Welcome to my very first trip report! From Feb 23-28, I went with four friends for a magical Disney Bachelorette party! I am so excited to share our story with you!
The Cast of Characters Katie a.k.a. The Bride a.k.a. Anna
Vic a.k.a. The Maid of Honor a.k.a. Snow White
Devin a.k.a. Presenting the Gifts a.k.a. Rapunzel
Jillian a.k.a. Usher/Friend of Groom a.k.a. Tinkerbell
Arielle a.k.a. Usher/Friend of Groom Also a.k.a. Belle
This all really starts on Wednesday, February 22. I finished up at work and went to do some volunteering (no, I hadn't finished packing yet...). Two of the four friends lived on my route home (and were the two I was flying with the next morning) so I dropped by their apartments and we loaded up my car. We got to my house and I finally packed (everything was laid out on the floor! It just needed to, y'know, go into the suitcase). Our alarms were set for 5 a.m. so we could leave for Logan Airport around 6:00 (shout out to my Mom for dropping us off before she had to go to work) and arrive at the airport by 6:45 for our 8:10 flight to MCO!
Security was a breeze! The TSA agent who checked our ID's & boarding passes had one conversation with all three of us... just not at the same time. He asked me if we were traveling together (yes). He asked the friend behind me what we were traveling for (a Disney bachelorette party) and he asked the third friend... something ("Hey, Devin. What was your part of the conversation?" "I don't remember.")
We made it through successfully and parted ways for a moment so I could get my Starbucks and they could get their Dunkin Donuts (a time in which I dealt with some crap from work while on vacation, but it is what it is). I met them at the game and off we went!
We took the magical express to our home - Old Key West Resort (shout out to Arielle's parents for the DVC hook up!). I got my band attached to my account and then we dropped our bags in our room before grabbing lunch at Olivia's Cafe! The bell service drove us to our room and asked if we were there for the race weekend. We laughed. We're not runners, do we look like runners? Apparently, we do.
After lunch we were off to Animal Kingdom! This was Arielle's first time going to Animal Kingdom, despite being a DVC member and going every year during her childhood! She has pretty nasty allergies/asthma and her mom told her AK would bother her, but this was the year she decided to give it a go!
We started our time there with some photopass photos in front of the tree, where they also had a bird out doing some tricks a la flights of wonder, which we had unfortunately missed due to that need for food back at OKW! We made our way to the Safari for our fast pass where we saw a lot of activity! We saw Giraffes basically right on the road, a baby elephant nursing, three rhinos came running across our path after playing in the mud, all the hippos decided to walk out of the water just as we were passing by, and the lioness was basking in the sun.
After our safari, we went to Everest, which Arielle was most excited about (she has done a ridiculous amount of research about Mt. Everest and is mildly obsessed). She told us that the details were absolutely incredible and we had to go on again later so she could see the regular line versus the fastpass line.
Finally, we went on Dinosaur! I always tell people that I'm "acting" scared in the photo but, honestly, when that dinosaur pops out it scares the bejeezus out of me! No acting involved! This time, I decided I was going to be smarter than the ride, and I spent the entire time looking opposite of where the dinosaur comes out! It was my foolproof plan! I couldn't be scared if I wasn't looking at it and was prepared for it! So I turned the other way and acted as though I saw something else in the distance. And it worked! It made for a... well, it made for a photo where I'm looking away from the camera.
Just after that moment, the ride broke down! Lights on and everything. We probably sat there for no more than 10 minutes but it felt like ages. For a little bit there we wondered if we would be walked out of the ride and were searching for a cast member with a flashlight.
What else did we do...? We did the Gorilla Falls Trail and met Donald Duck. Devin and I did Primeval Whirl. Oh! And we watched Rivers of Light which was SERIOUSLY beautiful. I mean, honestly, how did they make light sparkle like that? I am in awe of the techs and artists who figure out how to make these shows come alive.
We had no dinner plans and the other two in our party weren't arriving until well after 9:00, so we decided to just grab dinner at Rainforest Cafe. The line was wicked long, but we heard the hostess say that the bar was seat yourself, so we turned around and high-tailed it there for a few drinks and some frozen to fried food.
We finally made our way back to the room where we noticed that they delivered the package that our darling Maid of Honor organized! We got lots of snacks and goodies and the bride Minnie ears for our Bachelorette!
We stayed up until our friends arrived and laughed our butts off until bedtime!
Day 2
Magic Kingdom: "I LOVE YOU! COME MEET MY PARENTS!" Part 1
Katie's nickname is "the cruise director" because she is a planner and Devin is a Disney from sun up to sun down type of gal. Vic and I are very go-with-the-flow and Arielle is someone who needs to sleep in a little bit and take some breaks during the day. These dynamics are moderately important to be aware of.
On Friday morning, Devin and Katie and Vic decided to be up early and at the park for the open. Arielle and I decided that our goal would be to make it there for 9:30 and get a little bit of sleep. This gave me time to sleep in a bit and still flat-iron my hair and do my make-up. This was my first trip in six years where the heat and humidity wouldn't destroy my hair within five minutes and I wanted to take advantage of this fact.
I ended up waking up about the time the girls were leaving and started to get ready. Arielle continued to sleep. And sleep. And sleep. Eventually I was ready to go and she was asleep, and I wanted to leave within the next half hour to actually make it to Magic Kingdom by 9:30. I woke her up and she started to stir, but she has some health issues (particularly regarding her stomach) and she informed me that she had not slept at all the night before and was still feeling crappy. We're pretty close, so we both knew what the other needed: I knew she was not going to be ready to get there at 9:30 and that she wouldn't want me to stay back with her and I knew that she would do what she needed to do and get there when she could. You can't rush a stomach and this is just another day for her.
So, I told her I'd see her there and headed out so I could meet the other girls. I wandered into Magic Kingdom after waiting FOREVER for a bus (is this a race weekend problem? The buses were particularly awful all weekend) and was greeted with the most beautiful view:
Here's another one, just for good measure.
I met up with the girls in adventureland and then we went straight to Haunted Mansion since it had a relatively short line and breezed through. When I was a kid I was terrified of this ride. Probably until I was 12. Now I don't mind it, except for the graveyard room. I can do without that one. The emaciated dogs and things that pop out. Yikes. No thanks.
