Soarin' Over The Pond - An Oct 2017 Adult Mother-Daughter Trip, Yacht Club, MNSSHP, F&W UPDATED 12/2 2021!!

[MrsPMcD]

“You are the passengers on a most uncommon trip report about to ascend into your very own episode of… a visit to Walt Disney World resort! One (OK more than one) stormy night(s) long ago (OK a month ago), two people stepped through the door of an elevator and into a fantastic girls trip to the most magical place on Earth.

That door is opening once again, and this time it’s opening for you. “

Welcome to my first trip report on the DIS! I hope you enjoy it!

The trip:

A mother-daughter trip to the Yacht Club in Walt Disney World Resort for my Mum's birthday which happily coincided with MNSSHP, Epcot's 35th anniversary, Food and Wine Festival, Christopher Cross at Eat to the Beat and about 300 trips on Soarin'

The cast of characters:

IMG_2715 by travelbug_1986__10, on Flickr

Me - Gemma, 31, very happily married PR career gal with one fur baby.
Favourite Disney Restaurant: Yachtsman Steak House
Favourite Disney Rides: Tower of Terror and Spaceship Earth - I just can't pick between them!
Favourite Park:Epcot, just edges the Magic Kingdom but it's close.
Favourite Disney experience: Walking into a resort hotel or park for the first time and just taking it all in.
Favourite Disney snack:Zebra Domes (as of this trip!)
Favourite character to meet: Donald Duck

IMG_0201 by travelbug_1986__10, on Flickr

My Mum - Helen, not 31. Very happily married and happily retired!
Favourite Disney Restaurant: Raglan Road (plus she's half Irish so it's like home!)
Favourite Disney Ride: If you hadn't guessed from the title...Soarin'
Favourite Park: Epcot (but not on a weekend during F&W!!)
Favourite Disney Experience: People watching
Favourite Disney Snack:Cinnamon Roll at Gaston's
Favourite character to meet: Chip n Dale

I'm the Disney Trip organiser of our family, I love the planning, everything is put together in a spreadsheet and everyone else just has to turn up! This was my 8th trip to Disney and my Mum's 9th. My first trip was when I was five years old and I have loved it ever since. My husband (luckily!) loves it too and we spent our honeymoon at the Yacht Club in 2014

This trip we spent 8 nights at the Yacht Club and managed to squeeze in a lot into our trip including my Mum's birthday, Epcot's 35th birthday, first trip to Pandora, first Mickey's Not So Scary, F&W festival, lots of yummy food and lots of 'firsts' even for these two Disney vets!

I'll fill in our first day soon but I hope you will join me

 

[DLo]

Jumped over from beach/yacht club thread. Looking forward to reading about your trip .

 

[Cando86]

Excited to read about your trip!!!

 

[buteraa]

Congrats on your 1st trip report. Standing by...

 

[BriLovesDisney]

Yay for your first trip report! Following along

 

[Mollydolly334]

Yay!! I'm here!

Can't wait to hear all about your adventure!

 

[Disneybuckeye]

Joining in. Love adult only trip reports

 

[MrsPMcD]

Jumped over from beach/yacht club thread. Looking forward to reading about your trip .

Thank you! Hope you enjoy it, and welcome!

Excited to read about your trip!!!

Thank you - We got up to so much - loads of fun!

Congrats on your 1st trip report. Standing by...

Thank you, welcome along and I hope you come back!

Yay for your first trip report! Following along

Yay indeed, it's really a good way to relive the holiday.

Yay!! I'm here!

Can't wait to hear all about your adventure!

Yay Molly Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoy it!

Joining in. Love adult only trip reports

Me too! We love our adult Disney trips, you get some weird reactions when you tell people that's what you're doing... until they see what you can do!

 

[absolutmey]

can't wait to read all about it!

 

[MrsPMcD]

Travel Day!

Leaving on a jet plane, a ride on the Magical Express and Soarin' through a frat party at Epcot Food & Wine!

After 100s of days of waiting the day had finally arrived and we were off to Disney! I'd done my nails the day before and was all Disney-fied and ready to go...

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For once we didn't have a horribly early start as we were flying direct from Glasgow to MCO, yay no changing planes in London. My Mum drove to our house to collect me at around 0800 and after saying goodbye to my husband and dog we were off!

We weren't in the airport for too long, 80mins max before we were boarding and getting very very excited.

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Then it was up, up and away! Goodbye sunny Scotland... hope the sun is out in Orlando too...

