I Knew You Would Eventually Get Tired of Disney World - April '12 TR - Completed 2/9

[smidgy]

just wanted to let you know I am here and reading!!!!! trying to catch up!

 

[nilla]

Isn't Coronado Springs beautiful?!

Love it. Never want to leave it

Loving the pictures of CSR! I have never stayed on site, but when I do next year, I think CSR will be high on the list of resorts to consider!

Do it! I can't recommend it enough. Thanks to Katmark and FlightlessDuck for recommending it to us!

It would be great to meet up with you guys again, but I'm thinking we may be going back right around the same time as we went this year (thinking April 20-27).

I wish we could do that again, but the school district has already put us on their "most wanted" list! We'll make it work at some point. I think they would stop Dan and I at the door, though. "No, not again."

The resort pictures are enough to make me want to stay there. So pretty. And the pool looks great.

Fantastic pool! We'll have more pics of that in updates to come.

Hey there Nilla, great looking family, but I hope your jaundice goes away soon.

The colloidal silver I've been taking to beat the Y2K antibiotic shortage has since turned my skin a bluish-grey. But I appreciate your concern nonetheless.

just wanted to let you know I am here and reading!!!!! trying to catch up!

Well catch up to this - more updates! Thanks for reading!

 

[nilla]

Our Soarin' FPs aren't until later in the afternoon, so what should we do next? Living with the Land? Not yet. Circle of Life? Maybe another time. I KNOW!! How about we get more Soarin' FPs?

Sounds great! FPs are attained, and instead of hitting either of the attractions listed in the previous paragraph, we head on over to Journey Into Imagination. Eight FPs in my wallet says the smart money's on us being back at the Land later to hit those other things.

But first - Flower and Garden pics!

Eight trips in eight years at this same time of year means that we wouldn't recognize this park under non-Flower and Garden conditions. Of course, you can always see with your eyes...

...or you can see with your imagination! Hit it, Figment!

Wait, let us get inside first!

No actual ride picks, but we quite enjoy this. Mostly because of the song. And I like Eric Idle. And that butterfly. The kids like the upside down toilet.

After the ride, it's into the Wonderful World of Occassionally Functioning Activities! Here is the cooperative, multi-player version of Simon. You know, the one that would be awesome to play with the rest of the family, assuming the thing's actually working. The touch-panel technology is the inverse of sensitive. It is picking up our contact neither physically or with its imagination. Blah.

Next, it's time to do the "In-Order Create-a-Figment Scavenger Hunt"...Emily found one! So did Dylan.

Figments are made, and they do that music thing.

This place is SOOOO in need of a refurb. It's almost like they take the crap that's not good enough to put anywhere else and install it here as an "attraction". Figment's ride is decent enough, but this pavilion could be SO much better.

The amount of Dreamfinder merch (no picture available) in the gift shop may be hinting that this will eventually get the "retro" makeover that Tiki Room got.

But wait - they're doing that already with Captain EO, aren't they?

Yep, they are. And that's where we're heading next.

 

[nilla]

This is one of Dylan's favorite, which is due entirely to the greatest psychological parenting technique I've ever pulled off. If you're read my other TRs, you've already heard this...but anyway. The first time he saw this, Dylan was convinced it was going to be awful. He complained all the way up to the beginning, at which point I told him, "Michael Jackson is the greatest action hero ever. He can defeat any villain with the power of DANCING!" He completely bought it, and now loves this movie.

3-D glasses are returned, and it's outside for one last JiI pic.

I LOVE shots of big stuff with clouds around. Cool mirror effect off the pavilion, too.

It's not summer hot, but it's hot enough (~90 degrees) to warrant a walk past the fountains. Of course, the kids would probably do that even if it were 9 degrees. Which reminds me, earlier in the day, talking to the woman in front of Spaceship Earth, we started to throw out temperatures, to which she responded, "we use Celsius." Ok, fair enough. But for all of you stateside or from wherever else uses the Nonsensical Measurement System, we'll go with our original figure. Anyway...

Whew! He just dodged that one.

No such luck that time.

