Food, Frights, & The Fortieth: A Trip Report of Epic Proportions. *11/28*

[melmar136]

I'm glad most of your day at MK for the 40th was good (except for the crazy long CM line, and Pecos Bill's).
At least you made it onto quite a few rides with little wait while everyone else was on Main street!
I like that you went on some rides that you don't normally, like Tom Sawyer's Island. I only went there once, when I was about 12. The ONLY thing I remember was putting my hand into ketchup someone had squirted onto one of the cave walls! eeeew.
I like how you were able to snag a pin for Matt as well!

 

[PirateKate]

We were there on the fortieth, too. In fact, I bet we just missed you all at Splash Mountain. Jeremy and I rode it that afternoon and the Fastpass line was backed up horribly. In fact, they kept announcing that the ride would be delayed, but the Fastpass line was moving faster and faster. I was wondering about that and someone in line behind us explained that they were letting more Fastpass people through, so the regular line would be slower.

Good move skipping the speeches in favor of the rides. We arrived later and missed out on getting a button, but I'm just as glad, since we got plenty of the crowds that night.

 

[kokotg]

Pecos Bill doesn't seem to be faring well in the reviews I've read lately....so maybe your experience wasn't just bad luck. We've never been there...

Sounds like you were able to make the most of the crazy crowded day, despite the bad lunch experience!

 

[TanzUnited99]

Oh no on the bad experience at Peco Bills...that sucks that there was no lettuce and then the staff were so rude

Mmm...the Confectionary apples sure look adorable and very yummy!

I'm glad Goofy turned the day from bad back to fantastic.

 

[CandleontheWater]

I have been reading along, and now I'm finally all caught up, so now I can chime in!

I'm sorry you had such a rough beginning to your day at the MK! I've heard from other friends who were there that it was really crazy and not as much fun as they thought it was going to be.

I can't believe the pin line was 2 hours long! I would have really wanted a pin, since I just love pin collecting, but two hours is just crazy.

I also cannot believe your experience in Pecos Bills! I have been hearing bad things about them lately, so you are certainly not alone, but you would expect better from Disney customer service.

 

[Nermel9]

Ugh, I can't believe that whole Pecos Bill experience, that sounds obnoxious! That was smart to hop on the monorail to get away from MK for a while!

Love your Pirate Goofy picture, I always want to meet him too, but the line is always so long, so we never do!

 

[BerrysGirl]

Great update, I'm really glad that your day turned around. What an incredibly disappointing experience at Pecos Bills! We ate there for the first time on our last trip and loved it. (to be fair though, DD's favorite food is cheese quesadillas, and that's pretty much the only place in MK to get one).

I've never done Tom Sawyer Island, maybe we'll check it out next trip. Beautiful photos.

I really would have loved Pecos Bill too... they have such unique items on the menu that you just can't get anywhere else at the park but it truly was an overall disappointment.
If you take DD over to Tom Sawyer Island, be sure to hunt for paintbrushes. CMs hide them all over the island and if you find one and turn it back into a CM they give you special prize (like a FP!) :

Wow, that was a bad experience with the fixings bar! I can't believe it took so long!

Love all the vinylmations you guys got, especially that black one with all the icons and your Naveen (I have that one too. I love Princess and the Frog!).

That's funny the only thing you remember from Tom Sawyer Island is the caves. They're kind of fun but also kind of creepy since they're so dark and narrow!

And to answer your question, I never asked Emma what work was like for her on the 40th. I would assume MK was definitely the most crowded. But I am curious to see what she'll have to say once the holidays roll around and the crowds start picking up.

I was so tempted to keep my Naveen vinylmation! I just loved him so much.

I think the reason I only remembered the caves was because it was the most memorable part in the books to me. I was terrified of the idea of getting lost in caves after that! We only went over to Tom Sawyer Island after I had finished the book so I think my Mom insisted we explore the caves to try to help me conquer my fear

I'm actually going back to Disney for Christmas with Matt from the 18-27 and to be honest I'm a little nervous I'll never get to see him!

wow, I will be sure not to try Pecos Bill. It isnt the first time I've read something awful about them here on the Dis. But other than that it looks like you had a great time!