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We had a lovely flight, I had just finished a very busy four weeks having resigned from one job to take a great new opportunity but my old job was definitely my baby so I had been putting in lots of hours to do a solid handover and make sure my role ticked along until the newbie started. So I had been really looking forward to spending 8 hours in my leggings, cozy jumper and Uggs whilst reading, watching movies, snacking and having a few drinks, magic

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Very soon we were in US airspace , nice and sunny in what I think was one of the Carolinas according to the in-flight map

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And then shortly... we arrived! We touched down in MCO and cleared immigration in about 20 minutes. It was going so well as we quickly whizzed through the automated machines but then we got separated into different lines and mine took forever, it was torture seeing my mum standing with the bags and not being in yet! Eventually I was through and we were off to the fake-o-rail! Woop woop. Once we were in the main terminal, I was so excited I almost cried - yes I love arriving in MCO that much. The fountain in the middle of the arrivals area just smells of Florida and it is like instant happiness and excitement.

Next up I pretty much sprinted, whilst dragging a giant case and carry on...and my mum to the Magical Express. Mum: "Where is this place? I feel we've walked half way to Disney already?!"

We used our magic bands from the last trip which made us zip through and then we were off!

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Our driver was brilliant and zoomed (safely) through the traffic until soon we saw...

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Errr what's with the colour of the sky and torrential rain though?! But yay, we were here and even a little liquid sunshine couldn't dampen our spirits. After drop offs at the Boardwalk and Beach Club it was our turn. Breathing in the smell of the Yacht Club I almost cried again... Home!

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At check in the Cast Member made a funny face at our reservation...not cool. And then asked if we wanted to move to the Beach Club...club level. Hmmm. I really wanted to be in the YC but I knew my mum wanted to try CL, in the end the BC room didn't work for us, it was a king bed (not two queens) and didn't have a full balcony, deal breaker!

After another sprint along corridors, we arrived here

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Our room was lovely and we were upgraded from a garden view room to a lagoon view.

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Whilst mum was freshening up I quickly hung a birthday banner for the next day and did some unpacking.

I was super tired by this but it was time to wake up a bit because we had a FP+ for Soarin' and it was the first time we had been on it since the change! So it was on with the ponchos and into Epcot or the giant frat party with a side of f bombs WS was absolutely full to bursting with people and people who had been drinking around the world for a while! But we persevered to Soarin' and loved it! We had never done a park on arrival day before (the long flight makes it tricky) so this was really special for us. We also waited for B1 and my mum especially loved it. We had a FP+ for one of my all time favourites Spaceship Earth but I didn't think Disney would let me sleep there all night so we had to hustle back!

I've not been so happy to be in bed for a long time! By the time my head hit the pillow I'd been up for about 22 hours!

NEXT UP: Day 1, A magical birthday to my Mum in Magic Kingdom!

 

[Raeven]

Following along!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Saving my spot and I’ll be back to read later. Can’t wait to hear about your trip

 

[MrsPMcD]

can't wait to read all about it!

Following along!

Saving my spot and I’ll be back to read later. Can’t wait to hear about your trip

Thank you for joining in!

 

[MrsPMcD]

DAY 1, Part 1 - A very happy birthday in the Magic Kingdom

Sat 30th Sept

Having fallen exhausted into bed at around 9pm the night before I was ready for a nice long sleep... so I woke up at 0025 (0525 in the UK and when I usually get up, thank you body clock), then 0125, 0300, 0400 and I eventually gave in and got up at 0530! Soon after getting up I did one of my favourite things on a Disney holiday, stepped out onto the balcony and just took it all in! To be fair, this early in the morning there was not much to take in, not even a very keen runner but the lights were on, the boardwalk was still wet (but no rain, phew) and the Yacht Club looked just as I remembered it

When I got back in Mum was up and I wished her a very happy Disney birthday , she opened her presents from my Dad that I had packed, opened all her cards and then we had breakfast in the room from Garden Grocer. We also had tea from the Keurig machine which worked really well! Next up there was a big decision to make, not what park to go too - that had been planned for about 6 months (obviously!) - but what to wear! When my husband and I went on honeymoon I had made us 'Just Married' t-shirts and my Mum really wanted t-shirts for our trip. I had made up some designs on photoshop and got them printed onto navy polos for us before the trip so we decided today was the day for our mother-daughter trip polos!

