AND SO BEGINS ONE OF THE BEST SPRING BREAKS EVER. But first...we must catch up on background knowledge.
Hola! My name is MaiLei and I am featured in the picture above. I promise you I'm not insane even if I may look like it in a lot of the pictures you'll be seeing!
I'm a WDW Eleven-Timer, a Disneyland California zero-timer and (hopefully) future CP. I can't wait to return home in August.
Some basic things you should know about me:
I love Disney. Like seriously, it's a huge passion. No big deal.
I eat a lot. Food is another passion. For all of you foodies out there, I feel ya.
I have a small obsession with Disney Sing-Along Videos (they were my childhood).
My favorite Pixar movie is UP. I adore Dug. I may or may not have cried when I first met him.
My favorite princess of the original three is Aurora.
I have a strong bias towards Mulan because she's Chinese just like me. Asian power!
My favorite live shows are at Animal Kingdom being The Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo: The Musical. "IN THE BIIIIIIG BLUEEEE WORLD."
I have two best Disney buds Abe and Alex who basically put up with my 24/7 Disnerd-dom. They will be mentioned frequently so BE PREPAAAAAAAARED. (Lion King reference ahaha.)
And lastly (BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST), I have a definite obsession with acquiring Disney music. You could say it's a problem...but I like to call it a collection. So watch out for tons and tons and tons of Disney song references.
And now that all of that boring introductory stuff is over, HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! YOU CAN FLY! YOU CAN FLY! YOU CAN FLY! YOU CAN FLY! YOU CAN FLYYYYYYY! (I apologize, I couldn't help myself. Peter Pan is the best.)
March 24th-April 1st, 2013: PACKING AND ALL OF THE WONDERFULNESS THAT IT ENTAILS. Just Kidding. I want to leave now.
This week was probably the slowest week in all of 2013 so far. Right here. I keep having the realization that Alex and I have been counting down from 172 days to reach the day of departure.
Our high school band is participating in Disneys Performing Arts Program! Were taking a coach bus down so the journey will be long, grueling, and uncomfortable, but totally worth it in the end.
In preparation for our beautiful journey home, Alex let me borrow her two Imagineer Guide Books for Epcot and the Magic Kingdom. I went a little crazy...I whipped out my post-it tabs (its a serious matter!) and marked all of my favorite pages (all of them).
Little known fact about me: Im a camera/picture nut. You could call it an obsession, but again, Ill go with collection. I was worried that I wouldnt have enough memory or battery life to last me the entire trip. Yeah...I was fine with like...three memory cards and some extra charged camera batteries. But all three cameras were put to good use! Abe used the green one, I used my blue waterproof camera indoors and on water rides, and my black camera was a wonderful companion for group pictures along with my iPhone.
Because we had such a long bus ride (25 hours!), I made sure I was all stocked up on food. That being an understatement. I only ate the cheez-its. Everything else was either a) suffocated in my carry on or b) in my suitcase for late night hotel snacking.
We leave tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. (not really that bright and early) AND I COULDNT BE MORE EXCITED.
PEOPLE AND NAMES YOU SHOULD KNOW BECAUSE THERE ARE PLENTY TO REMEMBER
So I should probably introduce all of the important people Ill be travelling with because names can get a little fuzzy once I start using like ten in one sentence.
First things first! You've got one of my fellow Disney Eleven-Timers and other half, Alex! Shes crazy, loves Disney like no one else I've ever met, and is a definite fangirl in every aspect of her life. If she could meet any character on this trip, it would be Russell from Up. This picture basically describes my two best Disnerds all in one. Alex and Abe a duo of winners.
Youve got Abrahm (Abe) who was one of our First Timers on this trip. Youll eventually see that he had one of the best experiences ever. Big Disney movie fan, loves Monsters Inc. like no other and has a passion for Sulley.
Now we bring in Jacob (one of our two feisty gingers). Hes the third person in our group after you count Alex and I whos eleventh trip will be this one. SO COOL. His family always goes during Halloween so seeing all of the parks when theyre not decked out for a holiday will be a new experience, haha.
This is Autumn who is a first-timer as well. WE HAD FOUR OF THEM. INSANE, RIGHT? Her favorite princess is Belle so we definitely plan on seeking her out.
Allie has been to Disneyland before but not when she can specifically remember and shes a Disney World first-timer. Her childhood was Buzz Lightyear of Star Command so we plan to meet him as well. She loves Hercules, The Lion King, and the Toy Story trilogy.
Enter our other Ginger of sorts, Tyler. This trip is his third time to Disney World but his first without family (as it is for the rest of us). Hes a big fan of the music, for example, Michael Giacchinos score for The Incredibles.
Here we've got Julianna. She adores Ariel from The Little Mermaid and one of her favorite movies is The Lion King. Shes only been to Disney one other time so shes still getting her footing around the parks.
Loris favorite character by far is Tigger so meeting him would be so awesome for her. She loves Asian culture like Korean pop music and what not. Shes also a first-timer so things will be interesting!
Trevor was in and out of our group like so many others but itd be good to feature him because if hes in pictures then you wont be wondering who that random guy is. He was a bit apprehensive going into the trip but he will eventually get the full experience and realize how much of a good time he had.
And there you have it, folks. Our wonderful group of people. We split off into smaller groups sometimes and some people were in and out the entire time but it was an amazing experience with so many different people!
We were only gone for six days but I have so many pictures that there will be multiple parts to one day. SO to make things easier (AND to test out my technology skills), there is now a cute little Table of Contents and links at the end of each post to make the reading process easier.
April 2nd, 2013(Part 1): Finally Leaving After 172 Days of Counting!
