Our 20th...for our 20th...on WDW's 50th... An Anniversary Trip Report.

[mickeyfan0805]

Day 3, Part 3 – Walt’s Classic Christmas Tradition…


It was time to enjoy Walt Disney’s Candlelight Processional…





Being just the two of us, and knowing that the theater isn’t huge, we elected to not try to get in line for the processional too early. We knew this would put us further back, but there were a few other details that I didn’t realize would come into play!

I got to the front of the theater about 35 minutes before showtime, and began to make my way down to the end of the queue. It kept going…and going…and going… Finally, I found it.

In Morocco!

They had three shows that night, and the line for the processional dining package was all the way to Morocco more than 30 minutes before the show. Wow!

Remember that $13 premium for the dining package I talked about a bit ago? This is where I got annoyed. We got in the end of that very long line, and about 20 minutes before the show, it started moving. It took close to 10 minutes for us to reach the theater, at which point it was quite full. I know we were well back in the dining package line (which was a choice we had made), but it seemed even fuller than that. I looked to the other side and noticed why – they had been loading the standby line at the same time! So, while we stood in the line where we paid for seating for this show, they were allowing the standby line to load before we made it into the theater. In other words, standby guests were being given a priority over those who had paid for the package. Not cool!

Now, if I’m honest, I have to admit that my frustration was more theoretical than real, as we found some good seats for the two of us, but I was genuinely stunned that they were loading standby guests when the dining package guests hadn’t even yet been able to get into the theater! I can see doing this for those dining package guests who show up last minute, but those in line 30-60 minutes early, with a paid package, should get the premium selection of seats.

Ok, rant over…

It was time for the show. It. Was. Beautiful!









Our narrator was Disney Legend Jodie Benson (aka – Ariel)…





She was tremendous! Of course, she read well, but what shined through was her clear joy in being part of this tradition and the personality that she shared in her remarks. She was immensely engaging in the manner in which she presented herself and we were very glad to have seen her in action.

Having seen the latest show of the night, it was near park close, so we began to make our way out. We had decided not to stay for Harmonious (getting a decent spot was pretty tough at that point). We watched some as we walked, and then caught a pretty good angle on the deck outside the building that has the Epcot model and the beer/snack bar (not sure what the building is called). So, we stayed and watched. The angle wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t bad for something that we grabbed mid show with no waiting…









Now, admittedly, we didn’t sit up front and take in every minute of the show. That said, I have to say that we thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, DW seemed particularly enamored with it. We found it engaging and thrilling, and the usage of the tech was visually stunning. I enjoyed Illuminations, but DW didn’t really like it at all. This one was enjoyed by both of us. We’ll get a better sense next time when we strive for a better view, but with all of the detractors on here, I can say that there is a population who will enjoy it, and we are among them!

With that, we made our way through the maze of walls (we all know full well about these by now – so I’m leaving it alone in this report) and back to the bus for the return to the room. Tomorrow is our last full day!

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

great report so far. Thanks for all the effort to share it.

 

[team bradfield]

I thought Harmonious was fantastic, great show, sounds like a great trip!

 

[mickeyfan0805]

A medical issue for our dog, a 60 hour power outage and a 40' tree toppled in our front yard got me a bit waylaid in posting. So, catching up, here's day 4...

Day 4, Part 1 – Disney Springs…


With the exception of our quick jaunt over for dinner when we first arrived, we hadn’t yet gotten to Disney Springs. That was slated for Saturday morning and early afternoon. Hollywood Studios was on tap for the evening, so I was up early to get a G+ for Slinky and ILL’s for both RotR and MMRR. I was able to get all for the time-frame we wanted. We were off to a good start! After going back to sleep for a bit, we awakened and headed over to Disney Springs.

We joined quite the crowd getting their morning coffee and snacks at Starbucks…





We had found a great shirt for DW at Epcot (a Daisy Duck shirt), but when she tried it on we discovered she needed a different size. So, I went over to World of Disney to return it while she waited on our order. Then it was time to do some shopping.