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Soon it was time to get the bus to the Magic Kingdom! The park had originally been due to open at 0900 but the hours had been extended to 0800 which was great as it gave us more time to take advantage of jet lag and then more afternoon margarita, err I mean pool, time. When we arrived at the YC bus stop at around 0710 there were quite a lot of people already waiting, I assumed as MK was the only park opening at 0800 that we weren't the only people planning an early MK start, however when the bus arrived we were the only people who got on! Everyone else was waiting for the bus to AK which wasn't due to open for two more hours eeek, epic crowds and Pandora lines bat man! The AK confusion also meant that we almost missed the MK bus as, being British, those people were there before us and God forbid we try to get on the bus before them. Luckily it soon twigged that they weren't getting on and we dashed for the door! Off to the Magic Kingdom!!

Before this trip I was pretty gutted that the Welcome Show had changed but on the run up to the trip I was looking forward to being able to just enjoy Main St USA and having a stroll around. Making the most of the change...

After clearing bag check and security (not hard with a bag the size of mine, can you guess my favourite colour...?!)

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It was the moment we had been waiting for almost all year! We walked under the railway station and into one of my favourite places in the world.

Walt Disney World Photo Gallery Disc by travelbug_1986__10, on Flickr

(I can't believe I didn't take any photos, we were seriously just focused on being in the moment! So this is a freebie from Memory Maker - it was not this quiet nor am I this handy with a camera!)

We're home! We both just stood to the side for a bit and took it all in. We admired the Halloween decorations and got even more excited for MNSSHP in a few nights. After a stroll around the town square and a stop into the hall to get Mum her birthday badge, we "walked right down the middle of Main St USA" We wanted to get a photo but all of the PP photographer had huge lines and we wanted to see a bit of the new (and not improved) welcome show. Well... meh but hey we were just happy to be there and soon we were rope dropping fantasy land and hoping to take flight in our very own pirate ship! Denied! Peter Pan's Flight was down but not to worry, we turned tail and hopped straight onto the carrousel. I know we could have rushed for an E ticket but we had good FP+ for those and we were in a soaking it all in, nostalgia day mood. Unfortunately the Step Sisters weren't doing their early morning ride along - I had hoped we might time it to ride with them. My Mum and I hadn't been on this ride together in over 25 years so this was a lovely way to start the day.

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I checked the MDE app and PPF was still down so we wandered into New Fantasy Land and woke up a lovely PP photographer! He was actually pretty asleep on his feet but was very cheery once he worked out we would like a photo!

MK_BELLEVILLAGEBRIDGEICONNC_20170930_405180738653 by travelbug_1986__10, on Flickr

MK_BELLEVILLAGEBRIDGEICONNC_20170930_405180738657 by travelbug_1986__10, on Flickr

As you can see New Fantasy Land was super quiet - bliss! It was time to go and visit our friend Ariel and have a bit of a sing-a-long! We walked through the lovely line and took in all the details, pointing things out to each other as we went, before boarding our clam shell with nobody else around and journeying under the sea with the little mermaid With nobody else on the ride (we checked) we really enjoyed our sing-a-long and soon we were back on the surface. On the way out I pointed out (IMHO) the best hidden Mickey on property! I love the Steamboat Willie hidden Mickey! It took mum a while to see it but with some help from a friendly cast member on the opposite side of the water she got it.

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Next up...second breakfast! My Mum's absolute favourite dessert is a cinnamon-bun so there was really only one place we were headed that morning! Gaston's!

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YUM! We asked for extra icing, because why not?! And then split a roll whilst enjoying some tea in a nice corner of the tavern. I just loved all the details and couldn't help but sing a little "I use antlers in all of my decoraaaaaaating" to Mum who just looked bemused. As the main man himself wasn't in residence I took the opportunity to pose in his chair.

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MDE was still showing that PPF was down so we headed for one of my all time favourites, The Haunted Mansion however on the way past PPF was up! It was showing a 30min wait time but we didn't have a FP+ and we didn't mind seeing some of the details in the interactive queue! So...second star to the right and straight on 'til morning!

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We loved playing in the interactive queue especially the magic shadows and bells but within 20 mins (I didn't think it would be 30) we were boarding our pirate ship (pirate ship selfie!)! I love this ride, I know it's old but it's special!

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After we disembarked the line was up to 50mins so definitely a good shout to ride when we did. Having grabbed a times guide on the way in I knew it was almost time for a Muppets show in Liberty Square so we nipped around the corner and enjoyed the decorations there before the show started. What a brilliant show! We thought it was hilarious and we love the Muppets anyway.

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The Haunted Mansion had a '13' minute aka zero wait. On the way in I pointed out some details to my Mum including the matches in the bun of one of the busts who died in a fire. I love this about Disney, you can't really see this detail unless you squeeze behind the busts or are in an extended bit of the queue but the imagineers still put it in. Wonderful. We boarded our doom buggy and then made it back from the beyond. I do think this ride is one of the best examples of imagineering. I just love it.

