More Adventures in WDW: June, November and December Trip Reports

[Lady Lallie]

Beautiful pictures. I've heard good things about the CSR gift shop. I'm looking forward to more pictures from the resort after your trip!

 

[meeko_33785]

Great resort pictures! We've never stayed at CSR but it looks cool.

Thanks, Coronado really is a pretty nice resort.

Great resort pics! We stayed there in Dec 2008 and loved it. The refurbed rooms are lovely!

Thanks. I haven't been since they refurbished all the rooms, so I'm looking forward to see how they are. The pictures that I've seen look great.

Beautiful pictures. I've heard good things about the CSR gift shop. I'm looking forward to more pictures from the resort after your trip!

Thanks. I think after Fulton's at Riverside, Panchito's is probably my favorite resort shop- good-sized and wonderfully themed. Hopefully I'll come back with plenty of pics to share once we get back.

 

[meeko_33785]

With the dates for the trip coming up (fairly) soon, we’ve been working more and more on planning for the trip- or at least trying to. So far, the key word for this trip seems to be “flexible", especially for Downtown Disney and Hollywood Studios with Buzz and Goofy. Not only will this be Goofy’s first time going to both of these locations, but this will also be the first trip that Buzz and I have ever had to plan that includes bringing along a Disney novice, which has its challenges. We’ve been showing Goofy some of the online resources to give him an idea of what to expect and to see what sort of attractions or dining he’s interested in.


Goofy is apparently quite the thrill seeker, so for Hollywood Studios, he seems interested in Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, maybe Star Tours (although he said he did Body Wars at EPCOT many years ago and didn’t like it)and that’s about it. He also isn’t interested in heading to the park right at opening, which is understandable since he’ll have a busy few days before at his conference and sleeping in will probably be good for him. He doesn’t mind if Buzz and I hit the park at opening though, so we’ll likely hit some rides and try to see some characters (since Goofy shows no interest one way of the other about characters) before meeting up with him. Not sure what attractions he’ll be up to besides the thrills, so we’ll have to figure that out as we go, I guess.


As far as Downtown Disney, with Goofy’s conference schedule, it’s looking like seeing a movie at the AMC that night might not work out, but he seems interested in House of Blues, so we might go there for dinner.


A little easier to plan will be Buzz and my day at MK. Along with the aforementioned Nightastic Events and Space Mountain, it’s looking like we’ll be making Haunted Mansion and the Country Bear Jamboree priorities since we missed them both last time. Of course, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin will also be a must-ride. We’re also thinking about trying some new restaurants we haven’t been to before. We’ve heard some good things about Casey’s Corner on Main Street recently, especially the Corn Dog Nuggets, so it’s on the short list right now. Another one we’ve never tried is Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café (although we have gone in when it was fairly empty one night just to watch Sonny Eclipse). Anyone have any thoughts on these restaurants?

 

[Lady Lallie]

I really like the corn dog nuggets at Casey's and you can't beat the atmosphere there either.

I've only been to Cosmic Ray's once and that was years and years ago so I can't really offer any opinions on there.

Are you going to try to ride Toy Story Mania??

 

[dawnbu40]

We had dinner at the House of Blues last Sept and really enjoyed it! The food and service were very good and the place was nearly empty. You shouldn't have to worry about getting a table if you decide to go.

We love Casey's but have never tried the nuggets. They are actually on Caitlin's list for August

Sounds like a great trip!

 

[meeko_33785]

I really like the corn dog nuggets at Casey's and you can't beat the atmosphere there either.

I've only been to Cosmic Ray's once and that was years and years ago so I can't really offer any opinions on there.

Are you going to try to ride Toy Story Mania??

The atmosphere does look really great, doesn't it. We've been in there before and saw the bleachers and screens where they play cartoons. I'm really looking forward to that.

I know that at least Buzz and I will be hitting Toy Story Mania at rope drop. We might try and get Fastpasses later in the day to let Goofy have a shot to see if he likes it, but that depends on if we can still get them after doing the thrills since they're his priority.

We had dinner at the House of Blues last Sept and really enjoyed it! The food and service were very good and the place was nearly empty. You shouldn't have to worry about getting a table if you decide to go.