It was a BEAUTIFUL day for traveling! Just kidding. Mediocre. I mean, where we live, the weather could seriously not be more bipolar. Because this is a Band trip, we all had to meet in the Band Room because you know...instruments. HOW COULD WE NOT TAKE INSTRUMENTS? Though I must confess, I almost forgot to bring my flute...but thats beside the point, right? Of course I had my camera on hand and a small group selfie was definitely necessary to commemorate how everyone looked BEFORE they spent twenty five hours on a sweaty bus. Arent we all beautiful?
So I have the official Walt Disney World Vacation app on my phone, right? When I first acquired the app, it asked me when my vacation was. I put in the departure date and didnt expect this adorable little notification to pop up when we were about to leave! I swear, its the little things that count.
Once we got all of our luggage on and under the bus, everyone chose seats and got settled in. I mean, you have to choose someone that youre comfortable sitting close to for long periods of time haha. Of course the gingers (Jacob and Tyler) chose each other. What cliches they are.
My dear bus buddy was Alex. Who else would sit and listen to Disney music with me for that long? Oh thats right! No one.
Here's a nice snapshot of our full bus. You can see our wonderful 'tour' guide, Erling up in the front talking. He's from Norway. Remember that, it's important. Okay. Not really. But it's good to know for future references. We had the perfect amount of people going. It was great and all...but also meant that we couldn't really move around because all of the seats were full!
After traveling for a few hours and napping on and off, I decided to share/steal Alex's blanket. It has Mickey on it. How could I not steal it? She looks so happy and warm...muahahaha.
Obviously a bus selfie was required. We still look clean. What a beautiful period of time.
Our bus was filled with Disney lovers alike SO we popped in The Incredibles (BUH DUP BAH BAH DAAAAAAAAH). FORESHADOWING. Actually, we ended up watching several Disney movies with a few normal ones thrown in there like Spider Man!
Now's that point where the whole WOW. WERE ON A BUS ON OUR WAY TO FLORIDA! feeling starts to wear off. Tyler was bored so of course he turned his creepiness level on high just for us.
Thank goodness a rest stop was JUST AROUND THE RIVER BEND (Pocahontas reference). There really wasn't a river...but you know what I mean, right? We were all really wanting to get up and stretch and go to the bathroom. Basic stuff. It felt like wed been travelling for a really long time..but in reality it was only about four or five hours. Lame.
BUT ALAS, SOMEONE HAD A DECK OF CARDS! So once we got back on the bus, we played a few intense games of Egyptian Rat Poker and B.S. Our table was a book and my lap. Obviously the most sturdy place for ten people to be playing a card game.
Then it was time for lunch and we stopped at some nice stereotype fast food restaurants. Youve got your McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, Hardys (okay thats not so common), etc. Gotta love quality food! Just your basic day of traveling, really.
Once inside McDonalds, we all got settled in and Alex and I decided to freshen up with some delicious Mango Pineapple smoothies. So good after being on a warm bus for so long.
Apparently taking stereotype mirror selfies while people are washing their hands doesn't work out that well...but at least we know that Alex has good hygiene?
Alex Fact: Shes a crazy Harry Potter fan. So of course, she brings her beloved Potter on the bus. I dont blame her, either! I just get car sick (or...bus sick?) if I read while Im in a moving vehicle. No thank you!
We were just on the border of Kentucky so a nice scenic shot was necessary.
We stopped at one of the oddest rest stops ever. It looks like a mini version of the White House. Weird, right? Go Kentucky.
There was a cute little gazebo that we came across while walking around so obviously, a group picture was necessary. That and we were all lazy and wanted to sit down.
April 2nd, 2013 (Part 2): Southern Accents and Well Priced Food!
We were finally in Tennessee and it was time for dinner! Autumn had always wanted to hear a real Southern accent so going to Steak n Shake was probably going to be our best choice (that being a good thing)!
They seriously have some of the best food at really good prices. This is an example of our WE JUST ORDERED A LOT OF FOOD FOR A SMALL PRICE faces. Mmmmmm!
We were all having a fabulous time. Creeping people at other tables out, loving our waitresss accent, and anticipating food. I mean, if living the life is what you want to call it, I wouldnt object!
Autumn thought our waitress was the most adorable thing ever and its true, she was. We also bonded with her a little bit over Disney! EVEN BETTER. She so earned herself some extra brownie points with me. She and her boyfriend had gone down to the parks two weeks earlier and she said it was her favorite place on Earth. Her words not mine, though I cant help but agree...
Youll come to discover that our larger group as a whole, not just this smaller group of girls, is really bad at paying restaurant bills. We thought our waitress deserved a good tip so everyone just threw their money onto the middle of the table. Whatever works!
Allie and Alex had a good time as always because theyre adorable. How can you be adorable and not have a good time? Thats just not possible.
Autumn and Alex lagged behind the rest of the group when we were heading back to the bus for some reason. I later found out that this picture is why. I guess Autumn wanted a picture in front of the wall? Well never really know...
Everyone was locked out of the bus so there was just a large crowd of high school kids standing around in the back parking lot of some business. Loitering is good. It was definitely the right opportunity for a spontaneous photo shoot, haha. Julianna and Allie know whats going on.
Yeah I wish I could say this was a selfie...but its not. If it were, Id be impressed with my own skill.
We all hopped back on the bus eventually and headed on our way. We were supposed to stop at a rest stop in Georgia for nighttime rituals and whatnot. I was just as excited as everyone else to get out and brush my teeth, take out my contacts, etc. when suddenly we learned that this rest stop was indeed closed. CLOSED. Thats right. You could hear the hopes of an early bedtime shattering within our large group of forty-some people.