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By the time we took advantage of another PP photographer it was 1030 and time for our first FP+ BTMR!! Yay for the wildest ride in the wilderness! I think this is one of my favourite rides...hang on I think I have said that about everything so far... hmm. Anyway I love it and we were soon whizzing through Tumbleweed before disembarking and visiting the geysers!

IMG_2549 by travelbug_1986__10, on Flickr

By the time we were done posing... our stomachs were really rumbling. We hadn't eaten in a proper meal in over 24 hours and were starving. Armed with Disney knowledge I suggested we hit up Pecos Bill and the toppings bar! It was still only 1050 and I tell you that ten minuted to opening was one of the longest ten minutes of our lives. Just. Give. Us. The. Food! We saw the little opening ceremony they did, cute but seriously hungry people waiting, I then picked the wrong line, nooooo, as the cast member couldn't get into her machine. However wow the food was worth it, sorry no pics it barely got to the table! We shared a burrito platter plus some extra nacho chips and lots of yummy guac. And the lovely cast member at the pick up window window gave mum some free birthday churros and sauce, pixie dust!! The next ten minutes passed in silence as we inhaled food....

I'll be back to update on Day 1 ASAP, including lunch at Be Our Guest, a lovely afternoon at the YC with more birthday presents, a disappointing Epcot meal (which makes me realise that my judgement on meals needs to have an asterisk when I've had multiple margaritas ) and a torrential down pour!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Finally got back here to read about your trip
I recognise those airplane seats as we flew in them last summer Very comfy and isn't it great when you can fly direct!!
Virgin now go direct to MCO from Belfast which is heavenly. No more hanging about Gatwick on our way home feeling knackered
You and your mum look so happy to be in MK - great way to spend a birthday and if they're going to throw in free churros- well what's not to love!!
I love your photos though I clearly need stronger glasses as I've spent way too long trying to find hidden Steamboat Willie Mickey and if I didn't have to go pick up my son I'd still be looking.
Great start, can't wait for more

 

[KimmyD]

I'm super excited to read the rest!!!

 

[Raeven]

After clearing bag check and security (not hard with a bag the size of mine, can you guess my favourite colour...?!)

Cute! I like the matching colors.

 

[MrsPMcD]

Day One Part Two - When I realise that my past experience at restaurants is affected by how many margaritas I drank with the meal... ooops!

Apologies for the delay in actually finishing Day One, I've started a new job and, whilst amazing, it has been all go and lots of travel.

When we left off we had just inhaled our meal at Pecos Bill. We loved our food there it was fresh, filling and really hit the spot. Whilst we digested and got over our hanger (hangry!) we just sat and watched the world go by We were able to see everyone rushing towards BTMR and it was just fun to see.

We left the restaurant and strolled through Adventure Land, when we reached the hub Mickey's something party which I renamed Mickey's Interminable Party was going on (seriously, every time we were near the hub it was happening!). As people began to 'let it go' it began to rain and we darted into the shops. I found a Minnie Mouse bow ring that I was had been looking for to set off my Minnie mani and my Mum found a few necklaces she liked but she saved them for later. Next up was something that my Mum had really wanted to see, the glass blowing demo and as luck would have it we arrived two minutes before the next demo started.

IMG_2555 by travelbug_1986__10, on Flickr

We loved this and if you haven't been before we would highly recommend you check it out! The guy was making a Daisy Duck vase and it was amazing to see - and super hot, maybe not one if you visit in July!

After the demo was finished we thanked the cast member and strolled up Main St USA to our next destination... Tomorrowland! On our way we bumped into The Mayor and he wished Mum a very happy birthday - pixie dust! We had timed it perfectly to hit the last ten mins of our next FP+ which was Space Mountain...denied! again! More technical issues and space was down too However, our next FP+ window was coming up soon so we headed around to 7DMT...denied again! 7DMT was down too!! Hmm today's plans were quickly unravelling and we were also quickly picking up any time FP. We still had about half an hour before our lunch at BoG and I had a birthday present for Mum that I wanted to give to her by the wishing well... denied! Whaaaaat? How was this even possible?! The construction walls were up for something and the wishing well was inaccessible. I'd made up a card with the Fairy Godmother and the quote "make a wish and do as dreamers do..... and all your wishes will come true", I'd laminated the card and stuck a shiny penny in the middle so she could throw it in the well. I gave her the card anyway, in sight of the well, and we'll try again on our next trip! At least BoG couldn't be suffering technical issues...right....

