It was a Horror-ible, and then Not-So-Scary (but exhausting!), October/NovTrip!! Completed 3/13!!!

[buzzrelly]

Keep in mind that the following is me controlling myself and not posting EVERY picture I took


I think I've mentioned that I've been totally crushing on Walt lately and I am so immensely fascinated with him, his journey, Disneyland, etc. This only intensified when I listened to the complete "Connecting With Walt" Podcast this past summer…I would put it on in my headphones while I went out and vacuumed the pool for hours and hours (and yes, we need an automated pool vac, but that's another story!). I also listened to the "Disneyland at 60" podcast series and I highly recommend BOTH of these if you are fascinated by Walt.

My dream is to take a trip to Marceline, MO, followed by a trip to the Walt Disney Family Museum in CA and then Disneyland. If nothing else, I definitely want to visit DL within the next 5 years.

The pics really speak for themselves…










I definitely have a newfound appreciation for Roy, as should anyone who loves WDW since it never would have happened without him






If only I could get my hands on some of these vintage toys!





Mike thinks I'm nuts, but to his credit, he didn't run from embarrassment and actually took my picture with Walt.


When we (Mike) had had our fill of OMD, we left and headed to Pizzerizzo, otherwise known as "the biggest disappointment of our trip!" And NOT for the reason you may think!


CONTINUED IN NEXT POST...​

 

[buzzrelly]

We purposely cancelled an ADR at Mama Melrose because I have been dying to try Pizzerizzo. As crazy as this sounds, I was a big fan of Pizza Planet and it was closed the last time we were there and Pizzerizzo hadn't opened yet, so this was a long time coming.

I was so excited to try it!

We got there at 4:45 only to find….it was CLOSED They close at 4!

Why, oh why?? I was actually so mad! I was mad that they were closed but I was more mad at myself for not knowing this!

I still needed to get my pictures, so I stood there angrily snapping away…

Can you just sense the bitterness in my photography?








Oh, how you taunt me…


Well, now we needed to figure something out for dinner and I think part of my anger was really from being hungry, having only eaten some lettuce for lunch. I recalled hearing they have a Fried-Green Tomato sandwich at Rosie's All American Cafe so we headed in that direction.

This was my very first ever FGT sandwich and despite my previous bitterness, I actually REALLY enjoyed this (okay, okay, I actually LOVED it and will definitely get it again). Mike got a burger which he really enjoyed as well.









Truth be told, this was probably much better than anything we would have gotten at PR. Ironically, last week I watched the DisUnplugged Best & Worst show on Youtube and they ranked the 4 BEST quick service places in DHS. Pizzerizzo was the 4th best and Pete was so disgusted by this. He was going on and on about anyone who likes that pizza has never had good pizza. Well, I live a stone's throw from New Haven, CT which consistently gets voted the number 1 pizza in America. I've had NH pizza many times, and I STILL liked Pizza Planet! Maybe I'm just soft on it because it had been kind of a lunch tradition for us.

Pete went on to rave about the FGT sandwich at Rosie's, so I guess we made the right choice

Here's the link to the show, if you're interested…

Tummies full, we were happy again and ready to get goofy for some photo pass pics...



CLICK HERE FOR NEXT POST...​

 

[MeghanEmily]

I do love my Palm Trees

I'm a big palm tree fan, too! We don't see many of them in Canada, though

I also love One Man's Dream. Great you had time to slow down and enjoy it!

I was so excited to try it!

We got there at 4:45 only to find….it was CLOSED They close at 4!

Why, oh why?? I was actually so mad! I was mad that they were closed but I was more mad at myself for not knowing this!

WHAT?? This seems dumb! Sorry you missed out, but that sandwich looked good.

 

[emilyhuff]

Wow! I would be SO MAD about Pizzarizzo too!!! That is on my list to try during our next trip, will def make sure to get there before 4!

Okay - so you now have me worried about the crowds for that week! We won't be doing F & W during the actual marathon days so I think we will be okay in that aspect but all the crowd calendar website predict that week to be low (whomp whomp) if you're telling me first hand its crowded!

 

[wdwnut61]

You sound like my DD since going to school in Florida she is obsessed with Palm trees
When we were there over Thanksgiving Star Tours had 2 new destinations from the new movie love that ride
OMD is so special I'm glad you got to spend xtra time there

 

[missjackiemcg]

Love your artsy palm picture

Mike thinks I'm nuts, but to his credit, he didn't run from embarrassment and actually took my picture with Walt.

I LOVE this picture!!! And we are not alone It was raining on one of our DHS days this trip, so there was a Photopass Photographer stationed in this very spot Though, I have to say, Mike took a better picture for you than the PP did for us!!!

 

[buzzrelly]

I'm a big palm tree fan, too! We don't see many of them in Canada, though

Now, THAT would be something! Maybe we can start our own Palm Tree farm here up North!

Okay - so you now have me worried about the crowds for that week! We won't be doing F & W during the actual marathon days so I think we will be okay in that aspect but all the crowd calendar website predict that week to be low (whomp whomp) if you're telling me first hand its crowded!

