Stop and Smell the Roses But Watch Out for the Bees! July '12 It's a Wrap Folks! 2.23

[TinksThree]

YAY! The HDDR review!

First let me say that I love all of your pictures! Especially the ones you took of the kids while waiting around outside.

Now....as for that snide lady. What a miserable person she must be. I really feel for her children. If she's like that at Disney....yikes! I'm glad you were able to bite your tongue & not stoop to her level. I, on the other hand, probably would have stooped down very quickly.

The show really looks like a lot of fun. This makes me very happy about choosing this for our last night meal. And the food looks very yummy. I think Ed will love the food!!

Thanks on the pictures! I was hoping for a more "portrait" type shot to frame of the kids and these suited me fine!

I normally would have said something to that lady but I am trying to learn to hold my tongue until I cool down! I tend to have a bit of a temper....the Irish coming out in me! I told Keith about it after the fact and he wanted to go hunt her down!

I personally think you will love it and made a perfect choice for your last night!!

Yay!!!! HDDR!!!!

First, I thought I remembered having to take a bus out to Fort Wilderness. You can take a ferry straight there? That may really change things for me. I hate the idea of having to take 3 buses just to get there.

Gorgeous photos! Love the photo shoot with Madison, she looks gorgeous.

So glad that you all loved the show and had a great free day!

Last year we drove and parked in the front parking area and then had to board a bus. It took forever plus we were running a little late. By the time we arrived I was majorly stressed!! With the ferry from MK you get off the dock and walk past the beach area then a little bit further down the walk you are at Pioneer Hall! It was amazingly convenient and really made me shake my head at last year's decision! (As a matter of fact, you can see the lake where the boat dock is in the picture I took from the side porch where we sat to have drinks)

I keep looking at Madison and wondering where the last 10 years went! It seems like yesterday she was 6 years old! They grow up so fast! I agree, I think she is gorgeous too but then I am an inpartial mom!! Thank you so much!!

To use a line from my last trip report installment "What flew up her butt?" I never understand it when someone makes rude comments when others are having fun and taking pictures. Like you said, it's not as if ya'll were being extremely loud or anything. She should take lessons from your family and cut loose every once in a while.

I agree with you on the Hoop Dee Doo Review review. While we like the food, it's the show and atmosphere that keep us going back.

I think your off day was a complete success!

We had noticed the two kids faces seemed so down and then as things progressed we realized why! I wonder if it made her feel better to comment on us having fun when she was apparently not!

The show is what really takes us back over and over! We just have the best time and the food isn't bad either so it adds to the enjoyment! The more I go the more I feel it is really a great value even if paying OOP at cat. 1 prices!

 

[saintstickets]

Reaching the end of the mansion section, I cross back over the Sassagoula River and make my way back to POFQ.

This reminds me of the antebellum homes from where I was born in Natchez.

I love Magnolias! Maybe because I grew up in a town with that name but it just seems so Southern to me!!

Of course you do...it is our State tree and flower after all! I didn't know you were a Pike County gal!

Now this reminds me of the "other" French Quarter!

 

[Angies1274]

Great update!! I have always wanted to try HDDR! It looks like you had so much fun! I'm definitely putting it on our list for next trip.

So glad to hear you had a wonderful "free" vacation day!

 

[TinksThree]

This reminds me of the antebellum homes from where I was born in Natchez.

Of course you do...it is our State tree and flower after all! I didn't know you were a Pike County gal!

Now this reminds me of the "other" French Quarter!

I love Natchez! Those antebellum homes reminding me of Natchez was the reason I always hesitated staying at PO...so close to home. But I am so glad I gave it a shot!

I am a Pike County gal!!!

You're back from Hawaii!! Was it amazing!? We are currently on the road to The Rock!!!

 

[TinksThree]

Great update!! I have always wanted to try HDDR! It looks like you had so much fun! I'm definitely putting it on our list for next trip.

So glad to hear you had a wonderful "free" vacation day!

Thanks!! HDDR is so fun! I hope you can try it one day! It was a great "free" day!!