We headed to the art shop to order a canvas print we knew we wanted for our newly remodeled basement (should have that in the next couple of weeks), went to the pin store for our souvenir pins, wandered a few of the Co-op shops, and then headed into World of Disney.

This is a good time to mention my overall disappointment in Disney merchandise these days. Some of it is, I know, supply chain related. The Christmas shop had a shocking dearth of ornaments – so few that we couldn’t even find something we wanted. We have a whole tree filled with nice WDW ornaments, and this trip they had nothing but the more kitschy character-based stuff. Cute, but not what we collect.

More to the point, however, there is a real shortage of decent apparel for men. Most everything they make is either t-shirts (of which I already have too many), or is so over the top that I wouldn’t wear it anywhere but at Disney. And the 50th stuff as all adorned with the rose-gold print that I don’t like at all! I’ve had $100 in gift cards, from the kids, meant for the purchase of wanted apparel, burning a hole in my pocket through two trips, now, where I couldn’t find a thing. I’ll be back in May with DS, so we’ll see if there is any improvement, but the last few trips haven’t left me with anything to get.

Anyway, once we were done shopping we wandered a bit – including seeing the launch and return of the Amphicar…







Then it was off to Raglan Road for lunch. This was our second visit to Raglan Road (the menu doesn’t work for the kids, so it is only an option when we it is just the two of us), and both times we got a great table, right in the middle of the action. There was some dancing…








And there was a performance by the Byrne Brothers…







For those of you unfamiliar, the Byrne Brothers are an Irish music and dancing group that features Dad and three sons. They tour and produce, as well as perform regularly at WDW. When they first came to WDW, 3 years ago, they became the youngest ever Cast Members at WDW. I believe the youngest (now 12), would have been about 9 at the time. They do a great job and are a lot of fun to watch. The youngest has a remarkable comfort on stage for someone his age! If you get the chance, check them out sometime!

All set from lunch a nice lunch, we took our time back to the room and then geared up for our Hollywood Studios visit.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

Day 4, Part 2 – A Great Night at Hollywood Studios…


Mid-afternoon, we boarded the buss to Hollywood Studios. We were quite surprised to stop at each of the 5 Saratoga Springs stops, only to remain empty and to head towards the park with the bus entirely to ourselves…





I think that this is a good time to share that this was, by far, the best experience we’ve ever had with Disney Transport. Over the years, we’ve generally avoided Disney busses. The slow load and unpredictable waits are just too frustrating, and at resorts like SSR and OKW, the multiple stops can become mind-numbing. We typically drive to parks over bussing and have found that the more pleasant way to go. This time around, we used the busses a lot more, and really found them particularly consistent. We never had to wait for a second bus, we never waited for more than about 10 minutes, and the loading and unloading was usually pretty efficient. There are always those hiccups (like the woman who insisted on smoking in the middle of a loaded bus queue), but all in all, I think it was the best experience we’ve had with busses on a trip, and it makes me a little more content with the upcoming no-car trips that we have on the horizon.

Anyway, on to Hollywood Studios…





These WERE the droids we were looking for…





And then it was on to the Frozen Sing-Along with a special guest who has joined the cast for the holiday season…







We enjoy the show, and I appreciate that, somewhat like the Monsters Inc show, the humor can vary a bit from one to the next, keeping it interesting. The Frozen show, however, seems to have a very consistent theme in which Anna and the royal historians are spectacular, Elsa is mediocre at best, and Kristoff is repeatedly a dud! I don’t know why, but it seems to always be the case!

