Let's Watch the Hallucination Show on the Castle- A May '14 TR *12/3 PTR Link to Real Life News

[Marsheliz]

So glad Alex is home!!

Looking forward to hearing about your 3 days at Disney before cruise! We just got back last night & had a great time!

 

[amazingact21]

I see nothing wrong with trying every cupcake in Starring Roles! It's just like trying every margarita at the Ditch. Well, sort of.

Hahaha. Hey, we all have our mission. Can't say if I didn't have a toddler to chase after I wouldn't be visiting the Ditch myself.

Of course you became those parents. How could you NOT? Landon looks so adorable with his new toy. I'm glad it was $7 well spent. Hopefully Landon will enjoy the characters better during your next trip.

Have you figured out all your plans yet?

We do have a general idea of what we're doing. The 26th is still up in the air; we have a dinner at O'hana's that night, but that's all I know.
The 27th, we'll be in Epcot in the morning. Potentially back at Epcot for the night, but that's up for debate.
The 28th is our MK day.
The 1st we are going to be in DHS for park opening, and then we'll leave property around lunchtime.

Any overlap? I sure hope so. We're being pretty flexible with our schedule, only our meal ADRs are set in stone.

 

[amazingact21]

Super productive morning at DHS. It's pretty amazing what you can get done during EMH, especially in that particular park. I have to say, I am very supportive of your cupcake goal. Sounds like one I should pick up myself. I'm woefully behind, having only ever tried the Butterfinger. Red Velvet is totally on my list for next trip!

Seeing the little ones get so much enjoyment out of those silly little toys really does make it difficult to resist buying. We spent the money on a spinning light up Lightning McQueen that he loved in the parks but hardly plays with at home. However, we are hoping it at least has the repeatability factor, so we are taking it to Disneyland with us in a couple weeks for him to use at night.

I think we've all fallen for the toy trick. It's hard not to, especially when you know if you buy it, you'll gurantee yourself some time with a happy kid in the parks. That kind of insurance is like gold.


The Red Velvet cupcake was delicious! I highly recommend it.

I'd say having everything you wanted done before the park officially opened was a productive time at MGM - and glad your were able to move you FP+ no problem. We had similar experience and made us appreciate the system. I mean, yeah, if you expect to get Mine Train and Anna and Elsa at the exact times you want during peak summer travel that morning you might not like the system, but as long as you are realistic and have some flexibility of time it generally can work

I will have to remember the tale of "that darn ring" for future reports of yours

Oh, and is suspect the Butterfinger cupcake will be high in your rankings.

If you go into FP with an open mind, then yeah, you can definitely get what you want. I didn't buy our park tickets until last Wednesday, a little over 2 weeks before our trip, and I went into the FP booking not expecting much. I knew I was booking kind of last minute, but I have to say, the options weren't terrible. Naturally, all the preferred viewing for the parade and fireworks were gone, but things like TSMM at park opening and 7DMT (at the end of the night) were still available.


I'm looking forward to finally trying out the Butterfinger cupcake. I don't like the candy bar, but I've heard there's fudge center in the cake, and well...nobody's gonna see me bad mouthing fudge.

Ha, it's like the opposite of what Izzy did! It's like Landon knew that Goofy would need that extra toddler love.

Ha! Except Landon wasn't nearly as focused and vocal about his preference. He just kept staring over at Goofy, like, Why can't I be over there?

I will share this with you.

Love that cupcake and embarrassed to admit that I actually can eat a whole one myself. I know Dug had the red velvet one once and I remember trying it and thinking it was really good. I haven't had the butterfinger one, but I know it has that fudge center and it looks really tasty.

Perfect! I'm pretty sure we could plan a Disney trip together and center it around food.
We seem to share the same taste, at least in desserts. And I mean, those are the most important things to get in WDW, so our priorities are alligned.
And if it were in the evening, I probably could finish a whole cupcake by myself. I just can't eat a lot of chocolate first thing in the morning. My stomach has to build up to its daily chocolate tolerance.

Eh, I think there's a big difference between a $7 toy and a whole bunch of toys and/or expensive toys. I mean, you can blow $7 on water in Disney pretty easily, so I think it was a reasonable purchase.