At this point I don't quite remember what order we did things in, but I can tell you the rides we did:
Jungle Cruise
Peter Pan's Flight (Fastpass)
Mad Tea Party
Winnie the Pooh
Mickey's Philharmagic
Pirates of the Caribbean
Prince Charming Regal Carousel
Seven Dwarves Mine Train (Fastpass)
Space Mountain (Fastpass)
Under The Sea
We also met lots of princesses & characters!
Tiana
Rapunzel
Jasmine & Aladdin
Mary Poppins
Tinkerbell
Gaston
The Beast
Oh, and of course we ate!
Ice Cream at the parlor!
Lunch at The Friars Nook
Dinner at Be Our Guest
Here are some stories...
RIDES
Seven Dwarves Mine Train
This was my and Katie's first time on this ride! Vic and Devin had both gone on it before and we sat in the very back. The photo came out AMAZING and I wish I could show you Katie's face because she looks terrified but she had the best time! The rest of us look like we're having the time of our lives (we are)
Under The Sea
One of my favorite parts of The Little Mermaid is when Ursula says "body language" and I had been jokingly saying it in this ridiculous voice all day. I said it just as the CM was checking our safety bar and he said "nice singing." Thanks, pal. I know.
Carousel
My horse and I matched.
The Jungle Cruise
First of all, this is the part where I sadly tell you that Arielle never made it to the park that day. She ended up just being too sick. Her stomach had completely mutinied her body and she needed to take it easy and rest at the hotel. She and I kept in constant communication and she at one point asked if I could go check in on her if I had the time. I told her I didn't. We spoke about it later that night and I confirmed that she didn't actually want me to leave and go to her, but she was looking for some sort of tangible comfort. It's more complicated than that, but I promise you that I did not abandon a sick friend and that me not going to help her was the right thing for both of us. I am not a terrible human being.
The Jungle Cruise was the longest line we waited in because Arielle was feeling like she might make it and we figured it was a long-ish line and by the time we got off the ride she would have made it, obviously that was not the case. This was the point where I figured she would not be coming, but we did hold onto hope until dinner time...
This is also my favorite ride. I think that puns are absolutely hysterical and I don't care that I know every joke. And this was the ride that proved that I don't know every joke. When we got to the hippos our tour guide told us that he knew how to scare them off.
"I love you! Come meet my parents" he hollered over the side of the boat and I absolutely collapsed into giggles. Literally. I cried I was laughing so hard. And then I was laughing at myself for laughing to the point of tears, which sent me into another fit of crying-laughing.
Winnie The Pooh
The line for this ride is so cool! Somewhat related: the lighting was terrible in a photo I wanted to take next to one of the book pages. When I finished the ride, I went to the CM at the fast pass entrance and asked if I could just hop over because the page was right there (at the merge) and I just wanted a quick photo with better lighting. She very kindly said "I'm not looking at you jump over that boundary right now, just busy looking somewhere else" and let us hop over very quickly for my photo.
Pirates of the Caribbean
This is where it began. The war of the bridal parties. In this line Team Bride lined up behind us. They went all out. Matching tank tops. Tutus. Their make-up matched. Their hair. Their Minnie ears. And all we had was our buttons. But what we lacked in matching outfits we made up for in humor and enthusiasm.
FOOD
We got lunch at The Friars Nook because I had a hankering for mac and cheese. It was good and hit the spot. They do not have enough seats though.
I got the All American sundae at the Ice Cream Parlor. I get it with double vanilla and no chocolate. It was delicious, as always. I also gotta give props to the team there! Devin has a peanut allergy and when she told them, they went above and beyond to make sure she could get some ice cream. The supervisor came out with a book and took her order and made it in the back to avoid contamination. Also they forgot to charge her. That's just good luck. This is me looking lovingly at my ice cream:
Finally we got dinner at Be Our Guest. Oh. My. Goodness. I got the french onion soup as my meal and thought it was very good. In fact, I prefer it to the soup at Chefs de France, and that might be because I'm used to an Americanized version of that soup? Which breaks my heart. But it's true. (Also, I have the palate of a child.) I also got a glass of wine and the grey stuff. This was an amazing dinner. I loved the atmosphere and the server was great and the food was great and everything. was. great. The details were just perfect.
Day 2 Magic Kingdom: "I LOVE YOU! COME MEET MY PARENTS!" Part 2
The last thing to go over from our second day at the most magical place in the whole world are all of our character visits. When I was a kid I used to meet characters all the time. The best memory is of my brother having a complete meltdown because he was so terrified of the Queen of Hearts (I think he was 5 at the time because I think this was the trip when I was 8). I don't have many memories of meeting characters after that beyond the character meals, and I think that's because my family became very focused on rides and other experiences. But on our trip in June we waited for a character here and there so I started to get back into the swing of meeting characters.
So, we met LOTS of characters during this girls weekend! These are the highlights:
Rapunzel & Tiana
Rapunzel was adorable, if not a bit dead behind the eyes. She talked about Katie's fiance and asked if he was her new dream. I said that Flynn was more of Katie's dream. Sorry, Rapunzel. Katie is coming for your man. Watch out!
Tiana was seriously the most beautiful human being ever. She asked where we were from (I got to her first) and answered that we're from Boston. She asked how the food was up there and I sort of shrugged, then told her that it was nothing compared to what she made. She also talked about Mardi Gras, which I did not realize was the following week! She invited us to go visit her in New Orleans and she'd cook for us [insert the heart eyes emoji here].
Jasmine and Aladdin
Jasmine LOVED Katie's ring. Told her it was definitely from the very back of the cave of wonders. There's a great photo of Jasmine looking at Katie's ring and I'm just smiling in the background and making direct eye contact with the camera. Just photo-bombing a beautiful moment.
Mary Poppins
Guys, we disappointed Mary. We were all very excited to meet her. When she found out that we were a bachelorette party and that we were going to Epcot the next day to drink around the world, she asked that we watch out for the bride to be, but we had to let her know that Katie was more of the mom and we were her poorly behaved children. We finally agreed that we would all look out for each other, which Mary liked.
