If time and transportation were sports we'd never make the playoffs; 2018 spr. break TR *new TR!*

[MeghanEmily]

Steve looks so happy on his favourite ride!!

Went up a hill and got this view of BTMRR that you only get from TS Island:

This is an awesome view! I never go over to the island, but I feel like I should sometime, just to get this view.

 

[ariane37]

TOM SAWYER ISLAND CON'T

Then we finally found our first cave!





There's really nothing amazing in there but again for little kids its cute and most would find it fun.

Next we came to the barrel bridge, which you can see from the HM queue when you don't have a FP and get stuck waiting under the green awning:



And the gorgeous view of HM from this angle of the park:



See, all those guests waiting, looking over at us wondering how we got there because so many people don't know about Tom Sawyer Island!
Actually they were watching us attempt to cross the barrel bridge at this point. You can't see it in the picture with the guys because it's behind them but man, that thing is NOT easy to cross! I did it last and I was hysterical laughing watching them cross, thinking they were exaggerating how difficult it was. Until it was my turn. It's scary, I thought for sure one of us would end up in the water!

Once we crossed the bridge we finally found the Fort!






In the stable, the horses tail moved back and forth and every once in awhile the rooster would crow:




And this prisoner you could see through the window in the jail you could hear snoring:




Outside the stables there was a table with a checkerboard on it; Chris wanted to play so we did that while Steve and Ricky went to get ice cream. It was actually cute to play! As for the ice cream, Aunt Polly's which you can see when boarding the Liberty Belle is only open during super busy times, and as we boarded our raft out to the Island the CM driving told us they'd just brought ice cream out that morning. Yay, we hit it on a super busy day

After the island we did our BTMRR FP and then we needed to eat again. I wanted to try Pecos Bills for their nachos - yup I'd had nachos the night before at the Poly but you can never have too many nachos- so we checked the menu but the kids said no-so we went to everyone's favorite CHH. While there I tried changing our 3rd FP from the Speedway to POTC at Ricky's request but not only were there no Pirates FP's available for the rest of the day, there was nothing but Dumbo, Speedway, and Philharmagic. The consensus was to keep Speedway.

We hadn't ridden this in years! The main reason I booked this was because about a week after our trip my Ricky would be turning 16, which in NY means getting your learner's permit. So soon he'd be doing this for real:



My little Ricky! At least a have a few more years before this one can drive away:



The CM loading cars saw Steve and I trying to take a selfie and offered to take our picture, which I can't post here because I'm at my limit. He knew the boys were with us and was nice enough to then go take their pictures.

After our life changing race around Tomorrowland we tried again to get a decent FP but again, could only get Dumbo, Speedway again, or Philharmagic. It was about 2:20. This was our first sign that FP availability this week MIGHT be worse than during Thanksgiving. We all love Philharmagic but the boys decided they were done and went back to the resort. I grabbed a Dumbo FP for Steve and I and we followed that up with some Emporium shopping where I got an adorable Minnie Mouse bib for my granddaughter, coming in July I meant to take a picture before I gave it to my DIL but of course I forgot!

We got back to the Lodge around 3:45 where the boys were chilling. Ricky then went to the gym for a bit while Steve and I relaxed, and then got ready for a really awesome meet up happening before our 5:30 dinner!

 

[ariane37]

Did your family make trips to Disney when you were a kid?

We did go a few times, every 3 or 4 years so no nearly as often as I do now or my kids have. My great-grandmother lived in St. Pete's so we'd go there every year and then sometimes venture to Orlando. Once she passed when I was 10 we'd still go every 3 years or so until I was about 17. My dad loved it; mom could take it or leave it and my sister was and is not a fan. We're complete opposites lol.

Sounds like a great first day though. AAAAND now I really want to go back again. To summer trip or not to summer trip...that is THE question right now!

And I say the answer is...TO summer trip

Wow, what an amazing room you had!! How beautiful! Your photos are also making me miss the lodge. I have no plans to go back any time soon, and that makes me sad. I really did fall in love with it last summer! I quickly realized why it was your favourite! Hopefully again someday, sooner rather than later.

I never, ever thought I'd remotely like the Lodge and put off staying there for the longest time. @xlsm always talked about loving it so much and I couldn't understand why; finally I decided I needed to find out what they heck she loved about it and we tried it on a quick trip and that was it! Our next 2 trips we're not there and while I'm excited to try new resorts, I know I'll miss being there.

 

[Smilelea]

Love the Tom Sawyer Island update! It's a must on our May trip - in just 10 days!!!- for the boys. I had no idea about the views from over there either.

 

[mesgram]

I haven't been to Tom Sawyer Island in years. We may need to try it when we go in May next year for my granddaughter's first trip. She will be two and I can hardly wait. It's so exciting that you have a little one on the way. Those baby girls are so precious.

