That's the first time we had to wear a poncho in Disney! A Mar./April '11 TR DONE 9/5

[tinkgurl]

Love your OKW pics!! I love sitting out at those tables outside of Olivia's and the Gurgling Suitcase.

And, when you ride the boat to DTD from OKW, you go right by our room that we had back in 2009! We had to wave at it last year when we went by.

You got to draw Woody & Buzz?! Awesome!!

Loved the Chef Mickey's update. That was morning?!?

 

[sandym718]

That is some picture!! We were still getting ready at that point, so I don't remember it being that dark, but I guess I wasn't paying attention. What a day that was! We were able to ride TSMM twice though, so that was good. DD and I spent the early part of the afternoon in Epcot, so I guess we were at the same place for awhile. Oh, this was supposed to be our BB day, LOL, no way!!

Can't wait to hear about your evening, cause I know how ours was!

 

[meeko_33785]

If you hadn't said anything, I would assumed you went to dinner and Chef Mickey's and not breakfast. Looks like you had fun despite the gloomy-looking morning.

I'm really nervous about character meals since I've also read about parties of just adults being passed over by the characters. At the two I've been to as an adult the characters have all been great, but I think I'd be really disappointed if I payed that much to do a character meal and then got skipped by some of the characters.

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Wow! It totally looks like 11 o' clock at night there! That's crazy!

 

[PirateKate]

Those clouds are crazy! I can't believe how dark it was. Was it that dark while you were traveling to the Contemporary? I think I'd have been nervous going out in that weather.

Great Buzz and Woody drawings!

 

[OhMari]

I should have "crashed" your Breakfast with Mickey. I remember sitting in our room so sad, because my sisters refused to leave. They kept watching the radar and texting my nephew. The band didn't even leave for the MK, they were waiting for the storm to pass. I tried to tell them, the MK would be open and they wouldn't hear of it. We didn't get to the MK till 4:00 p.m. that day, but it all worked out in the end and we ended up with great pictures, no one in the park and we shut it down at 1:00 a.m. Did I mention Advil when I got back that nite. (I also rode Dumbo with no wait at 4:00 p.m.-totally unheard of).

 

[Jennifer48]

What a creepy photo! I bet a lot of people stayed in bed that morning!

can't wait to hear what first is in store for you at Epcot!

 

[IheartDDuck]

Holy cow, if you hadn't said that it was morning, I would have totally thought it as night from your picture!

I haven't eaten at CM in quite some time. I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

 

[sandym718]

I should have "crashed" your Breakfast with Mickey. I remember sitting in our room so sad, because my sisters refused to leave. They kept watching the radar and texting my nephew. The band didn't even leave for the MK, they were waiting for the storm to pass. I tried to tell them, the MK would be open and they wouldn't hear of it. We didn't get to the MK till 4:00 p.m. that day, but it all worked out in the end and we ended up with great pictures, no one in the park and we shut it down at 1:00 a.m. Did I mention Advil when I got back that nite. (I also rode Dumbo with no wait at 4:00 p.m.-totally unheard of).

We went to the MK that evening too. Still raining during our dinner at CP, but then the rest of the night was gorgeous. No one there, great parade and Wishes/castle show views. We didn't make it quite as late as you, but it was definitely our latest night at 11:30/12. We rode Splash 3x in a row that night!

 

[OhMari]

We went to the MK that evening too. Still raining during our dinner at CP, but then the rest of the night was gorgeous. No one there, great parade and Wishes/castle show views. We didn't make it quite as late as you, but it was definitely our latest night at 11:30/12. We rode Splash 3x in a row that night!

We did every ride in Fantasy Land while it down poured, but like you said, by 7:00 p.m. it was gorgeous out. I really should do a trip report. I have a picture with me and my 2 sisters in front of Walt & Mickey in front of the castle with no one in the picture or background. I kept telling my sisters, "this no crowd thing is unheard of."

 

[wdwgirl03]

Ugh... that is the most depressing picture ever. What an awful day!

Glad you liked Chef Mickeys. I'm considering it for our January trip... you may have swayed me towards it! Except now I want a Mickey waffle NOW!

It really was a miserable day.

Cool! You should try Chef Mickey's. We really did enjoy it.

Holy Cow! Now that looks like some bad weather! I wouldn't have wanted to be stuck in that. You know that is my fear, only having so many days at Disney and having it rain so much.
I love Chef Mickeys so I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Exactly. I'm just glad we had that Friday too because you will see how the weather changed for the better on our last day.

Wow! That's really dark!!

I'm glad you had a better experience than us at Chef Mickey's as two adults!

No kidding...so creepy!