Or that time. There are a lot of kids around, and several are climbing on the rocks in the center of the fountains. Now, I'm obviously not above letting my kid climb up on top of the wall, but there is a line I draw. Sort of like when I saw two teens cutting across the grass last year. It's Epcot. It's sacred.

Em climbs up now as two women walk by.

The women are stunned, in a hilarious way They got a good laugh out of it, as did we. Both kids are soaked now...

...so we should probably move on. Dylan wants to go back because we missed the water that jumps straight up (he tries to slap it), but I'm not going back to swing my hand at water. Hey, there's the butterfly tent!

 

[nilla]

I often wonder if the ones that escape really would rather be back in, because it's pretty decked out for them in here. Kristin grabs the shot of the day.

We sort of breezed through the tent, which is kind of a downer, but there are certainly other things we can be doing right now. Like Club Cool.

No pics of Club Cool, but it's fun as usual. Dylan wants to trick people into drinking Beverly again, but I fear that joke has run it's course.

Now that we're completely full of exotic soda (which is the universally recognized correct name for a carbonated beverage), it's back to the Land to finally ride Soarin'.

We grab FPs for Living with the Land, which I can honestly say is something that has never been in my wallet before. Even if we didn't have eight FPs for Soarin', LwtL is our only option nearby.

Into Soarin' we go, and it's the usual. We wait for B-1, and the CM seems a bit annoyed by our request. She grumbles that "everyone is waiting for B-1", but we don't see anyone else there. Ok...

None of us can find the Hidden Mickey behind the house in the beginning of the balloon scene. I'm at a disadvantage, though, being on the far right and having Dylan leaning forward next to me.

After Soarin', we walk past LwtL, and there is literally no line. We ask if it's running...it is. Ok, let's ride!

Kristin requests front row (she's great with that sort of thing), and off we go. I really enjoy this one.

This is one of those "I already have hundreds of pics of this attraction from other years, so what can I snap this year?" rides, like Jungle Cruise and Kilimanjaro Safaris. I point out that I may be eating this later.

It looks awfully cramped in there, but I remember hearing once that some fish (betas, to be specific) actually like small places. Not sure if that's the case year, but - HIDDEN MICKEY!

The "Keys to the Greenhouse" tour is going on, so the normally docile gators all-action today.

Not sure why they're harvesting gators here, but I'll trust that there's a good reason.

After that, it's upstairs to "Humans Suck", or as it's known in America, the "Circle of Life". Great movie, with one of my favorite WDW quotes: "And everyone was ok with this?" Gold, pure gold.

It's almost time for dinner, so we'd better head over to the Living Seas. But for now, here's a palm tree.

[POST=45027774](next update)[/POST]

 

[KatMark]

Great updates, Jon. Now that I'm done with my January TR I was hoping I'd keep up better and I'm still falling behind.

I love your photos of CSR...you are making me VERY homesick (I've not made our resort reservations for September yet, so just maybe we'll end up back there).

Your food at Sunshine Seasons looks really good (we've done breakfast the last couple of years, but haven't done lunch or dinner in awhile).

Love the photos of the kids playing in the fountains...I love that area. And I'm with you...they could do SO MUCH more with Journey and my beloved Figment.

 

[JeanetteK]

Okay - I found this on PAGE 3!!!!! Not acceptable LOL Looking forward to the next update

 

[2xcited2sleep]

YAY!! so happy for another report from you! Just marking my place to come back and catch up later tonight ... Can't wait!!!

 

[rndmr2]

Somehow I missed this most recent update, but I am all caught up now. Coronado Springs really is a beautiful resort, the pics you take on your morning walks are great, is it a pretty far walk from where you were to the main building?

I love the Imagination fountains! Great pics of the kids getting soaked. We missed this one on our last trip, I really hope you are right and they get a Retro makeover, I loved the Dreamfinder!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

All caught up!

Eventually get tired of WDW?? I do know what you mean though. So many amazing places to visit but WDW is so magical. Tough to balance... Good luck with that one!

Inky is adorable!! Glad she didn't turn out to be sick while you were away.

Love your daily photo "icons" noting what day of the trip it is... very creative!

