Melissa & Jackson (pics coming) October 26-30, 2006 (Day 1)

[mommyesq]

I promised a trip report but don’t have time for a lengthy narrative – I would write way too much so I will give you the high and low lights of the trip and fill it in later….

Trip Dates: October 26-30, 2006

The players: Me (Melissa, age 36, Green Bay WI) and ds (Jackson, age 8)

This is our third trip to the world in the last two years and my son’s 4th trip….This was my 8th trip……

Location: Disney Pop Century


Day 1

• Arrived at MCO about 1:00pm on Thursday
• Used ME and the place was a ghost town based upon previous experiences
• We were on our bus and headed to POP by 1:20pm
• Arrived at POP at about 2 or a little later
• Check in was a bit slow even though there were few people in line. The CM did go over the information provided in detail as well as the map so that may have accounted for some of the delay but all in all not to bad and the CM was Great….My son is an avid pin trader and executed his first trade of the trip within 15 minutes of arrival.
• Quick stop at 2nd desk to upgrade tickets (my son visited everything POP and purchased our cups for later use and also got a magic moment in the store and a certificate – special POP Bowling – yes I missed it) and we were on our way to our room by 2:30-2:45pm
• Room location – 50’s/ 4th floor/non-smoking/lake view (all of my requests) but was still close to the Bowling Pool and CH. Don’t know how much better we could have gotten with a preferred room….
• POP window decorating kit (from the Disboards box 4) was also waiting for me at the desk upon arrival but they did not tell me at check in but the message was waiting for me by the time I walked to my room……
• So 3pm in the room and time to rest – we had tickets for MNNSHP that evening and a dinner ressie at 5:45 at CPP (and one at 6:30 in case we got in late which I cancelled)
• Of course my son did not want to rest and by 4pm we were off to MK in our matching shorts and shirts bearing the logo “GENERIC HALLOWEEN COUSTUME”
• Buses during our trip were not crowed and in this instance we walked right out to a bus and we on our way (also forgot to say I was sporting my crocs and purple (I am not a big fan of lime green) bagallinni
• MK was clearly out to some degree when we arrived and we had no problem getting in the party ticket….and were able to ride a few rides without much of a wait before dinner (space mountain, buzz and stich )
• DINNER - I really like the CP – my son and I were on the dining plan and he is a pretty big eater for 8 so buffets were the best way for us to go – the service was great, food was pretty good – GREAT VEGGIES WHICH I LOVE and the Pooh character will all walking around except for PIGLET. My son at 8 was less impressed with POOH and the gang but he live through it. We waited less than 5 minutes to be seated and the characters came around pretty quickly.
• The weather this night was pretty nice – warm but not too hot even into the late evening…By the time we finished dinner that we handing out the trick or treat bags and MNSSHP schedule and we picked those up and did a few more rides – park was slow even with party goes coming in – I think many were coming in for dinner…..Its funny as it got later I think people were scared to get wet because we were able to rid splash mountain 5 times in a row without getting off and never got more than a big splash…….we did catch the first Villain show which was pretty good and got a few pics with them and then later with Buzz, Woody, Jessie and her horse……were able to do all of the big rides multiple times and skipped the candy lines completely – I cant believe how long people were standing in line for a few pieces of candy (its funny though because when we left about 11 or 11”15 my son’s candy bag was empty and they were giving out miniature snickers at the exit and the person filled his MNSSHP bag completely and made me open my baggallini and filed that with as many as possible – we still have it mixed with our trick or treating candy…….
• We did get a pretty good spot for the 1st parade and I was not sure that I would last for the 2nd…….The one thing that I did not like about the MNSSHP is the various roping off they would do taking away my shortcuts to various places in the MK. The parade was great and my son really like the headless horseman and the villains (he is just of the age) – some of my pics turned out too dark but I should not be the photographer as I just like to watch and soak things in……….
• 11pm/11:15pm back to POP – once again a very short wait for the bus

 

[momrek06]

Ahhh...thanks, Melissa, so enjoying your trippie...the costumes sound hysterical and ALLLLL THAT CANDY....(I want some)!!!!