It was so much fun being there for the 40th! If everything goes according to plan, Matt and I should be living in Orlando for the 50th... a concept I am both excited and terrified for all at once
I highly recommend skipping Pecos Bill. If you want someplace quiet check out Columbia Harbor House and head upstairs. If you want something quick and want to eat outside (a concept very enjoyable at Disney in December) grab Casey's and just find a nice spot near the Hub. Either way you're guaranteed a much more enjoyable meal... but only if you get the corn dog nuggets at Casey's They are heavenly

 

[BerrysGirl]

I'm glad most of your day at MK for the 40th was good (except for the crazy long CM line, and Pecos Bill's).
At least you made it onto quite a few rides with little wait while everyone else was on Main street!
I like that you went on some rides that you don't normally, like Tom Sawyer's Island. I only went there once, when I was about 12. The ONLY thing I remember was putting my hand into ketchup someone had squirted onto one of the cave walls! eeeew.
I like how you were able to snag a pin for Matt as well!

Thanks so much : But what a horrible memory of Tom Sawyer Island sounds like someone needs to go back It's so peaceful over there!

We were there on the fortieth, too. In fact, I bet we just missed you all at Splash Mountain. Jeremy and I rode it that afternoon and the Fastpass line was backed up horribly. In fact, they kept announcing that the ride would be delayed, but the Fastpass line was moving faster and faster. I was wondering about that and someone in line behind us explained that they were letting more Fastpass people through, so the regular line would be slower.

Good move skipping the speeches in favor of the rides. We arrived later and missed out on getting a button, but I'm just as glad, since we got plenty of the crowds that night.

Splash Mountain was a completely surreal experience. Were you there when Big Thunder Mountain was broken down? I guessed that was the cause of the delay. So many people wandered back there for BTMRR but with it closed, everyone was just tunneling to that corner since they were already there. Our backup at the FP line was mostly due to a large party who tried to use their FP before their time and then chose to just stand at the head of the line to wait Obviously, a line started to form behind them. As the CM tried to answer the party's questions while ushering people with valid FPs through, others choice to bypass the line and just butt in front. Soon there were two lines forming Finally the CM yelled at the second line that they cannot cut, it isn't fair to everyone waiting in line and eventually it all thinned out. But it was so insane for a while!

Oh no on the bad experience at Peco Bills...that sucks that there was no lettuce and then the staff were so rude

Mmm...the Confectionary apples sure look adorable and very yummy!

I'm glad Goofy turned the day from bad back to fantastic.

The worst part of Pecos Bill was definitely the attendant who just kind of watched us all without even attempting to look busy. I feel like there was something more she could have been doing...
And of course the manager. I still can't believe she handled the situation the way she did.

And if Disney continues creating apples like the ones I saw this trip I'll be forced to cave and get one. They all looked amazing!

Pecos Bill doesn't seem to be faring well in the reviews I've read lately....so maybe your experience wasn't just bad luck. We've never been there...

Sounds like you were able to make the most of the crazy crowded day, despite the bad lunch experience!

With a GF family I would not recommend Pecos Bill. Ever. Even at 4 pm on a Wednesday with no one else in the restaurant. They can't handle the simple day-to-day operation of their restaurant. I can't imagine how special dietary requests would fair in that place!

Looking back, I still can't believe how crowded it really was. I'm so use to September-October being the off season. And those crowds rivaled Christmas! I think WDW would agree too. They really didn't seem ready for it

I have been reading along, and now I'm finally all caught up, so now I can chime in!

I'm sorry you had such a rough beginning to your day at the MK! I've heard from other friends who were there that it was really crazy and not as much fun as they thought it was going to be.

I can't believe the pin line was 2 hours long! I would have really wanted a pin, since I just love pin collecting, but two hours is just crazy.