Gaston
Gaston is so great, guys. And because he's so popular, we lined up early and had some time to sit and get off our feet. When he walked past us to leave his earlier time, he told everyone that "his eyes are up here, ladies" (which I think makes the photo I'm sharing here very funny). When we made our way to meet the man himself, he went on about how great he was or something. He said something to the effect of "All the ladies love me" to which I replied, "She's getting married." His response was a simple. "And?" I guess he believes in the idea that just because there's a goalie doesn't mean you can't score. What a bro.
The Beast
We met the master while at Be Our Guest dinner. I love that they have the sheet music for Be Our Guest in French! I tried to translate but I'm just too lazy. The Beast was great. Everything was great. That dinner was so perfect.
Tinkerbell
This was the moment. The one that we referred to all the vacation. My moment. So, my favorite character has been Tinker Bell for a long time. I'm not sure how it started. It just did. I was always a big fan of Peter Pan and so I think the sassy fairy was my obvious choice for a favorite.
We waited a bit longer in line than we anticipated, but when we got to the front I was able to hear the CM manning the line explain that the lights in the bushes were the pixies in Pixie Hollow. I don't watch that, but a friend has said that the Pixie Hollow stuff is actually really good, so I might if I have the time and it's on Netflix. The area where you wait is so perfect. The details are gorgeous and I loved seeing what she's collected, especially the kiss!
Anyway, we finally make it in and we're the last group once we're inside. I was so excited that I sort of blacked out for a minute in line and apparently told my friends that I wanted to meet her by myself first. I had been wearing these sunglasses that Katie had made for us. Mine were bright green (they're in all my pictures) and on one side said "tinkerbell" and the other "jillian." The line attendant told me that she was going to try to add them to her collection (I've already written to Disney to tell them the names of the CMs and everything because everyone was so wonderful from start to finish).
I went up to her and she gasped and said "I love your goggles!" I took them off my head to show her that they had our names on them. She grabbed them and said they were hers now and she was going to keep them and hide them from me. I told her I was good at finding things and that I would find them, which I did. She then asked if I was a fast flyer (obviously I am) and she flew to another hiding place, where I followed. She knew that I would match her so she decided that maybe we could just both wear them. It turns out that doesn't work so well, so she finally decided I could keep them since they had my name too. I told her that when I saw her again we could share.
I then invited my friends to join us and we took some group photos. And then we left! I left in happy tears and all my friends were like, "That was your moment. Your Disney moment. All of the people working said they wished they could video meet and greets just because of moments like that." And then more tears.
I was just the happiest person in the world right there.
To end the Magic Kingdom night, we wandered out of our Be Our Guest reservation and into some sort of party for Disney Vacation Club members. Arielle's family are part of the DVC, but she was not with us and we did not know about the party, so we just looked to see what characters were out and about and what sort of activities they had going on. We were so very confused to walk out of BOG to High School Musical music playing over the speakers. We made our way back to OKW where we saw Arielle, feeling so much better and ready for the next day.
Which brings us to the next day. We started our morning with an Ohana Breakfast reservation. This was my first time at the Polynesian and I was pretty excited to see all the Moana stuff out. We got there by taking a bus to Epcot (we had to keep seeing the runners and I kept wishing that I were a runner) and then the monorail to the Poly.
We were called after a short wait and the host who brought us to our table talked some Football with us (we're from New England, so my friends who care about football are Pats fans). We were seated and I had my first taste of the Stitch Juice (which I know is used everywhere, but Oh My God it is so good. I couldn't stop drinking it.)
I always forget how much I love Lilo and Stitch. This movie came out on my 12th birthday, and my party was going to the theater with a group of friends to see it. I go back and watch the movie every so often and boy, it's a good movie. So I was pretty excited to see Lilo and Stitch.
We were also VERY excited to eat Mickey Waffles, which we had started yelling whenever we were excited. I'm not the type of person who travels to Disney and has ride "must-dos." I have food "must-dos." And one of the things I have to do when I go to Disney is consume as many Mickey Waffles as humanly possible. The Stitch Waffles were a nice surprise, too! So I started chowing down, pausing only to greet Mickey, Pluto, Lilo and Stitch! (I only have my photos with Lilo and Stitch right now - someone else has the other photos on their phone and hasn't shared them yet).
I think I look like a soccer mom here. I also love that Lilo is rockin' the skinny arm.
And with my boy Stitch! I love that he gives you a big kiss when he hugs you! What a ladies man.
After breakfast, we made our way to Epcot to start drinking around the world! My parents insisted that the first thing we do was Tequila Shots in Mexico, but instead we each got a margarita. I think I got some sort of passionfruit thing. All I know is that I was very nervous about ordering it, since I typically get a frozen Mango or Strawberry drink, but holy cow. It was the most delicious margarita I've ever had. (Also, as you can see, I got some Minnie ears while at the Poly because I've been eyeing them for literally 2 years and I am basic.) Oh, before the Margaritas we hopped onto the Three Caballeros ride because we could walk right on. I haven't been on that ride since I was a teenager (maybe even before that - maybe even ever) and it was a fun little thing to do before our drinks!
After that, we started walking to Norway to meet Anna and Elsa. We had to finish our drinks first, so I didn't have as much time as I wanted to enjoy the Margarita. At least the bride was a slower drinker than I was! We took some photos with the topiaries and all took a turn going into the bathroom (Which is seriously gorgeous - the nicest bathroom in Disney) before going to meet Anna and Elsa!
Both Anna and Elsa were very concerned about whether or not Katie was getting married within a day of meeting her husband-to-be, but luckily they have been together for 7 years! Anna and Elsa were quite happy to hear that and gave very good advice.
After meeting the girls, we went to grab the next drink. Devin's not much of a beer drinker, and I don't much see the point in drinking drinks I can get at my local liquor store, we decided to split a Carlsberg. (And I know that I can go to Chilis and get a Margarita, but it's not authentic. The Carlsberg is just as authentic in Disney's Norway as it down at the packie.) We drank this drink as we made our way back to Future World for our Spaceship Earth fast pass. Vic was very excited for this one, as she loves Judi Dench's voice (who doesn't, really?). We got to the line and I helped Devin throw back the last of the beer and we hopped in line. At this point I was feeling a little tipsy and was glad for the break.
