ever stayed at, we still absolutely adore the Poly suites. We think they're a fabulous choice for families. It bothered us at first that we didn't have a true "dresser" to put our things in, but we eventually made do by bringing hanging storage containers for the closet and making use of that wooden table thing (which can hold SO many clothes). We also love the balcony and being able to sit outside and just look out over the Poly!

Since I was the first one in the room, I called to bell services to get our bags brought up. A very nice gentlemen brought our luggage up, I tipped him, and the family soon arrived so that we could unpack our belongings. We all put our things away while we watched the DVC channel.

We had a few hours of downtime. Mom took a nap, Grace and I went back to Boutiki to buy more 'Olu merchandise. I ended up buying an 'Olu plush and the Duffy & Friends Hip Pack, which was a great investment! As a bigger girl, I was a little worried about the fit, but it fit perfectly with ample room to spare and I wore it throughout the week.

Around 4:00, we left the hotel to leave for dinner. It was Grace's birthday dinner, and she really wanted to go to Ford's Garage. Ford's Garage is a car-themed bar and restaurant chain throughout Florida that specializes in burgers and craft beer. We had seen so many videos of vloggers visiting Ford's Garage for dinner and it looked like a lot of fun-- unbenkownst to us, we had actually seen mostly videos from the Kissimmee location, and we accidentally ended up in the Orlando location. It wasn't as large as the Kissimmee location, but we think the food was just as good!

Ford's Garage does a virtual waiting list, so we joined that waiting list on our way over to the restaurant and ended up waiting about 45 minutes total to be seated. It was kind of crazy inside, but we knew that would be the case.

To drink, I got the 'Merica Mule:

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Tito's handmade vodka, fresh lime juice, pure cane syrup, strawberry puree, blueberries, and Q ginger beer. This was so good! If you want a cocktail that's not to sweet, this is a good choice. The muddled blueberries were really interesting here, it was a great drink too celebrate being in Florida.

For an appetizer, and please excuse this photo, we got the Ford's Original Nachos:

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These came with pulled pork, bourbon BBQ sauce, Ford's classic three cheese blend, pico de gallo, and jalapenos on white corn tortilla chips. Oh. My. Lanta. These were the most INCREDIBLE nachos I have ever had in Florida. I hate beer cheese blends and I was fighting for the last bite here. That BBQ sauce was just amazing. I cannot believe how good these BBQ nachos were!!! You have to order this if you visit Ford's Garage.

I didn't really want a burger, but being that we were at Ford's Garage, I decided to try a burger that was highly recommended-- the BBQ Brisket Burger.

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Bourbon BBQ sauce, brisket, bacon, cheddar cheese, fried onion straws. Delicious. Absolutely delicious. I couldn't eat much of it, it was a monster, but it was one delicious monster. If you are a burger lover, you can't beat Ford's Garage.

Grace also wanted macaroni and cheese, so I said I'd "split" a side with her. I had a few bites of the classic macaroni and cheese and it was pretty good!

After dinner, Grace had a special request for a birthday dessert:

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TWISTEEEE TREEEEEAT!!! I've had a soft spot for twistee soft serve since my first college program, and since March, it's become a favorite of the family too. I had a brownie sundae and it was everything you could want out of a brownie sundae: fudgy, cold, chocolatey, creamy, delicious.

After Twistee, we went back to the resort. Mom and I swam at the pool for an hour under the stars (night swimming would become a habit this trip) and got to see the fireworks from the beach. Dad and I grabbed a cup of coffee from Cap'n Cooks to top the night off, then we got back to our room for the night to cap off a great first day on vacation!

(Click HERE to continue!)​

 

[disneyAndi14]

Wow great start to your trip. I love the headband for your sister, it is so cute!
The food from Ford’s garage looks really good.
I love seeing reviews on places off Disney property

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

I've never heard of Ford's Garage but the food looks so delicious!