BUT NOT TO WORRY! We eventually found another perfectly functional rest stop just a little ways down the road. It was all okay.
Once we got back on the bus, Autumn wanted to see if her retainer would glow in the dark so Alex took a picture of her retainer with the light on and then another with the light off (which isnt posted). Yeah, you could barely see anything. But thats okay. Because its a retainer. It doesnt matter.
And heres a nice shot of our bus. What a quality vehicle!...not. We had so many problems with it. But that story will be saved for a different post! And so, our first day of traveling was finally over! The adventure had only just begun! I promise. Because if this was as exciting as it gets, I wouldn't even be posting.
April 3rd, 2013 (Part 1): No One Told Me To Pack My Swimsuit In My Carry-On!
I woke up around 6:00 a.m. on the bus. It was dead silent. Why? Because twenty hours of sitting can be exhausting! I was about to go back to sleep when I saw this beautiful sunset and made Alex take a picture of it. What a good bus buddy, I am.
About an hour later, it was confirmed that we were indeed in Florida! WHOOOOOOOOOO! Finally. The whole Florida Sun Pass sign kind of gives it away, but still!
While on the road, we passed a Ron Jons Surf Shop sign which helped pump everyone up. Our plan for the day was to chill at Cocoa Beach (which had a Ron Jons), check in at our hotel, and then go to Medieval Times Dinner Theater for our nighttime entertainment. (All to be reported on later.) BUT REALLY, we were only 83 miles away from the beach! That kind of sounds sad because you know...we had been travelling for almost a full day and were still that far from our first destination but thats okay.
We eventually stopped to get situated for the morning at a gas station. But it was a special stop because of a few different things. First off, it was several peoples first time setting foot on Florida land. Crazy, I know. Second, THE WEATHER WAS BEAUUUUTIFUL! We had been in Georgia the night before but it was chilly because it..it was nighttime. Third, there was fresh, green, HEALTHY grass. Where we were coming from, snow was still on the ground. Depressing.
We all headed into the gas station to buy food, go the bathroom, etc. After we all finished up at the gas station, we stood outside in the parking lot by the bus and just savored the beautiful, sweet, warm Florida air.
Autumn had never seen a real palm tree before so this was a special moment for her, as well.
Jacob, the ginger with the short hair, bought a weird claw toy-thing in the gas station. That being the beginning of a very annoying pastime. He would try to grab objects (bottles, bags, sunglasses, etc.) with his plastic claw through the bus seats. What a lovely time.
We all hopped back on the bus and were on our way! Even Allie was getting excited. Kind of. I mean, some of us were more awake than others.
After being on the road for a little while, I turned around to the left and saw Tyler and Abe. Obviously, any time is a perfect time to snap a candid picture. BUT ALAS, Tyler saw me bring my camera up so he put on a creepy face. And Abe, well, he was just thirsty. Hes always thirsty. You could say hes BFFs with water.
WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO THE BEACH. I COULD SEE THE WATER ALL AROUND US WHEN WE CROSSED OVER A BRIDGE. Yes. Perfection.
We all arrived at Ron Jons Surf Shop/Cocoa Beach and got grouped together, talked to chaperons, etc. Alex decided to get creative and took a bus side view mirror picture with Autumn haha. We didn't have very large attention spans on this trip until we started exploring the parks.
I had a small dilemma. I thought I would've been able to get my swimsuit from my suitcase under the bus once we got to the beach. Yeah...no. And I REALLY wanted/needed to cool off in the ocean. Autumn needed to buy a towel as well, so we all headed into Ron Jons.
It looks big on the outside BUT ITS EVEN BIGGER INSIDE. What a store.
Autumn and Alex went off to find a towel for Autumn, Lori and Allie went off to look around, and I had Jacob, Abe, and Tyler helping me find a swimsuit or pair of swimming shorts.
Autumn and Alex had a good time looking at cheesy merchandise like these ridiculous Croc visors haha.
We all agreed to meet back at this little tiki head in thirty minutes. It was good to have somewhat of a plan or wed never leave.
Gotta love a good public mirror selfie, right?
On the second floor, the guys were with me trying to find something reasonably priced that I could use to go swimming. It was amusing, really, hearing Jacob say, That is way too expensive for a pair of shorts! Sometimes, I think he was having more fun than me. Theyre a group of winners, I tell ya. I ended up buying a nice pair of board shorts and some lime green and white striped Ron Jons flip flops. Not too shabby.
Everyone headed over to the little changing/bathroom hut that was closer to the beach and got into their suits (or in my case shorts). I couldn't wait to feel that fresh ocean water. Wonderful motivation.
While waiting for everyone to finish up, Alex spotted this cute little lizard guy just hanging out on a post outside of the changing area. Adorable.
We were getting closer! We reached the sand and I cant even explain how gratifying it felt to have sand between my toes, sun on my face, and all of my friends in one place. Too good.
We all ran into the water (well some of us did, others dawdled) and savored every second. Alex had her swimsuit but for some reason that I cant remember, decided not to go in the water. We had sent Abe and Tyler off to carry her into the water but they came back slowly walking her out towards the rest of the group. She didn't want to get wet, but I fixed that. A good splash (or five) never hurts!
Tyler, Alex, Abe, and I all went up to the shore because we suddenly had this giant flash of inspiration to build a sandcastle with a moat and everything. That dream soon morphed into making small sand hills and eventually, we just wanted to bury someone in our sand hole. So much for a majestic fortress!
This is a nice picture that foreshadows the beginning of a group of Disney lovers like no other. Abe hadn't discovered his love for Disney World yet, but eventually, he would come to love it as much as Alex and I do.