OMG can just imagine you heading back to the room and hearing the screams...

Dylan seems to be doing pretty well with eating this trip. I'm right there with him on a love of mayo. It's very "European" to dip your fries in...

Pigs in Space was my fave too! I had no idea there was a lunch box. Off to berate my folks for depriving me.

Em's face pre ToT is hysterical. Although mine would probably be much the same...

Thanks for the memorial trip to Jon's pukeful spot. Has to be a contender for one of the best DIS TR moments in history....although I'm sure it didn't feel that way at the time.

So Pepper Market... I'm a big fish taco fan too. Would you say it's worth a special trip for or just a good option if you're staying there? The resort does look beautiful!

Looking forward to more!

 

[stacopp]

Waiting for more- love the updates!

 

[shan23877]

Shoot! (well not literally) I missed the last two updates, but I'm caught up now.

We found the butterfly tent really depressing too, didn't even bother taking DD through it.

You are 100% correct. Carbonated beverages are soda.

There were about 5 other people on our LwtL boat, it was crowded that day.

I wonder why CMs get so bent out of shape when people want to wait? We weren't on B any of the times we rode last trip, and it totally takes away from the experience. On one ride, I was in the last seat on C, and the edge of the screen was so distracting.

Love the pics of the resort. Your last TR almost had me convinced to book there, but CBR's bright colors won out. Lots of runners at CBR too, I was usually sitting on a bench watching them.

Sunshine Seasons always looks delicious, but we never seem to go there. It always gets passed over for something in WS.

Loved the adamant/debbyharry references, and I think it's adorable that Emily's doing the devil horns (though it seems weird to say it that way)

Did you have cheerleaders at CS? They were everywhere at CBR. You'd think after hearing us complain about them for 2 days, Maddie would want to avoid them. However, now she really, really wants to be one.

 

[kristin t]

(forgot to log Kristin out before posting again )

 

[nilla]

I'm not dead!

I'll sum up the lack of updates to "too much weekend". I did manage to get 2/3 of an update written, so I'll finish in and post that sometime late tonight.

I appreciate the comments and will respond to them at some point today.

Thanks for reading!

 

[nilla]

I love your photos of CSR...you are making me VERY homesick (I've not made our resort reservations for September yet, so just maybe we'll end up back there).

Do it! You won't regret it

Okay - I found this on PAGE 3!!!!! Not acceptable LOL Looking forward to the next update

Embarrassing, I know.

Somehow I missed this most recent update, but I am all caught up now. Coronado Springs really is a beautiful resort, the pics you take on your morning walks are great, is it a pretty far walk from where you were to the main building?

I went the long way that day. Our normal walk was still about 5 minutes (if that), but always enjoyed.

Inky is adorable!! Glad she didn't turn out to be sick while you were away.

She would've LOVED Walt Disney World. Next time, we're going to put a bonnet on her and try to pass her off as a baby.

Love your daily photo "icons" noting what day of the trip it is... very creative!

Thanks! The start of each park entrance was marked by me saying, "we need to find a __".

Dylan seems to be doing pretty well with eating this trip.

This is one thing I cannot seem to properly convey in a TR. He eats next to nothing, especially for dinner. Yet, he somehow puts on weight. Huh?

Pigs in Space was my fave too! I had no idea there was a lunch box. Off to berate my folks for depriving me.

I also had a Clash of the Titans lunchbox, which I loved.

So Pepper Market... I'm a big fish taco fan too. Would you say it's worth a special trip for or just a good option if you're staying there? The resort does look beautiful!:

I wouldn't jump around like that, but it's well worth it if you want to see the resort. So many options.

Waiting for more- love the updates!

They're coming soon! Like, tonight soon!

There were about 5 other people on our LwtL boat, it was crowded that day.

It's such a great ride, though!

Did you have cheerleaders at CS? They were everywhere at CBR. You'd think after hearing us complain about them for 2 days, Maddie would want to avoid them. However, now she really, really wants to be one.

I think they're more at CBR and All-Stars. We had a school group or two, and a controversial motor scooter drivin' and beer drinkin' crew that stirred up drama on the DISboards earlier this month, but none of the younger cheerleaders. I'm not unhappy about that.