I also cannot believe your experience in Pecos Bills! I have been hearing bad things about them lately, so you are certainly not alone, but you would expect better from Disney customer service.

What I wouldn't give to be a high-up in the Walt Disney corporation after October 1 to be at the meetings where everyone sat around looking shell-shocked in a "what just happened" sort of way. Never before have I ever really wanted Disney to "explain themselves" but I'd love to hear the rationale for how that day went down. Everything was so shockingly last minute I almost wish they hadn't done anything at all. The most magical moments I had that day were doing the everyday activities like meeting Davey Crocket Donald, or Pirate Goofy, or riding Snow White's Scary Adventure and just remember the events that took place 40 years before that. That being said, I wouldn't trade the day for anything :

Ugh, I can't believe that whole Pecos Bill experience, that sounds obnoxious! That was smart to hop on the monorail to get away from MK for a while!

Love your Pirate Goofy picture, I always want to meet him too, but the line is always so long, so we never do!

Getting on the monorail was the best decision we made all day. The second we stepped into the Contemporary I could just feel all my anxiety melt away. We left the Park for maybe an hour or two but that was all we needed to recharge our batteries and feel better equipped to handle the crowds. I think it also helped us come back with a different perspective. Entering the park at Rope Drop, we were not expecting what we faced. But coming back that afternoon we were prepared and I think that made all the difference

And as I'm sure you can tell, I highly recommend taking the time to meet Pirate Goofy. He really made my day

 

[BerrysGirl]

We were still early but we decided to head to our ADR for the evening: Tony's!

We checked in about fifteen minutes early and settled into the lobby to wait. Of course they were playing Lady and the Tramp on the TV and they had a little color station set up for the kids while they waited. After about 20 minutes (meaning only 5 minutes after our original ADR time) our name was called and we were seated here:

Right then I knew we'd probably be one of those people who have a positive experience at Tony's. I mean how can you not be happy when Mainstreet USA is your view during dinner!

I also liked this part of the restaurant better than the "inside." It was so light and airy. What a great experience!

Loved the windows!

We decided to take our time eating because we realized we had a prime viewing spot for the MSEP... It was about an hour until parade start time!

Our waiter came quickly and took our drink order. I had coffee and Matt had a coke.

He also brought us bread.

Yum yum yum.

Our waiter was very efficient and attentive. He was quite nice but my only critique is that he was not very good at hiding his displeasure in our meal sharing. Matt and I like to sample a variety of things so we normally share one appetizer, one entree, and one dessert between the two of us. It's more cost effective, we actually get to try the appetizers and desserts which we would otherwise not be able to do, and it doesn't waste food because we're actually able to eat everything we order. We've never had this experience before, but you could just tell the waiter did not approve. It made be feel a little embarrassed to be splitting but then I got a little angry. You shouldn't make me feel bad for not wanting to waste food and save some money. We tip well, and will be very grateful for treating us with respect. This was only a brief moment though and the waiter was very kind for the rest of the meal so overall no complaints by me!

For our appetizer, we had the Zucchini Fries - breaded seasoned zucchini with creamy sun-dried tomato dressing for dipping ($7.99 ) (allears.net). These were amazing and probably the best part of the meal. Matt chose them and I have to say, he definitely won the food-off today!

For an entree, I chose the Shrimp Scampi - Linguini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Asparagus tossed in a Garlic sauce ($18.99) (allears.net).
This was only so-so. It certainly wasn't bad and I would order it again if there was nothing else appealing on the menu but it was a little bland. I had been hoping for a stronger sauce and a larger sun-dried tomato presence.

Desert was the Pistachio Creme Brulee. It was delicious but I didn't really taste the pistachios. Basically they just made the creme brulee green.

At this point MSEP was only just beginning so we decided not to occupy the table for any longer and just head out. Neither of us had a strong desire to stay for the parade and after our scrumptious meal we kinda wanted to wander. We tested our "include the tip before the card is charged" theory again here and, sure enough, our waiter was much more gracious when he returned with our credit card after he had seen we gave him 20%. He even offered to bring me another cup of coffee in a to-go cup, which I politely declined since I had had three cups during dinner and I did want to sleep that night.

