I can't tell if we've landed...Spring Break 2018 with Grammy and the teens-UPDATE 9/30

[buzzrelly]

Love the vintage Disney photos! Ours are scattered all over my parents house and I wish they were all together in one place because they are so fun to go through!

Thanks! Mine are a little scattered, too, but I was always good about putting them in albums. It's usually just a matter of finding which album

I have never heard that about the last room of IASW, its an interesting theory! I just wish the whole ride had the disney characters like DL's has!

Ah, hit me where it hurts I am dreaming of seeing DL…I didn't even know there was characters scattered throughout Someday!

 

[buzzrelly]

APRIL 10, 2018
TOMPA-1


Did y'all know that "tompa" means "rain" in Na'vi? Well, now you do

After a brief stop in the CR gift shop for new shoes and a brief stop in the room, the kids and I headed back to the bus stop to catch a ride to AK. We absolutely should have walked back through the walkway and the CR, but instead we walked right out the front door of BLT where, joy of joys, the rain was coming down sideways.

We were talking to the poor girl in the DCP who had to stand outside in the rain all day with her iPad, while we waited for our bus. Lucky for us, the bus came about 10 minutes later and by 11:30, we were on our way.

Nicholas didn't want to wear his poncho, so when we were in the CR gift shop, he picked out this little wind-breaker. I didn't say too much because he works and has his own money which he accesses with a debit card, but when he got up to the register to pay, he didn't have enough funds in his account and I ended up buying the darn thing . I'm such a sucker! I guess that's what happens when you're a life-guard and all you work in the winter in 2-3 hours/week. He has since gotten another job at a grocery store so he can make all the frivolous purchases he wants



Allie and I made do with the ponchos...



It was still pouring when we got off the bus. I thought I was so smart wearing flip-flops, but they were slippery and already bothering me. So what do we do? Go into the first gift shop in AK where Allie spotted cute Crocs and brought them over to me, where of course, I fell in love with them and just HAD to have them. We also traded out one of the ponchos that was getting ripped, which is why we had gone in there in the first place. Rainy days at WDW are expensive!

Awesome tip-we purchased Disney ponchos YEARS ago, maybe 2010 or 2013, and we bring them back every trip. If they rip, we bring it into the gift shop and they'll trade it in for a new one. Best $8 I ever spent! I cannot even tell you how many we have traded in

Anyway, new shoes on my feet and new, unripped ponchos on, we headed…where else???

Pandora, of course.




While we were on the bus, the wait for FOP was 60 minutes. By the time we got there, it had changed to 70 minutes and a short bit later, when I took the screen shots below, it was at 80 minutes. But since there was basically nothing else open to ride, and we had an hour to kill before our actual FOP FP, we got in line to wait.





Prior to this visit, I had gone on FOP twice. Once at rope-drop when I got there at 7:30am for a 9am opening where I was on and off that ride by 9:10am. And then I used one FP to ride again later that same morning. But because I had never really gone through the regular line, this was the first time I was seeing all this stuff...










Continued in next post...​

 

[disneyAndi14]

Oh boy I wish I would have known to turn in our ripped ponchos! Thanks for the tip. I threw one away that was ripped well now I know!!

Best place to be during the rain is in the covered queue.

 

[buzzrelly]

Best place to be during the rain is in the covered queue.

This worked out well!

 

[wdwnut61]

We have ridden FOP at least 10 times and still haven’t went through the standby line
We really want to see all the details were missing but can’t wait in the 90 minute lines
Crocs are great for the rain but the brick when it’s wet is so slippery
I took a bad fall coming out of the BW a few years back fortunately no injuries other than a sore bottom
Great tip about the ponchos

 

[paradesintherain]

These windows are really nice! I've never taken the time to explore there much.

The kids and I decided to forge ahead to AK…after all, we had a FP for FOP to get to.

Oh, the things we do for FOP

Rainy days at WDW are expensive!

They really are! 3 pairs of shoes and a jacket later... yeesh! haha

If they rip, we bring it into the gift shop and they'll trade it in for a new one.

Wow, I did not know this tip. I threw away one that ripped on my last trip. NEVER AGAIN!

 

[buzzrelly]

We have ridden FOP at least 10 times and still haven’t went through the standby line
We really want to see all the details were missing but can’t wait in the 90 minute lines

90 minutes IF you're lucky! I think it's still mostly at 120-180 minutes The queue is pretty cool, but I wouldn't wait in that kind of line to see it again.

Crocs are great for the rain but the brick when it’s wet is so slippery
I took a bad fall coming out of the BW a few years back fortunately no injuries other than a sore bottom

Ouch! that could have been a real vacation buster! Glad you weren't seriously hurt!