Worthwhile, I'd say! It reminds me of the figurine set we got for Izzy at Aulani. It was like $10 for little Disney figures and she played with that throughout the whole trip. Doesn't play with them often now at home, but worth $10 just for as much use as she got during the trip and in the hotel room and car.

You guys really had a productive early morning! That is awesome that you'd finished your list by the time the park opened!

That is a good point. It wasn't like he was asking for he 80 dollar castle set, and I agreed to get it spur of the moment. And I think there's a difference between buying a toddler something out of the blue and buying an older kid something. At least when Landon's older I can talk to him about a budget and give him a set amount of spending money.
But a 13 month old? Yeah, that wouldn't work.

So glad Alex is home!!

Looking forward to hearing about your 3 days at Disney before cruise! We just got back last night & had a great time!

Thanks!
I cannot wait to hear about your trip! So much went on! I saw an O'hana dinner and snacks at the Contemporary, and oh yeah...the gender reveal!!!!! I still loved that video of the boys finding out. I made my husband walk over and watch it. I said somethig like, "Look at how adorable these boys' faces are! That's so freaking cute!" When Landen's face jerked up to you to confirm what you'd said, I couldn't help but smile.

 

[emmysmommy]

Hi Alicia! I'm getting caught up here. Your cutie pie is even more adorable than your groupie trip!

So glad that Alex is home!!! That's awesome! Thank him for his service for me. Enjoy settling into your new home.

 

[amazingact21]

Hi Alicia! I'm getting caught up here. Your cutie pie is even more adorable than your groupie trip!

So glad that Alex is home!!! That's awesome! Thank him for his service for me. Enjoy settling into your new home.

Thank you, Brenda! Unfortunately, nowadays, Landon knows he's a cutie and uses it to his advantage!
Toddlers are smart little cookies...



It's so nice having Alex back. I forgot how much I appreciate his help when it comes to the little things. Just being able to ask him to grab Landon a banana when he's in the kitchen is a big help. It'll be especially be nice when we're traveling. No more lugging Landon in and out of the car just so I can visit a rest stop.

 

[afwdwfan]

Hollywood Studios had morning extra magic hours that morning, which is always something we try and do once each trip. There’s not a whole lot there for us to do with a baby, and the things we do want to accomplish can usually be knocked within the EMH window.

Good plan! I always enjoy spending some more time there, but yeah, if you're not seeing the shows, EMH is about all you need.

Just seeing that picture makes me wish I were going to DHS right this second. The park looks so fresh, like it’s just waiting for guests to start pouring in and liven the streets up.

Well said. Just another reason I like being at the parks for Rope Drop.

He seemed interested in the pull string, but he never actually wanted to grab hold of it. I think he was content just watching Dad mess around with it.

I have a feeling that’ll be the last time that ever happens.

No way was he going to be 100% focused.


Right?





Wrong.


So wrong.




He just barely scraped out a win over me.


“All while holding our son, I’ll have you know.”



His words. Not mine.

When it comes to getting a higher TSMM score than your wife, the kid never gets in the way.

Apparently, we picked the wrong character line to jump into.

I was just using common sense and figured the chipmunks looked a lot friendlier and were more his height level than Goofy.

I guessed wrong.

Then again…who can resist Goofy’s silly charm?

Everybody loves Goofy!

Sorry he wasn't into Chip and Dale though.

So, getting him situated in the stroller, Alex and I power-walked over to our favorite coaster in the parks.

I'm glad you got to ride RnRC, and maybe even more importantly, I'm glad that Landon fell asleep for his nap relatively easily.

Navigating the tiny little space inside Starring Rolls with a stroller was a bit of a challenge, especially since a lot of the guests weren’t sure which line to get into for which items. People were constantly yelling, “Where’s the coffee?!”

You know, that place is a bit confusing, especially when it gets crowded. There's not a good flow through there and it isn't always clear whether or not you're cutting in front of someone by going to another counter.

I have a terrible goal at Starring Rolls and that is to try all their cupcakes.

So what's the "terrible" part?

So, my new Starring Rolls ranking, in case anyone was interested turned into:

1)Chocolate Peanut Butter (but only if I can share it. Way too rich for one person.)