 

[mommyesq]

Day 2….. (Friday)

My son and are normally earlier rises but the trip combined with the late night found us up later than usual (but still before 9am)….Our plan for the day MGM for most of the day and EPCOT in the evening for the fireworks…
• Breakfast at everything pop…..we were later than usual so it was a bit crowded but not to bad – we just used snack credits for the big box of donuts and used our cups for hot cocoa…My son and I shared the adult big breakfast which included eggs, bacon, sausage and potatoes and a biscuit. Neither of us like breakfast potatoes so we got extra eggs – so I had eggs and bacon and my son had a breakfast sandwich made with eggs, the sausage and biscuit. We had a late lunch ressie at Hollywood and Vine. I will make some comments about our dining experience later as well…

• We arrived at MGM about 10 or 10:30 and IMO the park was empty (for Disney standards) of course we had right over to ROR to grab a fast pass for later and then get inline for about a 10-15 min wait – then its over to TOT which my son loves and back to ROR and then back to TOT……One new great show that we did was the lights, camera, action and my son complained about going but he loved it…We were also able to catch several power rangers on the way over and Herbie the lovebug for some pics…….the show is a great look at the car stunts you see in action movies and was really fast paced…..then it was off to star tours and then Indiana Joes….and of course back to TOT and ROR……(do you see a pattern here)..My son hated both the Disney animation and the great move ride (which I like this one)……I saw a few people with dream fastpasses so my envy started to kick in………
• We did lunch at Hollywood and Vine (trying places I have never been before) and once again for the buffet – my son was not impressed with the little Einstein lineup but as MGM is his favorite park he did not want to leave to go elsewhere…Food was ok – it was slow (our ressise was at 2:30) but service was Great….There were no French fries on the lunch buffet and my son asked it there were and was told not on the buffet by the CM…She then proceed to go across to Rosie’ dinner (is that the name) and get his the largest basket of fries (I must increase my tip budget this time even on dining because the CM’s are great)….Food was ok and by that time we were really hungry so it worked out well – as long as there are lots of fresh veggies I will always survive……..We did stay after lunch for one more TOT and ROR ride and then back to POP (for a rest that turned into a swim, a snack and then a rest….this was about 4pm)…
• We headed out to Epcot about 6:30/7pm and were able to get in some pin trading and buying and a trip on Soarin and Test track ….even with the Food and Wine it was not too crowed and our wait for Soarin was about 20 minutes although the sign said 50min – on our way out a couple handed as fastpasses they were not going to use for test track that we good by the time we walked over…..We got a pretty good spot for the fworks as well as to make our exit….This may have been the only night that we waited more than 10 minutes for a bus as we missed one as we were walking out of the park
• We had plan to come pack to Epcot on Sunday so we did not worry about any other attractions but these are two of my son’s favorites…..he also loved trying the cokes from around the world with the exception of the one that everyone hates (cant remember the name)

Also snack credits used in the park for ice cream and water with no problems...there were times (first time ever) when I did not carry my bag at all just a small wallet in my pocket...

It did rain late that night but we missed it all - safe in our beds.....

 

[mommyesq]

DAY 3 (Animal kingdom and pop century pool and tour)……..

Perfect day to visit the animals as it was raining cats and dogs as we walked to the BS for our 8:20 ressie at Donalds….we arrived late for our ressie but I think that must be the trend and that the rain scared some people off but by the time we got to AK it had stopped and the sun came out so the day was saved and the raincoats put away (ON A SITE NOTE IS DISNEY THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD WERE GARBAGE BAGS ARE FASHIONALE?????)