We took our trip back in time and then forward again, all to the dulcet tones of Judi Dench. It was around lunch time when we got off the ride and we also had a fast pass for The Seas with Nemo and Friends, so we headed to The Land to see what our friends with food allergies could eat. Nothing really struck our fancy there, so we decided to hop on the ride since it would be quick and then go to the entrance of the park for something quick at the Electric Umbrella. I got more mac and cheese and began to sober up, just in time to go back for more.
On our walk back to the World Showcase, we stopped in at the Disney Visa Credit Card (which I have - score!) spot for a photo with the surprise character! It was the classic Mickey and Goofy. I told Goofy that he was very tall, so he decided to try to shrink down to get at my level. Goofy then began to gesture to our pins. The photographer asked if he wanted one, and we told him that it was just for the bachelorette party. But Vic came up with a great idea! What if we all made hearts with our hands and held them up for a photo!! Take that, Team Bride and Bride Tribe! We're winning the Bachelorette Party Wars!!
Then off to Canada we went! Devin got some sort of mixed drink that had a maple bourbon and cranberry in it that I have to admit was very good. We took a look at the hockey gear but quickly made our way to the UK. I was most looking forward to getting a drink at the Rose & Crown Pub. I lived in London for four years and to this day it was the greatest experience of my life. I'm always looking to recreate it and have had the itch to make it my permanent home since that first trip. I especially loved going to the pub down the road for a pint. Sorry, that was a bit of a tangent.
So, we first made a bathroom stop and I took a photo in one of the red phone booths.
After my picture, Arielle and I waited another minute for our friends on their pit stop. While we were waiting some guy started yelling "hold the door hold the door hodor hodor hodor!" while he and his friends were at the phone booth. Arielle and I both watch Game of Thrones, so we turned around and had a little laugh, then offered to take their photo. "Too soon," I said, which got a chuckle from the one who was yelling.
Once at the pub, we all got our pint. I got a snake bite, which is half lager and half cider. This was one of my favorite drinks when I was living in London. I used to get it at this pub down the street where they say Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used to work on writing Sherlock Holmes.
Unfortunately, there were no young, eligible, good-looking British bachelors manning the pub so I did not meet my future husband and my ticket into being an ex-pat living in London. Maybe next time.
The next country we had to hit was France, where we lined up to meet Belle! This was the highlight of our trip! We were all so excited to meet her because she is hands down all of our favorites! While we were sitting and waiting, Katie with her bride ears on, a bachelor party found us and took a photo with us! They were hilarious, all of his friends kept saying this was his second wife (there's no way - he was possibly even younger than we are). One of the folks in his bachelor party was a girl, and she told us that they were doing a scavenger hunt and that she would be able to spot a bachelorette party from a mile away and when she saw Katie's ears, she knew just what we were!
Belle was AMAZING. I'll just leave this here.
Devin got a mimosa for her France drink (I think, it definitely was something with champagne). At this point I think Devin and Vic were starting to feel the drinking around the world, because they had been mixing beers and liquors and they were more dedicated to the cause than any of the rest of us.
Next up was Morocco, where Katie got some Shawarma and I helped her eat it. When in Morocco, I always make sure to send a snapchat to my friend Ryad, as he's from Morocco! Maybe one day I'll go to the real thing. Also, I'm not sure what Devin got to drink here.
After Morocco was Japan. Arielle and I were in the shop while Devin and Vic got their drinks, so I don't know what they got here, either. Then we went to the good ole U.S. of A.
We made our way to the USA pavilion where Devin picked between Harpoon and Sam Adams, both of which have their brewery in Boston so I figured I can, y'know, go there to get those. (I know, I am the worst at drinking around the world.)
What I did get, however, was a funnel cake/fried dough!
Desserts are just very important to me.
While we were hanging out in the states, the conversation got onto something very American: football. Now, anyone who knows me also know that while I do love sports (baseball and hockey are my favorites), I just could not care less about football or the Patriots. I love a good Superbowl party because I love appetizers (it always comes back to food) but the actual football part? I'll pass. In fact, I once muted the TV during the game and only watched the commercials while I worked on a paper in college. My favorite part of the game is the halftime show/Beyonce concert. The football? I could do without.
Now, my friends I am traveling with would disagree. You see, they love the Pats. Vic wore her Pats hat all week. Arielle's oldest brother is a season ticket holder and went to the real-life Superbowl in Texas (it was in Texas, right?).
I hosted a Super Bowl party in which I spend the entire first half in my kitchen eating.
Now, this sort of came up while we were in the USA pavilion, and I even dared to say that I didn't like the Patriots, that Tom Brady got what he deserved with all the Deflategate nonsense, and he wasn't even that good looking.
It caused a bit of an uproar.
Luckily I knew just what to do to fix this.
"Tom Brady's the GOAT," I proclaimed.
And all was forgotten. (Not really. I mean, they don't care whether or not I like football or the Patriots, but we did have a fun time yelling "Tom Brady's the GOAT" whenever we saw someone wearing Pats merchandise or, y'know, we just felt like it.)
The next country was Italy, where Devin got a prosecco. After that was Germany, where I got a Schofferhofer grapefruit beer, which is one of my Dad's favorite beers ever since our visit there in June. We even stock up on it at home.
Somehow between Germany and Italy, Katie, Arielle and I got separated from Vic and Devin. Arielle was looking for a snack and I wanted my Schofferhofer, so she and I went to get those with Katie. Devin and Vic were still in Italy because I think Devin and Vic also wanted a slice of pizza, so we sat on the bench by the bathrooms facing Italy, figuring that they would have to walk past us in order to get to Germany for their next drink, so we would see them and meet back up.
Somehow, Devin and Vic managed to cross paths with us as we went to sit on the bench and they made their way into Germany. They ordered a pretzel and their drinks and a studel, maybe?
