Sailing the Skyliner: Life is the Bubbles on Spring Break - A March 2024 Trip Report

[ThreeBoyMama]

Wow that was a long day! Looked super fun though. I’m glad you have a rest day coming up!

 

[jrmint427]

May I ask, where is the PhotoPass help desk at MK?

It's at the front of the park, on the left as you're heading out. I think it was the same building where Mickey Mouse meets.

Wow that was a long day! Looked super fun though. I’m glad you have a rest day coming up!

Such a long and fun day! We were very much in need of a rest day after that.

 

[Paulaparm]

Your girls ( really all of you) are troopers!!

 

[Stacybaeasm]

Wow!!! I don't know if I could do a day like that anymore. The girls were absolute troopers and monster Disneyers. And then to remember the Wordle???

 

[vamassey1]

I'm impressed with your Open to Close day. I've done it in the past but I don't think I could anymore.

I try to do time stamp photos too. We started doing this on our first trip back when the parks opened from Covid shut down. Lots of people where reporting back how long the lines were with no FP and lower crowds. It has helped me to recover lost ride photos too.

Glad to hear you have a rest day coming up.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

People mover is a great way to end a Magic Kingdom Day!

 

[jrmint427]

Your girls (really all of you) are troopers!!

I was impressed with the whole family!

Wow!!! I don't know if I could do a day like that anymore. The girls were absolute troopers and monster Disneyers. And then to remember the Wordle???

I'm not sure how many more of those I'll have in me. We weren't planning on it but we made it! I couldn't believe we got Wordle in too

I'm impressed with your Open to Close day. I've done it in the past but I don't think I could anymore.

We weren't planning on it!

I try to do time stamp photos too. We started doing this on our first trip back when the parks opened from Covid shut down. Lots of people where reporting back how long the lines were with no FP and lower crowds. It has helped me to recover lost ride photos too.

Photos for time stamps really do come in handy!

People mover is a great way to end a Magic Kingdom Day!

I agree!

 

[jrmint427]

March 13, 2024 – Rest Day / Hollywood Studios After Hours​

Rest Day Morning – Travel to the Riviera​

Our plans for our rest day were to sleep in, go to brunch at Topolino’s (10:35 & 10:40am ADRs), rest & swim in the afternoon, and then go to O’hana for dinner (5:20pm ADR). After dinner the grandparents were going to take the kids back to the resort while Pat and I had a date night at Hollywood Studios After Hours. So, this wasn’t truly a rest day for me and Pat, but we did have some good rest time built into the day.

I set my alarm for 8:45am just in case I didn’t wake up before then, convinced I would be up earlier. But after a 1:00am bedtime, I did sleep until my alarm went off. I could have slept much longer! It helped that the girls spent the night with Grammas and did not wake us up earlier.

Our plan was to leave the room at 9:50am and we were out at 9:53am. We took the Skyliner to the Riviera for brunch. I realized that we were often going to and from transportation before sunrise and after sunset, so we missed a lot of the art around AoA on our other days.



We were at the Skyliner at 10:00am. There was a short line, and we waited 3 minutes, but we were already at the Riviera at 10:12am. Any guesses who we were most excited to see at Topolino’s?



We stopped for a couple of pictures along the way.




I had read there was a Fuel Rod station at the Riviera and found it easily. I swapped for a fresh rod (#4). We temporarily forgot where to go for Topolino’s and couldn’t find signs pointing us in the right direction, but then I remembered we needed to take an elevator, so I checked the nearest elevator bank. I saw there that Topolino’s was labeled, so I called the rest of our group over and we headed up.

I wasn’t able to get a reservation for seven at Topolino’s, so I had booked for four of us at 10:35am and the other three at 10:40am and hoped they would be able to sit us near each other. We checked in at 10:23am and I asked if we could either sit together or at least near each other. The CM couldn’t make any guarantees but said they would see what they could do. The longer we waited, the more I hoped it was because they were going to seat us together. The wait paid off! At 10:52am (almost 30 minutes later), we were sat as a party of seven.