 

[saintstickets]

You're back from Hawaii!! Was it amazing!? We are currently on the road to The Rock!!!

Yup....made it back safe and sorta sound! I'll have to start the TR soon. I wish I had known you were coming this way for the game. It would have been nice to talk in person. It definately would have been better than the game! Sighhhhhh.

 

[sherylcin]

What.A.Great.Day! Thank you so much for the great review of HDD (again!). I love all the pics of the show and all the pics before and after of the boat ride, your kids, just everything!! Too bad "grumpus lady" wasn't having a very Disney day or attitude. Madison's little photo shoot is great. She is a beautiful girl and I remember exactly what you're feeling when you look at them and can't believe how grown up they are. I made the HDD reservation already for our January trip and can't wait for the experience! I think we'll all love it! (forgot that you pay for this meal when you make the reservation eek but it'll be great come January!!) What a great story about the family celebrating Nanna's 90th birthday! I'm gonna tell my family they can plan on that opportunity as well (especially since I'm Nana too)!!

 

[TinksThree]

Yup....made it back safe and sorta sound! I'll have to start the TR soon. I wish I had known you were coming this way for the game. It would have been nice to talk in person. It definately would have been better than the game! Sighhhhhh.

I will have to watch for that TR!

We plan to be at the Louisville game on the 29th. It would have been nice to say "hi"! I didn't have huge hopes for this season but what I was afraid of happening happened! We looked like a high school team yesterday! The highlight was tailgating, pregame:

and then between the 3rd and 4th quarter the dude that kicked the 37 yard field goal to win a jeep. That was the biggest highlight...he was stoked! The rest was as you said..."Sighhhhhhhh"!

What.A.Great.Day! Thank you so much for the great review of HDD (again!). I love all the pics of the show and all the pics before and after of the boat ride, your kids, just everything!! Too bad "grumpus lady" wasn't having a very Disney day or attitude. Madison's little photo shoot is great. She is a beautiful girl and I remember exactly what you're feeling when you look at them and can't believe how grown up they are. I made the HDD reservation already for our January trip and can't wait for the experience! I think we'll all love it! (forgot that you pay for this meal when you make the reservation eek but it'll be great come January!!) What a great story about the family celebrating Nanna's 90th birthday! I'm gonna tell my family they can plan on that opportunity as well (especially since I'm Nana too)!!

Thank you so much!!! This was one of the highlights of the trip!! It was a wonderful day!! My mom is Nanie...she was going to be Nana but when Madison (the first grandchild) started talking, it came out Nanie so my mom said whatever she was called was fine by her!

I hope you guys love it as much as we do!!!

 

[TinksThree]

Tuesday, July 10, 2012


The original “plan” for today is to begin the day at Hollywood Studios (Toy Story is a must! Keith loves this ride!), lunch at Sci-Fi, a break at the resort to swim and then head to Epcot for dinner at The Garden Grill and whatever strikes our fancy! Let’s see what this day holds!!!

We arrive bright and early at Hollywood Studios. We line up for the bag check which seemed to take forever (again one of the longest lines we had to endure!) This year the Rope Drop scenario has changed and I must say I much prefer this new format! I did get one crowd picture:

After going through bag check, we line up at the ticket turnstiles. Once 9am hits the CMs begin letting people go through the turnstiles and the rush to get to those valuable FPs and much desired rides is greatly decreased! You still had masses going in one way or the other but nothing like last year’s fiasco!

I love Magic Kingdom Rope Drop solely for the Welcome Show, Epcot doesn’t require me to be there 45 minutes early, and Animal Kingdom depends since we like early entry breakfast at Tusker House but Hollywood Studios? Getting there early is a MUST if we choose to go on Toy Story Mania. I refuse to wait longer than 30 minutes and I want my FP return time to not be that night!

We enter the park and hand our tickets to Chris to make the FP run. Madison chose to hang with Keith and me since she doesn’t like trying to keep up with Chris. He doesn’t really run but his legs are much longer than Madison’s and walking fast means Madison has to run!