Anyway, between G+ and ILL, we had once again stacked up a number of rides to enjoy in a short period of time, so off we went to Toy Story Mania…





We stopped at Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (we’ll come back to that in a bit), and then headed towards Star Tours, and into Galaxy’s Edge towards Rise of the Resistance…





Before entering RotR, we did some shopping and ran into another supply chain issue. There was a game they had on the shelves when we visited in August (a board version of the chess-like game they play on the Millenium Falcon) that we wanted to get DS for Christmas. We went to the store where it had been…no luck! We asked a CM and, sure enough, they ran out. More are on order, but who knows when they will come! Oh well… On to Rise…









We’ve now done it four times, and RotR still stands out as a spectacular ride, but I will say that the awe-factor tends to dissipate over time. I enjoy it, but the awesome nature of the design and story doesn’t take you off-guard the way it does the first couple of times you ride. I enjoy it, but once per trip will likely be plenty in the future. Especially with the ILL cost involved, it is not something I will need to do multiple times in a given visit.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

Day 4, Part 3 – More Food, More Lights, More Fun…


We had a 5:10 reservation for 50’s Prime Time, so we made our way from Galaxy’s Edge and checked in for our meal. We took some more Christmas tree pics…








Then it was time for dinner. I will say…disappointing. Our server was ok, but the truth is that I spent most of the meal wishing we’d been seated with the server taking care of the table across the room from us. He seemed like a lot more fun. DW and I both remember enjoying the meal much more last time (many years ago), and we found the food to be notably underwhelming this time around. It was ok, but not the meal or the experience we had hoped for. We won't be in a rush to return.

Nonetheless, our G+ slots for Slinky and Tower of Terror were coming up, so we headed on…







We grabbed a PhotoPass photographer in front of Tower of Terror…




4.5

I had wanted to see the projections on Tower of Terror (which is why we got our G+ for later in the evening), but I didn’t realize that it was as much of a show as it was. We stood and enjoyed it for a while. I even FaceTimed the kids at home to share in the spectacle…









I think what stood out about the show, in addition to the projections and show itself (which incorporated the video screen near Beauty and the Beast), was the fact that, because it runs on a loop, you are not fighting for a view. This was Saturday night in Hollywood Studios, and we were able to stand and get a comfortable and unobstructed view with no problem at all. It was a nice pause before we enjoyed the ride.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

Day 4, Part 4 – MMRR and ILL During a Breakdown…


We had initially purchased our ILL for MMRR for mid-afternoon. That didn’t quite work out. It’s not news, to most, that WDW continues to have issues with the tech that drives MMRR, RotR and Remy. Slowdowns and shutdowns are still surprisingly normal for these rides and, sure enough, we were about to step into our vehicle when MMRR made the announcement. The ride was shutting down and everyone would be given an anytime G+ to be used on that ride. My question, of course, was how this would play out for our ILL. Would the ILL simply convert to an anytime, or would we end up with two?

We exited the ride, where they were scanning bands/phones/etc., and sure enough, as we exited, the anytime G+ slot popped up on the app. About 5 minutes later, I got a notification that my ILL purchase had been converted to an anytime return. I looked, and yep…both we showing on the app…





So, after our Tower of Terror visit, we were nearing the end of the park day, and we made our way back to MMRR to test it out. As we rode the first time, I took a few shots of the hidden Mickeys on the wallpaper on our way in…









After our first ride, we had the time, and wanted to see if it really worked this way, so we looped right around and scanned right back in for our second ride. Yep - that’s how it worked. We got the extra pass, just like everyone else, but also got to redeem our ILL. Honestly, the dream scenario would be either a refund or an any-attraction G+, since not everyone would want to ride twice, but at least we felt as though we got something for our purchase.

With those rides done, we headed towards the exit and grabbed a few more pics on the way out…











I will use this opportunity to say a bit about Christmas decorations. We weren’t able to get to many resorts, so I can’t really speak to those (we’ll visit Grand Floridian tomorrow), but I found the parks to be a tale of two atmospheres. Epcot had some nice stuff throughout World Showcase, and understandably not much throughout Future World right now (due to construction). Animal Kingdom was pretty subdued throughout, which likely fits that theming. For the other two, however, there was a distinct attempt at a 'first impression' that pretty much ignored everything else. Hollywood studios was nice as you entered, and then down towards Tower Terror, but things grew much less apparent beyond either of those main drags. What stood out to me most, however, was Magic Kingdom, where the decorations really stopped at the castle. Main street was beautiful, and the castle projections were nice, but once you entered any of the lands, you really could have forgotten that it was Christmas. I don’t recall, from past visits, if this was always the case, but it stood out to me this time around.