 

[jrmint427]

Topolino’s​

We were sat in the back room where there are only two tables. It was nice to have a quieter corner, and the characters had great awareness that we were back there, waving every time they walked by.

Daisy arrived a few minutes after we were sat, before our server had even stopped by.



If you couldn’t tell, the girls were dressed like Daisy. She immediately recognized this and seemed to love their outfits. She asked them to spin around like her to show off their outfits.




They looked fabulous together!



We got our family pictures. I liked that we had a little more space for character pictures at Topolino’s. Most character meals are crowded and can be dark, but Topolino’s was also well lit.



Grammas was wearing the same color scheme (pink and teal) so she jumped in as well.



Daisy had lots of hugs and kisses for the girls!



After the first spins and pictures, Daisy wanted to make sure I got a video of her spinning with the girls, which was really sweet. Unfortunately, it looks like I started recording after the spinning occurred this time, but thankfully I had caught it on video when she first approached our table. Daisy then signed the girls’ books.



Daisy gave the girls some last hugs before going to the next table. She spent a good 3-4 minutes with the girls and was once again our favorite character meet at Topolino’s (she was last time too, which is why we picked her for our outfits this day). The characters did their dance/parade shortly after our meet with Daisy.

We were sat for 14 minutes (11:06am) before our server came to take our drink orders, which was the first sign that our server was likely overwhelmed. This ended up being the worst service of our trip, and I’m not sure if it was because our server forgot about us in the back room, but more likely she was just overwhelmed with other tables.

Mickey Mouse stopped by next at 11:14am.




Mickey’s visit will be continued in the next post due to picture limit!

 

[jrmint427]

Topolino’s, Part 2​

I offered to take a full group photo for the table next to us, and they offered to do the same for us when Mickey came.



Everyone loves a hug from Mickey.



Thankfully after we swapped a couple of pictures for each other with the table next to us, there were character attendants to take over, they just weren’t with the first few characters who came to visit us.

Our pastries came out next, 10 minutes after we had placed our drink orders, but before we even had water, at 11:16am. It wasn’t our normal server who delivered them. We received two buckets for our table. They had croissants, chocolate chip muffins and what looked like coffee cake. The presentation of the pastries is really cute, as it looks like a paint palette.

Minnie came next at 11:19am and we still hadn’t received any drinks yet, including water. We were all getting thirsty after eating the pastries. Minnie started by signing the girls’ books.





I think the table next to us was still helping with the picture of our full family here.



Minnie gave the girls hugs before moving on.



And what do you spy behind DD7’s hug?



Our drinks! Some of them anyway. We finally received the water and coffee we had ordered at 11:21am, almost 30 minutes after we were first sat. This is pretty unusual for our experience at Disney. Our alcoholic drinks did not come out and we were still missing the special drinks the girls had ordered too, the Peche Repose (peach, mint, lemon, soda water, $6.49).

I somehow missed that black coffee was included in our meal, so I ordered a Press Pot Riviera Resort Blend for 2 to share with Pat for $10. I wanted caffeine on top of the alcoholic drinks that also came with our meal plan.



This ended up being fine because I liked the press pot coffee better than the black coffee that was also brought to the table (which I switched to after we finished this pot). It was really good coffee. I was just bummed we had spent 30 minutes waiting for it, as coffee is something I like to enjoy slowly throughout a meal, and I needed the caffeine!

Our server said the girls could have both the POG juice and Peche Repose included in their meals, so of course they ordered one of each. Our family loves POG juice!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

They looked fabulous together!

This is so cute!!! The pictures outside of the resort, I was thinking what are they wearing? Why are they wearing pants?!? But now, it makes sense and is perfect!!!

Minnie came next at 11:19am and we still hadn’t received any drinks yet, including water. We were all getting thirsty after eating the pastries. Minnie started by signing the girls’ books.