I approve.

But I'm not sharing.

Try to eat a bit of mine at your own risk.

Although the only 2 I've had there have been the Butterfinger cupcake and this one. But Peanut Butter has become my go to ever since I first tried it. So I'll take your rankings to just re-affirm the fact that I don't need to waste time trying the other cupcakes as long as they have one of these bad boys in the case.

Before, I had been on the fence about whether or not I liked reserving my fastpasses ahead of time, but that situation really sold me on the system. I was afraid I’d always be stuck doing whatever I’d chosen two months out, but that moment showed me that so long as I don’t wait too long after opening to do anything, I can easily adjust my passes.

I can see this... looking forward to seeing which FP+ reservations you were able to make though...

Long story short…I got the bag and was the happiest camper on the planet that Christmas morning.


Then, 4 months later I had Landon and stopped using purses all together.

Diaper bags all the way.

Well, at least you have a very nice bag that should be in nearly pristine condition due to limited wear and tear.

Something that I came to regret later on. If any of you are interested in reading my future-not-yet existent August TR, just keep in mind the ring comes back into play.

Hmmm... I'll keep it in mind for future reference...

But, Landon played with that bad boy all the way to the boat dock and in the room at AKL and more than I thought he would at home. I won’t say it was an everyday toy, but every once in awhile he’d pull it out of the chest and set it on the table.

Well worth it then! Nothing wrong with spontaneous toys every once in a while. That's what the souvenir budget is for.

You can't buy every toy the touch in a store, of course... but on the rare occasion, it's all good.

Up Next…It’s a Shame Sliders are So Small

I totally agree!

 

[KatMark]

I'm joining in. Give me a bit to catch up on 15 pages.

Alicia, I am back. Way too much for me to comment on, but I jotted down some notes.

First and foremost, thank your husband for his service. We appreciate all our military does for us.

Your son, Landon, is absolutely adorable.

What a horrid week leading up to your trip. I remember seeing the newcasts about the weather.

YAY...AKL...one of my top three resorts. I do love that resort and being able to see my giraffes from the balcony.

I like your "slower" pace at the parks this time and enjoying time together.

I'm so happy that you met MaryEllen and Cynthia. I've been fortunate to have two DIS meets with them now and just absolutely love them both.

I'm enjoying all of your photos and your adventures. Oh...and bad Tigger...taking up Landon's space (but Tigger is still my favorite).

Looking forward to keeping up now.

 

[amazingact21]

I'm joining in. Give me a bit to catch up on 15 pages.

Alicia, I am back. Way too much for me to comment on, but I jotted down some notes.

First and foremost, thank your husband for his service. We appreciate all our military does for us.

Your son, Landon, is absolutely adorable.

What a horrid week leading up to your trip. I remember seeing the newcasts about the weather.

YAY...AKL...one of my top three resorts. I do love that resort and being able to see my giraffes from the balcony.

I like your "slower" pace at the parks this time and enjoying time together.

I'm so happy that you met MaryEllen and Cynthia. I've been fortunate to have two DIS meets with them now and just absolutely love them both.

I'm enjoying all of your photos and your adventures. Oh...and bad Tigger...taking up Landon's space (but Tigger is still my favorite).

Looking forward to keeping up now.

Thank you for joining in and reading!

As of right now, AKL is one of my favorite resorts. You just can't beat looking out your window and seeing giraffes. I know all Disney resorts are unique, but AKL really takes that meaning to another level!

MaryEllen and Cynthia were so nice. I was really glad I got to meet both of them. I hope our paths cross again in the future.


Tigger was certainly being...Tigger. Thankfully, Landon was in too much shock to react negatively. He couldn't believe this big furry creature was jumping in front of him.

 

[amazingact21]

Wednesday, May 14th, 2014:


After our very successful DHS morning, Alex and I were taking Landon back into Epcot.

Only this time, he would be awake for it.



No matter how many times I see the Flower and Garden Festival, I’ll never get bored with the topiaries.



In order to mix things up, Alex and I hooked a left outside of the International Gateway and made the circuit around the Canada and UK pavilions.