We love Casey's but have never tried the nuggets. They are actually on Caitlin's list for August

Sounds like a great trip!

Glad to hear that House of Blues shouldn't be too hard to get too. Haven't been here in a while and wasn't sure how it would go since it doesn't look like they take reservations. Hopefully if we do decide to go there, it will be like when you went.

 

[jenseib]

I like Cosmic Rays. I have eaten there a few times and the food was good. I know one time I had the ribs and chicken combo, and I thik it came with green beans and mashed potatoes and it was pretty good. The ribs were kind of dry, but I think all of Disney's ribs are, at least any I have had. I think I had a cheeseburger there too before. And that was tasty as well.

 

[meeko_33785]

I like Cosmic Rays. I have eaten there a few times and the food was good. I know one time I had the ribs and chicken combo, and I thik it came with green beans and mashed potatoes and it was pretty good. The ribs were kind of dry, but I think all of Disney's ribs are, at least any I have had. I think I had a cheeseburger there too before. And that was tasty as well.

Sounds good to me. We're not really into ribs so them being dry isn't a huge deal, but it's good to hear that the burgers are tasty. Thanks for the input.

 

[meeko_33785]

As we plan, I thought it might be fun to look back on some of our favorites at each of the parks. Since Buzz and I will be heading to Magic Kingdom on this trip, and since it’s our favorite Disney park, I thought we’d start there. So, here are some of our all-time favorite things at the Magic Kingdom:

Favorite Attraction:

Meeko’s Pick: Pete Pan’s Flight

While it may be a little outdated at times, the nighttime flight over London is still one of the most beautiful sights in any Disney attraction.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Buzz’s Pick: Splash Mountain

Both thrilling and charming, Splash Mountain might just have a little of everything that makes Disney rides what they are.
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin


Favorite Show/ Movie:
Meeko and Buzz’s Pick: Mickey’s Philharmagic:

While the word “classic” seems to get tossed around so much when discussing Disney, I can’t think of a better word to describe this experience (well, “classic” and “fun”).
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Cinderella’s Surprise Celebration (Castle Show during 100 Years of Magic Celebration)
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Country Bear Jamboree


Favorite Parade:

Meeko’s Pick: Disney Character Hit Parade (Late 1980s/ early 1990s Day Parade)

Not only did this parade have a ton of characters, but the line-up was always changing so every year you would see the parade, it would be a little different
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Main Street Electrical Parade

Buzz’s Pick: Surprise Celebration (Day Parade during the 20th Anniversary Celebration)

Surprise Celebration combined giant balloons with a party atmosphere in the tradition of Mardi Gras and Carnivale to celebrate 20 years of Walt Disney World.
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade


Favorite Full Service Restaurant:

Meeko and Buzz’s Pick: The Plaza Restaurant

This is one of those best kept secrets that we discovered in the last few years. Both the food and atmosphere are really pleasant.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: King Stephan’s Banquet Hall (now Cinderella’s Royal Table)
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Liberty Tree Tavern


Favorite Counter Service Restaurant:

Meeko and Buzz’s Pick: Columbia Harbor House

To be fair, we hardly eat at any other counter service restaurants at the park (hopefully we’ll try a few new ones soon), but this one will be hard to beat.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Aloha Isle
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Pinocchio’s Village Haus


Favorite Character Meet-and-Greet Location:

Meeko’s Pick: Town Square

The current line up many not be the most interesting, but over the years I’ve seen tons of great characters here like Jiminy Cricket, Cruella De Vil, the Country Bears, and Launchpad McQuack just to name a few
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Toontown Hall of Fame

Buzz’s Pick: The Judge’s Tent

Buzz admittedly doesn’t meet a lot of characters these days, but thought the Judge’s Tent in Toontown was a fun location to meet Mickey (and most recently Minnie as well).
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Doesn’t have one


Favorite Music Loop:

Meeko and Buzz’s Pick: Main Street USA

Perhaps my favorite loop in all of Walt Disney World, listening to the sound of turn-of-the-century rag mixed with a number of Disney and Broadway tunes always enhances the stroll down Main Street.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Peter Pan’s Flight
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Tomorrowland