Don't worry! You will have a fabulous time, no matter WHAT the crowds are! This was only my second October trip. We went in 2010 and there were literally NO crowds. Those days are long gone, as are any really "low crowd" times. And it certainly won't be Christmas week busy

When we were there over Thanksgiving Star Tours had 2 new destinations from the new movie love that ride

Aw, boo! I missed that by a couple of weeks We loved the new Star Wars movie, though!

It was raining on one of our DHS days this trip, so there was a Photopass Photographer stationed in this very spot Though, I have to say, Mike took a better picture for you than the PP did for us!!!

Okay…now I need to see the pic! It can't be that bad!

 

[wdwnut61]

Aw, boo! I missed that by a couple of weeks We loved the new Star Wars movie, though!

You’re next trip is right around the corner and now that you’ve seen the movie the new scenes will be even better

 

[Raeven]

I think I've mentioned that I've been totally crushing on Walt lately and I am so immensely fascinated with him, his journey, Disneyland, etc. This only intensified when I listened to the complete "Connecting With Walt" Podcast this past summer…

Have you read the Jim Korkis book about him? They're my favorites for stories about Walt. I've listened to a few "Connecting with Walt's" but I'm woefully behind.

I definitely have a newfound appreciation for Roy, as should anyone who loves WDW since it never would have happened without him

Oh yeah I'm not embarrassed to say reading about how Roy built WDW for Walt how he wanted it and named it after him it always makes me tear up a little because I think what he did is so incredible.

Truth be told, this was probably much better than anything we would have gotten at PR. Ironically, last week I watched the DisUnplugged Best & Worst show on Youtube and they ranked the 4 BEST quick service places in DHS. Pizzerizzo was the 4th best and Pete was so disgusted by this. He was going on and on about anyone who likes that pizza has never had good pizza.

I saw that. I love Pete's rants, and I have to agree with this one, I'm not a fan of Disney pizza. Josh thinks it's because we're from NY and have better pizza around here. (Although everyone in my family hates the pizza place around here I think is good ). Josh doesn't seem to mind the GF pizza too much though. But I'm not crazy about having pizza on vacation anyway because I feel like it's something we have a lot at home and my work orders pizza almost every week.

 

[buzzrelly]

Have you read the Jim Korkis book about him? They're my favorites for stories about Walt. I've listened to a few "Connecting with Walt's" but I'm woefully behind.

Oh, you mean this one?


I ordered it but I've been working on this one first…


Sadly, I don't have much time to read. I have been trying to sit at night and read but I immediately fall asleep

I do have a little collection started so when I finally do get a chance to read, I'll be ready! All being held up by a Trader Sam's tiki mug
​

 

[Raeven]

Oh, you mean this one?
View attachment 296841

I ordered it but I've been working on this one first…
View attachment 296842

Sadly, I don't have much time to read. I have been trying to sit at night and read but I immediately fall asleep

I do have a little collection started so when I finally do get a chance to read, I'll be ready! All being held up by a Trader Sam's tiki mug
View attachment 296843 ​

Yes! I think they have like 5 volumes and then he wrote a couple other books about Disney too, I think I have most of them now Aw, I understand, I have a lot of free time at work and I used to do a lot of my reading there when I wasn't doing anything. Sometimes I still do, but it's easier to do it from my Kindle app. I think I have a couple on there I haven't read yet.

 

[buzzrelly]

Yes! I think they have like 5 volumes and then he wrote a couple other books about Disney too, I think I have most of them now Aw, I understand, I have a lot of free time at work and I used to do a lot of my reading there when I wasn't doing anything. Sometimes I still do, but it's easier to do it from my Kindle app. I think I have a couple on there I haven't read yet.

If I ever get through these I plan to order the rest of them!

I used to work nights and it was super awful, but the good part was that we had more free time and there weren't any managers on that shift so we could sit and read if our work is done. Those were the days…I can't imagine doing that on day shifts!

 

[buzzrelly]

Aside from Star Tours, our other FastPasses for this day were for TSMM…

(we have a couple of 3-D Glasses selfies, but they are all taken from below, like we are looking down, and they are NOT suitable to post!)

Our last FP was for TOT. I knew when I booked it that Mike would never go on, but I thought it would be fun to have him go through the que with me and see the hotel and I would ride by myself. In the end, I chickened out. I have only in recent years started to even go on this and while I can appreciate it and I think it's so well done, I just didn't have the courage to go on without my kids.

Since we weren't really going on anything and we had a bit of time before our dessert party, we poked in the shops and got some photo pass pics. These were really cool, but I had NO idea what the guy was doing until I saw the pictures after.









At around 6:30, they started checking-in people for the Star Wars dessert party…



We were among the first to be let in so we had our choice of tables. There weren't any chairs, so we put our bags down on the table and went to see what was being offered.



​

Star Wars Dessert Party continued in next post...​

 

[buzzrelly]

Star Wars Dessert Party:


Sorry, this pic goes with the drinks shown in previous post...




Yay! Rice Krispie treats!





My drink and plate...





Close-up of the BB-8 cupcake…


There were people walking around the Launch Bay and we saw a couple trying to walk over and check-out the desserts, but they have a CM standing at the entrance to stop them. Sorry, bud. You can't get in without one of these babies...





