'Pin Queen's' 80th Birthday! Combined TR/DR (lots of pics)(Update: 12/22)

[nocomment711]

Why hello there! I am sorta new to the boards, but I figured I would start up a trip report for the vacation I just returned home from. We went down to Disney as a dual celebration for my 21st and my grandma's 80th birthday party. She wanted to have one last big trip to Disney (and we took advantage of the fact that my mother and sister were in Ireland/Scotland), so we went off in style. We stayed at the Grand Floridian while we were there and went on an adventurous deluxe Dining Plan meal excursion. We usually go in November, so the heat and the crowds were a bit intense for us, but we managed. We went down with a big plan and wound up changing our middle of the week plans (instead of going to Victoria & Alberts, we gave ourselves an extra day for World Showcase) and end of the week plans (instead of Fantasmic, did the Magic Kingdom one final time), but it all worked out for the best. Let me introduce ourselves:

This is my grandma, Mildred (or Nana, as she'll be called for the rest of the report). This whole trip was her idea. I will share the now infamous "key" story later, but she is "The Pin Queen" (or so said our first driver on Kilimanjaro Safaris). We were down to celebrate her 80th birthday, and she truly was the queen of the trip.

This is my father, Rodney, the one stuck in the middle of the old lady and the hyperactive child. He was more or less just along for the ride (and to eat the good food).

And this is me. I'm what you could call a Disney baby. I've been going ever since I was 18 months old. I would say I've been down about 16 times since then, and I just can't get enough Disney. I am an avid photo-taker (sometimes I would call myself an amateur photographer, sometimes not). My grandma kept saying we were there to celebrate my 21st birthday, but we all know we were really there for her.

So there's the introductions. We crammed a heck of a lot into this one week trip to Disney and I hope you want to come along as I manage to wade through the photographs (all 3000 of them) and show you the best ones I have. All my pictures will be 640x480 in size, but if you want a larger copy I would be more than happy to send you larger ones (depending on the picture, some I am highly protective of).

I will be making a separate dining plan report thread as soon as I actually get to those pictures, so I will link over there whenever I mention a meal.

Also, out of curiosity, I was wondering if you would want me to skip out on the part where we visited Universal/WWoHP because it isn't exactly Disney related.

Thanks!

ITINERARY

6/23: Flying to Orlando and Arriving at La Quinta
6/24: Morning in the Wizarding World
6/24: Wizarding World (continued)
6/24: Islands of Adventure/Universal Studios
6/24: Downtown Disney: Take 1
6/25: Checking in at the GF & Heading to MK
6/25: Magic Kingdom
6/25: Magic Kingdom: Part II
6/25: World Showcase: France, UK, and Canada
6/25: Moving into GF & Dinner at Citricos

ODOMETER READINGS
6/25: 5.62 miles


DINING REPORT

Thursday 24 June

• Lunch - The Three Broomsticks (Universal)
  Dinner - Raglan Road

Friday 25 June

• Lunch - Liberty Tree Tavern
  Dinner - Citricos

Saturday 26 June

• Lunch - 50’s Primetime Diner
  Dinner - Yachtsman’s Steakhouse

Sunday 27 June

• Lunch - Chefs de France
  Dinner - Marrakesh

Monday 28 June

• Lunch - Coral Reef
  Dinner - Narcoossee’s

Tuesday 29 June

• Lunch - Yak & Yeti
  Dinner - Raglan Road (take two)

Monday 30 June

• Breakfast - 1900 Park Fare

 

[Disneymama1]

How wonderful that your grandma is still able to enjoy disney at 80 years young! I look forward to reading your report. My daughter and I will be doing disney together in October with the deluxe dining plan. Our first time going deluxe, so I'm looking forward to your dining report as well.

 

[Tiggeye]

I'm in, can't wait to read. We would always take my mom to Disney with us, it is some of the best memories my kids have.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

to the DIS!!