Favorite Queue:

Meeko and Buzz’s Pick: Pirates of the Caribbean

The Skeletons playing chess is just one of the coolest things to spot while making your way through what we think is the most memorable queue in the park.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Jungle Cruise
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Barnstromer


Favorite Inside Joke/ Reference:

Meeko’s Pick: Main Street Train Bulletin

Hidden in the Bulletin are references to a number of Disney films like The Absent Minded Professor and Pollyanna as well as Disney animator Ward Kimball.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Mojave Oil Can (Catastrophe Canyon reference) in Mickey’s Garage

Buzz’s Pick: Windows on Main Street

As most Disney fans probably know, the second story windows above Main Street are filled with tongue-in-cheek references to Imaginers and other Disney legends.
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Big Al at the Country Bears (caricature of Imaginner Al Bertino)



Moe planning to come along with our Hollywood Studios favorites

 

[Lady Lallie]

So many great things to comment on!

I adore Peter Pan's Flight. It's such a simple ride, but it always puts a smile on my face.

What a great idea to include park music in your favorites! I might have to steal that idea from you for my PTR.

I didn't realize that there were references to Pollyanna in the train station. I love it! Pollyanna is one of my all time favorites. In fact, I might have to watch it this weekend.

I agree with you on The Plaza. It's such a great place to eat. Good food and you can't beat the ice cream!

I can't wait to see your Hollywood Studios favorites.

 

[meeko_33785]

So many great things to comment on!

I adore Peter Pan's Flight. It's such a simple ride, but it always puts a smile on my face.

What a great idea to include park music in your favorites! I might have to steal that idea from you for my PTR.

I didn't realize that there were references to Pollyanna in the train station. I love it! Pollyanna is one of my all time favorites. In fact, I might have to watch it this weekend.

I agree with you on The Plaza. It's such a great place to eat. Good food and you can't beat the ice cream!

I can't wait to see your Hollywood Studios favorites.

We've been thinking about park music a lot lately. We're putting together a mix for the drive to Disney and you can be sure that there will be some Main Street music on it (still so glad to have found more of the loop available on itunes!). And by all means, steal away if you like. I'll be on the look-out for it in your PTR.

I really love that there are refrences to some of the older, more forgotten films throughout the parks, especially on Main Street. There's some Summer Magic references on some of the shop windows too.

 

[dawnbu40]

Loved hearing all your favorites and your pictures,like always,are wonderful!

 

[meeko_33785]

Loved hearing all your favorites and your pictures,like always,are wonderful!

Thanks Dawn.

 

[meeko_33785]

Usually before a Disney trip, Buzz and I like to have some sort of a “warm-up day” somewhere so we have some experience dealing with the heat, crowds, weather and other things we’ll experience at the parks. If you read my last report, you may remember that on the last few trips, our “warm-up” location has tended to be Busch Gardens in Tampa. They have a really great deal for Florida residents where you can get a one-year pass for around the same price as a one-day ticket, so it’s become a popular spot for us. We had a fun time, but we did learn a few lessons at the park that could benefit us on our Disney trip:

• Busch Gardens was hot! Of course, during summer in Florida the temperature is sure to be in the 90s most of the time, but since the park has very few inside attractions and so much of it is in the sun and so few attractions have air conditioning (I think only three- none of which we thought to do this time unfortunately) that it felt worse than it usually does at any of the Disney parks. Plus, there wasn’t a drop of rain all day to cool things off a little, so it stayed hot. I think at Disney, we’ll definitely be taking advantage of the number of air conditioned attractions available and make sure to keep hydrated. I think we’re going to need it!
  
  
• The park seemed really crowded, but the lines at the major attractions- even the roller coasters- weren’t so bad. I’m sure that there will be more lines in the Disney parks, but it was nice to have some short waits here- especially since they charge up to $30 a day in the summer for their FastPass-like system “Quick Queue”. The longest line I think I waited in all day was for water at one of the snack stands. Note to self: bring bottled water to Disney.
  