These windows are really nice! I've never taken the time to explore there much.

Unfortunately the pizza isn't that great, but it's really one of the nicest QS places in the MK. I love sitting near the windows and looking out over IASW.

 

[buzzrelly]

APRIL 10, 2018
PANDORA-1

Still waiting in line for FOP, which had actually taken a little longer than we were first told. At one point, the line completely stopped moving for what seemed like a long time and an announcement came on overhead that B'rer Fox and B'rer Bear were causing commotion downstream….errr, sorry, different ride..they were experiencing technical difficulties or something.

My first FOP pictures were at 12:22 and these were taken at about 1:35, which actually put us into our FOP FP window...



I finally got to see the floating guy...





The final room, which is kind of cool, I guess...



When we got off, we turned around and went right back on using our FP.

So, what did everyone think of it? Well, I had been on before and loved it but this was the first time the kids had ridden and they loved it too. In fact, FOP edged out both RnRC and TOT as Nicholas' favorite ride now.

By the time we got off our second ride, the rain had let up a bit so I was able to take some pictures. I guess that's the problem with only having an iPhone as a camera…I don't want to take it out in the rain so I end up with either ziploc bag pictures, or no pictures.











Pandora was definitely less crowded on this rainy day...



More Pandora in next post...​

 

[buzzrelly]

APRIL 10, 2018
PANDORA/AK


After a couple more pics in Pandora, we were all getting hungry. We looked at the menu for Satu'li Canteen, but none of us are adventurous eaters and we weren't feeling it.



You can see the cute little Crocs in this picture. The holes are Mickey heads


I ended up just getting a pretzel at a stand, which I have no pictures of. Allison got "Mr. Kamal's Seasoned Fries with Tzatzki Salad and Sriracha Ketchup, " ...and I stole that all from @kastoney's awesome dining report, because I would have never remembered that's what they were called, but I remembered that she had the same ones. I do know that Allison asked for her fries with no Tzatzki Salad OR Sriracha Ketchup, so they were basically seasoned fries

Nicholas got some fried rice at the Yak & Yeti QS. We found a somewhat dry table in the back where we sat to eat...



Expedition Everest had opened back up, so when we were done with our snacks, we headed there…






Apparently, nobody would stop moving long enough in line for me to get any decent pictures




Allison ended up in a different cart than Nicholas and I did, but we had a great trip with the Yeti...





After EE, we were ready to leave. We were all kind of tired of being damp and it was still sprinkling on and off.

Oh, and that ROL dining reservation at TH? I called the WDW dining line and explained that my mom hadn't come because of the rain and that we didn't really want to stay at AK in the rain any longer. The lady was so sweet and cancelled the reservation with no penalty to us. I was worried that I was going to have to pay $40 and not even eat there, so I was so happy she did this.

Of course, that meant that we still have not seen ROL. Last November, Mike and I did the TH breakfast with the dining package and then just didn't feel like staying in AK all afternoon and evening, so we left. And this time with the rain…ROL fail, times 2 I'll manage to get there someday!

We took the bus back to the CR and texted Grammy to tell her we were on our way back. She was already in the gift shop looking around again, so I told her we'd meet her there and then grab some dinner at the Contempo Cafe.

That's up next...​

 

[RLGNC]

I do know that Allison asked for her fries with no Tzatzki Salad OR Sriracha Ketchup, so they were basically seasoned fries

My kids would totally do this! My daughter probably wouldn't even want the seasoning!

 

[wdwnut61]

Great pics of Pandora and the floating guy
I've seen those Mickey crocs they are cute and perfect for a rainy day
I'm glad the rain let up so you could ride EE
I never thought I'd love a ride more than ToT but FOP wins

 

[disneyAndi14]

Despite the rain, you all got to experience some fun attractions at AK! We have never done the SB line for FoP yet, it does look cool! I want to try the fries with all the fixings, sound delicious!

 

[kastoney]

Wow the rain really was coming down for you all. I had no idea Disney would replace the ponchos. We just buy cheap ones off Amazon and then throw them away when we are done.

Glad to see the kids enjoyed FOP and you got to ride it twice. Good to see the rain can have some advantages.

Thanks for the french fry shout out! Of course I just copied it from the website because no chance I was gonna remember that either

 

[ariane37]

I want those fries complete with everything! Thanks for reminding me, going on my list for our next trip.
Steve and I were lucky enough to go to the Pandora AP preview where we went through the whole FOP queue and we were able to take our time, so we've seen all the cool stuff. All of us LOVE FOP, especially Ricky, but I don't know that we could wait 80-90 minutes Although really with just about everything else closed you might as well! Plus I did wait 70 freaking minutes for the sunset safari

I understand wanting to see ROL at least once since you haven't, but honestly you aren't missing much!