So, Katie, Arielle and I sat there waiting and waiting and getting mildly nervous. Did we leave them alone too long? What's the problem in Italy? Why aren't they there yet. We shot off a text and let them know where we were sitting so they could come find us. They always tell you not to wander off once you realize you're lost, to go no farther than the closest adult who works there that can help you. So we sit tight and waited.
All of a sudden Vic and Devin are in front of us (we later found out they had been in Germany the whole time somehow) and Vic started to walk to the bathroom, before pausing and returning to us to yell out, "Judi and Maggie can take care of themselves!"
We all kind of looked at each other and then burst into laughter, turning to Devin to get clarification. Essentially, while Vic and Devin sat in Germany eating and drinking their drinks (and waters!) they decided that they were Judi Dench and Maggie Smith and that they were able to be responsible for themselves (this probably stems from the fact that Katie is 100% the mom friend and had been telling them to drink more water and eat more in order to avoid the worst of the being drunk.)
We grouped back up and skipped China for the time being, as we had a Frozen Ever After fast pass. Vic has very little memory of the line and no memory of the ride. Oops. The line was a great time, because we had been spending the entire day trying to take a group selfie and we. were. terrible. Seriously. We just could not manage to take a selfie that had all five of us in it. Someone was always cut out. But this line is magical. This line is where we finally managed to take a group selfie where no one was cut out.
We got to the front of the line and Arielle and I were seated in front, with the rest of the crew right behind. Now, I hadn't been on this ride in years, either, so I didn't know what to expect. All I know is that I sat down in a giant puddle and Arielle and I had the same reaction: utter fear. There was so much water, we were convinced that we were going to get off that ride soaking wet.
We held on tight to the bar in front of us and braced for the worst.
It barely splashed us.
The water must have been an accumulation from the entire day, but it made for a great photo where we are screaming and smiling and holding onto the bar and also holding hands and bracing ourselves for disaster.
After Frozen Ever After, Arielle and I decided that we were ready to call it a night and head back. Vic and Devin had one more drink to go (China) and Katie was in it for the long haul with them. We said our goodbyes outside of Norway and made our way back to the front of the park, stopping for some photo pass photos outside of Spaceship Earth that came out AMAZING. The second photographer we stopped at also turned us so that we were surrounded by those things that have people's faces on them (I am the worst - what are those?) and those pictures came out so cool.
We then hopped on the bus and got back to the hotel. My dogs were barkin' so I decided to get into my bathing suit and turn on the jacuzzi tub in the master bedroom. Arielle did the same and soaked her feet while I soaked all of me. It was the perfect way to end three long days.
Day 4
Hollywood Studios & MK Round 2: "General Leia is the G.O.A.T.!"
The next morning, everyone felt surprisingly fine. I think they did a good job with water intake at the very end of the night and probably popped a few ibuprofen or something to help stave off the worst of it. The early risers made their way out first, while Arielle and I woke up, got ready, and started to snack on some breakfast - cereal for Arielle and Goofy Candy Co. Gummy Worms for me. Breakfast. Of. Champions.
We made our way out to the bus stop and let the others know that we were on our way. As we neared MGM/Hollywood Studios/Whatever The Next Name Is, we shot them a text. They were on their way in to see the first 9 minutes of Beauty and the Beast, and we had a fast pass for Star Tours coming up. So, Arielle and I went over to watch the morning Jedi Training show while we waited for the rest of our crew to finish their movie preview.
The Jedi Training was fun to watch! I'm excited to have my own little that can go up there and fight the baddies. Arielle is also fun to watch, because she doesn't know the first thing about Star Wars! Devin, Vic and Katie met up with us there and we got into the FP+ line for Star Tours. This is one of my favorite rides, by the way. I think it's a lot of fun and a lot of the fun is the line! While the fast pass system is awesome for avoiding the worst of the waits, I wish I could spend a little more time in the line. I suppose I could just let people pass me while I stand and wait and watch, but I don't think my group would have been into that, so on we went to the ride.
Devin was not the spy or rebel or WHATEVER. Listen, I've watched the movies, but I'm no expert. After the ride, when we got dumped into the shop, I decided to look around. My whole family watched the movies together so it's sort of our thing now, and I thought I might find something. My neighbor who is 4 going on 5 is also a big Star Wars fan. He has a Kylo Ren hoodie and light saber and in the summer months he'll come to our house, knock on the door (or just let himself in) and ask my brother to have a light saber fight.
I thought about making a light saber for him, but then I saw the holy grail of gifts for 4 going on 5 year olds who love Star Wars and Chopped (and Chopped Jr. and Kids Baking Championship and anything on the Food Network). Lightsaber ice pops! Yep! Who is the coolest neighbor ever? THIS GIRL! I didn't buy it right then and there, but I went back a little bit later and there were only two left, so I snagged it and had them send it to the hotel for pick up. So convenient! (Spoiler alert: it was a total hit when I got home - we're so excited for summer by the pool with our light saber ice pops.)
I don't remember the exact order of things, but we stopped for a photo on the way to our next thing. The car outside of the Sci-Fi Drive In Diner was too good of a photo opportunity, so we hopped in and had a CM take our photo. This is one of those pictures where cropping everyone out would have been a disservice, so I put hearts over their faces so that I'm not posting their picture on the internet without permission.
After chilling in our cool new ride, we continued onward to whatever was next... I know. I am the worst at trip reporting. My memory is terrible. I know what we did, just not the order we did it in. But hey, it's been over a month.
We had fast passes for two other rides: Toy Story Mania and Tower of Terror. Toy Story Mania has one of the best lines ever! I love all the old toys and games from when I was a kid! I rode this ride with Arielle, a first-timer. Her score was not bad at all for her first go! I did win, though.
When it came time for Tower of Terror, only Vic and I were feeling it. Katie's not big on thrill/drops and Arielle and Devin don't love big drops, either. So Vic and I made our way up to the line and had a great time! I love this ride. Similar to Haunted Mansion, as a kid it terrified me. When I was 12, I think I got out of line because the room where they show the movie and there's thunder and lightning scared the bejeezus out of me. But not anymore! I have a better grasp of reality vs. fiction and I love the drop more than I'm scared of the spooky. I just love the details you can see from line. A part of me wishes I could jump over the rope and explore that hotel lobby.