 

[amalone1013]

Ah Tom Sawyer island! So our first trip when we were scouting wedding locations (an excellent excuse for APs ) we only planned on MK and Epcot for our 3.5 days. And it was dead! Here we were coming from July 16 in Disneyland and Jan 17 there was no one (Jan 18 was a whole different ball game!), and it sprinkled a bit one morning... Space wasn't more than 20 minutes until noon. So we ended up doing almost everything and decided, let's go to TS island bc wed never had a chance in DL. It's so fun and cute!

We did the speedway on our last trip. It was one of the only things we hadn't done in MK, and we've never done autotopia in DL either, and the wait was 10 mins. We got big kick out of it, way more than either of us expected.

 

[Whit64130]

More proof we rode:

And so I’m not caught up but I couldn’t resist commenting on this photo! Steve looks as happy as a kid on Christmas morning in this picture!!!

 

[Tracy161]

We just have to keep going so eventually a trip overlaps

Challenge accepted!!!

I do like ending there when it works and I don't like leaving it past day 2.

This is precisely my thoughts on MK, too

Someone who wasn't me took a wrong turn

A little light cinnamon roll with extra frosting, nothing big!

I am so excited for this light breakfast myself next month

I got a decent picture of Ursula for once, WITH her head:

I definitely recommend it for anyone with little ones and even those without kids as something different to explore.

I am SO doing TSI this trip... I'm sure I went as a kid but have no memory of it... time to give it a whirl I'll be sure to be careful on the barrel bridge though

Went up a hill and got this view of BTMRR that you only get from TS Island:

Gorgeous!!! As is the one of HM.

but you can never have too many nachos

I couldn't agree more! Too bad the boys had other ideas

 

[kittylady1972]

And I say the answer is...TO summer trip

I'm working on a plan, don't worry!

LOVE the Tom Sawyer Island photos. We haven't been over there in years, and never when the ice cream was being served. It might be on the list for Thanksgiving when we have the little boys with us. They will enjoy it.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We went to Tom Sawyer's Island a couple of years ago just because we wanted to do something that we hadn't done in a long time. It was kind of cute and very different from the rest of MK. I just wish that the boat ride was a bit faster. It seemed like it took forever to get off the island.

That's a nice picture of Ricky. I guess that he is driving real cars now.

 

[Nakkira]

​

Our flight was leaving at 6:40 and getting in around 9:15. We were just a few minutes late, got down to ME quick and had a few people on line ahead of us for WL. I was hoping we didn't get on the bus and have to wait 30 minutes which was how it had gone for us the last few times. Steve detests sitting on the bus waiting and while I tolerate it a little better, I don't particularly like it.

Oh I cannot stand sitting forever in a non-moving vehicle. Makes me claustrophobic! (For some reason once that vehicle starts moving it for some reason make my brain notice the "enclosed space" less. My last trip we sat 15 minutes before taking off and THAT tested my endurance.....

 

[buzzrelly]

Even scaredy-cat Ricky rode, I kept him safe in the doom buggy with me. I still don't understand how he'll ride EE, TOT, etc. but HM freaks him out.........

TOT is crazy scary!

More proof we rode:

I love this PP pic!

So we stopped in at Gastons for some light fare such as this:

A little light cinnamon roll with extra frosting, nothing big!

Yum! I had fully intended to try this but my cinnamon-roll-loving-kid didn't want it

Before I start posting all my pictures let me say how cute it is over there! I had totally forgotten just about everything about it. I knew there were caves and a bridge, and that's about it. My boys thought it was neat even though they're kind of too old to enjoy it; I definitely recommend it for anyone with little ones and even those without kids as something different to explore.

I forget all the little details over there, so cute. Remember when they used to hide the paintbrushes and if you found one you got a free fastpass? The good ol' days

Went up a hill and got this view of BTMRR that you only get from TS Island:

And the gorgeous view of HM from this angle of the park:

Gorgeous! Worth the trip over just for the pics. Maybe I'll make Mike go with me in October

I got an adorable Minnie Mouse bib for my granddaughter, coming in July

Of course! Get used to spending a LOT of money on Minnie Merch! But it's so much fun!

 

[iheartbelle87]

Great update! That cinnamon bun looks AHHMAZING! I don't think I've ever ridden Tomorrowland Speedway, but my nephew wants to ride it in a upcoming trip, so I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it haha!

 

[ArielSRL]

Someone who wasn't me took a wrong turn out of the elevator and others followed, they were headed in the direction of the bus rather than the boat, so what the heck. Lucky for us the MK bus was waiting for us! #transportationwin1

I'm telling you, we had great morning bus mojo at WL, other than the EMH morning!

Even scaredy-cat Ricky rode, I kept him safe in the doom buggy with me. I still don't understand how he'll ride EE, TOT, etc. but HM freaks him out.........

If you can believe it, both my boys have reqested to ride HM this trip! Who are these children who claimed never again?

It was just about time for our first FP so we walked over there and were VERY happy to bypass the 120 minute, 9:40 am:

Steve's Where are we? (not Jersey) 7DMT! I promised all 3 of them I'd FP this at least once this trip.