A little bit before the fireworks were set to start, a CM led everyone out to a roped-off area reserved for us dessert-party people.




As you can see, there were PLENTY of people in front of us who didn't just shell out a ton of money for desserts and a special reserved area. Plus, in our reserved area people were being super rude and annoying and jumping up into the front section reserved specifically for handicapped people. I much prefer the old way they used to have the dessert party, when it was outside and you stood at the table to eat the desserts and then watch the fireworks.

I had booked this because I had done it in April 2016 and thought it was amazing! We loved the desserts, and the Star Wars fireworks at that time were just incredible. On that trip with my mom, DS, and DD, we were just blown away by the Star Wars fireworks and I honestly thought they were just about the best fireworks I had EVER seen! Sadly, they changed the fireworks since then and even though I knew this, I was not fully prepared for just how underwhelming these would be. I was disappointed mostly because I had told Mike how awesome they were and these couldn't even hold a candle to them.

Needless to say, I will not be booking this again. I'm out of picture space in this post, but we got two more plastic Chewbacca mugs/steins, the only thing that stayed the same since our time 2016. Those have since been donated, and these didn't even make it home from Florida. We were trying to lighten up the suitcases and those were the first things to go! Actually, they are at Mike's mom's house down in FL and I hope they stay there forever


CONTINUED IN NEXT POST...​

 

[buzzrelly]

Walking out of DHS, we took a couple more pics of the Christmas decorations. The tree looks so pretty reflected on the water...







We zipped back to the Polynesian and in what seemed like no time at all, we were looking at this...



We refilled our mugs and checked out a little Zootopia before heading off to bed.


It had been a long, very full day and we had another one to look forward to since tomorrow was going to be our first time at Pandora!

UP NEXT, ANIMAL KINGDOM!​

 

[MeghanEmily]

we have a couple of 3-D Glasses selfies, but they are all taken from below, like we are looking down, and they are NOT suitable to post!

Bahaha

In the end, I chickened out. I have only in recent years started to even go on this and while I can appreciate it and I think it's so well done, I just didn't have the courage to go on without my kids.

I still haven't convinced myself to try riding this! I keep thinking about it and then deciding not to. I think it might give me a headache with my brain condition, but I think most of it is just that I'm a ride chicken! I don't blame you for chickening out without some support!

On that trip with my mom, DS, and DD, we were just blown away by the Star Wars fireworks and I honestly thought they were just about the best fireworks I had EVER seen! Sadly, they changed the fireworks since then and even though I knew this, I was not fully prepared for just how underwhelming these would be. I was disappointed mostly because I had told Mike how awesome they were and these couldn't even hold a candle to them.

That's so disappointing! Sounds like the dessert party wasn't the most amazing experience you had there or anything, but at least some of the treats looked good

 

[buzzrelly]

I still haven't convinced myself to try riding this! I keep thinking about it and then deciding not to. I think it might give me a headache with my brain condition, but I think most of it is just that I'm a ride chicken! I don't blame you for chickening out without some support!

I'm a ride chicken, too! The only thing that gave me the courage to ride this was reading that it has some kind of mechanical arm that pulls you down, as opposed to free-falling. I don't know why this made the difference to me between riding it, or not. That, and hearing my kids rave about how awesome it is!

That's so disappointing! Sounds like the dessert party wasn't the most amazing experience you had there or anything, but at least some of the treats looked good

No complaints about the desserts!

 

[MeghanEmily]

I'm a ride chicken, too! The only thing that gave me the courage to ride this was reading that it has some kind of mechanical arm that pulls you down, as opposed to free-falling. I don't know why this made the difference to me between riding it, or not. That, and hearing my kids rave about how awesome it is!

I'm not sure why that's comforting, but it kind of is! I think I'd heard of that before. But you're still very brave! How scary was it when you did it with the kids? Nathan's done it a few times. Maybe someday I'll work up the courage!

 

[RedsDrew]

Wow, this trip report is outstanding! So many terrific things. Universal, BLT, MNSSHP, EPCOT, F&W, Trader Sam's which I'm so excited to go to. I had no idea you could collect or buy the tiki mugs til now. I just went to the Disney Store online to see if they have them for sale, and there are none on their other than Marvel tiki mugs. Oh well. But you really got me so excited. You've definitely pulled me in and that sequence of Beverly shots was hilarious! You captured every moment perfectly! Also, your Christmas tree is beautiful! Jeez there's just so much to say. Great job!

 

[missjackiemcg]

As you can see, there were PLENTY of people in front of us who didn't just shell out a ton of money for desserts and a special reserved area. Plus, in our reserved area people were being super rude and annoying and jumping up into the front section reserved specifically for handicapped people.

We did the Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam dessert party in December 2016 and had the same experience. The dessert tables and everything were set up in front of the Chinese Theater which was great UNTIL it was almost time for the fireworks. They hadn't made any type of announcement or anything to head over to the reserved viewing area, and by the time we realized it was time to head in that direction the whole area was swarmed with people!! It really soured me on paying extra for the dessert party when there isn't really another perk to it, like being able to actually SEE the show!