Because of my Visa card, we were able to do the special Star Wars meet and greet. But before we did the special one, we all got in line to meet Chewbacca. When I went in June, my family met Kylo Ren and skipped Chewie. This time we were skipping Kylo because everyone in my party hates him (except Arielle who doesn't know who he is). Chewie was a gentleman and totally fun to meet.
After meeting Chewie, we walked through where we saw some StormTroopers (and Devin got an awesome photo of one pointing his shooter thing at her) and then took selfies with Jawas. (The computer wants "Jawa" to be "Jaws," which would be dangerous to take a selfie with.) Finally, we made our way to the special Disney Visa photo area. We were hoping for Darth Vader. Kylo Ren the crybaby had a line, so there was no way he was at this photo spot, too.
We were wrong. Kylo was there in all his loser whine bag glory. He decided that Arielle was the one to do the whole "You're a rebel" thing which was great because she had no idea how to respond or what he was doing or why or even who he was. Also the pictures are super awkward because he stands to the side and does the hand force thing. But we had a great time because we decided to just be jerks to him and not follow his directions. On the way out (remember, every time we saw someone with a Patriots shirt or hat or something, we would yell "Tom Brady's the G.O.A.T.") Vic told Kylo that General Leia Organa is the best, and then I call out "General Leia's the G.O.A.T.!"
We left the room crying/laughing.
While in Hollywood Studios, this happened:
I know what I'm about. Churros and Mickey Premium Bars. I think this happened pretty early in the day, too. Like, this was probably my pre-lunch lunch. You know, there's breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner and supper...
We stopped for lunch (I had chicken fingers) and then decided to hit up our next park: Magic Kingdom. Vic left to meet some family in Disney Springs so the rest of us boarded our bus.
The first thing we did at Magic Kingdom Round 2 was It's a Small World. This was Arielle's grandmother's favorite ride and so she has to make sure she always hits it. Because Devin, Katie and I had already been to the park, we tried to hit the rides that Arielle was itching to hit. I wish I remembered exactly what those were...
Devin and I also went onto Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
One of the things I really wanted to do was meet Peter Pan. Tinkerbell is my favorite girl, but Peter is my favorite movie and story and character and just [insert heart-eyes emoji]. He looked at our pins and asked what those words meant. When we explained what a "bachelorette" was, he couldn't get away from Katie any faster. He jumped away from her! Then he made her promise to never hold hands or kiss or do anything gross.
We wandered into Tomorrowland to ride the PeopleMover. While we were on the ride, we were excited to greet the folks on Space Mountain when we rode through, but as we made our way into Space Mountain, the lights were all on! It was broken down! It was so cool to see all the lights on and the structure and dome from the inside. We were stopped inside of it for a little bit, too, so we were really able to take lots of pictures.
We didn't stay in the parks too long, because we had a dinner reservation at California Grill. Before we left the Kingdom, however, Katie and I stopped to pose for a photo in our matching Beauty and the Beast sweatshirts. (Well, you get a photo of me, at any rate.) We also wandered through the shops on the way out, looking for souvenirs for family and friends. (I needed some sort of something for my neighbor's brand-new baby sister.)
And one last look at the castle [insert sobbing emoji here]
We opted not to stay for Wishes because we would be at Cal Grill for those and they pipe in the music (... or so we thought).
We went back to the resort to change and get all pretty for dinner. I was looking forward to some sushi and wine and deliciousness with a gorgeous view. Getting to the contemporary was an adventure. There was a mad rush out of Magic Kingdom that we were contending with (that should have been our first clue). So we turned around and walked to the Contemporary instead of using the monorail. We got all checked in and made our way upstairs where we found out that Wishes was at 8:00 - not 9:00 like we thought! We were wondering why the show hadn't started when we were walking to the Contemporary just before 9:00. We just thought that Disney was running late. Jokes on us! While it was a bummer that we weren't going to see the show while eating our delicious food, we moved on pretty quickly when we saw all the wine.
Our server was great, and we were seated at a great table in view of Magic Kingdom. We all like sweet white wine, so we had the Selbach Oster Riesling. (Interestingly, my cousins just got back from Disney and they had the same wine when they ate at Cal Grill).
I ordered the tuna three ways and the California Rolls. Both were to die for. I was in sushi heaven. I even managed to take a photo of my food!
As we finished our dinner and our wine, we thanked our server for everything and then he took our photo outside in front of Magic Kingdom all lit up and then again in front of all the wine! (Seriously! So much wine!) We walked upstairs to the very quiet Monorail and took it around to Magic Kingdom, where we cried a little bit because we were done with Disney (except Vic and Katie who had one more day). Then we took the bus back to Old Key West and rested our weary little heads before our big day in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.
Day 5
Universal's Harry Potter: "We're Cheating on Disney."
The alarm went off and it was Harry Potter day. Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I love Harry Potter. I am part of the generation that grew up with Harry, reading about Harry, and is thus obsessed with all things Harry Potter. Until the very end. I went to Harry Potter Land in August of 2010 when it was just Hogsmeade and they hadn't quite figured out what Harry Potter Land should be. It was fun and wonderful and I was so excited to see the new part on this trip.
We called for a Lyft after having some cereal at our home resort and made our way to Universal. The Lyft had a little bit of trouble finding where we were supposed to be dropped off, but in all it took 20 minutes and 20 dollars split between the three of us. Not bad. We made it to the right drop off spot and got in line to buy our tickets to the park. I wish they had a perk for buying it online - like making it a few bucks cheaper, but they don't, so we waited.
We walked through the first bit of Universal as we made our way to London. On the way, there was a 10 minute wait for the Mummy ride, so we hopped on and it was a walk on. We breezed through! I was shocked! After being in the Disney crowds, the fact that I didn't have to wait for what I would consider a popular ride was incredible. Arielle and Devin both like this one, but I hate when things pop out at me, so I closed my eyes a lot and didn't love it. I also have a healthy aversion to fire and heat.
We got to London and Oh. My. God. The facade is perfect. I went into the red phone booth and dialed "M-A-G-I-C" and listened to the message that told me that the muggle entrance was out of order. Then I went and I took some pictures in front of 12 Grimmauld Place.
