Just put some EARS on it... -- September TR (POP and an IOA pit stop)

[DisneyLifer87]

Hello, hello and welcome to my first ever trip report that I refuse to abandon! If you came over from my PTR then you know that I actually finished it to the end! What a milestone. As it is, some of you may be new so you have no idea who I am or the details of our trip. You can view all the changes and excitement if you'd like, but let's do a brief summary and cast of characters...
We stayed at Pop Century from September 17th - 24th with park hopper tickets and the free dining plan. We also were eligible for a free photpass book which I ordered on Wednesday, so I will post images once we receive it. Our first for this trip was spending a day at Universal/IOA so I could catch the WWoHP. This was mine and DH's third trip together and a belated Anniversary celebration. The trip prior was our wedding trip (we were married at the Swan and Dolphin in May 2010) and the trip before that was DH's first and was about a year after we got engaged. You could say we truly like to celebrate with Disney But now, for who we are:

Me, better known as Tink or Lifer here on the DIS. I'm a 24 year old sales consultant for Verizon Wireless and I enjoy all things Disney. This trip was yet another that I planned obsessively and was told by my reluctant DH to try and 'take it easy'. Hah, you'll find out soon if that actually happened. Here in this picture you can see my enjoying my favorite Grey Goose slush from France. Boy do I not tire of those!

DH, 23 years old and a 'jack of all trades' at the bowling alley near our apartment. He likes Disney, sure enough... but perhaps not the extreme that I do. The goal this trip was to slow me down,
DH had very little to do with the planning during this trip outside of the food. He does enjoy Disney Dining.

I have been a little slow in starting this TR due to getting back into the swing of things with work, but also in coming down with a brutal cold right as we got home Oh well, at least it wasn't on vacation!
Thank you for stopping by and I hope you will stick around. I will be working on Day One this evening!

 

[janabananas]

Hiya!! Following you over from Sept 2011 thread. I am gonna read up on your PTR, so I will be up to date for your TR!!!

 

[janabananas]

Just finished reading over your PTR! Looks like a fun time, hope it was great. Looking forward to more!

 

[TanzUnited99]

I'm joining in! As mentioned on your PTR we were at Pop the same time as you so look forward to reading all about your adventures

 

[WDWRids]

How cool! We were there at the same time!! Looking forward to hear your report and see how close I can relate. We had a great time and hope you did as well - boy, was it hot this year!!! Been hard getting back into the swing of things - wish I was still at DISNEY!!

 

[bkandreu]

It is so cool that you got married there! Lucky! I'm in for this TR!

 

[DisneyLifer87]

Just finished reading over your PTR! Looks like a fun time, hope it was great. Looking forward to more!

Welcome on over! Glad to have a fellow September traveler along!

I'm joining in! As mentioned on your PTR we were at Pop the same time as you so look forward to reading all about your adventures

Nice to see you again! I hope your trip was as magical

How cool! We were there at the same time!! Looking forward to hear your report and see how close I can relate. We had a great time and hope you did as well - boy, was it hot this year!!! Been hard getting back into the swing of things - wish I was still at DISNEY!!

I agree - it was super hot this time around! I guess when we first got in it wasn't too bad because we had left 50 degree Minnesotan weather and welcomed the heat. Yet, by the end of the trip I was just about done with it all.

It is so cool that you got married there! Lucky! I'm in for this TR!

Welcome!

 

[DisneyLifer87]

Day One: 9/17/11 (Traveling to the World and around it!)

Our day started relatively early on Saturday morning. My sister had arranged to drive us to the airport since she needed to be up with my one month old nephew Joey anyway. I woke around 5:30am to get dressed and finish some last minute packing. Surprisingly, I did sleep a sufficient amount the night before, but I suppose that would be because DH and I were running all over the place on Friday night. DH tried his best to remain asleep, but he relented around 6:15am and rolled out of bed to get ready himself. My sister was at our place right at 6:45am and we were on our way. I of course had to remind DH to snag my sunglasses from my car - I had already made that mistake one trip and it was sure a headache.
We got to the airport around 7:30am for a 9:05am flight. I wasn't too worried as we were already checked in online and baggage was paid for. We dropped our bags and got into the security line where it took 45 min!!! We headed to our gate with a bit of a quick shuffle, but of course DH insisted on breakfast so we made a pit stop at Subway before sitting and waiting to be boarded. I'm amazed at how expense airport food is... a breakfast sub was about $3 over the typical price I'd pay outside of the terminal. As it is, our plane was very booked, but we boarded and were seated by a group of quiet adults. There weren't many pictures from our morning excursion, mostly because we were a little rushed, but also because it was early and I didn't really feel in a picture mood. After a quiet flight of reading/music/movies, we landed in Orlando right on time. Navigating through MCO is a breeze for us now, and soon we were seeing the welcoming hands of DME!! I was a bit taken aback by the line for Pop Century and was hoping it would not be a sign of bad things to come. However, buses arrived quickly and we were soon on our way. I had completed online check in, so that was also a breeze (which included free brownies that a cm was passing out) and by 2:03pm we were in our room to find a king sized bed! We were in the 50's building on the 4th floor. DH and I unpacked our carry-on and changed into shorts before heading out for a bus to Epcot. I, of course, was more in the Disney spirit and took a few pictures of our view from the resort.