Looking forward to hearing all about your trip and GF stay - one of our favorite Resorts. Sounds like a very special trip and delighted you'll be sharing it with us.

 

[karebear23]

So wonderful that you go to spend your bday & grandma's too!
Looking forward to your TR.
BTW Universal is fine w/me. I know other TR's include Universal too!

 

[shelbys mommy]

I am in! I can't wait to read more! How wonderful to celebrate Nana's 80th & your 21st at Disney!

 

[nutz2notz]

I'm in for your report. Your Nana looks so happy and how wonderful to get to celebrate your birthdays at WDW.

Please include the whole trip including Universal. We are going in January and my kids want to go there, so I would love to hear your take.

 

[nocomment711]

Thanks for your interest guys. (=

The plane trip was relatively uneventful. It was the first time I had been on the plane in three years, so it was good fun.

I made up a special book just for the trip of all the different things to do and to keep all our little keepsakes in. We decided we were going to scrapbook the trip now, so we kept everything in that book. I also used it as a journal. (=

That evening, after getting our rental car (it was hard to find one that would be able to fit the scooter in) we got lost trying to get to the hotel. I printed out directions, but my dad decided not to follow them and we got utterly lost. Finally, after driving around for a long time (with the windshield wipers on because we couldn't figure out how to turn them off), we found ourselves at our first hotel: La Quinta Universal.

For a cheap hotel it was pretty nice. The beds were a bit hard, but that was expected. It was only a three minute drive to Universal, so that was worth it for us. The included breakfast was actually very good, and I had absolutely no problems getting up in the morning to head out to Universal.

Coming up: An empty Universal Parking lot!?

 

[nocomment711]

How wonderful that your grandma is still able to enjoy disney at 80 years young! I look forward to reading your report. My daughter and I will be doing disney together in October with the deluxe dining plan. Our first time going deluxe, so I'm looking forward to your dining report as well.

The whole thing was her idea. My mother and sister went off to Ireland, and she's been going to Disney since the 1970s, so she wanted to go again. She loves Disney. I have started the Dining Report (link in my siggy), but I haven't actually... started it. XD

I'm in, can't wait to read. We would always take my mom to Disney with us, it is some of the best memories my kids have.

We used to go with her every year, but she hasn't been down in the new millennium (problems walking, and with the heat), so she's been looking forward to it for a while. The entire trip was amazing memories.

to the DIS!!

Looking forward to hearing all about your trip and GF stay - one of our favorite Resorts. Sounds like a very special trip and delighted you'll be sharing it with us.

Thank you. (= While I prefer the Polynesian to GF, the GF is my grandma's resort, so we just had to go there.

So wonderful that you go to spend your bday & grandma's too!
Looking forward to your TR.
BTW Universal is fine w/me. I know other TR's include Universal too!

Awesome. I'll go into more detail later, but I was not horribly fond of Universal.

I am in! I can't wait to read more! How wonderful to celebrate Nana's 80th & your 21st at Disney!

Thank you.

I'm in for your report. Your Nana looks so happy and how wonderful to get to celebrate your birthdays at WDW.

Please include the whole trip including Universal. We are going in January and my kids want to go there, so I would love to hear your take.

She was happy for the entire trip. We only truly did WWoHP in Universal, and that much was amazing, but other than that... >.< Anyways, thanks. (=

 

[Lady Lallie]

This sounds like a fun trip report to read. I'd love to hear about Universal as well.

Your Nana is super cute.

 

[heaven2dc]

Aww....your Nana is adorable! What fun this trip is going to be

 

[sjs314]

I am subscribeing! Can not wait to read all about the trip, the GF is my dream resort. I think it is wonderful that your Nana went at her age, DH and I tried to convience his mother to come with us this year (she is 77) but it was a no go:sad2:

 

[oboedm]

Also, out of curiosity, I was wondering if you would want me to skip out on the part where we visited Universal/WWoHP because it isn't exactly Disney related.