Adventurers, we are!

Well, actually, we wanted to go the Mexico pavilion, and I’m all about taking the shortest path possible to get to my destination.

Lazy, we are!!!





The intent was to take Landon on the Gran Fiesta Tour, but we got distracted just inside the entrance by…open space.




Landon hadn’t had much time to run around and burn off some energy, so when he saw that spacious sitting area with the various signs and relics on display, he had to make use of it. Alex sat down at one of the benches in the center of the room, and I chased Landon back and forth from Alex’s spot to the wall.


We had some minor collisions with the floor and guests’ legs, because Landon was too focused on having fun to pay attention to the people walking into the room. It was pretty chaotic for me, steering him away from men and women, picking him up after he plopped down on the ground, sprinting after him when he changed directions; however, his smiling face made it completely worth it.

Sure, we weren’t “doing much” inside Epcot, but Alex and I were letting Landon be happy. And being a typical tot, running around doing a lot of nothing was exactly what he wanted to do. So far be it from us to stop that party.


Well, that’s not an accurate statement.

Alex and I did pull the plug on the kid’s fun after about ten minutes. He was growing bored of the entrance area and wanted to wander further into the pavilion. There were just too many breakables on display and too many people to allow him to do that, so Alex hoisted him up in the air and whisked him off to the Gran Fiesta Tour.



Landon liked the attraction.

Liked it a lot.


More so than we ever thought he would.



I couldn’t pinpoint what aspect of the ride made him love it so much. Whether it was the bright colors, the music, the familiarity of Donald Duck, or the fireworks at the end Landon couldn’t tear his little eyes away.



Upon exiting, Alex and I seriously debated going on it again, but the day was starting to slip away from us, and we knew we’d be getting hungry soon. So, we left Mexico and went to use one of the Fastpasses I’d procured earlier that morning.

But first!

What about some mariachi music, Landon?



Meh.


Landon informed us via whining and fussing that it was too hot out for dancing.

I felt kinda bad, because all the members of the band were smiling and waving at him, trying to get him involved in the music. They were all so nice, that I felt compelled to mouth and big “Thank you and sorry!” to them when Landon walked away.



Okay. Well then, since THAT detour didn’t work, we were once again on our way to our Fastpass.

The much loved and greatly missed: Maelstrom.


Greatly missed by me, at least.

Alex had no idea when we used our passes that it would be the last time he’d ever go on it. He probably would have said a few words in tribute or something.

Well, probably not.
But at least he would have known. Paid more attention to the little details.

Listened to the audio more closely.

Maybe…


During Landon’s first trip to Disney, I picked out the troll statue at the dump shop gift shop as the “over the years” photo location. In other words, I wanted to take a picture of Landon in front of the troll on every vacation so I could compare how much he grew up between visits.


Alex, that day, though, was not having much luck with the camera.



When we got home, I was a little disappointed at how they turned out.

However…now it’s kind of pointless to care. Don’t even know if the troll will be there after all the Frozen refurb is complete.

Only I would pick a location that had the potential to be taken away.

Smooth thinking, Mom. Real smooth…

(I’m actually not too torn up about it, because it seems like every trip so far we’ve gotten into MK pre-opening, so I’ve just tailored my troll picture into the normal Main Street shot. Adapt and overcome.)



Upon finishing our turn on Maelstrom, Alex and I were in high spirits. We’d each gone on 4 attractions, one above our average. Hitting morning EMH really paid off.
But our hot streak of riding rides needed to be pocketed for the time being. Landon was becoming hungry (his banana and Puffs were wearing off) and so Alex and I knew we needed to get him some food.


We weren’t incredibly hungry yet, but we knew there was a food item we were dying to try. And luckily it wasn’t a large piece of food; probably the perfect size for our appetites.


First though, we had to get to the food in question’s location.

Which meant a trek around the World Showcase.

During the Flower and Garden Festival.


Hot and muggy or not, I still had a blast touring the scenery again. I had seen all the topiaries lit up at night, but this time I got to soak them all up with the beautiful FL sun shining down.