I can only imagine!!!

ater and coffee we had ordered at 11:21am, almost 30 minutes after we were first sat. Th

I would have been dyeing for that coffee!!! And this is so not ok, that breakfast is too pricey to have crappy service!

 

[vamassey1]

When I saw the girls' outfits I immediately thought of Daisy. I'm sure she loved it too! They look great.

I'm so sorry your service was so bad. This ended up being our favorite meal when we went last month, so much so that Dennis wants to repeat it.

 

[jrmint427]

This is so cute!!! The pictures outside of the resort, I was thinking what are they wearing? Why are they wearing pants?!? But now, it makes sense and is perfect!!!

Thank you! That's too funny, they did want the leg warmers pulled up like pants, but the outfit worked out well!

I would have been dyeing for that coffee!!! And this is so not ok, that breakfast is too pricey to have crappy service!

Waiting for coffee to arrive was the hardest part! And I agree, I hoped this was just a one-off for the restaurant, this was not how our last experience there went.

When I saw the girls' outfits I immediately thought of Daisy. I'm sure she loved it too! They look great.

Aww, they had so much fun dressing like Daisy!

I'm so sorry your service was so bad. This ended up being our favorite meal when we went last month, so much so that Dennis wants to repeat it.

It was still one of our favorite meals! The food is so good there. I was surprised at our experience with the service, hoping it was just an off day there.

 

[jrmint427]

Topolino’s, Part 3​

Donald arrived next at 11:37am.



He also seemed to love the girls’ Daisy outfits.




There was no character attendant, and the table next to us had their food by now, so we didn’t want to bother them. So, my dad took a picture of the rest of us, but we didn't get a full family picture. It's nice when there is a character attendant willing to take pictures so we can get a full group picture at character meals.



During the next parade at 11:40am, Daisy made a brief stop by our table to blow the girls kisses, which was sweet.



Around 11:46am our food arrived. This was more than an hour after our ADR time and more than 50 minutes after we were sat. We were still missing our alcoholic drinks and the specialty drinks for the girls. I had tried to be patient, but we had ordered drinks 40 minutes earlier and I didn’t want to be receiving the drinks after we had already finished our meal. We had been watching for our server for the past 15-20 minutes without seeing her once. I got up to look for another CM to ask for help and I think I ended up near the entrance before I found someone to ask. Our drinks came out 4 minutes after that.

I ordered the mimosa.



Pat ordered the Bellini, and we had planned to share both. I liked his better, so it was a good thing we were sharing!



The girls were not crazy about the Peche Repose, I think the mint was an interesting choice for a kids’ drink (or maybe this one isn’t intended for kids?). The mint was strong and DD7 said, “This cocktail isn’t my favorite.”



Right after our food was delivered, and only 12 minutes after his last visit, Donald stopped by again. It’s always a little awkward to try to explain that we’ve already met a character so I think I said, “Good to see you again!” He took another picture with the girls. We’ll never turn down an extra hug or picture opportunity.




Up next, I’ll share about the food we ordered!

 

[vamassey1]

Having to wait so long for food and drinks is a pain, at least you had some character interaction to help pass the time.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

Did your server ever acknowledge that they didn't bring you the drinks? As a former server myself, if I came to a table and saw drinks that I knew had been ordered but I didn't deliver them, I certainly would have apologized and made sure they came out correctly. Yikes!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

This was more than an hour after our ADR time and more than 50 minutes after we were sat. We were still missing our alcoholic drinks and the specialty drinks for the girls. I had tried to be patient, but we had ordered drinks 40 minutes earlier and I didn’t want to be receiving the drinks after we had already finished our meal. We had been watching for our server for the past 15-20 minutes without seeing her once. I got up to look for another CM to ask for help and I think I ended up near the entrance before I found someone to ask. Our drinks came out 4 minutes after that.

You were MORE than patient!!! I don't think I would have waited that long! I get stuff happens but that was REALLY LONG!!