Our Spectacular FIRST Disney Vacation! August 2011 UK TR- OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY Mini TR

[meggiebeth]

Your trip looked like so much fun! We are just planning ours for February and will definitely consider Sarasota Springs!

It was a lot of fun! You should definitely consider Saratoga Springs- it's a lovely hotel. If you live in the UK, it has a great deal going for a lot of dates in 2012... 45% off and a free dining plan. Hope you have a great trip!

 

[joy13]

I love Rory's input into your report -very cute!

 

[meggiebeth]

I love Rory's input into your report -very cute!

Thanks! And Rory says "thank you verry mutch "

 

[indychristine]

Just started reading your TR! Thanks for sharing!! You're doing a wonderful job!
I love that Goofy got your brother to join in on the pics! And he looked like he was having fun!
Thank you to Rory for sharing!! I think EPCOT is " Stitchy" too! Lol
Looking forward to more!
Oh btw.... Akershus was my families favorite breakfast! The food is great and princesses do a good job. We have been to CRT and prefer Akershus!

 

[meggiebeth]

Just started reading your TR! Thanks for sharing!! You're doing a wonderful job!
I love that Goofy got your brother to join in on the pics! And he looked like he was having fun!
Thank you to Rory for sharing!! I think EPCOT is " Stitchy" too! Lol
Looking forward to more!
Oh btw.... Akershus was my families favorite breakfast! The food is great and princesses do a good job. We have been to CRT and prefer Akershus!

Thanks! And thanks for reading too!
I was very glad Goofy did that too... And I'm glad that others like Akershus too. I was thinking about CRT for our next trip but it's two credits as opposed to one... and a couple people have said it isn't worth it.
Rory is very pleased! He says thankyou and he is very happy that someone else agrees that Epcot it 'Stitchy'!

 

[meggiebeth]

Hallo there and welcome back to my Trip Report! Now, I left off after our Chef Mickey's breakfast- a great start to the day!
We headed over to the Magic Kingdom, and got lost about 10 times... oh dear. We couldn't work out how to get off the Contemporary road and into the MK parking lot. So... we arrived after rope drop.

I like this photo of the monorail, taken from the CR.

We walked up the middle of Main Street USA with awe on our faces... it was just beautiful and magical!

Then the Main Street Trolley came along. We love the song they sing!

Then, we reached the castle. Although I had seen so many photographs of the castle prior to our trip, seeing it in real life simply doesn't compare. It was a great moment for all of us.

And here me, Willum and my Mum are standing by Walt Disney's statue:

We headed over to Splash Mountain to get Fast Passes. It was already so hot that we looked forward to it and wanted to waste no time in getting a FP!

Us by the stalls.

Walking through Frontierland... all the shops were very tempting to me! However, we wanted to make the most of our time at MK and that means... RIDES!

That's us in the rocking chairs, if you hadn't noticed.

I believe that we got FPs for Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain had a very short queue. So, we hopped right on! We have been on Thunder Mountain in DLP, but William was about Rory's age then and barely made the height requirements. My dad didn't want to come on that trip, thinking the worst. Rory wasn't even born yet I don't think. I can't remember much, I think I was eight. But Mummy did tell me that it was quite fast in DLP.
It was quite fast but as usual... the Disney theming just made the ride. When we got off, we decided to head over to Space Mountain. We could claim another FastPass soon. We walked past it's a Small World though and I was eager to try it. This was the one ride I remembered well in DLP. And my mum did too. It was like I remembered it. William was annoyed because he wanted to do a thrill ride. Boo sucks to you, William!

One of the rides Rory was most eager to do was the Haunted Mansion. We headed over there and it was obviously closed down. Suddenly though, someone yelled... 'It's opening!' There were some CMs opening up the gates. There were only four or five other people there... so we just walked right on the ride. Good luck, eh? The HM was very crowded some of the other times we visited so it was pleasant having the ride quiet and uncrowded.

Daddy took this photo:

But then a really kind family offered to take one so my dad could be in it. (It's awesome how we got asked loads at WDW, it's just great how kind and thoughtful people can be!)

William and my Mum went to the restrooms and me, Rorsie and my Dad checked out...

