NO COMMANDO?? . . . .ARGHH! Can I do this?

[ArielSRL]

Great TR, PiityPat. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Is it absolutely complete now? I know the trip, in the report, is over, but I didn't know if you had any more photos to post, or anything else to share since you had not made the TR officially complete.

 

[PittypatBR]

Great TR, PiityPat. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Is it absolutely complete now? I know the trip, in the report, is over, but I didn't know if you had any more photos to post, or anything else to share since you had not made the TR officially complete.

I am posting the final wrapup from me, and I will let my daughter add hers, and then we will be complete. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy all your trips this year.

 

[PittypatBR]

GOOD
Pop Century! We loved the resort and the price. The food court was fine, the pools, splash pad, and playground were nice, bus transportation wasn’t bad at all, and the rooms were perfectly adequate. (Did I mention the price was right?!)

Recognizing that we could “divide and conquer” and allow each person to do most of what they wanted to do. Everyone got to specify their preferences and favorites, and enjoy them.

Great food! We were very satisfied with our dining choices. Kona, Le Cellier, and Coral Reef were great “order from the menu” choices, and Mama Malone wasn’t bad. 1900 Park Fare and Boma were great buffets. Liberty Tavern’s food was just adequate but the character interaction, location, and speed of dining made up for it. Our counter service meals were fine, and the snack choices are tremendously improved from our last trip. We always get the refillable mugs. We really spent very little out of pocket for food and drinks, particularly since we used some of our snack credits for breakfast items.

The weather was perfect. Early May is a great time to visit – wish it was easier to take kids out of school! (Don’t fuss at me – I’m a retired teacher, so I know that end of it also!)

The rides, shows, and fireworks, of course. The rehabs were all good, although I think the 3 Caballeros Mexico could have been better. The rides are as wonderful as ever, and the nighttime spectaculars are still spectacular! Illuminations is great, Fantasmic is fantastic, but Wishes is still my favorite!

EMH at the water parks, which isn’t very publicized but is very helpful.

The PEOPLE! The CM’s were mostly wonderful, and the other visitors were mostly okay too. We didn’t encounter unpleasant people more than a couple of times, and we didn’t have trouble with line cutters either. (By line cutters I mean the people in BIG groups who send 2 people in to save a place in line for 20, usually teenagers. I have seen that in the past but not this trip.)

BAD
Migraine headaches, but thank goodness Wild Child didn’t get one until the last day.

Magic Express check-in problems at the resort on our departure day. Disney doesn’t have control over this, but it was BAD!

Country Bear Jamboree was really a waste of time, and not enjoyable by anyone. It’s a shame they haven’t done something with this, because I used to like it (back 30 years ago). There needs to be a decent sit-down show in that area. The live show in the saloon used to be good – couldn’t they get some musical acts on a rotating basis or something?

Too much water on Splash Mountain. They need to put it back like it was before. I don’t mind a little dampness, but I did NOT want to be soaked without warning. (Warning, wear a poncho for the beginning of the ride, not just the drop at the end.)

FINAL VERDICT
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!! It was a wonderful trip because of the place and the people along for the trip. Thanks to all of my family, who were great companions! Thanks to all of you who read along and shared my experiences. I will let DD add her two cents worth to this, and then we will close this TR, and start looking forward to next time!

 

[Disneyolic]

Thank you for your report. It really was nice. While we won't be travelling with my parents this year, we have in the past and everything was wonderful. It's nice when families get along well and enjoy each other.

I'm sorry about the DME at the end. I hope ours goes better than yours (sorry).

Anywho, reading the ending gave me a "warm fuzzy" feeling.

 

[DisneyJo]

Love your sum up and so pleased it was a super trip

 

[IluvXU]

I truly enjoyed your report and your family. Thanks for taking the time to share your trip. Many of your yummy eats are places we plan to eat in August- thanks for reviewing. Now if I can only get Kona Cafe in.... better find a meal or save it for next time? Reading these just makes me so excited for our trip in August!

Also don't apologize for taking the kids out of school... I totally agree that a family trip is more impt. than school! (I too can say this I'm a ) Kids are only kids once and you never know when things happen.

Thanks for sharing your family with your readers!

 

[eemmie1]

I just wanted to say thank you for all of the time you put into your wonderful tip report. I have always enjoyed POP as well and was wondering your opinion on if you think it is worth the extra money for a moderate?