Look at how happy everyone looks. What a nice picture to commemorate our time at the beach.
We decided to walk around for a while to attempt drying off before going to eat lunch. We came across this large grouping of birds on the beach and Allie just HAD to run at them haha. We got it on video. She looks like a flailing maniac. Whatevs. I don't judge!
April 3rd, 2013 (Part 2): Food and Hygiene - The Perfect Combination
After a solid hour, hour and a half in the ocean and some walking to dry off, we all worked up a good appetite.Tyler went off to go run with Trevor and we couldn't find him when we were all going to eat. That caused a small dilemma but it was eventually just a giant case of miscommunication. Food triumphed in the end. OFF TO PIZZA HUT!
The seven dollar buffet was a good deal. Especially if youre like Abe and you could eat three whole pizzas and only be a little full. We were all still pretty wet and left sand all over the floor around our table but our waitress was cool with it because what can you expect when youre a business right by the beach?
We split up into two smaller groups afterwards because Autumn and Allie ended up going back to the beach to get their things and went swimming again.
Tyler just joined Trevors group for lunch and met up with us eventually.
Meanwhile, Jacob, Lori, Abe, Alex, and I all wanted to go sit down and relax. We found a nice little cabana-esque pavilion and relaxed at a picnic table for an hour and a half or so. Alex was sitting at the table staring off past the group. I was wondering what in the world she was looking at..but it turned out to be this weird tree branch thing with a face. Kind of creepy, I must admit. Props to Alex for discovering it haha.
When she was staring at the tree face, I took a picture of her and she didnt even notice that I was holding my camera up and aiming it at her face. Oh Alex.
Everyone decided to meet up later on. Heres a nice group picture in front of Ron Jons on the street side of the building. Such amazing weather. I still cant get over it and its been sixty days since we were there.
Lori and Jacob came up with a genius idea. We were going to go over to Walgreen's across the street and buy a pint of ice cream and some spoons and then share it with the entire group.
Autumn and Allie met up with us there and the search for plastic spoons ensued. The manager looked for some, realized they weren't where they were supposed to be, and then gave us a handful of spoons for free. Score.
We all headed back across the street and sat at a table in front of Ron Jons happily eating our chocolate ice cream. Tyler found us there later on and joined the ice cream party.
Once all of the ice cream was gone, we headed back into the surf shop to waste the last forty five minutes we had before we headed to our hotel.
I love all of the merchandise they sell. Just look at this pirhana hat. Its cute but morbid at the same time.
We had so much time to waste that we made our way around the entire store, both floors.
We all slowly loaded back onto the bus after browsing the shop and got ready to go to the hotel. Alex and I took a post-beach picture. Tired but happy.
A lot of people got burned. Thank goodness we werent part of that unpleasant experience!
We turned around to see how exhausted Abe and Tyler were. Yeah. Those are the faces of two people who just want to sleep.
ON A POSITIVE NOTE, our hotel was literally five minutes outside of the WDW property gates so on our way there, we passed tons of signage for attractions and resorts.
Test Track. I cant explain how excited Alex and I were to ride it because wed never been on it since it was redone! But guess what? I was even MORE excited for New Fantasyland. If thats even possible.
Seeing this road sign for Magic Kingdom almost made my day. Almost. Its my favorite park of the four and I just wanted to go there right away. Forever.
We got to our hotel. It was a pretty classy place, if you know what I mean. Its electrical sign in the front was advertising Happy Hour and the Heated Pool.
It took us a while to actually get our room key and whatnot. But when we finally opened our room door, Autumn ran right in and crashed on one of the beds.
Our room consisted of me, Autumn, Alex, and Allie. Odd one out, my name doesnt start with an A haha.
Alex had the urge to take a post-bus picture. Shes pretty attractive.
Our little table had a city guide with Pluto on the cover. Fact: Anything Disney makes us happy.
We all showered. After swimming in salty ocean water, walking around in sand, on hot pavement, and sitting on a bus prior to it all for 25 hours, we needed a shower to say the least. I had never felt so clean and fresh.
We all got ready to go to Medieval Times for dinner. Our room was close to being ready to go, but Autumn and Alex were having a lot of fun making faces with their stomachs. Sometimes I forget how odd my friends are until moments like this come around.
Heres the view from our room window. Kind of phenomenal. Theres just so much to see. Just kidding. But at least every day, we could wake up and see Disney? Hahahaha get it? Sigh.
April 3rd, 2013 (Part 3): The Best Way To Lose Your Voice On The First Night
Everyone had to meet down in the lobby area of our hotel before Medieval Times. This is the lobby. The pool is literally the epicenter of the entire hotel. Rock on. There was a little buffet and eating area farther back which is where we met every morning before departing.
Going into this, I was a bit apprehensive as to what to expect of this dinner theater. Alex was a seasoned pro, though. She knew exactly what to expect because she had gone to a Medieval Times in a different state with her family. This is her "ready and in the know" face. Allie was just glad to be clean. I can’t blame her!
Alex was so cute. Look at her all excited and ready to explore.
Now Abe, well, he’s just emulating enthusiasm. Throughout the trip, he may not look like he’s having the time of his life, but I can promise you that he is.
I really enjoy all of the giant tourist shops that are literally all over Kissimmee and Orlando. Like this one. IT’S A GIANT WIZARD. I would love to hear someone give directions on how to get to there. “You just take a right on the next road and it’s the store with the giant wizard on top of it.”
Because this is indeed a Disney trip, we were absolutely charmed when we saw that some of the street names were Disneycentric. Like this one! So cute.