  
• Busch Gardens is staying open into the evening for the summer with special entertainment and nighttime overlays on some of the rides, but by 7pm we were so exhausted from the heat that we left without seeing most of it. Hopefully, we won’t be so exhausted at Magic Kingdom since we really want to see the Electrical Parade and Fireworks. I think we’re really going to have to pace ourselves and really spend a lot of time in the air conditioning to se can make it. Busch Gardens is also a much larger park than Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios so we did do a ton of walking in the heat as well, so hopefully after this, Disney will seem easier.

As long as we’re talking about Busch Gardens, I thought I’d post a few photos. I didn’t take nearly as many as I usually do at Disney, but here’s a few that I thought DISers might find interesting:

Along with the roller coasters, one of Busch Garden’s biggest draw is it’s many animal exhibits. Since it was so hot, most of them were way back in the shade napping, but the meerkats at Edge of Africa always seem to be on the watch.

A white tiger from the Jungala area of the park. He was up and awake since we had just finsihed being fed and had been playing tug-of-war with some guests and animal trainers.

The newest addition in the park is Sesame Street Safari of Fun. Most of the land consists of rides for small children, but me, as a character fan, and Buzz, as a Muppet fan, get a kick out of seeing the Sesame Street gang perform, so we checked out the “A is for Africa” show.

After the show, Zoe was wandering around the area greeting guests and posed for a photo for me.

There’s a lot of construction going on around the park. In the Bird Gardens area, Busch is putting the finishing touches on Walkabout Way, a new area that will be home to a number of Australian animals including kangaroos and wallabies. It’s supposed to be opening pretty soon, but wasn’t quite ready when we were there.

A huge portion of the park encompassing parts of the Nairobi and Crown Colony areas is under heavt construction right now and rumor has it a new roller coaster and possibly more animal habitats will appear here sometime next year. Should be exciting!

One of the special additions to the park for summer is a show featuring Jeff Civillico who is billed as a “Juggler/ Comedian”. He was a good juggler, but unfortunately most of his jokes weren’t a hit with the audience. I blame it on a very overheated and tired audience that wasn’t very attentive or responsive. He blamed it on the park not giving away free beer anymore since Anheuser Busch sold the parks to a new company recently.

That’s about it for now. Stay tuned for more Disney planning.

 

[wdwgirl03]

Thanks for sharing your Busch Gardens pictures. We have never gone there before but I bet I would enjoy the animal exhibits. I love that picture of the white tiger. Awesome!

 

[meeko_33785]

Thanks for sharing your Busch Gardens pictures. We have never gone there before but I bet I would enjoy the animal exhibits. I love that picture of the white tiger. Awesome!

You're very welcome. The tiger habitat has to be one of my favorite things in the park- not to mention one of my favorite places to take pictures. Glad that you like the pic.

 

[jenseib]

Bush Gardens looks so fun. I think it's been about 13 years since I've been there last. My parents went this past winter and enjoyed it. They said alot of new stuff was there now.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Meerkats are so cute. They just seem to have so much personality!

I think if you take what you learned at Busch Gardens then you will be fine. You could even take a short break in the afternoon on your Magic Kingdom day if you wanted so you would be sure to see the nighttime entertainment.

 

[meeko_33785]

Bush Gardens looks so fun. I think it's been about 13 years since I've been there last. My parents went this past winter and enjoyed it. They said alot of new stuff was there now.

It is pretty fun, and a lot have definitely changed in 13 years. I think they've really stepped up a lot of the animal habitats and added a bunch of great rides in that time. Buzz and I really enjoy it.

Meerkats are so cute. They just seem to have so much personality!

I think if you take what you learned at Busch Gardens then you will be fine. You could even take a short break in the afternoon on your Magic Kingdom day if you wanted so you would be sure to see the nighttime entertainment.

I hope so. It's funny how quickly I forget just how hot these parks can get in the summer. An afternoon break is certainly something to consider.