 

[kathymc]

what a wonderful report and what a beautiful family - we were there at the same time and stayed at Pop for the first two nights - thanks so much for sharing!

 

[KathyRN137]

That was fun!
Time to start planning your next trip!!

Kathy

 

[Illuminations_Rocks]

that was a wonderful report!

 

[dddisrunner]

LOVED this report! It was so nice to hear about your adventures and how great your family is! You truly had a magical vacation and thank you so much for sharing it with us! I loved all the pictures too! I love when you can put a face with what and who your reading about! You and your DD did a great job reporting!

 

[PittypatBR]

Thanks so much for all of the nice comments. You are all so kind, and you have made me feel very good about my first trip report. I am still waiting for DD to post - she hasn't had a chance because my DH is visiting her and they are busy with a whole list of "projects" around the house!

 

[moparop]

I have been lurking on your trip report for the entire time and I have just loved it!! You have such a wonderful family and I love hearing how you were able to do a no commando trip but still feel like you got to see everything you wanted to. I agree with hte others... the only way to get rid of the bad energy from the last trip, go back to Disney!!

 

[PittypatBR]

Thank you Moparop for coming out of lurkdom to post and for your kind words. Yes, I will be looking forward to planning that next trip, whenever I can talk the crew into coming back!

 

[Mr._The_King]

Wonderful trip report. Thanks for taking the time to write it

 

[PittypatBR]

Wonderful trip report. Thanks for taking the time to write it

Thanks for coming by, Mrs. The King. I only wish I was as funny as you are. You need to put a link to your TR in your signature so everyone can find it. Anyone who reads this needs to go find the TR A Cockroach Biting My Butt because you will literally be rolling on the floor laughing so hard you are crying. There are lots of great writers out there on the DIS boards, including everyone posting here who has a TR, but this is a lady with a real gift for seeing the funny side of things.

 

[lynn2art]

I agree with Mom about most. Great trip overall and we WILL be back.
Agreed mostly with food but not about Mama Melroses. I thought the taste and quality were on par with the Liberty Tree Tavern, but there you get the characters in a nice environment. Wouldn't recomend Mama Melroses. We enjoyed Pop Century and found it good for the price. We stayed one other time at a moderate hotel, Coronada Springs. On that trip we didn't spend tons of time and it rained too much to enjoy the pool. Also the kids were younger and too young for the slide. The pool was more crowded but then again the crowds were higher overall on that trip compared with this. Based soley on that I would book Pop over a moderate. (Other people have probably had vastly differant experiences). If money were no object I would stay at the Polynesian, but I would think (just guessing here) that the Wilderness Lodge sounds like it might be a good return for the extra money. Maybe one day I can find out first hand.
The weather was overall great, as was the crowds. I would recomend this time of year to others if they could swing it.
WC's favorites: splash mountain, Pirates otc, Figments imagination, peter pan, test track, MGM's playground (honey I shrunk the kids).
Dreamy's favorites: MISSION SPACE (tame version), test track (though as cautious as he is this was a shock), Buzz lightyear, Jungle cruise, the transit authority in Magic kingdon, Star tours, Muppet vision, Disney Philharmagic, Kiliminjari safari and the Pool!!!
Least favorites: Country Bear Jamboree (Boo, Hiss), Migraines (triple boo, hiss), mean people (there were only two, a couple that kept scooting back directly onto where my kids were sitting before a parade.... I guess they thought that nobody should be anywhere remotely close to where they were sitting), and the Magic Express on the last day.
Overall a magical Trip and we will be back!!!!
Thanks everyone for following along!!!

 

[PittypatBR]

Okay, this is my final post. Thanks so much to everyone who read our adventures and shared the magic with us. Thanks for all your kind and encouraging words. Thanks to my DD for coming out of lurkdom and posting as well. PM me if you have questions about Pop or anything else. I will be reading everyone else's TR's and living vicariously until we get to schedule another trip! Thanks to DIS for being such a great community! Until next time . . . .

 

[PittypatBR]

I forgot one last thing I wanted to post. Our very first night when we had been at the MK and went to the GF for our dinner with Cindy, the crew stopped briefly by a fountain while I went to check on our ADR's. When I came back my precious Dreamboy took me aside and told me that Pop had given him a nickel to throw in the fountain and make a wish, and asked if I wanted to know what he wished. I said Sure, and he replied I just wished we could all live here at Disney World all the time! I told him that was the best wish I could think of. Out of the mouths of 8 year olds . . . .