We finally got there and I kind of loved the giant facade. It even had ‘torches’ burning down the pathway leading up to the doors.
On our way in, we were given cards with our table number and color section. TABLE INFINITY.
Everyone from our school was shepherded into this little room where a guy took a group picture of everyone in their crowns. Cheesy but totally okay.
I wanted to test out my camera’s functionality in lower lighting so I took this nice picture of Emily and Teagan. They’re adorable.
We had a lot of time to pass before the show started. Like, a full forty five minutes. So we all walked around and browsed because the entire hall out in front of the theater was a large medieval bazaar haha.
I promise Abe’s smiles get better (or at least more genuine) as our trip progresses. Thank goodness.
Abe, Alex, and I decided that the six different knights represented Hogwarts Houses. Why? Because there was a red and yellow knight, a green and black knight, a black and yellow knight, a blue and black knight, and a black and white one as well. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and a neutral 'house'.
“If I have two crowns, does that mean that I’m high king?” - Abe
I really enjoyed the amount of detail and theming they put into the lobby area. I mean, if people are going to be spending a good amount of time waiting, they may as well be impressed with decoration.
Of course, the one time I thought I could get a reasonable candid of Abe, he decided to make his face all weird. Good job.
We were literally the last group to be let in. They had two heralding trumpet guys that played and a guy who called off card numbers/colors.
We were last. But that’s okay. Because that just meant that we got a top row view of everything. Haha.
Our menu was on the napkins. Clever. At first, I thought that we just got to choose one of these as our entree and then we got a dessert and a drink. I was wrong. We got all of these things. I was so full by the end of the night!
Did I mention that we didn't get any silverware? Yeah, eating that tomato soup was an interesting experience in the dark.
The overall plot line of the show was that there were all of these different knights known by their color. Each section cheered for a different colored knight because that’s how seating was decided, hence the cards. There was the bad guy who tried to foil everything and then the little jousting competitions and sword fights.
Our Green Knight didn’t win...but we cheered for him anyway. Because our knight was green (Slytherin), we made up a cheer. Basic. “Sssss, Sssss, Slytherin!” And it’s because of that cheer that I lost my voice our first night in Florida.
I don’t know why, but I just found it really cute and funny that they had their own hot towelettes. I mean, we DID have ribs so they were necessary to clean your ifngers but still. 1-888-WE-JOUST makes me happy as well. Haha. Themed phone numbers are the best.
The show finished up around 10:30 p.m. and we were headed back home (to our hotel) by 10:45 p.m.
That night, my room started a tradition of playing Apples to Apples before bed bed every night. So many good memories.
Today was fun but everyone was just super excited for the following day; Epcot, performing at Downtown Disney, and many more adventures were in store for us! NEXT POST
April 4th, 2013 (Part 1): ON DISNEY PROPERTY AT LAST!
TODAY’S THE BIG DAY! WE’RE FINALLY GOING TO A PARK! THIS IS WHAT EVERYONE’S BEEN WAITING FOR! I mean, the beach and Medieval Times were great. Not gonna lie. BUT Disney trumps all. Let’s not kid ourselves here.
I can’t even explain with words how much I loved my room. We were just so great together. So many memories! Isn't that what a Disney trip is all about in the first place? Yes. This is a nice group picture of us before we went down to breakfast. Yay for self-timers!
We had to go and eat breakfast in the little restaurant sitting area behind the pool. No one cared about food (except for Abe). We were all too excited!
I mean, WE WERE GETTING OUR TICKETS THAT MORNING. My ticket had Goofy on it! Alex’s had the one and only Mickey Mouse, Autumn’s had Donald Duck, and Allie’s had Pluto. SO CUTE.
We were performing at Downtown Disney later that day so we had to get instruments and concert attire all loaded up on the bus but once that was taken care of, WE WERE PUMPED AND READY TO GO.
On the bus, Alex whipped out her trusty Hidden Mickey guide. Though we never used it that often, we still enjoyed having it on hand just in case! Props go to Alex for even bringing it along on the trip in the first place. Hidden Mickeys are indeed the best!
As we made our way onto Walt Disney World Resort property, I got really really really excited. That being an understatement. BUT JUST LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL ENTRANCE. How could you not love Epcot already?
We parked right in the front of the bus parking area. THE BEST.
While walking towards the ticket gates, Alex told Tyler and Abe to give her their best “excited” faces. Yeah. This is as good as it gets, people.
Alex and I wanted to get our newbies First Time buttons as a “Welcome to Disney World!” surprise. SO. I gave my large baby-sized camera bag to Abe who went through the bag check line while Jacob and I ran over to Guest Services for the buttons. I must admit, we look pretty cute. This is the result of waiting in line for three minutes. I know. Sad.
We met our group inside the gates and distributed First Time buttons. I think this was definitely one of my favorite parts of the day. Seeing everyone’s faces when they saw how special it was to be there with their friends for the first time? Priceless.
We happened to be very blessed. WHY? Because we were at Epcot during the 2013 International Flower and Garden Festival, that’s why!
It was even the festival’s twentieth anniversary this year so they had the most adorable topiaries displayed in front of Spaceship Earth. Mickey and his friends were having a backyard celebration and barbecue! Adorable.
We headed into the park at a half fast walk half stroll so everyone could take it all in. There’s that phenomenally iconic ball that is Spaceship Earth. Love.
We saw this awesome cast member chillin’ outside of a gift shop blowing bubbles. It’s little things like this that inspire me to want to do the Disney College Program (DCP). Being able to play and have fun while making magic at work is the best thing one could ever ask for. Moral of the story: Cast members are the best.
