bobbyseal
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2013
We just got back from a 4 day in the park trip, staying at BLT.
We flew in on 3/15/2022 and landed in the evening. We got a rental car through Alamo - price was crazy at $630 for 5 days. But, we are used to the flexibility of having a rental car to zip between parks.
Traffic was painful on I4, but we made it to the BLT. We got a 1 BR theme park view, but arrived too late to see the fireworks. We got some food delivered from Garden Grocer and then got ready for 3/16.
We went to MK on 3/16. It was DD's birthday. Individual lightning lane was frustrating. At 7am, we couldn't find one. However, they seem to show back up a few minutes later. At around 7:15am we were able to book SDMT for a 3:30pm-ish ride. It's super frustrating, and we called it the Disney gambling. Even when you see a time for an individual lightning lane, you might not get that time. You might get locked out. Or, you do book the ride, but it's hours after what you thought your were getting. This is such an irritation for a family of planners. Anyway, we then booked Space Mountain around 11am.
Our itinerary started with JC as a rope drop. Then, we did standby at BTMR. Standby at splash mtn. Then, we used our LL at space mtn. At 11am, we then booked haunted mansion as a LL. After space mountain, we had lunch. Then, off to standby at Barn Stormer, Dumbo, and tomorrowland speedway. After that, we to went our LL at Haunted Mansion. Around 1pm, we booked pirates as a LL. Off to Philharmagic to kill some time after haunted mansion. Then we did SDMT. Around 3pm we booked Buzz lightyear LL. After SDMT off to Pirates. More, time to kill and so we rode the carousel. Dinner at BOG. Smallworld was a standby, but somehow we got a LL booked for the teacups around 5pm. So, we did that, and then off to Buzz. After buzz, DW wanted to go on the carousel of progress. Then, DS wanted the people mover which broke down as we were waiting, but got "moving" again after a few minutes. It was just a bit before 9pm by this time, and we saw that Astro Orbiters were a short wait. We saw the fireworks while on the Astro Orbiter. After fireworks ended, we took the monorail back to BLT. We hit up 18 rides/attractions that day. It was a solid use of time.
On 3/17 we went to HS and were the only people not wearing green! Again, ILL frustrations, but we were patient and got ROTR, but it was around 6pm. I thought I had an earlier one, but it booked me right at 6:20pm. I thought I was getting a 10:20am. This was so annoying as we had a dinner reservation at Narcoossee's at 5:30pm. I was sad to have to cancel that dinner res, but the cast member at the BLT got us a reservation at Mama Melrose for 5pm. Which was a nice meal, too. We also booked smuggler's run LL around 12:15pm.
We didn't quite rope drop, but we did our first standby at SDD. Wait was about 75 minutes. Line almost went to the buzz statue at the beginning of the toystory land. After SDD, we went to star wars land and spent some time exploring. Early lunch at Cargo bay 7, and a blue milk dessert. We kind of messed up booking our next LL, and ended up getting TSMM for a 4pm-ish time. One really needs to get on it 2 hours after park opening. After lunch we did Smuggler's Run. It got pretty hot, and so we went back to BLT for some pool time/shopping time. After a siesta, we drove back to HS and did TSMM. Dinner at Mama Melrose, then ROTR. We did stand by at M&MRR and booked a useless LL for Star Tours. The standby line was as short as the LL. That was it for our HS day.
3/18 was another HS to begin. We planned for HS in the morning and AK in the afternoon. We ended up getting an ILL for FOP at 2:15pm. We also lucked out an got an ILL to ROTR while we were driving to HS for around 7:15pm. Finally, we got a LL for Tower of Terror, but that came in at 6:40pm. We then went back to HS, and purchased build your own droids during the magic hours. We did standby at Smuggler's Run, then DW brought the kids droids back to the car while I took them on the Alien Saucers standby. At 10:30am I think we booked the Safari for after FOP. Star Tours standby, and then lunch at Backlot express at 11:15pm. Again, it was hot and so we did another pool time in the afternoon at BLT. After pool time, we drove over to AK and rode FOP. After that we had our LL for the safari and we got a rock n roller coaster LL for 8pm ish. It was blazingly hot after the safari and so we went back to the car. Dinner was at Sanaa. We had some extra time and enjoyed the airconditioning while watching the zebras and giraffes. After dinner, we finished off at HS, and did TOT, ROTR and RNRC.