My Dad liked the sweets. Mmmmmmm.

Rory was running around like a hooligan, as usual!

I loved the stuff they sold... except American popcorn is GROSS. The salt flavour is nice but when it's coated in toffee and other odd sweet things... it's just TOO sweet! LOL.

I'll leave you with this photo for now! I'll try to get another post up, either today or as soon as possible.

Thanks for reading! Look out for more MK adventures in my next update!

 

[Jenzerbenz]

This is such fun to read! Thanks for sharing all your 1st timer insights!

 

[teekathepony]

Then, we reached the castle. Although I had seen so many photographs of the castle prior to our trip, seeing it in real life simply doesn't compare. It was a great moment for all of us.

Oh I love that feeling, and you describe it so well.

Great update! I love the Haunted Mansion, it's my favourite ride! And I hate popcorn with toffee on it too.

 

[saintstickets]

Keep up the great TR! I love it when 1st timers or someone that hasn't been in a long time visit WDW and tell their tale of the trip. It's great to see the awe and wonder on their faces and to read your TR is the next best thing when not there in person. Can't wait to read more.

 

[meggiebeth]

This is such fun to read! Thanks for sharing all your 1st timer insights!

Thanks! And thank you so much for reading!

Oh I love that feeling, and you describe it so well.

Great update! I love the Haunted Mansion, it's my favourite ride! And I hate popcorn with toffee on it too.

It is a great feeling. Awesome! The Haunted Mansion is great! They have put so much effort and detail into it. Haha, thank goodness my family is not the only one that thinks toffee popcorn is gross! We do have toffee popcorn in England, however, in Florida the popcorn is DRENCHED in toffee. I was surprised that there was no 'sweet' popcorn anywhere we looked. Not drenched with toffee or caramel but just sugary.

Keep up the great TR! I love it when 1st timers or someone that hasn't been in a long time visit WDW and tell their tale of the trip. It's great to see the awe and wonder on their faces and to read your TR is the next best thing when not there in person. Can't wait to read more.

Thanks! MK was just amazing. We really weren't expecting it to be jaw-dropping like it was. It was the park I was least looking forward to. Yet I loved it and so did my dad (surprisingly!). To us, it didn't really feel like a theme park, more like another world. It's great to be doing a trip report, because WDW is all I can think about at the moment! We have been lots of holidays but this one is the one that we just can't forget about! I really miss it. Oh well! Nothing that a Disney movie can't solve!

 

[fromscratchmom]

Oh I love that feeling, and you describe it so well.

Great update! I love the Haunted Mansion, it's my favourite ride! And I hate popcorn with toffee on it too.

I don't know that I hate it, but I'm definitely a fan of savory popcorn and never really want the sweet versions or any other "flavored" versions either.

I LOVE good plain popcorn made right and with salt on it, or at the most salt plus a tiny bit of garlic powder once in a blue moon. But I am also very picky about what I think is made right. I just really need the kind of popcorn popper my parents had for 20 years that my mom had bought with green stamps in the 60s and no one makes them in the last thirty years and probably longer.

I bought one at a thrift store a few years ago and within two weeks my son broke the glass lid.

 

[RDP]

Great pictures, we love MK as well, its a great feeling being there around rope drop time, we always try and get an early ADR at CP to get in before rope drop and walk the streets while they are quiet.

 

[pinkle]

Loving your TR!!!!!!

 

[meggiebeth]

I don't know that I hate it, but I'm definitely a fan of savory popcorn and never really want the sweet versions or any other "flavored" versions either.

I LOVE good plain popcorn made right and with salt on it, or at the most salt plus a tiny bit of garlic powder once in a blue moon. But I am also very picky about what I think is made right. I just really need the kind of popcorn popper my parents had for 20 years that my mom had bought with green stamps in the 60s and no one makes them in the last thirty years and probably longer.

I bought one at a thrift store a few years ago and within two weeks my son broke the glass lid.

I agree about popcorn being made right, and also about plain popcorn. The salt popcorn in America is very salty and the toffee and other sweet flavoured popcorn is very sweet. We love our popcorn maker but when we use it, piping hot popcorn explodes literally everywhere. We stick to microwave popcorn now.
Oh dear about your popper and the glass lid!