Ok, here come the updates, 5 days in the making!

 

[nilla]

Dinner is at whenever Coral Reef opens o'clock. For all of you metric system users reading this TR, that converts to 1765 millihours. Kristin requests a table right up against the aquarium glass, which to me is the only way to experience this place. Why settle? We're here early enough, so the wait won't be that much different.

But it's not that time yet, so into the Living Seas we go. This is one pavilion that I feel we never spend enough time in, so I'm hoping we get to check a lot out today. Let's get some snaps before we go in, shall we?

Alright, let's go in. We don't have a lot of interest in Turtle Talk (Monsters, Inc. is better, IMO), so it's right to the fish watching. Kristin and Dylan disappear somewhere, when Emily and I spot these two:

They would swim out of sight, then return and execute a synchronized double jump, which was neat to see from this angle. We'd like if there was a place here to see them above the water, but realize that most people are idiots so it's probably for the best that the human/dolphin interaction is kept to a minimum.

We watch them swim for a bit, then go to check out the manatees. Interesting lesson, but Emily's not digging the stench, so it's back to the dolphins. I spot a guy with a Descendents shirt, which is cool to me since the Descendents are one of my favorite bands, and seeing someone with their shirt is a rare occurrance indeed. We also got some great up close dolphin looks, but they were too quick for our camera skills.

Kristin's ready to go soon after (again), but we have time to ride Nemo before we eat. But first, we need to get this shot:

Dylan was disintersted this year. Instead, we went over to the wall and got all kinds of questions wrong about sharks. Ok, let's go hit Nemo!

 

[nilla]

This is a fun ride, and I like how they put the images of the characters against the backdrop of the aquarium. Out of the ride we go, and it's finally time to dinner.

As usual, Emily wants to be in command of the pager. So does Dylan, but that kid's hands are made of Crisco, so there's no way that's happening. Kristin steps away to do who knows what, and the kids and I take a seat on the benches. For those who have never been here, the "benches" are covered in vinyl and solid, which is a significant detail when Emily sets the pager down and it slides down behind the bench. Gone. We try to move the bench, but it's fastened to the wall. We may be able to reach down there, but it won't be easy.

Once again, the benefits of having 2-inch wrists become obvious when I am able to get my arm all the way down to the floor. Getting it back out may be a different story, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. Kristin is insisting that I just forget it and we get a new one, but failure is not an option. I reach around in unknown, when suddenly BAM - there it is! I have it! Having played Operation as a kid (though I was never very good), I know how to slowly remove things from compact spaces, but my main concern right now is getting my arm out of here with my wedding ring intact. Losing this ring is a major concern for me, which is kind of silly when you consider that Kristin stopped wearing hers regularly years ago. Ok, here goes. Pulling...pulling...I'm out! Of course, my forearm looks like I just massaged it with a cheese grater, but I got the pager! As if to thank me for its rescue, it starts to buzz soon after, and in we go.

Our seats are all the way at the end, right up against giant goldfish bowl. The goldfish must be cowering in the corner, since they're nowhere to be found. But can you blame them? I can't - especially with these guys swimming around:

And then there are these clowns outside the glass:

Drink orders are placed as Dylan tries to decide what adult dish he will be poking at with his fork tonight. I got some sort of beer and Kristin got some sort of girlie drink.

I'm hoping she'll chime in and remind me what it is, but she's the ultimate lurker, so that's not likely. As for meals, I got the Seared Scottish Salmon.

Since it's Scotish, we know that it's not crap. Emily got this:

I'm assuming it's some sort of fish...possibly the mahi mahi. She liked it, but not as much as her lobster bisque (not shown). The other two decided to honor our sea-dwelling friends by choosing to kill land animals instead, starting with a chicken.

Looked good, but there really little chance he'll eat it. All we ask for is an attempt, but I don't think we'll even get that. He's preoccupied with the sealife, which is understandable. But at least try, kid - you can chew AND watch. It's called "multitasking", I believe.

"Seared Chicken Breast" is the official Disney Dining Services name for this meal. Kristin got the New York Strip Steak.