 

[meeko_33785]

Continuing Buzz and my look at our favorites at Disney, here are some of the best at Hollywood Studios for us


Favorite Attraction:

Meeko and Buzz’s Pick : Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

My favorite attraction in all of Walt Disney World, with its blend of story, theming and thrills, it’s hard to beat the adventure at the Hollywood Tower Hotel.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Great Movie Ride
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Toy Story Midway Mania


Favorite Show/ Movie:

Meeko’s Pick: Beauty and the Beast- Live On Stage

Since Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite Disney films, it’s no surprise that this charming and music-filled retelling of the story would be my favorite in-park theatrical experience.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Fantasmic

Buzz’s Pick: MuppetVision 3D

Muppet fan Buzz really gets a kick out of this hilarious 3D tour of Muppet Labs complete with a number of fantastic effects and surprises.
Buzz’s Runner-Up: One Man’s Dream


Favorite Parade:

Meeko’s Pick: Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade

Filled with characters, a nice score, some really cool custom cars, Stars and Motor Cars was a fun send-up to Hollywood motorcades.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Toy Story Parade

Buzz’s Pick: Toy Story Parade

Buzz, Woody and the rest of the gang from Andy’s Room paraded through the Studios back when the original Toy Story came out in theaters.
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Aladdin’s Royal Caravan


Favorite Full Service Restaurant:

Meeko’s Pick: Sci-Fi Dine In Theater Restaurant
For its unique theming alone, I think that I’d rank the Sci-Fi as my favorite at the Studios. Now, if only every meal came with pop corn like in the old days.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano

Buzz’s Pick: Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano

While it has more subdued themeing than some of the other restaurants at Hollywood, Mama Melrose’s food is what puts it on the top of Buzz’s list.
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant


Favorite Counter Service Restaurant:

Meeko’s Pick: Soundstage Restaurant
Currently the home of Playhouse Disney Live, back when it was a counter service restaurant, it was filled with “sets” from classic Disney films and occasional character visits.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Toy Story Pizza Planet


Buzz’s Pick: Toy Story Pizza Planet
The combination of a Toy Story theme, pizza, air conditioning, and its proximity to MuppetVision makes it seem a natural choice as Buzz’s favorite counter service eaterie.
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Don’t have one


Favorite Character Meet-and-Greet Location:

Meeko’s Pick: Sorcerer’s Hat

Over the years, the Hat has consistently been one of the best spots to find characters in the park ranging from popular to sometimes obscure ones like Clarice or Hercules.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Journey into Narnia: Prince Caspian

Buzz’s Pick: Doesn’t have one
Buzz doesn’t meet a lot of characters here (last time he did was 2007) so he doesn’t have a favorite.


Favorite Music Loop:

Meeko ‘s Pick: Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard was my first introduction to big band swing music of the 1940s, a genre that I could now rank among my all-time favorites.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Great Movie Ride Courtyard

Buzz’s Pick: Muppet Courtyard

Classic Muppet tunes provide the perfect soundtrack to entering MuppetVision 3D , watching the Miss Piggy fountain or looking through the Stage 1 Company Store
Buzz’s Runner-Up: PIXAR Place/ Toy Story Mania


Favorite Queue:

Meeko’s Pick: Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Right from the moment you get in line, the Tower or Terror is such an immersive experience that you really do feel like you’re in an old Hollywood hotel.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: MuppetVision 3D

Buzz’s Pick: MuppetVision 3D

With so many amusing touches from a key under the mat to a net full of jello to a fantastic pre-show, the Muppet queue is a treat to look at. (Did I mention that Buzz is a Muppet fan?)
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Twilight Zone Tower of Terror


Favorite Inside Joke/ Reference:

Meeko’s Pick: Eddie Valliant’s Window

Above the Hollywood and Vine restaurant, keep an eye out for the office of Eddie Valliant, the Private Eye from Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Meeko’s Runner-Up: Crates to film characters outside Min and Bill’s

Buzz’s Pick: “What? No Mickey Mouse? What Kind of a Party is This?”
An obscure hidden detail in the Tower of Terror library is a piece of sheet music for a 1930s novelty song about Mickey Mouse hidden on a shelf.
Buzz’s Runner-Up: Muppet movie sets at Stage 1 Company Store