As we make our way to Pixar Land I snap a few pictures (my goal was pictures I haven’t really gotten before) so this one was new:

Goofy is coming out for Character Meets:

In trying to get the Hollywood Studios sign I got this lady in stride…wonder if she made it where she was going!?

Then we make it to Pixar and Toy Story!!

PIXAR sign: This is a replica of the Pixar gateway in Emeryville, CA and the bricks used were chosen to match the ones at the animation studio in Emeryville. To me…who cares? But really it is that kind of detail that makes things special. If you car enough to match the bricks then you will care enough to make the rest of the project work!!


Chris rejoins us and we get in the stand-by line (about a 15 minute wait). I take a few pictures along the way but we were moving so quickly it was hard to not hold up those eager to ride!


We enter and are shrunk to toy size. Something else I never really stopped to think about. Now that I do know this, looking around is even cooler! Supposedly as you pass the blue crayon you are magically shrunk to toy size and as you go through the queue, the room is actually Andy’s and everything has been left as if he were playing with the toys and games! Once you enter the ride you have become part of their world and are interacting with the toys as you play TSMM. Now I feel really dumb because it makes so much sense!! I don’t think I would be a good Imagineer!!

I loved this game as a child!!

Mr. Potato Head: So this guy isn’t your typical Audio-Animatronics character. He is the first to be able to remove parts of his body and his mouth looks as though it is forming real words along with his eyes looking at the individual he is speaking to.

A few more before we join in the midway fun!!

We load up and have fun competing. The prize for the highest scorer was to choose where we would eat on Thursday night. Another change in plans was that I was having huge doubts about eating at Les Chefs de France since we were paying OOP and Keith didn’t want the meal to be at lunch. So that ADR was cancelled but the decision of just where to eat was up in the air. By the end of this day, the decision is made!!

But for now, Keith beats us at TSMM and after exiting we try to decide where to go next.

We walk over to Tower of Terror but the wait was already 60 minutes (thanks to those tour groups which I am choosing to completely leave out of this but it pretty much confirmed we won’t go back in July unless it is our only choice!!!)

We grab some FPs but when the kids return with the FP I see it is impossible for us to use them. We have an ADR an 11:15am and the return time is 11:20-12:20pm. Sometimes I REALLY dislike them enforcing that return time rule!! Disappointed we later hand them over to a very appreciative (and disbelieving) teenage girl in the TSMM FP Return line. Just paying it forward since I have had FPs handed over to me before!!


Continued in next post....

 

[TinksThree]

Anyhow, we decide to move on down the road since Rock-n-Roller is at 75 minutes. We head towards Art of Animation. This is a "not done before" for us. We wait about 10 minutes before the next showing. We enter the cool little theater area.

This is a pleasant experience. We enjoyed hearing the tales of animation!

We exit and see a lady hard at work. I wonder if she feels like she's in a zoo?

And then we move into the next area where Sorcerer Mickey is located.

We played a game telling which character we are…

I am Ursula….can’t remember how that happened. I think we were trying to see what options were there! (Or else I am a subconsciously devious sort of person!)

Madison got Belle!

Chris and Keith both got Captain Hook. Something to be proud of????

Next we go back to TSMM to ride using our FP. Again Keith beats us all (makes me so mad!!! )

Then we go the long way to our lunch ADR at Sci-Fi! Streets of America!!

Do you spot the red fire hydrant? This hydrant will open at times spraying cold water on unsuspecting people (I suppose). I did not know this nor have I seen it. We were in too big of a hurry from food to stop and see what would happen!

The guys check out the subway!

Madison and I wanted to repeat some of the pictures from March but that never happened.



Next up: Lunch at Sci-Fi and more Park Hopping changes!!

 

[sherylcin]

Isn't TSM a hoot! I think the queue is so fun and there's so much to take in that I always see something new the next time. I am not very good at the arcade games but I still love playing them. Always come out of there laughing. Art of Animation is a must do for us every trip. We have to literally pull the kids out of there cause they will play those games, etc. for hours. You should try one of the animation drawing classes sometime. They are pretty cool. Wondering how you all will like Sci-Fi. It's a must-do for us every trip!