• Breakfast at Donalds was really good – with standard breakfast food – both hot and cold….Our CM was really funny and kept telling jokes, squirting us with fake ketchup and the like and the family at the next table had a son my son’s age so they bonded….Characters were more to my son’s liking with Donald, Goofy, Pluto and Mickey…..I really appreciate when the CM take pictures for your when you are traveling alone with a child so you can tell that you were on vacation together in years to come (LOL)……..We were there until right before park opening and it did start to get more crowded….We left and headed straight to Everest to get a fastpast and to ride as well
• We get to Everest and its not open yet and I grab the fast passes and jump in line – some people walk by complaining about the line and its just past the fast pass area but no one ride has gone yet so I am like they must be dreaming if they think it gets any better than this…….We get on and GET STUCK AT THE TOP OF THE MOUTAIN WHERE THE BROKEN TRACKS ARE AND BEFORE YOU GO BACKWARDS….I had ridden E once so I knew there was a little pause but after 2-3 minutes I knew and then a CM came up to let us out and lead us down 14 flights of stairs inside the ride – but wow we go to see stuff others don’t see so much that they were warning people about the use of cameras and telling them that they would be confiscated if anyone took pictures due to trademarks, etc……..We did get a fast pass good for anytime during the day so headed over to Dino and Primeval ….So we get in line at Dino and I see the DREAM SQUAD…and one of them is standing at the front using a counter as we walk in – the other are hiding over in a far corner but they can’t hide from me…..So we get in line for the ride inside and nothing and then about 30 people right after us come in with Dream Fastpasses (boo hoo) so we ride and I tell my son lets ride again (he thinks its for the ride but I know its from the DREAM SQUAD……)
• So we get in line and they are still counting – we go in the room to do our briefing and then they ESCORT US TO A SECOND BRIEFING ROOM AND IN WALKS THE DREAM SQUAD AND THEY TELL US WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN XTRA HOUR IN THE PARKS AFTER CLOSING….(5:30PM-6:30PM)…Now our plan was not to stay that long but how can we give up our dream plus they but the blue bands I think we put on quite tight so you could not slip them off to give to someone else……….So after our send ride on Dino and a spin on Primeval – it was back over to Everest with our first fast pass, then on again with our second and enough time to snag a third…….off to Kali Rapids and I think with the delay on Everest than people were heading there and we rod Kali three time in a row by just turning around at the entry point……so we had some a very late lunch (counter service) before heading out to kilamanjaro…
• Dining plan for CS meals – I quickly learned from this board that the DDP does not distinguish b/t adult and kids meals and so learned that I could order to adult meal for my son if I just had him sit down rather than stand at the counter with me – is this cheating – probably yes but the child’s options are horrible and really not enough for my son but too much for me – one place he had my food and I had the kid option……We went to something (cant remember the name) HUT but it was good – I had chicken and veggies and my son had a burger……we shared on desert and saved the other for later…..
• So off to Safari which was not crowded at all and also the walk though area with fish and other small animals….and then we had just enough time to make it to the Lion King…..they were going to have a special show during our late hour but we had plans for that……….
• Back to Everest (are you noticing a pattern here with our fast passes)
• We need a little downtime so we did some shopping and played a few of the carnival games and rode Primeval a few times before the park closed..
• At 5pm when the park closed all the DREAM WINNERS (I would say 200-300) were in Dinoland and at 5:30 they reopened the park with a small parade and ceremony with MC and Mickey and Minne and then they reopened the entire park for just us….
• MY SON AND I PROCEEDED FOR THE NEXT HOUR TO RIDE EVEREST 12 TIMES IN ROW – I THINK MY STOMACH IS STILL ON THAT RIDE…..at the end as we were leaving the park all the CMs were lined up and clapping – like we were the parade – IT WAS A GREAT MOMENT….
• Major low point – the buses were amazingly slow to get back to POP after the extra hour as I assume most have cleared out of AK by 6:30 after a traditional 5pm close. My son joked that we got two MAGIC hours one in the park and one at the bus stop and we did wait close to 40 min for a bus back to POP…….We decided after that long day to just relax at POP, and tour the grounds, take pictures and go to the pool……My son had some dinner (an adult dinner) and I had fruit as I am not a heavy nighttime eater……