The ride we decided to go on first was Ellen’s Energy Adventure featuring Bill Nye. I can admit that that ride wasn't necessarily the BEST way to introduce our newbies to Epcot but you wanna know what? They all loved it anyway.
Our newbies didn't fully understand how awesome Disney is with their movies (ie. 360 screens all over World Showcase, 3-D, 4-D, etc.) so taking them on this ride first was a good way to literally immerse them. For forty minutes.
The giant ride vehicles make my life. I mean, THEY’RE HUGE. And there weren't many people there. It was a five minute ride. Our group took up the entire front row of an almost empty vehicle. Whooo!
My favorite part of the entire ride is when Ellen is watching Jeopardy in her dream because she has like, four or five fluffy cats just laying on the couch with her.
I also enjoy Jamie Lee Curtis’ cameo. STUPID JUDY.
Next, we headed over to the new and improved Test Track! We already had planned to get Fast Passes for after our performance at Downtown Disney. And guess what? They weren't for the right time. Sigh. We decided that we would just have to come back after we finished performing and hope that the times were reasonable.
Even though we didn't get our Fast Passes then, I was still just in awe of the ride itself. I mean, I hadn't been to Disney since 2009. Not only had they remodeled it but I couldn't get the mental picture of old Test Track out of my head. I was SO excited to test it out. HA. GET IT? Test it out? Because it’s called Test Track? Yeah...that was a bad one.
Because we had to leave the park by 12 p.m. to go get ready to perform, the group made its way back to the front area of the park. We had about forty five minutes to waste so we headed into Mouse Gears! One of the most awesome stores ever.
Alex and I really wanted to get matching black and red sequin Minnie Mouse ears. Sadly, they were out of stock throughout the resort. Just our luck!
But instead of being sad, we decided to keep moving forward! (Meet the Robinsons reference there.) We decided that if everyone had to go on one more ride before we left for Downtown Disney, it would be the big ball or as most know it, Spaceship Earth. I love the new narration by Judi Dench. She’s too awesome. Abe said it was one of if not his favorite ride.
Here are our faces on the world in the training lab after the ride. I always love making my future and making a weird face for the camera.
Afterwards, we went to Club Cool! Now, our newbies and even some people who had been to Epcot before had never tried The Beverly. For those of you who don’t know about Beverly, here’s the lowdown. Club Cool is where people can taste test different Coca-Cola sodas from around the world. It totally fits the Future World theme! But there was one Italian soda that was known for being absolutely terrible.
Alex and I decided to trick our first timers into drinking it by saying that it was really good. We got reactions on video. I’m still not done laughing. Surprisingly enough, Autumn confessed (on video) that Beverly was her favorite. CRAZY GIRL.
We headed back into Mouse Gears one more time after that. Alex and I decided that if we couldn't find our black and red sparkly ears, we would buy the silver sequin ears. And so it was!
We wanted our entire group to get ears eventually. All of the girls bought theirs that morning. Aren't Julianna and Autumn so adorable? Minnie Mouse 5eva.
It was finally time for us to head back to the bus. BUT NOT TO WORRY! We were returning after our performance! Our Epcot adventures were nowhere near finished. Everyone was pretty happy and in good spirits after such a nice first morning. I love this picture just because it’s so expressive.
We called Autumn, Allie, and Julianna The Three Mousketeers because of their matching ears. Clever, right? If only.
And what would we have done without these guys? They kept the six of us girls sane because we were all already a little crazy.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful trip report! It sounds like you had so much fun! I went on a band trip to WDW in high school too, and reading about your trip brings back fond memories!
April 4th, 2013 (Part 2): A Rainy Downtown Disney Performance and Rushing Back To Epcot For More Fun!
And so we were back on our bus and off to Downtown Disney. BUT FIRST we had to take a pleasant little trip to the Disney Performing Arts Pavilion in the backstage area-district-thing of Disney. I mean, it had so many buildings that it could be it’s own district.
I kind of love the Disney street names. Everywhere. Backstage Lane is just so cute!
Alex and I had to take a nice selfie in our ears because we had planned to get matching ears since seventy days or so before the trip! It felt gratifying to have them after we had counted on it for so long!
Here’s a nice shot of Lori’s ears! She also bought an adorable little Pooh Bear so that’s like, two times the cuteness.
We got to the Performing Arts Pavilion (PAP) and met the most adorable performance coordinator ever, Max. He was so great. And kind of a Darren Criss doppelganger. Kind of. He met us on the bus in the PAP parking lot, told us what was going to happen, complemented mine and Alex’s sparkly Minnie ears (THAT’S RIGHT), and then left.
Once the bus was parked, we all headed over to the actual pavilion with our instruments and concert attire. Max was there waiting for us to get all settled in. He was talking to Alex about dancing. She taught him how to tap dance! We also mentioned that a lot of us were learning how to do an Irish jig for our musical and he said his friend was teaching him how to do that. SMALL WORLD (after all). (I couldn’t help myself.)
Max went over what we were going to be doing in a more specific manner. He told us about how the PAP and its facilities were “exclusive, tourist free, cast member only, not going to find a half eaten churro in the garbage” locations just for us because we were honorary cast members for the time being. What a charming guy!
He also talked about how we had a girls dressing room and a guys dressing room. Girls were red and guys were blue but guess what? NO MAKING PURPLE. If you know what I mean. Max definitely stressed that haha.
Our band director ran through the program once with us to warm up and prepare. Then, we were off to Downtown Disney! It was drizzling a lot that day so when we got to Downtown Disney, it was cloudy and humid. Whoo for Florida weather.