 

[paradesintherain]

At one point, the line completely stopped moving for what seemed like a long time and an announcement came on overhead that B'rer Fox and B'rer Bear were causing commotion downstream….errr, sorry, different ride..they were experiencing technical difficulties or something.

I love that ride announcement so much.

In fact, FOP edged out both RnRC and TOT as Nicholas' favorite ride now.

Where does it rank for you?

It probably edged out other rides for me, but I don't want to admit it

The lady was so sweet and cancelled the reservation with no penalty to us.

That's so sweet, and wonderful that it worked out for you!

 

[unwritten01]

If they rip, we bring it into the gift shop and they'll trade it in for a new one.

I also thank you for that tip!! Never knew...

But because I had never really gone through the regular line, this was the first time I was seeing all this stuff...

Same here, but we have an hour before park open dining reservation in December so should get the opportunity.

 

[buzzrelly]

My kids would totally do this! My daughter probably wouldn't even want the seasoning!

It would be pretty hard to get scrape that off!

I never thought I'd love a ride more than ToT but FOP wins

ToT is so cool and I love the theming, but it scares me too much to be my favorite ride! FOP easily beats that, for me!

We have never done the SB line for FoP yet, it does look cool! I

It is, but it's still better to ride with no line or a FP!

Thanks for the french fry shout out!

Isn't it funny that sometimes I'll be reading a TR and think, "oh, I think maybe I've read this," or "I forgot all about this." But I remembered those french fries!

All of us LOVE FOP, especially Ricky, but I don't know that we could wait 80-90 minutes Although really with just about everything else closed you might as well!

Besides Dinosaur, there was literally nothing else we'd want to do! That's the longest line I've waiting in in years…like maybe since that trip in 2003, before I knew about FP. It actually wasn't that bad having to chit-chat with the kids for that long. Plus, I got out my phone and we played Heads-Up for a bit to pass the time

Plus I did wait 70 freaking minutes for the sunset safari

Exactly! Twice now, right? So don't judge!

I understand wanting to see ROL at least once since you haven't, but honestly you aren't missing much!

I know, I keep hearing this. I just remember being so excited waiting for it to open a couple years ago that I can't believe I haven't seen it yet.

I love that ride announcement so much.

Me too

Where does it rank for you?

I love it! But I think Splash Mountain is still my all-time favorite. FOP is definitely in my top 5

Same here, but we have an hour before park open dining reservation in December so should get the opportunity.

That should work out, although the first time I went in was a little before the park opened and I definitely didn't see any of that stuff in the line. Honestly, if the choice was just getting on the ride quickly vs. seeing the cool stuff in line, I'd still skip the line. The ride itself is really the best part

 

[paradesintherain]

I love it! But I think Splash Mountain is still my all-time favorite. FOP is definitely in my top 5

Great minds! Splash and Tower are tied for me!!

 

[buzzrelly]

APRIL 10, 2018
EVER AFTER PANDORA


Wet and uncomfortable, we left AK and took the bus back to The CR where we met mom who was already poking around the gift shop. We had cancelled our TH dinner and decided to just stay in and eat at Contempo Cafe.

They had these new, gorgeous cupcakes that we just HAD to try...







We took the dessert pictures while we were waiting for our dinners to come out, not because we ate dessert first Allie got this lovely chocolate cake that was just perfect until she touched it and smudged it before I got a nice picture








Grammy and I split a flatbread and a salad. I didn't get a picture of Allie's, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say she got a cheese flatbread. Nicholas ditched us and headed off to EPCOT by himself…I guess he gets tired of hanging out with us girls all the time





Allie was very excited to find this little bag of clementines




Grammy was freezing as we walked back over the bridge to our room, even though it was still over 80 degrees

Continued in next post...​

 

[buzzrelly]

APRIL 10, 2018
HAPPILY EVER AFTER AGAIN


The sky looked extra pretty this evening after all the rain all day…We stood on the bridge for a bit to admire it before returning to our room...











And again when we got back to our room, so pretty


We were relaxing in the room when a short while later, we heard HEA starting, so we went out to watch...









Nicholas was texting me from EPCOT and he sent me this gem No, he doesn't normally smile like a psycho…he was purposely trying to look like a nut, and he succeeded, don't you think?!



And so concludes our very rainy AK day. We were looking forward to a much dryer day at EPCOT tomorrow ​