Overall I rate Tony's as a success and I will be returning!

Once we got back outside the parade was still going on so we quickly ducked into the shops to avoid the crowds. We found ourselves in the nice art shop and decided to trade Vinylmations again.

I got Cinderella's horse and Matt got Aladdin.

I rather liked my vinlymation so I was pleased that it came with a collector's card. I will admit, when I traded again I did not pass on the card. I kept it as a memento for our 40th anniversary vinlymation trading!

At this point everyone was staking out spots for the special fireworks so I suggested we head to Frontierland. I had heard there was a nice spot to view fireworks from there and I wanted to get out of the crowds of Mainstreet. We stopped on the bridge over Splash Mountain and found a great spot.

At some point during this time we also secured fastpasses for Big Thunder Mountain but the exact chain of events escapes me.

With only a short wait the fireworks started and they were amazing! Once more, fireworks were shot off from different areas of the park but sitting in Frontierland meant they were literally all around us. We had to turn around to see some of them! Once more, I got no pictures because I really wanted to enjoy the moment but at that point I was glad we dealt with the insanity of that day to be there.

If you haven't seen the fireworks I highly recommend checking out Tom Bricker's Trip Report Here. He was there for the 40th and got some amazing shots of the fireworks from Mainstreet USA. Tom (or WDWFigment as he's known on the Dis) also got some shots of Hallowishes that you should definitely check out too!

After the amazing show we hoped on Big Thunder Mountain!

Nothing makes me happier than Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at night

After our railroad adventure we decided to head out since Matt had to work in the morning. He suggested we grab two more fastpasses just for the date. So I now proudly own a Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain fastpass with the 40th Anniversary date sitting in my living room (I haven't decided what to do with them yet).

After that we headed to the exit... and got super stuck! For some reason they decided to show the Magic Memories and You show again after the fireworks No idea why, but while we were on the bridge between Adventure Land and Crystal Palace, we just stopped. I mean the bridge was just completely full of people and no one was moving. Looking back, I'm glad the bridge didn't collapse under the weight! We were at a stand still for a good 15-20 minutes but finally CMs were able to reign in on the insanity and get the crowds moving... and just think, I thought squeezing in one more ride would reduce the amount of the people leaving the park all at once!

We finally made it to the exit and thankfully the buses were running triple time. Most stations had two buses waiting per resort so it wasn't that long until we boarded. We were standing but we finally made it home and CRASHED shortly after. What a long day!

Overall I'm glad I experienced Disney World's 40th but I am disappointed on how Disney executed it. The Magic Kingdom seemed understaffed, understocked, and over whelmed for such a historic day... something I never thought I'd say for Disney! Hopefully they've already started to plan for the 50th

 

[Disneymoon23]

Sounds like you had a really fun day! I love the vinylmation you got. It's so cute! Those fireworks definitely were amazing to watch. We saw them while we were eating at the California Grill. It was just incredible. It makes me want to go back every year for the anniversary.

 

[wdwgirl03]

Mmm, I love Tony's even though I've only eaten there twice. Gotta love Italian food!

 

[TanzUnited99]

I have been reading quite a few positive reviews of Tony's lately...I'll have to get round to eating here one day

I'm glad to hear your waiter was on the ball and he shouldn't have made you feel guilty for splitting...like you said you were saving food from being thrown away.

Although I am not hugely into Vinylmations I like the look of the Cinderella's horse one.

 

[CandleontheWater]

I have never eaten at Tony's but I'd like to someday. Scoring a table for the nighttime parade sounds like a perfect idea!

 

[Nermel9]

Yay, I really like Tony's, it's so cute in there! I'd love to get a table where you guys sat sometime!

I finally tried BTMRR at night, and I love it! I won't even bother riding it during the day anymore!

Ugh, you got stuck like we did after Hallowishes! That's insane, they really need to have CM's directing traffic or something! You shouldn't have to just stand there and not move for 20 minutes!