We got to play on the Waterside Stage RIGHT in front of my FAVORITE store, THE WORLD OF DISNEY! This is the view we had from the stage.
Magical. We had a nice song list but the best one of all was our ‘finale’ song. It was a medley from Pirates of the Caribbean. The best. PLUS, it started to rain harder and thunder while we were playing that song and the thunder was in time with the music. So. Cool.
After our performance was over, we all headed back to the bus (no DD exploration for us) and back to the PAP. But that’s okay because we were going right back to Epcot after we changed!
After changing out of our concert attire and back into civilian clothes, Lori really wanted a picture with Max so I just got a big group together and we took one. It was such a cool experience but he made it even better.
Before we left, everyone got their Disney Performing Arts drawstring bag with Its A Small World on it in Mickey Mouse notes and our Mickey Mousker award for participating in the program.
We left the PAP and headed back to Epcot for a fun filled afternoon! It was starting to clear up rain wise, too! Whooo! Everyone was really hungry so heading over to The Land Pavilion sounded good.
I REALLY love the adorable weather balloons.
We decided to eat at The Seasons. Most of us got these really yummy sandwiches with turkey and a bunch of vegetables and seasonings on it. So good. I belive Lori got some kind of stir fry-esque chicken of some sort. It smelled delicious!
We couldn’t find an actual table to sit at, at first (late lunch rush). BUT it was just our luck that some people who were from our area were finishing up at a table and they offered it to us! Its good to know that nice people are still out there, haha.
After finishing a delicious lunch, we all headed over to Living with the Land. I feel as if that ride is so under appreciated. I love it.
Jacob’s favorite wall quote was this one. I adore it’s sassiness.
Here's my favorite wall quote. I obviously had to take a picture of it.
While going through the fish area of the greenhouse, WE SPOTTED A (kind of) HIDDEN MICKEY! They’re the best!
We really wanted to show the newbies Soarin’ but the wait time was like, an hour and twenty minutes. Sadly, we didn’t get to go on it this trip.
But not to worry, we made up with it by heading over to The Seas with Nemo and Friends and having a five minute wait time for that.
I love the queue for that ride. It’s so cute and themed perfectly for the movie.
Clam-mobiles are adorable as well. JUST LOOK AT THEM. YOU’RE RIDING IN A CUTE LITTLE PINK CLAM.
Julianna and Allie in their matching ears and whatnot. So cute.
One of my absolute favorite rooms is the EAC room. You legitimately feel like you’re being moved by the current. Plus Crush and Squirt make it ten times better!
After the ride, Lori, Allie, Alex, Abe, Tyler, and I headed over to see the next Turtle Talk with Crush show for Abe. Autumn and Jacob went off to look at the aquarium because they’re Jacob’s favorite.
We had to wait about fifteen minutes but no worries, that’s why Mr. Ray’s Lagoon is there! It keeps everyone occupied while they wait for the next show!
We finally got to go in the little theater and waited only a few minutes before the show began. The jellyfish lights that are in the hallway prior to the theater doors make me really happy. I for some reason, remembered them since the last trip. I need them in my room.
Abe absolutely loved Turtle Talk with Crush which is the reason we went and saw it so our mission was a success!
April 4th, 2013 (Part 3): Finishing Up Future World and Going North of the Border!
After having fun with Nemo and his friends, we headed over to Test Track because we had Fastpasses.
It was raining around 4:10 P.M. and the ride was shut down so we went to Nemo but NOW it was 5:00 P.M. and we only had ten minutes left for our passes! In all honesty, we knew theyd let us on any time because the ride was closed during three quarters of our time slot but still!
This was everyones first time riding the new Test Track! IT WAS JUST SO EXCITING ON EVERY LEVEL, OH MY GOSH. Of course Epcot veterans had been on the old Test Track but none of us had gotten to experience the new Tron-like ride!
Alex was quite worried that we wouldnt get to design our own cars because we had Fastpasses but no worries! It all turned out fine.
While in line to go inside Studio A, we were placed on spot number three. EXCITING? YES.
We only had a few minutes of waiting but all the same, a picture was necessary to express our excitement. As you can see, they were in definite need of an adrenaline rush.
That number three circle corresponded with our design station! FANCY. Gotta love Fastpass+, right?
We got to design cars in groups of three. My group consisted of me, Autumn, and Alex. The group the right of us had Lori, Julianna, and Allie in it and next to them were the guys.
So Autumn, Alex, and I didnt notice at first that we were being timed during the designing of our car. We were taking it pretty slow because everything had to be perfect.
Until...the last ten seconds when we were still working on the wheels and realized we were out of time. SO. We threw together a bunch of random decorations and called our car done. It was obviously perfect. What a winner. Though I cant say it was very efficient...
Soon enough we passed through the design lab doors into another queue like area. We were getting closer! Then we turned the corner and were actually in the loading area.
AHHHH. We were in dock seven. We even got to scan our Fastpass+ cards and hook up our ride vehicle with our car design. SO AWESOME.
After finally hopping into our car, the experience began. Alex was obviously on top of things and took not only pictures but also video of the entire ride. What would I have done without her? We were all in love with the new design of the ride, interior wise. It was absolutely adorable.
Once we were on the outside track, we actually saw the guys coming out of the building! How nice. Apparently Abe was screaming his head off but I guess we were all screaming too loud to hear him.
Here are the ride pictures. As you can tell, Alex was laser focused with her camera while everyone else was busy screaming. Autumn was kind of terrified, I was enjoying myself, and the back row just went crazy.
Now the guys had to ride with a nice family of strangers. How adorable. My personal favorite is Tylers reaction. Too. Good.