At this point in the trip, we were getting used to the lightning lane booking. It was really random how some ILL would just show up and then, disappear after trying to book them.
3/19 was our last day in the park. We booked Epcot, but opted to park hop to HS again in the afternoon. So, we did ILL for Ratatouille which we got at 11:30. We got test track at 9:40am. We were somewhat able to rope drop and did Soarin' twice in a row. After that we got to test track and then did standby at Mission Space - green. We walked through world showcase and had an 11:15 lunch at the American Pavillion for some barbecue. We began trying to decide about getting SDD as a LL, but none would show up. So, we did RNRC again for 2:30pm. Pickings were slim. After getting though Ratatouille, we took the monorail back to BLT and had a siesta. We dinner reservation at Le Cellier and didn't want to move the car again. Back at the BLT, we were pretty tired out. Pool time wasn't going to happen then. We then took a Lyft back to HS. We rode RNRC and had some time to kill and waiting a long time for M&MRR. It was nice ride at the end. We rode the skyliner system back to Epcot and had dinner at Le Cellier. Our last ride was at the Land on the way out. We drove back to the BLT and everyone was zonked out by 8pm.
Unfortunately, we had a 6:30am flight out from MCO on southwest. Early morning rise today at 3:40am. We made it to drop off the rental car, and were scared as we got into the ticketing area. Frontier was an absolute mess. So many people trying to get through ticketing. Southwest was pretty backed up, too. We were slow getting out of Disney and had about an hour and a half once we were at the airport to get bags checked and get through security. We went back outside and used the skycap. Probably the best $10 tip I spent for the two bags this whole trip. We were able to get through security thanks to having the TSA precheck and made it to our gate about 10 minutes before boarding. We were flirting with disaster on the way out, but made it home safely.
Can't wait to do it again!
We flew in on 3/15/2022 and landed in the evening. We got a rental car through Alamo - price was crazy at $630 for 5 days. But, we are used to the flexibility of having a rental car to zip between parks.
Traffic was painful on I4, but we made it to the BLT. We got a 1 BR theme park view, but arrived too late to see the fireworks. We got some food delivered from Garden Grocer and then got ready for 3/16.
We went to MK on 3/16. It was DD's birthday. Individual lightning lane was frustrating. At 7am, we couldn't find one. However, they seem to show back up a few minutes later. At around 7:15am we were able to book SDMT for a 3:30pm-ish ride. It's super frustrating, and we called it the Disney gambling. Even when you see a time for an individual lightning lane, you might not get that time. You might get locked out. Or, you do book the ride, but it's hours after what you thought your were getting. This is such an irritation for a family of planners. Anyway, we then booked Space Mountain around 11am.
Our itinerary started with JC as a rope drop. Then, we did standby at BTMR. Standby at splash mtn. Then, we used our LL at space mtn. At 11am, we then booked haunted mansion as a LL. After space mountain, we had lunch. Then, off to standby at Barn Stormer, Dumbo, and tomorrowland speedway. After that, we to went our LL at Haunted Mansion. Around 1pm, we booked pirates as a LL. Off to Philharmagic to kill some time after haunted mansion. Then we did SDMT. Around 3pm we booked Buzz lightyear LL. After SDMT off to Pirates. More, time to kill and so we rode the carousel. Dinner at BOG. Smallworld was a standby, but somehow we got a LL booked for the teacups around 5pm. So, we did that, and then off to Buzz. After buzz, DW wanted to go on the carousel of progress. Then, DS wanted the people mover which broke down as we were waiting, but got "moving" again after a few minutes. It was just a bit before 9pm by this time, and we saw that Astro Orbiters were a short wait. We saw the fireworks while on the Astro Orbiter. After fireworks ended, we took the monorail back to BLT. We hit up 18 rides/attractions that day. It was a solid use of time.