Great pictures, we love MK as well, its a great feeling being there around rope drop time, we always try and get an early ADR at CP to get in before rope drop and walk the streets while they are quiet.

Great idea- I hope to do that next time. We were so focused on making it to EMHs this trip that we mostly had late breakfasts. (Despite the fact we didn't make ANY of the morning EMHs. ) I think for our next trip, we will definitely get an early ADR at Crystal Palace.

Loving your TR!!!!!!

Thanks! And thanks for reading!

 

[FosterA]

I've really enjoyed your report so far. You write great considering you are so young

My daughter is also 14 and I'll be taking her (and my son and husband) to Disney for their first time ever this November. I like to hear your point of view so I will know what things she will enjoy or not enjoy since you are similar.

I can't wait to hear more!

 

[meggiebeth]

I've really enjoyed your report so far. You write great considering you are so young

My daughter is also 14 and I'll be taking her (and my son and husband) to Disney for their first time ever this November. I like to hear your point of view so I will know what things she will enjoy or not enjoy since you are similar.

I can't wait to hear more!

Awww thankyou! And thanks for reading!

Your daughter is so lucky! I think 14 is the perfect age to go because you actually remember all those vacation memories when you're an adult.

 

[meggiebeth]

Welcome back to my Trip Report! Let's get started again!

We headed over to Tomorrowland to get a FP for Space Mountain.

We saw the Astro Orbiter and thought about going on it but it didn't look too exciting, and there was a queue.

These things were awesome! We saw things like this in all the Disney Parks. They're so clever and much appreciated in the Floridian August humidity.

So next, where did we head to?!

Space Mountain! We got a FP but the queue time was 'apparently' 30 minutes. We decided this could be bearable.

The queue was very long however and the line was very decieving. We thought we were at the ride and then there was a whole maze of people infront of us!

It turned out that it took us about 1 hour 20 minutes to get to ride. Wasn't helped by the fact that it broke down for 20 minutes. At least they got it fixed and working, so that our queuing wasn't all for nothing!

Rory loved looking at all the pictures on the walls, and the interactive games were awesome. The queuing area for SM is quite elaborate.

Say hello! (Lame photo)

So we then took one last look at Main Street and hopped on the monorail for our lunch ADR at the GFC! (Our FP time for SM was not due until later in the day.)

Passing BLT on the Monorail...

William and Rorsie on the monorail:

Passing thru the CR:

Getting bored

And phew, we finally reached the...

Grand Floridian! Goodness gracious, this was a beautiful hotel. When you walk into the lobby, your eyes widen and your jaw drops. Luckily we were about 20 minutes early so we could sit and appreciate the beauty and magnificence of the GF.

I'll leave you with this photo... gotta go to bed!

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for our photos of the GF and the amazing GFC!

 

[teekathepony]

Another great update. I agree, the GF is amazing and breathtaking.

 

[WDWRids]

Megan, your trip report is awesome!!! We are leaving to go in 3 days and I am so excited!! The pics are great that you have posted and make me feel like I am already there.

What was your one most favorite thing about your trip?

Ever thought of being a writer? You may have career in the making!

 

[meggiebeth]

Another great update. I agree, the GF is amazing and breathtaking.

Thanks! The GF is just stunning and I dream of staying there someday.

Megan, your trip report is awesome!!! We are leaving to go in 3 days and I am so excited!! The pics are great that you have posted and make me feel like I am already there.

What was your one most favorite thing about your trip?

Ever thought of being a writer? You may have career in the making!

Thanks! And thanks for joining in too!
Have a great trip! I'm sure it'll be amazing! I'm so jealous- we have a couple years to wait. Let me know how it goes when you're back.
I couldn't really single it down to one ride or show, so I would say that our evening at MK watching the Electrical Parade, the Magic, the Memories and You and Wishes was my favorite part of the trip. They are such great experiences, that just added to the Disney magic.
Thanks! I have thought about being a writer, but I'm not too sure what I want to do yet. You don't really know at my age. But I'd love to be a writer, or a reporter, something like that.