Our building from the elevator overlooking the bowling pin pool and Tramp

Two doors down from our room overlooking the pool. DH insisted I get a picture by Tramp since I thought he was pretty sweet.

We swung into the food court and bought our refillable mugs. Then, we hopped in line for the bus and one was there within minutes! It was pretty exciting and we hoped the luck would continue. By 2:45pm we were walking to the gates of Epcot and very soon....

We saw this lovely sight. I knew we were home!

The goal for today was to simply wander the World Showcase and try not to over exert ourselves from such an early morning. DH and I were both pretty hungry and without an ADR until 7pm, we figured we'd get some lunch. I had planned to have lunch at Pop, but we were too excited for DH's favorite QS meal in all of Epcot:

Some tasty fish and chips from the UK. We figured we'd split this one and only used one QS meal. Then we began to walk the showcase into France. I checked my times guide to see that our favorite show was soon to be on, so we grabbed some drinks (see our intro pics) and sat back to await Servuer Amuesant.

This show always amazes me. I'm afraid of heights and have terrible balance, so you can see why I would NEVER attempt this. After the show we continued on into Japan and stopped inside the shop (it's always so interesting)! From here we wandered to Germany and stopped into Karamel Kuche. I didn't really see the fuss about it, and we didn't get anything this time around.. but we vowed to return later in the trip. In Germany DH was complaining he was hungry again. It was 4:30 and I really didn't want him to spoil dinner, but we got a brat and pretzal combo using another QS credit. He ate the brat, I had the pretzal and we felt full enough to move on. We did ride Maelstrom with only a 10 min wait followed by the Gran Fiesta Tour which was a walk on. Neither of us had been on these and, honestly, we probably won't again. They were passive, but really just a nice escape from the heat. From Mexico we wandered back to Italy and ate at our first reservation at Via Napoli.

I regret to inform you that I have no food porn. However, we ordered the pepperoni pizza and gelato for dessert. DH was in love (he adores pizza, though) and admittedly I was impressed. The only draw back is that the pizza was a bit cold due to the busy restaurant, I assume. We would give it 4/5 stars and would most likely return.

After this we leisurely strolled to the UK and scouted out a spot for Illuminations. Instead of pictures, I figure I will share with you a short video I took of it: (Sorry it is not the right way!)
View Here

After Illuminations we headed back on the bus with only a minor crowd. We pit stopped in the food court to refill our mugs and purchase 2 salads with our snack credits (good way to keep cool and rehydrate) and sat back to watch some tv. By 11:30pm we were both out and asleep to await day two.

 

[hotmailop963]

So cool,Just finished reading over your PTR!

 

[TanzUnited99]

Yay you made it to Disney!!

You were one floor above us in the same building - I can't believe we didn't see you around Pop

on getting a king bed - they are hard to get at Pop! Love that you both went to Epcot on your arrival day - what a great way to start the trip!

 

[kokotg]

Joining in--we were at Pop the same week as you, though way over in the 80's! Great start!

 

[DisneyLifer87]

Day Two - Trotting Epcot again

For our first Disney day we woke up super early and headed to Epcot for rope drop. I believe I set the alarm for 7am but didn't roll out of bed until 7:30am . DH didn't want any breakfast because he wasn't really feeling it, so we refilled our mugs and waited for a bus. We got to Epcot right around 8:45am and watched the little mini opening ceremony (which was cute).

Love this!

We made our way to Soarin' and rode through. I love this ride and DH loves the preshow because of the actor who narrates it.