Glad you got to see the whole 40th anniversary! I'm kind of sad I missed most of it, but at the same time, I would not have been able to deal with those crowds!

 

[BerrysGirl]

Sounds like you had a really fun day! I love the vinylmation you got. It's so cute! Those fireworks definitely were amazing to watch. We saw them while we were eating at the California Grill. It was just incredible. It makes me want to go back every year for the anniversary.

Wow what an amazing view of the 40th fireworks! What did the perimeter fireworks look like from that angle? I can't imagine how fantastic that would be

Mmm, I love Tony's even though I've only eaten there twice. Gotta love Italian food!

I can understand some people being disappointed if you were looking for some spectacular, unique meal but it seemed like really good basic Italian food to me. I certainly had no complaints, especially with that view! I think someday I'll order Spaghetti and make Matt recreate the famous Lady and the Tramp scene... I'm sure he'll kill me but, come on, what an adorable photo op

I have been reading quite a few positive reviews of Tony's lately...I'll have to get round to eating here one day

I'm glad to hear your waiter was on the ball and he shouldn't have made you feel guilty for splitting...like you said you were saving food from being thrown away.

Although I am not hugely into Vinylmations I like the look of the Cinderella's horse one.

I would recommend Tony's, definitely! I convinced my Mom and Dad to try it too when they go in February :

Matt and I did the math and we spend maybe 2 or 3 dollars more if we had both ordered entrees... because then we wouldn't have ordered an appetizer or dessert. Given that we also tip 20% I really do not feel like we are wasting the waiter's time by occupying his table. I'm sure other tables tip far less for far more food, ya know? Just goes to show no one (waiters included) should ever judge a book by its cover.

I really liked the Cinderella Horse Vinylmation too. It was hard to give away!

I have never eaten at Tony's but I'd like to someday. Scoring a table for the nighttime parade sounds like a perfect idea!

I feel like everyone knows the tips to eat at California Grill or Ohana's during the fireworks, or the best spots or restaurants to check out Illuminations in World Showcase (Tokyo Dining actually has an amazing view and they pump in the music, FYI) but I've never heard the tip to eat at Tony's during the parade. They even had outdoor seating for nice nights that offered a completely unobstructed view! One of the best seats in the house, IMO.

Yay, I really like Tony's, it's so cute in there! I'd love to get a table where you guys sat sometime!

I finally tried BTMRR at night, and I love it! I won't even bother riding it during the day anymore!

Ugh, you got stuck like we did after Hallowishes! That's insane, they really need to have CM's directing traffic or something! You shouldn't have to just stand there and not move for 20 minutes!

Glad you got to see the whole 40th anniversary! I'm kind of sad I missed most of it, but at the same time, I would not have been able to deal with those crowds!

One of my favorite memories will always be going up the first hill on Big Thunder Mountain the first year I was big enough to ride it and looking over to the castle as the fireworks were in full swing. Such a great memory I have to do it at least once a trip.

It certainly felt monumental to be at the park for its 40th anniversary. Then again, it was kinda like being in the Magic Kingdom for Christmas or New Years. Maybe once is enough, because the crowds are just astronomical. If we go for the 50th, I think a lot of such sitting and observing will be in order. If we had just sat on a bench in Fantasy Land for like an hour we wouldn't have had to deal with the insanity. Definitely something to keep in mind for the future...

 

[BerrysGirl]

After the hustle and bustle of October 1, October 2 dawned bright and early for poor Matt -- he had to work at 6 am! This was definitely one of the reasons we didn't attempt to stay until the Kiss Goodnight. Although with the chaos of that day I doubt we would have stayed regardless.

I vaguely remember Matt kissing me goodbye before he left -- and I proceeded to pass out again until 8:45. Without much planned for the hours Matt was working though, I really enjoyed taking it slow. I had some breakfast, took a nice leisurely shower, and debated my options for the day. After Magic Kingdom the night before, I wasn't really feeling a theme park, so I decided to head to Downtown Disney.