Anyway, as we enjoyed the décor on our way out, that was that…the end of our fourth and last full day. Tomorrow would be a simple visit in the morning, lunch, and then the dreaded return home!

 

[bama_ed]

A medical issue for our dog, a 60 hour power outage and a 40' tree toppled in our front yard got me a bit waylaid in posting. So, catching up, here's day 4...

Excuses, excuses. And I've been standing here WAITING all this time .....



<jk>

These WERE the droids we were looking for…

The Sand People will demand a good price for that droid in the middle.

Great update and pictures, Marty.

Bama Ed

 

[tigger92662]

A night at the airport hotel near O’Hare

Been crazy busy at work and just catching up.
Dang, wish you had posted sooner. we're about 30 minutes from there.
We coulda came up and really surprised DW. LOL

 

[mickeyfan0805]

Day Five, Part 1 – A Last Hoorah at Magic Kingdom…


Sunday morning meant departure day. We made an easy morning of it, packed up our gear and loaded into the car. This was the one time we really felt the absence of the trams. Given the timing, we didn’t want to have to return to Saratoga Springs for the car, so we elected to drive to Magic Kingdom – which meant the long walk from parking to the TTC. It’s a hassle, but it is what it is, so we made do.

We really only had one attraction in mind for the morning, and that was to see the refreshed Philharmonic. We (I) were feeling a bit hungry, so we stopped for a snack, and then we made our way to the Philharmonic. When there in August, DW and I had discussed how bad the video had become. It was really showing its age. So, I was thrilled to see news of the refresh this fall. The addition of Coco is cute (I don’t love that movie as much as many do), but the video improvement is substantial. You could clearly see a difference. I hope they do the same to the others that could use the same boost!

Anyway, we wanted to check out the Christmas Shop to see if we might find something they didn’t have at Disney Springs (no dice!), and then we caught a cavalcade as we checked in for our lunch at Liberty Tree…















We were quickly seated for lunch, and this was another highlight. The meal doesn’t work for the kids – just too much money for kids to sit and eat rolls and mashed potatoes! For the two of us, it was perfect…







I forgot to get a picture of the Ooey-Gooey Toffy Cake, but I’m not sure it would have lasted long enough to get a picture anyway! A very satisfying meal!


From there, it was time to head out of Magic Kingdom. We have a tradition, with the kids, of taking sad-face pictures as we leave. We tried, but I look more nauseated and DW looks angry, so it didn’t quite work…

 

[mickeyfan0805]

Day 5, Part 2 – On the Way Out…


The best laid plans…

As DW and I finished lunch, I had the best idea! Remember that Daisy Duck shirt we had to return because it was the wrong size? We’d been unable to find it anywhere else. Well, we have about 90 minutes before we need to be headed towards the airport, so let’s jump on the monorail, go over to Epcot to get the shirt in the right size, and then head back to the TTC for departure. Great!

Except…

As we exit Magic Kingdom…

It’s only 12:30pm, we can’t get into Epcot! Doh!!!!

Already at the park exit, we scrap the shirt idea and decide to go over to see the gingerbread house. There were two weddings going on at the time, one of which was being escorted to Cinderella’s carriage…







The poinsettia garden below the monorail deck was beautiful…





And the Grand Floridian had all of the Christmas flair…











From there, on a beautiful afternoon (with about 30 minutes before we needed to head to the airport), we decided to make the walk back to the car instead of taking the monorail. We hadn’t done this before and it allowed for some really nice views…







And what better way to end these reflections on our 20th anniversary trip than to stroll across some rose petals just tossed on a couple whose journey is just beginning…





May they know all the joy we have known at Disney, and in life!

Thanks for sharing!