I know the Food and Wine Festival has its diehard fans. Guests who arrange their vacations around the festival dates and have their must do’s at the booths and wait anxiously for the new food items to be released; guests who, to them, a Disney vacation isn’t complete without Food and Wine.

I feel a little bit of that love towards the Flower and Garden Festival.


I couldn’t imagine going to Disney in the spring and NOT seeing all the flowers out and about around Epcot. In my opinion, Epcot never looks better than it does during the Festival. Not even during the holiday season with all the decorations up.

And that’s saying something coming from this Christmas nut.


So taking a walk through all the different countries was very fulfilling to me. I felt like I’d gotten my money’s worth out of the trip, if that makes sense. Like, “All right, I visited Epcot, saw the topiaries, I’m good!”


Alex and I decided to get Landon some chicken fingers for lunch. At the time, he wasn’t a big eater; we figured he’d eat one or two and call it a day. When we reached the American pavilion, Alex and I chose to divide and conquer.


I took Landon into Liberty Inn and bought one order of chicken nuggets and two cups of water then found a table for us all to eat at, while Alex went outside to the Smokehouse festival booth and got us two of the Pulled Pig Sliders.



I’m not a huge pulled pork fan, but from the pictures I saw online it looked appealing enough to try.

And man oh man…it was delicious!

Absolutely amazing.

The barbecue sauce carried the meal. Without it, the slider wouldn’t have had anything that stood out. But with the sauce…well then. You got yourself a winner. And trust me. I’m picky about my barbecue sauces.

I used to work at a family owned barbecue restaurant. I made the sauce from scratch.

In every town I move to, I always find the local bbq hotspot.

I take my barbecue seriously.
(And Alex….he actually doesn’t care for the stuff. He puts up with it, but it’s not something he’d go out of his way to get. Between that and his hatred of coffee, I’m amazed I ever went out with him.)


It takes a lot to wow me when it comes to sauce, but that one definitely did.
I was using the stuff on the fries that came with Landon’s chicken and Alex was using it eat the remaining nuggets our son didn’t want.

Near the end of my slider, I started to wish it was a full sandwich, not just a tiny little appetizer.



As of that point, Alex and I had ordered 4 things off the festival booths and each thing we had chosen was a resounding success. Not just we enjoyed them. We actually really loved them.

That kind of took us by surprise. We knew they’d be good, but we didn’t know they’d be THAT good.


Guess we actually have to try out the Food and Wine Festival one day. (When I’m not pregnant. The last time I was 11 weeks along, and that stopped me from ordering anything.)

If the booths at F&W are half as good as those F&G ones, we will be in trouble.



Right about the time the three of us were finishing up our lunches, the heavens opened up outside and it began pouring.



We suspected that we would encounter some rain that day; we were just hoping it would be once we were back at our resort. But by changing the plans to include some Epcot time, our schedule got pushed back and we were then stuck in the restaurant with a monsoon going on outside.

It was time to do some thinking about where to go from there.



Up Next…Just Get Me Home

 

[teekathepony]

I have yet to see the FLower & Garden. Some day! It's so beautiful!
So cute how much Landon loved the GFT! What a great shot of him and Alex!
The sliders sound really yummy too, awesome when those kinds of things are a hit!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Hehe, I fully approve taking a different route in World Showcase from time to time. If lazy is your excuse, so be it.

You know that is a good point. The area just inside the Mexican Pavilion is pretty open.

I also miss Maelstrom a lot. But it's also worth pointing out that trolls make up a pretty big part in Frozen, so he may just remain. Good to have a backup just in case though.

I'm with you Alicia. I am a Flower and Garden junkie more so than a Food and Wine junkie. And now that they added booths to Flower and Garden, I guess the best of all.

 

[Dugette]

The intent was to take Landon on the Grand Fiesta Tour, but we got distracted just inside the entrance by…open space.

Yep, sounds like a trip with a toddler! Disney could take one of those empty pavilions (maybe the Wonders of Life during non-festival times) and just turn it into a giant empty room and it would be a hit!

No matter how many times I see the Flower and Garden Festival, I’ll never get bored with the topiaries.

I couldn’t imagine going to Disney in the spring and NOT seeing all the flowers out and about around Epcot. In my opinion, Epcot never looks better than it does during the Festival. Not even during the holiday season with all the decorations up.