After riding Soarin' we headed across the park to test track which was a walk on! this trip was looking better and better. DH was starting to get pretty hungry by this point so we wandered into the World Showcase. Timewise it was 10:30 so we figured we could simply relax for a bit outside of, where you ask?

With lunch at:

Well, at least for DH. I wanted to wait and have something different. So after DH finished his meal, we walked to Mexico and I stopped by to get some of the best tacos I had ever tasted!! DH actually got wide eyed when he saw that the beef was more like a shredded beef and he slowly regretted his decision to have fish and chips again. It was about 12:30 at this time and the sun was sure starting to feel warm. We grabbed a bottle of water and hopped on the boat to cross over the world showcase where we made way to Japan. DH had his eye on a popular cookie called Koala Yummies (or, well, that's what they were in America when we were both tots). They sell them here which is fabulous, so we grabbed a massive family pack!

Afterwards we headed to The Seas with Nemo and Friends which was, again, a walk on. And afterwards we decided to wait 15 minutes for the next Turtle Talk with Crush show. As we were waiting, I was followed by my new friend:

I called him Petey... Petey the Puff Fish.

Now, as Minnesota Viking football fans (at the time... debating that one now...) we saw it was just past 1pm which meant the game was on. I was a little bit tired still, being unused to the Disney lifestyle and also the heat of the day. So I agreed that DH and I could head back to the room for a few hours of rest. We hopped on the bus and made it back to our hotel by 1:30pm. We refilled our mugs and headed to the room. It had started to get a little cloudy, but I didn't think much of it. I scrolled through the tv and found the game - they were playing Tampa Bay so we lucked out! I was about the sit on the bed when I heard an unusual sound from outside. I opened the door to...

Pouring rain!! Guess the nap idea wasn't so bad after all! I set the alarm for 5:00pm so we could head back for dinner and a few more rides. We watched the game for awhile which they steadily loss and I fell asleep for a good hour, as did DH. We woke up to watch the game end miserably, but to see that it was no longer raining and the sun had returned. We dressed and headed on the bus back to Epcot. Once in the park we made for Spaceship Earth and waited roughly 5 minutes. Following this it was still a bit too early for dinner, so we headed over to Ellen's Energy Adventure and got right in. I really didn't know what to think of this and it was a small bit dumb, but entertaining and a nice relax. Once out we saw it was almost 6pm so we headed to dinner a little early.

Coral Reef: This place was crazy busy! We had to wait 30 min for a table, but we figured it would be worthwhile. DH had the seasonal catch which was a bass (I think?) with mushroom and scallop risotto. He absolutely loved it and I was wondering if he would lick the plate. I had the NY strip with horseradish mashed potatoes. The steak was cooked perfectly and had a red wine reduction sauce that was to die for. DH stole a few bites and agreed it was phenomenal. For desert we both elected for the chocolate wave. This was very good and DH again considered licking his plate. I have to say, I'm not too big on chocolate so it was a touch too rich for me, but I finished it anyway! 5/5 stars. We have been here before and will keep on going!

After dinner I had asked DH if he would not mind heading to Magic Kingdom for EMH. He was all for it (after all, it was only 7:30pm). We took the monorail and entered the park right as the MSEP was starting. So, why not? We decided to stop and watch.

Afterwards we migrated with the rest up to street to grab a spot for Wishes. DH left me to buy some popcorn (like we usually do) and we watched both the show before Wishes and the fireworks themselves. Enjoy a video once more:
Link here

After the fireworks we wandered into Tomorrowland and and rode the People Mover because, well, it was the only thing without a line! As we traveled we passed through a broken down Space Mountain and I got to see the lighted inside view! I wish I had my camera at the ready... DH asked if I wanted to ride again but I figured it wasn't too big of a deal. After the people mover we debated heading to the Jungle Cruise, but the park was just so packed and we were tired that we just decided to head out. We ducked into the Bakery to pick up a sandwich, chips, and a chocolate croissant using snack credits (aside from the sandwich). We finished the chips waiting for the bus and then the sandwich back in the room. I showered and DH showered after only to find me fast asleep. So ended our first full Disney day.

 

[Erinmc3]

Joining in since we were there at the same time.

We got stuck in that pouring rain while at Animal Kingdom. Seemed to come out of nowhere and soaked us.

We also enjoyed Petey the Puff Fish while at Turtle Talk .

 

[TanzUnited99]

I love the pre-show of Soain as well.

I didn't know about them Koala Yummies but will have to try and get some on a future trip.