On 3/17 we went to HS and were the only people not wearing green! Again, ILL frustrations, but we were patient and got ROTR, but it was around 6pm. I thought I had an earlier one, but it booked me right at 6:20pm. I thought I was getting a 10:20am. This was so annoying as we had a dinner reservation at Narcoossee's at 5:30pm. I was sad to have to cancel that dinner res, but the cast member at the BLT got us a reservation at Mama Melrose for 5pm. Which was a nice meal, too. We also booked smuggler's run LL around 12:15pm.
We didn't quite rope drop, but we did our first standby at SDD. Wait was about 75 minutes. Line almost went to the buzz statue at the beginning of the toystory land. After SDD, we went to star wars land and spent some time exploring. Early lunch at Cargo bay 7, and a blue milk dessert. We kind of messed up booking our next LL, and ended up getting TSMM for a 4pm-ish time. One really needs to get on it 2 hours after park opening. After lunch we did Smuggler's Run. It got pretty hot, and so we went back to BLT for some pool time/shopping time. After a siesta, we drove back to HS and did TSMM. Dinner at Mama Melrose, then ROTR. We did stand by at M&MRR and booked a useless LL for Star Tours. The standby line was as short as the LL. That was it for our HS day.
3/18 was another HS to begin. We planned for HS in the morning and AK in the afternoon. We ended up getting an ILL for FOP at 2:15pm. We also lucked out an got an ILL to ROTR while we were driving to HS for around 7:15pm. Finally, we got a LL for Tower of Terror, but that came in at 6:40pm. We then went back to HS, and purchased build your own droids during the magic hours. We did standby at Smuggler's Run, then DW brought the kids droids back to the car while I took them on the Alien Saucers standby. At 10:30am I think we booked the Safari for after FOP. Star Tours standby, and then lunch at Backlot express at 11:15pm. Again, it was hot and so we did another pool time in the afternoon at BLT. After pool time, we drove over to AK and rode FOP. After that we had our LL for the safari and we got a rock n roller coaster LL for 8pm ish. It was blazingly hot after the safari and so we went back to the car. Dinner was at Sanaa. We had some extra time and enjoyed the airconditioning while watching the zebras and giraffes. After dinner, we finished off at HS, and did TOT, ROTR and RNRC.
At this point in the trip, we were getting used to the lightning lane booking. It was really random how some ILL would just show up and then, disappear after trying to book them.
3/19 was our last day in the park. We booked Epcot, but opted to park hop to HS again in the afternoon. So, we did ILL for Ratatouille which we got at 11:30. We got test track at 9:40am. We were somewhat able to rope drop and did Soarin' twice in a row. After that we got to test track and then did standby at Mission Space - green. We walked through world showcase and had an 11:15 lunch at the American Pavillion for some barbecue. We began trying to decide about getting SDD as a LL, but none would show up. So, we did RNRC again for 2:30pm. Pickings were slim. After getting though Ratatouille, we took the monorail back to BLT and had a siesta. We dinner reservation at Le Cellier and didn't want to move the car again. Back at the BLT, we were pretty tired out. Pool time wasn't going to happen then. We then took a Lyft back to HS. We rode RNRC and had some time to kill and waiting a long time for M&MRR. It was nice ride at the end. We rode the skyliner system back to Epcot and had dinner at Le Cellier. Our last ride was at the Land on the way out. We drove back to the BLT and everyone was zonked out by 8pm.
Unfortunately, we had a 6:30am flight out from MCO on southwest. Early morning rise today at 3:40am. We made it to drop off the rental car, and were scared as we got into the ticketing area. Frontier was an absolute mess. So many people trying to get through ticketing. Southwest was pretty backed up, too. We were slow getting out of Disney and had about an hour and a half once we were at the airport to get bags checked and get through security. We went back outside and used the skycap. Probably the best $10 tip I spent for the two bags this whole trip. We were able to get through security thanks to having the TSA precheck and made it to our gate about 10 minutes before boarding. We were flirting with disaster on the way out, but made it home safely.
Can't wait to do it again!