 

[mickeystoontown]

There's another line to get into Hollywood Studios that many don't know about. If you're looking at the entrance to the park, look all the way to your left. There's a walkway and a bathroom there. There's a bag check area and you can usually get through in no time at all.

I love Toy Story Mania too but I wish that the popularity would subside some. I mean it's not a brand new attraction any more. I guess it's so popular because Toy Story remains popular.

Many years ago, the cubicle in Art of Animation buildings were full of artist and some would even stop what they were doing and talk with the guests. It was neat but, like you, I wondered if they felt like they were in a fishbowl.

 

[solana131]

We headed to the buses and rode for an hour… then made 5 stops at POR before finally making it to POFQ it was an hour!

I can easily believe this! We had such horrible luck with buses at FQ. And the only thing stopping me from staying at POR next time is the number of stops. Plus, we will be going during the slow season next time, so most likely we will share with Riverside no matter what...not looking forward to that!

Remember before I said I took a lot of pictures of this fountain? And during my morning stroll it had those pretty flowers all the way around it! Within the time we were gone to DTD they had completely replanted new plants!! Frankly I prefer the flowers over the plants but I think it probably had to do with the hardiness of the plants in the coming weeks of Florida heat!

So cool....it always amazes me how fast Disney can change things over!

I had hoped to arrive early and go to Wilderness Lodge to explore since I have wanted to see this resort…again this does not happen.

But I do get to see it in the distance!!

How about a peaceful little boat ride, folks!? Nice, huh!?

Oh, I hope you do get a chance to check out WL. It is just beautiful. My hubby is not a WDW fan at all. When we were there in Feb, we ate dinner at WCC and he said to me on the boat ride back to the Poly "OK, if I am forced to come here again...we are staying there!" (meaning Wilderness Lodge). That says something considering we were staying at the Poly that week!

Love the boat ride and your time at HDDR

I am Ursula….can’t remember how that happened. I think we were trying to see what options were there! (Or else I am a subconsciously devious sort of person!)

Great start to the day. I've still never been able to ride TSM. I just can't justify waiting in that line and we don't love Hollywood Studios enough to be there at opening. Buzz at MK is fine for me.

 

[shan23877]

Sounds like a fun DHS morning! I'm getting nervous for you though-Keith gets to choose the dinner ADR?

 

[amandaw]

Sounds like y'all were having a great start to the day at DHS! WOO HOO for riding TSM 2x! I can't wait to see what Keith picked for dinner! That's cool to know about the fire hydrant. I've never seen it do that but I'll make sure not to walk too closely to it!

 

[TinksThree]

Isn't TSM a hoot! I think the queue is so fun and there's so much to take in that I always see something new the next time. I am not very good at the arcade games but I still love playing them. Always come out of there laughing. Art of Animation is a must do for us every trip. We have to literally pull the kids out of there cause they will play those games, etc. for hours. You should try one of the animation drawing classes sometime. They are pretty cool. Wondering how you all will like Sci-Fi. It's a must-do for us every trip!

I love TSMM and the queue is just a happy place to be! I have never been into games mainly because I am not that great at them but I still love playing this game!

We were going to try the drawing part but began running out of time. So there's something for "next time"!

There's another line to get into Hollywood Studios that many don't know about. If you're looking at the entrance to the park, look all the way to your left. There's a walkway and a bathroom there. There's a bag check area and you can usually get through in no time at all.

I have heard of this but never searched for it. I need to check into this more!!

I love Toy Story Mania too but I wish that the popularity would subside some. I mean it's not a brand new attraction any more. I guess it's so popular because Toy Story remains popular.

Maybe once the rumored Cars section is opened years down the road, this attraction will become less insane! It is amazing that so many still rush for this one after so many years!

Many years ago, the cubicle in Art of Animation buildings were full of artist and some would even stop what they were doing and talk with the guests. It was neat but, like you, I wondered if they felt like they were in a fishbowl.

