Live from WDW, updated 4 September on page 2

[Neoshoegal]

So we flew out on Monday, BA business class (got the 2 for 1 offer ). Really great flight, very relaxed, slept most of the time.
Landed at MCO at 15.25, bit of a queue through immigration (a Virgin flight also just arrived), picked up the car from Budget (did the preregistration so went straight to the garage, all sorted within 5 minutes!)

The heat did get us straight away, it took all of 3 minutes outside in Florida to feel all sweaty and gasp for airco!

Didn't go to the parks the first day, just stayed in our resort, the Saratoga Springs Resort. As predicted, massive thunderstorms in the evening, pretty!

Yesterday we went to DHS, got fast passes for Toy Story Mania (big massive lines for that one straight away), met up with some of our favourite cast members who we got to know a bit on our last trip. Did Tower of Terror which was a walk on, Indiana Jones, ... Park was not very busy at all.
In the evening we had dinner at Citricos for our wedding anniversary. Getting there was interesting through the torretional downpour, it was like powershower to get to the car! Loved our meal there. I had the tuna carpaccio, filet sicilian and warm chocolate banana torte and DH had quail tortelini, veal shank and trio of ice cream.


Today, we went to the M first thing in the morning. We arrived 30 minutes before opening to see the opening show. It's never been this calm when we've been before. The park felt nearly deserted. For the Haunted Mansion, there was only one other family with us in the stretching room. Had late breakfast at Ohana with Stitch. Loads of fun!
Will be going back to theMK later today for the fireworks.

Photos so far, including food pictures, can be found here

 

[karentan]

sounds like you're having a great time!! you mentioned the crowds in MK, how are the crowds everywhere else? we fly out in 10 days and its our first time going in september...

 

[Becx N Gav]

Cool - glad to hear the crowds are light Sounds like you had a wonderful meal too

How long did it take for you to get to your resort? We are driving for the first time and were wondering how long it takes generally!

Looking forward to reading more

 

[cannp123165]

It sounds like you are having a great time! Enjoy the rest of your holiday.

 

[Lilybee]

Really good to hear the crowds are low. Been looking at my I-pod app. Even though it relies on other people to update it, it is really accurate.

Roll on 12 days !!!

 

[Neoshoegal]

Crowds seem quite light. Talking to a guest relations CM yesterday at DS and she said it's very quiet there except on the days when it's Fantasmic (although the fast passes for TSM still sell out before 2pm).

Travel time from MCO to Saratoga Springs was about 30 minutes.

Karen, where will you be staying?

Will check back in in a few days with more photos and reports!

 

[wayneg]

Glad you enjoyed the flight and car collection was good.

Crowd levels, from 6th-22nd Aug we found them as busy if not busier then past Augusts, put it down to free DDP. lines were 60-90 mins for popular rides. Cruised 22nd-29th so no idea when it changed but MGM on the 29th and MK on the 30th were very very quiet even though it was Saturday and Sunday. Longest line in MGM was TSM at 30 mins everything else was under 10 mins, TofT walk on. MK longest was 20 mins, Thunder Mountain was walk on. Couldn't believe how it changed from before our cruise, so wish we could go late Aug/early Sept.

 

[Neoshoegal]

Wayne, it's thanks to you that I knew about the easy way to collect the car! And I also think you posted the info for the BA offer. So thanks for that too!

TofT was indeed a walk on yesterday. Didn't do RocknRollercoaster as I had a headache so no idea what the lines were there.
Did Buzz lightyear twice this morning just walk on, same for Peter Pan and Big Thunder Mountain. We left the park just around 10.15m to go to breakfast and at that time it was starting to get busier, but not massively. Really paid off going first thing.

 

[wayneg]

Wayne, it's thanks to you that I knew about the easy way to collect the car! And I also think you posted the info for the BA offer. So thanks for that too!

Yes it was me that posted the offer for the flights, glad you got them.
Never seen the attraction of Business class flights until this trip, Delta Biz class was superb even though it was their older planes from manchester. So nice to be treated like a human being, can't see me ever paying full price for it but will look for the offers in future.

 

[karentan]

we're staying 8 nights at SSR, 4 at AKV then 3 night cruise, then one more night at SSR

 

[orangetiggs]

Havent seen you around yet!

We have our private butler dinner tonight so will post and let you know how it went

Crowds have got very light compared to the end of last week, the parks were so busy! its was 60 min wait last friday for Toy story 5 mins after park opening!!

 

[jayduk]

Sounds like you're having a great time. Make the most of it and enjoy being away from the ordinary here in the UK!

 

[cazzie]

We took advantage of the same BA offer so really great to see your photos. I hope the parks stay quiet for when we get there.

Enjoy the rest of your trip.

 

[eeyorefanuk]

Love reading trip reports whilst people are there

How sad am I, got excited to see your free elemis, that is what I use at home

Are you enjoying saratoga springs?

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Glad you are having a great time. How are you finding the weather?

 

[disney_princess_85]

Glad you're having fun! The crowd levels sound great, I hope they stay that way for my arrival next week. Going to check your pics out now...

 

[Neoshoegal]

The weather is testing my comfort zones, I'm not exactly someone who deals well with very warm (or very cold for that matter). But it's managable, even for me, which says a lot. Less rain then our first few days, so that's nice (not that I really cared that much).

So far, liking the Saratoga Springs. We have a lovely view over a lake with a big fountain, so that's nice. Haven't actually done much in the resort. The food court was quite good (only eaten there once so far).

Yesterday we had lumch at Yak & Yeti and really enjoyed it. DH had the miso salmon and pineapple and cream cheese wonton for dessert and I had a half duck with orange glaze just a small ice cream as dessert (was too full for anything more).
Dinner at the foodcourt at Port Orleans Riverside. We stayed at this resort last year so knew it was a great place to go to. DH had a "make your own"-salad and I had the "make your own"-pasta.


Still feels really calm in the parks. No need for fast passes anywhere really (except TSM), everything is pretty much walk on!
Went back to the DS this morning, again arrived really early (front row forrope drop). Went on TSM before we got the fast passes for it, which seems to be the better option as that way TSM is a walk on and there were no big lines anymore for the fastpass either once we came out. Everything else, as I said, was a walk on!
Had lunch at Sci-fi dine in with a friend of ours who is an imagineer, sorry no pictures of this meal. Chatted for 2 hours about all things Disney, nice! He also pointed out a new little feature by the TSM ride, Luxo (the Pixar lamp) does a little show there every 15 minutes, supercute!

New photos, including food pictures can be found here

Tonight we're off to Epcot for Illuminations and dinner Chefs de France. Will update again tomorrow.

 

[wayneg]

Didn't know about the lamp, will look out for that next time.

Matt loved the make your own pasta, had it 2 or 3 times, didn't try SSR for lunch but ate at POR 3 times and POFQ 3 times, great food courts. We tried CBR food court Old Port Royale? we didn't like that at all.

We have been discussing tonight, if we did go for free DDP again next August do we try SSR or go back to OKW? so many choices, we can't decide.

 

[orangetiggs]

we are staying at ssr next year! flying out 1st sep on free dining again

We really like it but WAY too much food!!!

 

[wayneg]

we are staying at ssr next year! flying out 1st sep on free dining again

We really like it but WAY too much food!!!

Our dates will have to be between 4th~29th Aug, College Matt is hoping to goto starts on 31st August.

Which DDP are you on? regular or Deluxe? we found regular exactly right, ran out of TS with 2 days to go but had 4 CS left to cover them. Not 1 credit left, anyone that knows me would expect that though