In Devin's photo, you can see Kreacher peeking out of the window above the door.
The London facade includes a record shop and a book store and Grimmauld Place and Kings Cross Station. There's also the Knight Bus, which was responsible for one of my favorite character exchanges ever.
I stood in line for a quick moment before going up to see Stan and the shrunken head. One of the things that's great about this is they ask your name, and then whoever is controlling the talking head actually says your name! Obviously someone is hidden somewhere and voicing the shrunken head, which is just SO cool! I was wearing sunglasses on my head and he complimented my "Quidditch goggles" (again with characters pointing out my sunglasses as googles). I told him that I liked them because they're shiny.
"So you play Quidditch?" - Stan
"Yeah. I'm a Chaser." - Me
"You look more like a Keeper to me!" - Shrunken Head.
This had Stan and I in complete laughter. He told me that was the height of romance and it only went downhill from there.
That's us laughing. We then posed for a photo and Stan held his arm out for me like a true gentleman.
After that we went inside to Diagon Alley. There is an alley you walk into and behind there is the brick wall that has been magicked open. We made our way in and just. I have no words. They did fine with Hogsmeade back when it first opened, but they learned from that and made Diagon Alley just perfect. We took a group photo with it in the background and then started shopping. I got a Ravenclaw Quidditch t-shirt and water bottle from Quality Quidditch Supplies. Attached to that is a sweets shop and Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.
After our purchases we continued on through the area, stopping to take photos of the book store windows and of the Daily Prophet headquarters. We went up to get in line for the Gringotts ride! Arielle and my first time!
This ride was cool. You sit in a vehicle and it takes you through Harry, Ron, and Hermione's escape from Gringotts. The storyline is a little silly, though. It claims that you are there with them at different points and that Bill Weasley was also there. I guess you have to suspend some disbelief. I prefer the Forbidden Journey ride on the Hogsmeade side in terms of thrill (even if I have to shut my eyes for the entire spider part).
The line is amazing! I love the details of the bank and the goblins were perfect.
The wait time wasn't too bad, either. When we got in line I think it said a 60 minute wait, but it was more like 30 minutes. When we got out they had updated it to say 20 or 30 minutes. I just can't believe how short these lines were!
When we got out of the ride we did more exploring of Diagon Alley. We went into the pet store and some more clothing shops. We also found Sirius's motorbike, so of course I hopped on!
We were starting to be ready for lunch since breakfast was so small. I NEEDED to have ice cream from Florean Fortescues, however, and wanted to stop to have that instead of lunch. Especially since we had a reservation for dinner at the Boathouse in Disney Springs that night and I figured my dinner would be big. I opted for more snacks and treats at Harry Potter Land.
I made my way to Florean Fortescue's while Devin and Arielle went to the Leaky Cauldron. I got the butterbeer softserve in a cone. I was a little nervous about it because I don't LOVE butterbeer. It's kind of too sweet for me, and I have one heck of a sweet tooth. But the soft serve is out of this world. It's perfectly sweet and the cone with nice and crispy.
Eating here has been a dream of mine for a long time. Ever since I first read about the parlor. I finished my ice cream while I chatted with a kind gentleman who stands outside of the exit of the Leaky Cauldron. I kind of wish I had eaten here, because it looked like a really nice menu and I could have had a nice drink, but the ice cream was worth it. I finished my ice cream and conversation and was let in through the exit so I could meet Arielle and Devin, who had just finished ordering their food (food allergies mean it takes a long time to order - Devin got a free butterbeer for the wait). Arielle got a beef stew (I think) and Devin got... the chicken sandwich? I think? But I may be wrong.
There are a few great signs at the exit of the restaurant, this one is my favorite:
It reads: "To all guests and patrons: when leaving these premises after the witching hour please leave quietly via the right hand side door. Or please leave loudly via the left hand side door. Or please don't leave at all. Thank you."
After we left our lunch spot, we decided it was time to go to the other side - Hogsmeade! And so it was time to board the Hogwarts Express.
All of my dreams came true this day. I always wanted to get my letter. To go through Platform 9 ¾. Board the Hogwarts Express. Attend Hogwarts. I just wanted to be a witch. I wanted that magical life. And this let me live it. I'm getting sappy. But I just love Harry Potter. The Deathly Hallows symbol is my phone's background and I'd love to get "until the very end" tattooed.
Anyway...
We took the train to the other side of the park. In order to board the train, you have to leave Diagon Alley and go into King's Cross where they check your ticket (you need the park hopper). You go through the line, including a spot that has some sort of trick to make it look like you've disappeared through the platform. Once again - every detail is perfect.
We made it to the other side and went into Hogsmeade where we took a photo with the conductor.
We wandered past the shops and straight up to Hogwarts ride. I had flip flops on and so I wore them on my hands, which made for a hilarious photo, especially since the photo is during the spiders so my eyes are closed. The line wasn't bad, but I had been on this one so knew what to expect. After the ride I went into the shop to buy my 5 year old neighbor a t-shirt (it has the train on it and says Hogwarts Express).
Devin and I decided to hop in line for the Hippogriff line. We all decided to skip Dueling Dragons since it's just a giant rollercoaster and I rode it pre-Harry Potter refurb and they couldn't even bother painting it.
While Devin and I were in line, we had a three or four year old in front of us (I can't remember now). He was super cute and was the type of kid who was sort of lost in the world of the ride and kept getting left behind by his dad, but not in a concerning way. He always perked up a moment later and realized the line had moved on. He just needed to soak it all in. Devin and I started to move to catch up to his dad and he excused himself as he passed by, explaining that he needed to meet up with his Dad.
He did this a second time, except the second time I nearly tripped over him, so I apologized and he ran to catch up with his dad. That time, he turned around, looked at me and my friend and just said, "You're really pretty."
Huh? "What was that buddy?"
"You" - pointing emphatically at myself and Devin - "are really pretty!"
"Wow! Thank you! You are very smooth."
Dad got a chuckle out of that one and just agreed. It turns out that his son does this a lot. He's just a super sweet, not even remotely shy kid. So we chatted for a moment and then got the last row for our turn on the ride! Lots of fun!