Wow on the rain - good job you returned for a rest when you did!

Oh no on having to wait 30 mins for Coral Reef - sounds like you had a great meal though and it was worth it.

I loved the video of Wishes - sure bought back memories

 

[DisneyLifer87]

Day Three - Beating the heat at Animal Kingdom (we hoped)

The parks had been good to us crowed wise, so DH requested that we "sleep in" this day. I did not agree, but it was better to go with it than suffer a cranky DH all day. By 7:45am I was wide awake, however DH was not. Antsy as I was because Animal Kingdom was our planned park (and it opened at 8am for EMH!).. I let him sleep. Around 8:30am as I was quietly reading, he rolled over and I may or may not have cleared my throat with an impatient emphasis. Fortunately, he woke up and felt refreshed enough to climb out of bed. Since I was already ready, we were out the door by 9am and after filling our mugs, we were on our way. Animal Kingdom is one of the closest parks to Pop, so we were there in no time. Outside of the park we saw a cool dedication to the Lion King 3D

We walked through and stopped to get our photopass photo taken with the tree of life. ((This reminds me on a side note that I did get my book in the mail and should post pics of it soon)). Anyway, we walked to Expedition Everest and found the posted wait time of 5 min! I handed DH the park bag and let him wander around while I hopped in line. Needless to say, the 5 min was WAY off..... it was a walk on I love this ride, but I do hate that the Yeti has a fan and strobe light effect. Most times I barely notice him at the end of the ride. fail.
After my encounter of the disco era kind, I regrouped with DH and we made our way to the Kilimanjaro Safaris. I know this is corny what with the "poachers" and such, but I still enjoy seeing the animals. The wait time here was 20 min with fastpass returns for 40 minutes from our current time. DH was a little hungry, so we took the fastpasses and wandered to a nearby quick service spot that had flatbread breakfast sandwiches for sale. I forget the name of the place, but the flatbread had egg, ham, and cheese in it. It was really good, actually, and a nice light breakfast at 10:30am. As we were eating, DH noticed a large group of people standing around the corner. We figured, hey, may as well see what they're up to. And wouldn't you know it.. one of my Animal Kingdom dreams came true:

We found DiVine! and by a total bit of luck for opting into breakfast prior to the safari. Both DH and I were thrilled. After watching her for a little while, we headed back to the Safari and rode using our fastpass. We only waited about 5 min. Sadly we missed the lions, but we did get a few good shots of other African wildlife:

It was about 11:15am at this point and the heat of the day was starting to pick up. The bad thing about Animal Kingdom is that it traps heat and humidity! We decided to get off our feet for a bit and catch the 11:30am show of Flights of Wonder. Unfortunately, the birds were moving a bit too quickly for us to get good photos of this show, but it was fun and entertaining. The birds are exotic and colorful.. I highly recommend the shaded enjoyment. Shortly before noon we left for the Maharajah Jungle Trek because I was determined to see the tigers. They did not disappoint:

So pretty . I asked DH after if he wanted to grab some lunch, but he was more into doing whatever it took to get us out of the park. I admit, it was starting to get awfully warm. We headed to Dinosaur and walked right on to ride that quick. DH was feeling a little better from the nice cool ac. From here we walked to Camp Minnie Mickey to catch the 1:30pm showin of Festival of the Lion King. Feel free to catch a clip of my favorite aspect of this show.

Click here

We bid farewell to the Animal Kingdom and headed back to the room. We pit stopped in the food court for lunch, which was philly cheese burritos. They were pretty good, actually. Being that it was bright and sunny, we decided to change into our suits and take advantage of a quiet Bowling Pin pool. This lasted all of about 30 min until they hustled us out due to an incoming storm. We headed back to the room and showered, changed, relaxed while the rain... never came? Not sure what happened here, but that's Florida weather for you!
Around 6:00pm we left for our dining reservation at the Nine Dragons in Epcot. We have been here before and loved it. I'm happy to say this time was no different! Both DH and I got the Canton Pepper Beef and ate as much as we could (sadly we could not finish). We did then enjoy ice cream afterwards. Nine Dragons gets a 4/5 once more... mostly because it is good, but a bit spendy for food I could order here in Minnesota. After dinner it was about 7:15pm. DH was tired as was I, so we decided to simply call it an early evening. We had a breakfast reservation early the next morning, so it wasn't a total loss. We headed back to the room and watched some tv, I read, and we were in bed by 11:30pm.