As usual, the food is really good, but not "out of this world"...but that's not really the point of this place. We're here to watch the scuba lessons.

One of the scubaers (scubaists? scubadors?) spots the boy and starts up a game of rock-paper-scissors! Funny stuff. I think Dylan gets the duke in this one, but the real winners are the people about to order dessert. Hey, that's us!

I got the Jack Daniels and Bailey's mousse, which is just as wonderful as other years, though about half the size.

Kristin got the Chocolate Wave...

Dylan got the Vanilla Creme Brulee...

And Em got the yougurt parfait.

There is a near steady stream of people who did not have the foresight to ask for a tankside table bringing their kids up to the glass behind us, which is fine by me as long as no one accidentally elbows me from behind. I get out of this meal unscathed, so I'm happy and ready for some more of my favorite park!

 

[nilla]

This is the part of the night where I keep my mouth shut while Kristin ponders sticking around for an attraction or two before we head out. I've found that if I don't suggest riding one more thing, she always come to that conclusion herself.

Mission: Space is the determined destination, and off we go. But first, let's hit MouseGear.

In this edition of "things Jon forgot to mention on the actual days they happened", we see our protaganist, already down one pair of shorts due to the rippage discovered in Hollywood Studios, get barbecue sauce, grease, and who knows what else on his second of five pairs at the Hoop De Doo Revue.

Fast forward to present day (in this story), and here we are looking for shorts. This is the same place where we bought emergency panties for Emily on a previous trip. Hopefully, they'll help me out, too.

No luck, but I did find these:

NFL Vinylmation! What are the odds they'll have the Vikings?

...

Zero. Absolute zero. They have the Florida teams, Patriots, Raiders, Giants, etc., but only represent at most 10 teams. So no 4-12 Vikings.

We remind Dylan that he can get Vinylmation later in the week (we're assuming), then head out toward Mission: Space. But first, let's see what's up with Test Track.

It's killing me, because there are top secret renovations going on inside there, and I can't see them. ANYTHING can be happening. I like to sometimes imagine that it's a construction crew of Disney characters doing the building.

Ok, finally, let's get to this place:

But wait - Stitch topiary!

Is it just me, or is Stitch generally underpromoted these days? It's starting to seem like he'll soon go the way of Roger Rabbit.

 

[nilla]

FINALLY I shut up about Stitch and we grab our tickets. Green team this time, since the girls are riding. Dylan and I will hit orange on another day.

We're stationed at door 4, as illustrated by our Number Picture of the Day runner up.

The kids switch spots about 15 times, then the door opens. Small, dark space pic:

And we're off. Great ride, then it's down the hall to play. This game's fun:

We're pretty much in and out, but first, the rare Kristin shot!

The gift shop features this guy...

And this thing...

...And this.

Nothing is purchased, and it's back to the Resort.

But hold on - what about those last 4 FastPasses?

On the way out, we found two separate couples and handed them off. The first seemed to be thinking, "why are you talking to me?" The second were surprised and extremely grateful. I love doing that, and it all started here, when another family gave us FPs at Coral Reef last year. It's harder to do with the new rules, though.

Ok, back to CSR.

I love the short bus ride to CSR from Epcot, but we still have time for someone to get annoyed that the bus driver "missed" the entrance to the resort. I feel like we can start a chorus of "oh, there's another entrance", but a lot of these people look new and haven't rehearsed.

Tomorrow, we hit that celebration of all things gorilla, Disney's Gorilla Kingdom, and rope drop is a must. I don't remember why, but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with gorillas.

[POST=45075785](next update)[/POST]

 

[shan23877]

Great update! I always have Coral Reef on my first draft, but it never makes the cut. We'll have to try it one of these days, it looks like a lot of fun.

I searched every Vinylmation display in WDW looking for the Chicago Cubs one (could only find Yankees, Red Sox). No luck, but I was able to buy it online when we got back. Maybe you'll find your Vikings there too? I probably wouldn't have gotten it once we returned home, but I was buying DD some PJs and needed to spend $5 more to qualify for free shipping.

You have a beautiful family, but Emily's smile is just plain adorable.