Actually I would love if the WWOHP was included in your TR-- I actually followed you here from your post on the HP crowd report thread-- Please include the HP stuff! We are going in September so I am curious to read everything about it in TR form. Thanks!

I am excited to read more! Your Grandma seems awesome! I don't think my grandma would EVER do something like this... as such, I am going to petition to be adopted by yours.

 

[nocomment711]

This sounds like a fun trip report to read. I'd love to hear about Universal as well.

Your Nana is super cute.

Universal is up next. (=

Aww....your Nana is adorable! What fun this trip is going to be

It was a great trip, and I'm glad that you're reading along.

I am subscribeing! Can not wait to read all about the trip, the GF is my dream resort. I think it is wonderful that your Nana went at her age, DH and I tried to convience his mother to come with us this year (she is 77) but it was a no go:sad2:

Aw. My grandma loves Disney so much. We're trying to plan another trip down soon, but my dad and I need a break.

Actually I would love if the WWOHP was included in your TR-- I actually followed you here from your post on the HP crowd report thread-- Please include the HP stuff! We are going in September so I am curious to read everything about it in TR form. Thanks!

I am excited to read more! Your Grandma seems awesome! I don't think my grandma would EVER do something like this... as such, I am going to petition to be adopted by yours.

HP World is up first in the world of Universal. =P

 

[mousebymarriage]

can't wait to hear more!

 

[nocomment711]

can't wait to hear more!

Your wish is my command. =P



We woke up quite early in order to get to the park for around 8. I heard such horrible things about the lines just to get into WWoHP, and wanted to get in and out before everything got absolutely crazy. When we got there, there was no one in the parking deck. For some reason that awed me.

We wound up not too far from the front of the line at around 8:05. It was rather boring, but there was a guy walking up and down the line shouting: "Cold Water! Cold Beer! Start your morning right!" The beer went quite quickly for all those parents stuck dragging their children into WWoHP.

We were supposed to be in at 9, but they let us in at 8:45. I was in awe from the first moment.

After going on a bit of a photo spree, I immediately got in line for Forbidden Journey. As stated before, I wanted to get everything done ASAP before the lines got too crazy.

Spot something wrong with this picture? Brownie points for people that notice it.

What is with all the hate for Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw? Sometimes I think they forget that there are four houses, rather than two. /rant.

Those two pictures pretty much sum up all of our reactions to WWoHP. I was obnoxiously excited, my dad was dealing with me, and Nana didn't understand what was going on.

I got off of FJ by 9:20. It only broke down /twice/ while I was on the actuall ride. I was stuck upside down for a good two minutes before it finally started running again. Unfortunately, when we complained the ride operators said that there was nothing that they could do about it. I was not happy, but I was not about to wait in line to go on it again.

After the ride, we got butterbeer. Butterbeer =

Next, I got in line to go on Dragon Challenge (I had already been on that coaster before, but there was supposedly no wait, so I figured that I might as well). Unfortunately, it was broken down so I promptly got out of line and joined my dad and nana in line for Honeydukes and Zonkos, which was all good fun.

Then, we got in line to eat lunch at the Three Broomsticks (link will be posted once I get the review up), and I snapped a few more pictures.

Coming up: More WWoHP and the rest of Universal

If you guys want more pictures just let me know. I am kinda cutting back on some of the pictures, just posting my favorites, but I'd be more than willing to upload more if you want. (=

 

[Lady Lallie]

You can never have too many pictures, post away!!

I guess I thought the WWoHP would look different...hmmm. Too bad the rides were breaking down. How many rides do they have part of WWoHP?

 

[butiflfeet]

Great start to your trip report! Keep the pictures coming!

 

[Momof2princess']

I'm joining in! Thanks for linking it to your food report...I normally only stick to the food porn but...you suckered me in with WWoHP! Great review so far. Sorry the rides were breaking down

 

[heaven2dc]

Ok....I give up....what WAS wrong with that pic?!! (I'm terrible at guessing)