That would be neat to be able to speak to the artists as you pass through! I think they are taking more and more of these aspects away and soon will need to remove the "studios" part of the name.

Saw your skunk on Facebook this morning.....

I can easily believe this! We had such horrible luck with buses at FQ. And the only thing stopping me from staying at POR next time is the number of stops. Plus, we will be going during the slow season next time, so most likely we will share with Riverside no matter what...not looking forward to that!

The many stops were annoying, especially when you are tired and just want to get back to your room!

Oh, I hope you do get a chance to check out WL. It is just beautiful. My hubby is not a WDW fan at all. When we were there in Feb, we ate dinner at WCC and he said to me on the boat ride back to the Poly "OK, if I am forced to come here again...we are staying there!" (meaning Wilderness Lodge). That says something considering we were staying at the Poly that week!

We never made it...giving that away but this was the only opportunity. I keep hoping to get there because I think Keith's reaction would be the same! I do know he is interested in staying at a Deluxe after Beach Club and asked why we weren't in October and are at a Value instead (I think he jokingly called it the slums....) so I am having higher hopes! I have a scheme for October that I hope works to get him thinking in that direction!

Love the boat ride and your time at HDDR

Thank you!!

Great start to the day. I've still never been able to ride TSM. I just can't justify waiting in that line and we don't love Hollywood Studios enough to be there at opening. Buzz at MK is fine for me.

I refuse to wait in the stand-by (except in the mronings). If the wait is long we skip. Usually if we are there at Rope Drop we are done a little after lunch. DHS is my least favorite but I learned to appreciate it a little more on this trip.

Sounds like a fun DHS morning! I'm getting nervous for you though-Keith gets to choose the dinner ADR?

It was a great start! You are nervous?! I kept running through my head just how bad this outcome was going to be!!!!

Sounds like y'all were having a great start to the day at DHS! WOO HOO for riding TSM 2x! I can't wait to see what Keith picked for dinner! That's cool to know about the fire hydrant. I've never seen it do that but I'll make sure not to walk too closely to it!

It was a great start and riding TSMM twice was great. I just hate I missed my favorite ride...TOT!

Keith ran through several options and....well, you'll have to wait and see!!

 

[hlrababy]

Hey lady!!!!

I just found your TR and I am loving it! Your pictures are so good!!

I was cracking up at Chris the way he was taking pics of his beer. I wish I could have taken a picture of Chad's face the first time I took a picture of a drink or food in Disney. I think he thought I had lost my mind. Now he looks at me and asks if I am ready to take the picture!!

 

[TinksThree]

Hey lady!!!!

I just found your TR and I am loving it! Your pictures are so good!!

I was cracking up at Chris the way he was taking pics of his beer. I wish I could have taken a picture of Chad's face the first time I took a picture of a drink or food in Disney. I think he thought I had lost my mind. Now he looks at me and asks if I am ready to take the picture!!

Hey Girl! I am so glad you found me and loving it! I love taking pictures so there's a lot!! Thank you!!

My family is finally getting used to it and do the same thing. Of course they liek to make fun of me and my food porn as evidenced by the beer!!

 

[TinksThree]

Soon we were at Sci-Fi and checking in.

We waited about 5 minutes prior to being seated. Not a lot of pictures here.

This mouse cracks me up!!

Speakers!!

We all ordered the burger which is very good!!

Sci-Fi may not have the best food but it is good! And who can beat watching old B science fiction flicks in your own car…in the air conditioning!?!? This isn’t a place we go every trip but we try to fit it in every other trip or so!

After lunch we decide what to do next. Tour groups are EVERYWHERE and I had already been pushed out of the way in the restroom. We were pretty much over the DHS crowds and the wait times were so long! Keith had also decided where our new ADR would be which meant a return to DHS on Thursday evening meaning….we would be back. ToT was calling my name again and I love a night ride! So the decision was made to head over to…….Animal Kingdom!!!