We all met up after we got off the ride in this nice room down the hallway where you can make your own car commercial starring your car. So of course, everyone had to do that.
We finally left Test Track after an amazing experience and headed over to the one and only World Showcase! I absolutely adore that place. Its so perfect in every way. But isnt everything in Disney like that?
On our way over to WS, I couldn't help but take in how beautiful Epcot is all the time. The rain was finally lifting and the sun was slowly coming out. Everything was perfect.
Alas, we were there during the International Flower and Garden Festival SO they had this beautiful Monsters University topiary greeting us at the entrance of World Showcase.
Abes favorite Pixar movie is Monsters, Inc. and his favorite character (maybe of all time) is Sulley. It was totally necessary for a picture. (PS: We just went and saw Monsters University on opening day. Perfection.)
Our plan was to work WS from right to left and then watch IllumiNations from Norway because that was our tour guide's home country.
FIRST STOP: CANADA. I feel as if Canada is frequently skipped over and underappreciated. Its beautiful!
The Victoria Gardens were in tip top shape as usual. Breathtaking, really.
We headed over to see O Canada! narrated by the hilarious Martin Short.
Everyone thoroughly appreciated the insanely cheesy anthem at the end of the 360 Circleview show. O, Canadian stereotypes.
Afterwards, Alex and I decided to put our long term plan into action. She had acquired the phone numbers for the Canadian phone booths from her mother.
It was time to use them on our group. We had part of our group go inside one of the boxes and Alex called the phone while they were all there. Their faces were too priceless. I promise I got it all on video.
And so, Julianna had to try it out for herself, haha.
We finished up and began to make our way over to the home country of Alice and the Mad Hatter!
April 4th, 2013 (Part 4): Visiting The Hundred Acre Wood and Admiring the Topiaries of France!
The United Kingdom was always one of my favorite pavilions just because of its adorable gift shop. I will never get over how blessed we were to be down there during the Flower and Garden Festival. I mean, JUST LOOK!
We had to get a good snapshot of Alex with her former arch nemesis, Captain Hook! He terrified her as a child.
On our way into the pavilion area, Alex took a picture of one of Hook’s adorable ticking crocodiles eating a park guest. Absolutely perfect timing and complete obliviousness are what make this picture amazing.
So, I adore Peter Pan. A lot. He’s one of my favorite characters. And guess what? HE WAS ON THE ROOF. Taunting Hook as usual. This of course, made me geek out even more than I already was.
In the past, I hadn’t really explored the UK pavilion as much as I would have liked to. We went through the little alleyways and into the back area near the gardens. It was all so gorgeous.
Eventually, Alex came up to me and told me about Christopher Robin’s bedroom. What’s that? I seriously had no clue that it even existed. BUT apparently, Pooh Bear and Tigger met there. It was in this little back corner of an obscure shop.
THANK GOODNESS FOR ALEX or we never would’ve had this amazing character experience. It was one for the ages, I promise. So we all agreed that we would head on over to meet Pooh and Tigger.
The line wasn’t TOO long. Only about twenty or thirty minutes. Nothing horrid. Now that I look at it, maybe I just thought it was small because the store was so small...hmm.
We were greeted by the most adorable little surprise! Alice was there as well! Not with them, but she was on the side near the queue for Pooh and Tigger. She was seriously SO adorable. I couldn’t even take her adorable-ness.
I was wearing my Minnie ears and braided pigtails and she was so confused as to why I had two sets of ears. Abe tried explaining it to her and they got into a small debate. He was actually out-dumbed by Alice. I never knew that was even a possibility! But, it happened. Not his brightest moment.
We were almost up to Pooh and Tigger by the time we finished talking to Alice. You see, the main reason we hopped in line was for Lori to meet her absolute favorite character, Tigger! She was so excited that she bought a baby Tigger in the gift shop before we even got in line!
When it was finally our turn, Julianna went up and Tigger got down on one knee and kissed her hand. It was so perfect. Autumn wanted to catch it on video but missed and was yelling at Tigger to do it again but sadly, he wouldn't get on his knee again.
When it was Lori's turn, she ran up to Tigger and gave him a huge hug. They had one of the best character moments I will ever witness. He hugged her and took her baby Tigger and cradled him in his arms. He even gave her butterfly kisses.
Pooh was feeling left out so he went and hugged the rest of us. Jacob was up next and this was a very personal moment for him. His family doesn't customarily wait in line for characters a lot but every time they go, they get a picture with Pooh and Tigger. He was definitely missing his family seeing that this was his eleventh trip and they weren't there. Pooh and Tigger absolutely adored him and made him feel good.
If I said I left the building without crying a little bit, I would be lying. We all hopped in for a group picture and of course, Pooh was exhausted so he just feel asleep. Classic Pooh. That was definitely an experience I will always treasure. Thank you, Disney.
Afterwards, while hanging out in the back courtyard area, Jacob broke his sunglasses in some way, shape, or form. What a winner. But only one side was broken! The other was still intact! Henceforth, this picture.
Up next we went on over to France! They had some adorable topiaries. Aurora and Cinderella with their princes were great.
We turned to go into the actual pavilion area and saw this marvelous view! You can even see Les Chefs de France (which is where I’ll be eating in 58 days)!
We headed over to the Beauty and the Beast topiaries because that’s Autumn’s absolute favorite princess movie. She obviously had to get pictures with them, then!
Lumiere and Cogsworth are never forgotten! You can even see Mrs. Potts and Chip in the background. So adorable.
Alex was dying to try something from the new Boulangerie Patisserie, so that was where we were headed next!
So watch out for tons and tons and tons of Disney song references.