If the booths at F&W are half as good as those F&G ones, we will be in trouble.

You are getting me REALLY excited for our time in Epcot in May! Can't wait to see the topiaries and general decorations. And the food! The sliders sound really good. Mmmmmmm.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

What a great time at EPCOT. Between the shops , the theming, Mexican It's a a Small World, and la Cava - we could spend a good chunk of the day at the Mexican Pavilion

We have not been to flower and garden festival but it really does look pretty and now that they have added to food booths might be something we need to plan around.

Having been to F&WF a few times I'd say the food there is going to be more varied - though perhaps more hit and miss for you. That is, you will find some things you love but some you don't care for as much - but a lot of the fun is trying things.

Yeah, that definitely qualifies as rain

 

[KatMark]

I love that little Landon got some "exercise" time running around in the Mexican entry and that he enjoyed the ride.

I'm one of those not sorry to see Maelstrom go and am curious as to what they replace it with.

I'm with you on Flower & Garden...it is stunning during that time. And even, as you said, at Christmas it's not as stunning.

Thanks for the heads up on the Pulled Pig Sliders. I will be there for F&G this year and will definitely try them. I LOVE pulled pork so this is a no brainer for me, but like you I am fussy on my sauce.

Alex doesn't drink coffee? Overboard with him and Captain Hook I say.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

More so than we ever thought he would.

What a sweet picture!

Only I would pick a location that had the potential to be taken away.

Smooth thinking, Mom.

Real smooth…

(I’m actually not too torn up about it, because it seems like every trip so far we’ve gotten into MK pre-opening, so I’ve just tailored my troll picture into the normal Main Street shot. Adapt and overcome.)

DUly noted. I think my plan of action is going to be to get some good shots in a bunch of spots to up the chances of success from trip to trip.

I feel a little bit of that love towards the Flower and Garden Festival.

I think I remember Epcot from my youth with all the flowers out. I can't wait to see the flower and garden festival!

I couldn’t imagine going to Disney in the spring and NOT seeing all the flowers out and about around Epcot. In my opinion, Epcot never looks better than it does during the Festival. Not even during the holiday season with all the decorations up.

And that’s saying something coming from this Christmas nut.

And now you are just teasing me!

I’m not a huge pulled pork fan, but from the pictures I saw online it looked appealing enough to try.


And man oh man…it was delicious!

I'll keep that in mind!

And trust me. I’m picky about my barbeque sauces.


I used to work at a family owned barbeque restaurant.

I made the sauce from scratch.


In every town I move to, I always find the local bbq hotspot.


I take my barbeque seriously.
(And Alex….he actually doesn’t care for the stuff. He puts up with it, but it’s not something he’d go out of his way to get. Between that and his hatred of coffee, I’m amazed I ever went out with him.)



It takes a lot to wow me when it comes to sauce, but that one definitely did.

That's quite the hype you are giving this thing. Here's hoping it can live up to it.

 

[afwdwfan]

Well, actually, we wanted to go the Mexico pavilion, and I’m all about taking the shortest path possible to get to my destination.


Lazy, we are!!!

Nothing wrong with lazy at Disney World. You'll get plenty of walking in, even taking the lazy way out.

I couldn’t pinpoint what aspect of the ride made him love it so much. Whether it was the bright colors, the music, the familiarity of Donald Duck, or the fireworks at the end Landon couldn’t tear his little eyes away.

I think it is all of the above. Kids just love that ride. It has always been a favorite of our kids and really still is.

The much loved and greatly missed: Maelstrom.


Greatly missed by me, at least.

Alex had no idea when we used our passes that it would be the last time he’d ever go on it. He probably would have said a few words in tribute or something.

Well, probably not.
But at least he would have known. Paid more attention to the little details.

Listened to the audio more closely.

I'll miss it. And yes, I'm kind of disappointed I didn't have that "one last ride" opportunity to take everything in before it went away. But I definitely do look forward to seeing what replaces it.

(I’m actually not too torn up about it, because it seems like every trip so far we’ve gotten into MK pre-opening, so I’ve just tailored my troll picture into the normal Main Street shot. Adapt and overcome.)