I want to know your trick of getting a 9:40 FP for 7DMT on your second day? I went with 3rd day and still couldn't get one before around noon. Messed up all my plans!

you might remember I wanted to go out to TS Island since we hadn't been out there in like, 10 years. Well I persuaded the boys since once again, nothing at all had a decent wait time.

I know I will have to take the boys one day.

Ricky saw the movie "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" years ago and remembers very little but sadly I never got around to showing Chris, so Tom Sawyer, Injun Joe, etc. were all foreign to him. I should remedy that if he'll let me.

Maybe I can get my boys to watch it one day.

Went up a hill and got this view of BTMRR that you only get from TS Island:

Love it!

 

[ArielSRL]

Actually they were watching us attempt to cross the barrel bridge at this point. You can't see it in the picture with the guys because it's behind them but man, that thing is NOT easy to cross! I did it last and I was hysterical laughing watching them cross, thinking they were exaggerating how difficult it was. Until it was my turn. It's scary, I thought for sure one of us would end up in the water!

OMG, I'm not so sure about this!

As for the ice cream, Aunt Polly's which you can see when boarding the Liberty Belle is only open during super busy times, and as we boarded our raft out to the Island the CM driving told us they'd just brought ice cream out that morning. Yay, we hit it on a super busy day

Perfect!

After the island we did our BTMRR FP and then we needed to eat again. I wanted to try Pecos Bills for their nachos - yup I'd had nachos the night before at the Poly but you can never have too many nachos- so we checked the menu but the kids said no-so we went to everyone's favorite CHH.

Boo hiss! I do like CHH...it is my second favorite QS at MK...but Peco's Bill is loads above! But I'm a nacho freak so take my opinion with a grain of salt!

After our life changing race around Tomorrowland we tried again to get a decent FP but again, could only get Dumbo, Speedway again, or Philharmagic.

This seems so crazy to me!

we followed that up with some Emporium shopping where I got an adorable Minnie Mouse bib for my granddaughter, coming in July

Awww!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Lucky for us the MK bus was waiting for us! #transportationwin1

We had fairly good luck with the buses to MK from WL. Ironically as that is the only one that you have more than one option...

After this we really needed to eat. I hated wasting prime morning time eating because while lots of rides had crazy waits already, some were still decent. However none of us had eaten anything yet and well, you know how we all love our food! So we stopped in at Gastons for some light fare such as this:

This is always our delima as well. But it is always worth a stop for that! Yum.

I got a decent picture of Ursula for once, WITH her head:

Ha! I can't not think of her head dangling every time we ride this.

You can't see it in the picture with the guys because it's behind them but man, that thing is NOT easy to cross! I did it last and I was hysterical laughing watching them cross, thinking they were exaggerating how difficult it was. Until it was my turn. It's scary, I thought for sure one of us would end up in the water!

I guess you didn't jump on each barrel as you crossed them, then? We did... I think it is harder for adults because the ropes are so low.

It was actually cute to play! As for the ice cream, Aunt Polly's which you can see when boarding the Liberty Belle is only open during super busy times, and as we boarded our raft out to the Island the CM driving told us they'd just brought ice cream out that morning. Yay, we hit it on a super busy day

One benefit of being there on a busy day! I wish it was open all the time.

I wanted to try Pecos Bills for their nachos - yup I'd had nachos the night before at the Poly but you can never have too many nachos- s

Correct! Nachos all day long!

While there I tried changing our 3rd FP from the Speedway to POTC at Ricky's request but not only were there no Pirates FP's available for the rest of the day, there was nothing but Dumbo, Speedway, and Philharmagic. The consensus was to keep Speedway.

Man, that is slim pick'ns!

So soon he'd be doing this for real:

Not quiet the same thing!

The CM loading cars saw Steve and I trying to take a selfie and offered to take our picture, which I can't post here because I'm at my limit. He knew the boys were with us and was nice enough to then go take their pictures.

That was really nice! I always fee rushed at the loading area.

After our life changing race around Tomorrowland

Ha! Life Changing Race...

 

[pepperandchips]

I got a decent picture of Ursula for once, WITH her head

poor Sea Witch!

Looks like a great day so far! I really need to get over to Tom Sawyer Island. R is a huge Mark Twain fan, I can't believe we still haven't gone over there together yet. Those rafts scare me though, it's one of my few vivid childhood memories of Disney (that and the terrifying bridge that you discovered really IS difficult to cross). It didn't help any that I had older cousins there very willing to terrorize me. Still, gotta get over there soon!

 

[Raeven]

So I don’t know how I missed the start of your TR because I’m following the DTR! Especially because you even tagged me in a post But I’m here now! I’ll have to go back and comment on the posts when I’m not at work.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Adorable! Ricky saw the movie "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" years ago and remembers very little but sadly I never got around to showing Chris, so Tom Sawyer, Injun Joe, etc. were all foreign to him. I should remedy that if he'll let me

Oh, I love that movie! I had such a crush on Brad Renfro growing up

 

[wdwnut61]

I still keep thinking about the time Steve got on the wrong bus
Great ride photo on 7DMT
Such a great view of HM and BTMR from the island