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Despite this guy's face, no it was open and functioning! Phew!

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We both ordered the tuna salad and it was amazing! Really enjoyed it. We sat in the ball room mainly because Mum was worried that if we didn't sit down ASAP our food would miss us and we were both pretty sore and tired by this point! Next time, however, we would sit in the Rose Gallery. It was so much quieter when we went to check it out and much calmer. We also checked out the West Wing but decided that it was way too dark and loud for us to enjoy eating in, amazing theming though!

To be honest the tuna salad was mainly just killing time until we both got to enjoy what we really came for... the grey stuff and yes it was delicious!

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After lunch we decided that it was definitely time to head back to the resort for some pool time and a break. Our feet were tired and we were still pretty jet lagged. Always time to leave the parks when that's how you feel!No midday meltdowns for us.

Back at the Yacht Club I picked up a few things for Mum to add to her birthday gift basket. I'd brought some things with me, including the basket, cellophane and ribbons but I wanted some Disney specific bits and pieces. Back in the room Mum was not so subtly asked to head out to the balcony whilst I got everything together including the bottle of fizz I had chilling in a brown bag in our fridge.

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The basket included:
Her favourite fizz
Disney champagne flutes
PB M and Ms - her favourites and you can't get them in the UK
Disney shower gel
Shower buffs
Yacht Club magnet
plus other bits and pieces I had brought with me.

IMG_2572 by travelbug_1986__10, on Flickr

This is why a balcony is a must for us

After a couple of glasses of fizz we headed down to Stormalong Bay and enjoyed a float around the lazy river as well as some time just lounging by the pool. WE returned to our room to get ready for dinner in Epcot at La Hacienda de San Angel... which I remember as being great but my husband made a face when I told him where I had booked... pffft who's the Disney expert out of the two of us anyway?! Well... not me tonight. First rookie mistake, don't book something in world showcase on a Saturday night during F&W, the usual 12-15 minute walk to Mexico took forevvvvver, also somebody had moved it in the WS (second rookie mistake, I went right at Int Gateway) and third mistake don't rely on your judgement when the last time you ate their you enjoyed a couple of margaritas. Yes, just two, but I am a serious lightweight and apparently that was enough to turn an average meal into epic... Anyway. Suffice to say our meal was not good. The restaurant was jammed (I refer you back to rookie mistake 1) and we were seated between a table of 6 and a loud table of four, when I say between I mean I felt like we were just one big table. I asked to be moved but apparently (despite there being two free tables of two that I could see) that would mean a 30 minute wait So we just ate our food and watched as a MASSIVe storm appeared over the American pavilion. OhOh, I think we're going to get soaked...

This is definitely how we felt paying for the meal! It was pricey and not worth the money. Not a good feeling but oh well!

Cutting our losses and with the storm now looking super threatening we power walked from the restaurant and headed towards Canada (learned my lesson!) We got to int Gateway and it started to drip but being a Disney Pro... as the last para obviously shows... I had disposable ponchos but remember the size of my park bag? Yeh those ponchos were thin... aaaaaaand awful! I quickly realised this and just held mine over my head whilst running for the tapstiles. Mum tried to persevere which became hysterical. WE made it out of Epcot as it really started to rain but I redeemed myself and shouted to mum, who was still doing battle with the useless poncho, whilst trying to run (seriously I wish I had this on camera) to follow me into the secret gate for the Beach Club Villas. Here we were relatively sheltered and I also knew once we were into the building we were dry all the way home I was in the lead and made it into the villas adjoining walkway pretty dry, only to turn and see what looked like a jellyfish almost over shoot the turning. Realising, at the last minute, that the jellyfish was actually Mum I shouted to her and she made it in but we were both in hysterics, laughing by now. We probably looked like we had spent a bit too much time in the WS that afternoon but the scene with the disintegrating ponchos was just too funny!

It was still only 8:00pm by this time but we were ready to crash out again! Plus tomorrow was a big day, it was another birthday! Epcot's birthday!

 

[MrsPMcD]

No more hanging about Gatwick on our way home feeling knackered
You and your mum look so happy to be in MK - great way to spend a birthday and if they're going to throw in free churros- well what's not to love!!

The hanging around on the way back is terrible! Love the direct flights!! We were so happy

I'm super excited to read the rest!!!

Sorry for the wait!!

Cute! I like the matching colors.

Thank you, love green!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Great update and so glad you came out laughing despite the less than stellar meal. I've never been to Epcot during F&W but have read lots of reports saying how crazy it is!!
I love the birthday basket and the balcony is just perfect for a glass of fizz
What a view