See Keith was really getting into this whole Park Hopper thing!! I on the other hand was not feeling too great. I really didn’t want to say anything to ruin our fun but as I was completing lunch I started feeling very nauseous! I am in no way implying it was the food though since food takes much longer to make you sick. It is just how it was working out! We make our way to the front of DHS:

1928! This is found in many places throughout Hollywood Studios. Along with this nod there is also an oval plate located in the pavement in front of the Tip Board at the corner of Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd and another is found at Hollywood and Vine but that is just to name a few. This picture was across from the Tip Board. I am sure most people know what 1928 is…the year Mickey Mouse was first featured in a cartoon short….Steamboat Willy!!!

The first shop to your left upon entry to Hollywood Studios is Sid Cahuenga’s One-of-a-Kind. This store actually is in honor of the residents of Hollywood--also known as Cahuengas. Do you know why? I didn’t and probably never would have without this book but the Cahuenga Treaty was signed ending the Mexican-American War in California. The village of Mucahuenga (located between LA and the San Fernando Valley) and its residents were the last holdouts to sell their land and allow Hollywood to be commercialized. Sid’s is also the only place in WDW that you can find an authentic picture of Walt Disney and can retail for up to $3000. So the next time you pass this old truck you can know that there is so much more to the story!!


Before long we are arriving at Animal Kingdom!!

I love this and will quote from the book: “…the most important word to remember is NaHTaZu.” Say it fast and do you see what it says? “Remember that word, because Animal Kingdom is most certainly not a zoo! It is first and foremost an adventure, a story in which you must choose your path right from the start. Will you go this way? Will you go that way?” Which path will you choose? I really love this park because to me Animal Kingdom is full of new things to be learned and seen. This day we encounter some of those new things, too!

By this time it is 12:45pm and we are in search of things to do! We send Chris off to get FPs for Kali River. While we wait I go into a little gift shop to try and calm the nausea. By this time it is getting bad enough that I state my not feeling well. I cool down some and really was thinking it was from the heat. I had been chugging water so really didn’t feel I should be dehydrated. I was refusing to be sick and let it ruin what was a great trip! I kept telling myself I was not allowed to get sick!

I think we all know how the Tree of Life was built but I still find it interesting that they used an oil rig! There are also expansion joints to make the limbs sway in the wind…providing a realistic view. Since a limb fell just prior to our visit I suppose it was very realistic!!

I sit on a bench and wait for Chris. As I wait I try to distract myself with a little picture taking:

Chris returns and I feel a little better so we head over to Keith’s choice: It’s Tough To Be A Bug!” I think we must be one of the few that really love going to this 4-D adventure!!

The sign said ten minutes but it was a walk-on so no pictures of the awesome animals carved into the tree. I did manage a picture of one of the movie signs…I love the cleverness of these!

Also no bug eye pictures! See how few pictures…yep that is how badly I was feeling!!! We even walked under a huge netting to protect us from falling limbs since only a week or so prior the attraction had closed when a limb fell. This also diverted the line somewhat. But I was sick, so no pictures of that either!!

After coming back from Bug Land, we decide to go on a safari. Along the way I spotted some cute lady bugs:

Entering Africa and the village of Harambe was means “let us all pull together” in Swahili.

We stop just before the bridge and watch this bird:

Each building you see here is an exact replica of an existing building in Africa including the cracks and crevices. This makes it the most authentic land in all of Walt Disney World! See what I mean by dedication to detail!!

We begin walking and see a musical group setting up (either Tam Tam drummers or The Buruduka Band maybe?) so we stop and watch while Madison went into my favorite store at AK (Mombasa Marketplace). First I sent her for a Sprite for me though. I sipped on it and it did the trick!! No more queasiness at least for the time at AK!).

Love this store!!!

Next we head over to Kilimanjaro Safari. So is it worth the effort to go on a safari in the middle of a hot July afternoon???

 

[shan23877]

You got AWESOME pics inside Sci-Fi! I'm so glad that you guys were enjoying the Park Hoppers. I love the freedom of them.

I'm sorry that you weren't feeling well- I hope that it passed quickly!