I think a benchmark type picture during MK pre-opening is way better than a picture with some troll in EPCOT.

In my opinion, Epcot never looks better than it does during the Festival. Not even during the holiday season with all the decorations up.

I've never been there to see it in person, but it won't take much to convince me. I'd really like to go during F&G.

And trust me. I’m picky about my barbeque sauces.


I used to work at a family owned barbeque restaurant.

I made the sauce from scratch.


In every town I move to, I always find the local bbq hotspot.

Ok... next time I'm going on a road trip and need to look for BBQ, I'm coming to you to see if you've ever been in the area.

If the booths at F&W are half as good as those F&G ones, we will be in trouble.

Well, food is in the name of that one.. so shouldn't they not only be as good, but likely even better???

We suspected that we would encounter some rain that day; we were just hoping it would be once we were back at our resort. But by changing the plans to include some Epcot time, our schedule got pushed back and we were then stuck in the restaurant with a monsoon going on outside.

That looks more like one of those July/August deluges. Are you sure it was May???

 

[amazingact21]

I have yet to see the FLower & Garden. Some day! It's so beautiful!
So cute how much Landon loved the GFT! What a great shot of him and Alex!
The sliders sound really yummy too, awesome when those kinds of things are a hit!

The Flower and Garden Festival is definetly worth seeing one day. I know it's hard to go during a new time, but all the spring festivities make it worth it.
The pictures you could get....
I'd love to see them!

Hehe, I fully approve taking a different route in World Showcase from time to time. If lazy is your excuse, so be it.

You know that is a good point. The area just inside the Mexican Pavilion is pretty open.

I also miss Maelstrom a lot. But it's also worth pointing out that trolls make up a pretty big part in Frozen, so he may just remain. Good to have a backup just in case though.

I'm with you Alicia. I am a Flower and Garden junkie more so than a Food and Wine junkie. And now that they added booths to Flower and Garden, I guess the best of all.

I've been holding out hope that the troll makes the cut with the refurb. I mean, why NOT keep it around?


The F&G Festival is just too pretty not to love. I am going to be a little sad to miss this year's event.

Yep, sounds like a trip with a toddler! Disney could take one of those empty pavilions (maybe the Wonders of Life during non-festival times) and just turn it into a giant empty room and it would be a hit!



You are getting me REALLY excited for our time in Epcot in May! Can't wait to see the topiaries and general decorations. And the food! The sliders sound really good. Mmmmmmm.

May is my absolute favorite month to visit Disney. It's hot, but not melt to the ground hot, typically less crowded, and the festival and Star Wars Weekend adds a lot of activity to the parks. If I could, I would vacation in May every year.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Ahhh, the Flower & Garden Festival....I love it and wish that we could see it again. The pulled pork sandwich looked absolutely delicious! That Landon is so stinkin' cute!

 

[amazingact21]

To save everyone the suspense...we took Landon to meet Mickey this afternoon. And well, I think the picture says it all:






Clearly, I was wrong all these months. Landon was not, in fact, over the moon meeting the main mouse. Alex and I are hoping Talking Mickey goes better. We think if he can hear his voice, he'll be more relatable. Landon did, however, like Minnie Mouse and Pluto. Minnie was a big surprise for us. He's never even pointed her out before.
Kids.

Keeping us on our toes.



In other news, it's only Day 2 of our 4 night (yes, we extended a night) trip but Alex and I are already dreading leaving. We are doing things differently this time around, and I think both of us are enjoying the changes. Right now, Alex is out shopping at DTD while I am hanging out in the room with Landon. I wanted to relax, Alex wanted to shop, so it's a win-win.


EARLY Magic Kingdom morning tomorrow for a CP breakfast. Hopefully, we won't freeze to death. It's been frigid here!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

learly, I was wrong all these months. Landon was not, in fact, over the moon meeting the main mouse.

Just when you think you have them figured out! Good luck with Talking Mickey!!!

EARLY Magic Kingdom morning tomorrow for a CP breakfast. Hopefully, we won't freeze to death. It's been frigid here!

Yay for pre park breakfast in MK! Stay warm!!!