We met up with Arielle at the concert put on my some Hogwarts students. At this point Devin and I were wondering if that little boy was his father's wingman and that's why he's so good with the compliments.
We decided to wander around the loop of Universal and see if there were things we wanted to do. We took some pictures in Jurassic Park, then some more in Seuss Landing (it was Dr. Seuss's birthday the following week and I was going to be doing some Read Across America stuff with my kiddos.) I got a picture with the Lorax, The Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 and Thing 2.
We finished the loop and made it back to Hogsmeade, then went through and back to Diagon Alley. While there, Devin did some more shopping while Arielle and I got a fire whiskey at the hopping pot. Fire whiskey is a shot of Fireball and a pint of Strongbow Cider. It was delicious and strong. We finished our drinks while watching Celestina Wharbeck sing and met back with Devin. I bought some sweets at the sweet shop (butterbeer fudge, a chocolate frog, and a chocolate wand) and then we started to leave the park.
We went back to the drop off/pick up spot and I called a Lyft. It took us back to Old Key West for just $12.
We freshened up and met up with Katie and Vic, who had been to all four parks that day! Morning at AK, then HS, Epcot and finally MK! Busy.
We took a bus to Disney Springs and made it to our reservation at the Boathouse. The server was nice and the food was yummy. The rolls were out of this world! I ate too many, for sure. I ordered the fish and chips and enjoyed it fine. But when it came time for the bill, Arielle, Devin and I were planning on treating the bride and maid of honor! But the bride grabbed the bill before we could, which led to the rest of us literally jumping up and grabbing it away from her and the server! He was a little spooked by us going so crazy, but I managed to snag it once and for all. I also happened to have Vic's wallet, so when she tried to ask for it to pay I refused and we got to treat them.
We then went back to OKW for our last sleep in Disney.
Our last morning we woke up and packed up, splitting the goods from the welcome package we purchased for Katie equally (okay, I got most of it - they claimed I had the most room in my suitcase). Then we brought our bags to the main building, checked out, and dropped them off.
Before heading to Disney Springs, we had one last breakfast buffet and character meet! We hopped a bus to the Magic Kingdom where I learned that it was Mardi Gras, as evidenced by the swarms of people from Louisiana (most wearing LSU gear) in their Mardi Gras finest. We then popped onto the monorail to the Grand Floridian.
Guys, let's talk about the Grand Floridian. I've stayed there once, but my gosh, it's up there for a favorite. It's such a gorgeous resort and the lobby is just the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. We wandered over to 1900 Park Fare and checked in. We had a bit of a wait, so we wandered around a bit before being called.
When we got in, I wasted no time in getting my fill at the buffet. If you asked any of my friends, they'd tell you that I'm not much of a eater. I take three bites of my meal and I'm done. I always take half home. I spend my day picking and snacking. But when you tell me that it's an all-you-can-eat buffet... well, I eat all that I can eat.
My first plate consisted of Mickey waffles (Mickey waffles!) - our last time eating Mickey waffles - eggs benedict, hash browns and corned beef hash.
During breakfast we learned that the thing on the wall is sort of like a clock of some sort and starts to sing. That gave us all a bit of a fright. Was not expecting it. And some of us hadn't even had our coffees yet!
As 1900 Park Fare is a character breakfast, I should get into the characters... Tigger came around first and he was as bouncy as you'd imagine. He was great fun (and we got to meet him twice - he went in for a break at one point and came back out and came to us again.)
After Tigger we saw Mary Poppins and she was practically perfect - as usual. Vic decided that this was her moment to shine and pulled out Snapchat. One of the filters was a Mardi Gras filter, it turned you into a clown of some sort. Vic asked Mary Poppins if she could take a picture on Snapchat and Mary said "Oh, are we going to use a filter." Clearly not Mary's first Snapchat rodeo.
Well, Mary wasn't stoked on what she looked like with the photo, she thought it was too scary. So, she called Alice over for a photo instead and Alice LOVED the filter. Made lots of great faces. Let's just say, I'm inspired to do some Snapchat selfies during my next trip. I feel like Peter Pan will dig them (if they're good filters).
There was a bit of a lull before the Mad Hatter came around, so I jumped at my chance for plate number two. Like I said, get me to a buffet and I. Will. Eat. My second plate consisted of another Mickey waffle, french toast, bacon, tater tots, and a cheese blintz. I ate every last bite, of course.
The Mad Hatter came around as we were finishing the last of our meal, and we got into a great conversation. He asked what our plans were for the day, and we told him that it was our last day, so we were going to go shopping at Disney Springs and then it was time to go home.
"Where is home?" he asked.
"Boston," we replied.
"How do you travel there? Rabbit hole."
Oh man. I can make a joke here. A pun. Boston roads are filled with potholes! We're known for them! I can make a joke.
"Actually, we travel by pothole."
The Mad Hatter nearly lost it. He almost broke character! I almost broke the Mad Hatter!
"This is a family establishment," he said through a suppressed grin.
We took a group photo with him and then began to pack our belongings up. We settled the bill and made our way to the last photo - one with Winnie the Pooh and a photo pass photographer.
We took our photos and began to leave, but then I realized I left my water bottle and had to double back. Thankfully it was still at the table. We hopped a bus to Disney Springs from there and did our shopping. I got some pins and gifts for my neighbors and family and crossed my fingers that it would all fit in my suitcase. We had an earlier flight than Katie and Vic, so Devin, Arielle and I hopped onto the boat for our ride over to OKW where we got our bags and cried all the way to the airport (not really but maybe). Our flight was on time and we made it back to Boston, where Arielle's brother collected us from the airport and dropped Arielle and I off at her place and back to the real world.
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). Two of the four friends lived on my route home (and were the two I was flying with the next morning) so I dropped by their apartments and we loaded up my car. We got to my house and I finally packed (everything was laid out on the floor! It just needed to, y'know, go into the suitcase). Our alarms were set for 5 a.m. so we could leave for Logan Airport around 6:00 (shout out to my Mom for dropping us off before she had to go to work) and arrive at the airport by 6:45 for our 8:10 flight to MCO!
I kid! 