This was when I began to lose at the roulette game that is bus stops at CBR. I assumed the bus to Downtown Disney would take the same route as the ones for Epcot and DHS... meaning walking to Old Port Royale would get me out of the resort faster... WRONG!

So it is worth noting: DTD buses take the same route as MK buses. I should have just waited at Aruba, I thought to myself, as we sailed into said bus station. Sigh, live and learn.

After a quick stop at Blizzard Beach, we were pulling into the Marketplace. I hopped off and quickly started exploring. I realized that quite often I only hit key areas of DTD and have not taken the time to throughly explore all the shops. Having all the solo time in the world I decided to remedy this problem. I looked at every store!

First up was the Art of Disney where I traded vinylmations:

Ah Phil. It will not be the last time I see you today.

I decided it was high time I fully play with my new camera, and decided this was as good a place as any. I went down to the dock where the boats launch to Port Orleans and pointed my camera towards World of Disney and the Lego Store.

This setting is called "miniature." I kinda get it.

I peeked into Goofy's Candy Company but felt it was still too early for sugar.

The Jack Apple was too cute though.

Next I went to the pin pavilion and traded, not pins, but vinylmations.

Buffalo! I kinda liked this one.

I headed towards Pleasure Island and found a fence I decided would be a perfect opportunity to get artsy-fartsy (or my variation).

Characters in Flight Balloon!

Ok I have a secret to tell. The only reason I took this picture is because the Wetzel's Pretzels booth always makes me giggle. Have you ever seen How I Met Your Mother? There is an episode where Robin reveals that she use to be a teenage pop star in Canada and spent a year traveling around malls, singing and living off of Wetzel's Pretzels and Orange Julius'. Whenever I see this sign, that is what I think of.

As I approached the dock that the Character's in Flight Balloon launches from, I thought it'd be a great opportunity to continue playing with my camera.

I'll be back for you later.

Green Mickey!

Continuing on, I saw that Characters in Flight had landed so I decided to grab one more shot.

Ok I'm done, I promise.

Passing through Pleasure Island over to the West Side, I noticed an unusual amount of teenage girls standing in front of a tour bus.

Then I passed by a preteen, rushing towards the bus, screaming "ohmygosh ohmygosh I can't believe it! ohmygosh" as her tired mother slowly followed.

At this point I'm assuming it must be someone pretty big but I have no idea who... I figured I'd post the picture on the Dis when I got home and see if anyone knew.

Then I saw this in front of the House of Blues:

Ah. That explains it.

Deciding I wanted to get out of dodge, I ducked into the DisneyQuest dump shop to trade vinylmations.

And oogle the goods. Aren't these mugs adorable?

I traded away the Buffalo for a Japanese girl?

I really wish this had come in adult sizes.

When I left the shop, I noticed the bus was coming out of its little alley, and presumably getting situated to unload. Wanting nothing to do with the hormonal explosion that could soon ensue if a certain tight-pantsed heartthrob got off that bus, I quickly scurried out of the West Side and back towards Pleasure Island...

 

[IheartDDuck]

Oh no, potential for hormonal explosions? Not good. Large groups of teenage girls should always be avoided at all costs.

I love How I Met Your Mother! And I love Robin Sparkles! "Let's Go to the Mall" and "Sandcastles in the Sand"? Classics....

 

[ZehnJahren]

Ok, I LOVE that miniature setting. I would be using that all the time.

Ha, Joe Jonas! I remember being a teen and being in love with NKOTB and not understanding how there were people who WEREN'T (gasp), but I just don't get these boy bands / artists anymore. Like, for example, Justin Bieber. I guess I'm just missing something - and that something is probably 13-year-old-girl hormones.

 

[melmar136]

I love the pics, especially the one with the Characters in Flight balloon through the fence. Meg likes the Jack apple...he's her new fave.

Too funny about Joe Jonas. I literally cracked up at that part.

 

[poisonapple_PRINCESS]

Sounds like a fun solo day! I cant wait to go to DTD!