I'm glad we had a good experience too. I would've been mad if we didn't get to see any of the characters.

At first I read your intro and then I scrolled down to the pictures. Then I literally had to re-read the beginning because I was shocked when I realized that was MORNING. Wow. That is actually kinda scary!!! I wouldn't even have wanted to leave my resort if it looked like that outside. Yikes. I hope the weather improved as the day went on. I'm glad you had good character interactions at CM. I agree about how the picture should be on your photopass or at least included in the price of your meal like the do at CRT.

Well...the weather didn't really improve too much over the course of the day. It was just another wet and dreary day.

Wow, I can't believe how dark it was, kinda scary looking!

I know. In all our trips I had NEVER seen it like that.

I have to agree with everyone else...I can`t believe how dark it was! We were there during Hurricane Ernesto in 2006 and we had one day that looked like that....being from Canada and knowing nothing about hurricanes we stayed in our room

Great pictures .... can you believe we`ve never been to Chef Mickey`s One of these trips we`ll make it there!

LOL. Yeah, I honestly don't know what we would've done if it weren't for our ADR. I'm glad we didn't have plans to go to the MK for EMH!

We had never been there before this trip either, so don't feel bad. More reason to keep going back, right?

Yeah I remember the dark sky that morning all too well Glad you had a nice breakfast though! CM looks really cool, the food looks delicious. And I love your picture with Mickey!

Wasn't it depressing? The breakfast was fun and I think my picture with Mickey is my favorite.

The weather that day looks awful! I'll keep my fingers crossed that it cleared up later?

I'm glad you enjoyed Chef Mickey's. The pics are so cute!

Nope, it didn't really get better as the day went on which stunk. By the end of the day we had had it with the rain.

Whoa! That sky was really dark. I don't think I've ever seen a sky get that dark in the morning, especially in Florida. There was a pretty bad storm there on my first trip and you could barely see out into the parking lot at AKL It didn't look good at all. This looks worse and I don't think it could've gotten worse. Hopefully, it didn't ruin the magic too much (if that makes sense hahaha) Moving on... Chef Mickey's looks like a really nice character breakfast I've heard many good things and many bad things, but from this, it looks very nice. The french toast looks wicked good. That's so funny with the guy from Illinois! Hahaha I'm guessing you didn't take him up on his deal LOL But he got some great pictures of you and Claire! Can't wait to read about your visit to EPCOT!

Me neither. We've seen storms but nothing like those clouds. If there is any good news about it, the rain wasn't really all that bad. I'll report more on that in the next update.

wow that must have been scary! usually when we go it is in january so hurricanes aren't much of a threat but weather like the pictures here has happened to us in disney but usually it does blow over. i remember the one summer trip we took we looked at the forecast and a tropical storm was heading this way but luckily that trip had really good weather and it turned out to be hurricane and tropical storm free.

You should definitely try chef mickeys, it is a really fun atmosphere and the food is pretty good 2. we usually go for dinner because it is (for us) easier to plan into the day and it is easier to get into but i have heard amazing things about their breakfast meals.

After that I don't think I want to go if there is ever a hurricane threat. There was just a big line of thunderstorms that seemed to hover over the Orlando area and didn't want to move out like the usual Florida thunderstorms!

What was that animator thinking giving you guys a choice on which character to draw? Of course you aren't going to get a room full of people to agree on which one to do I bet Woody & Buzz were hard to draw!

That weather during your Chef Mickey's breakfast was nuts. I never would have guessed that it was morning, it was so dark!

I know, and there was one girl (either a local or a CP'er) who was sort of throwing a fit because she wanted to do a certain character. Woody was one of the harder ones we've drawn!

Yup, it was morning.

 

[wdwgirl03]

Love your OKW pics!! I love sitting out at those tables outside of Olivia's and the Gurgling Suitcase.

And, when you ride the boat to DTD from OKW, you go right by our room that we had back in 2009! We had to wave at it last year when we went by.

You got to draw Woody & Buzz?! Awesome!!

Loved the Chef Mickey's update. That was morning?!?

I'm glad you liked the pictures of OKW. I have to admit I thought of you a couple times when we were there! haha

Yes, it was cool getting to draw both of them, even if the Buzz one was a quick one!

That is some picture!! We were still getting ready at that point, so I don't remember it being that dark, but I guess I wasn't paying attention. What a day that was! We were able to ride TSMM twice though, so that was good. DD and I spent the early part of the afternoon in Epcot, so I guess we were at the same place for awhile. Oh, this was supposed to be our BB day, LOL, no way!!

Can't wait to hear about your evening, cause I know how ours was!

I feel like it got worse from the time we left OKW and got to the MK/Contemporary. It was just insane.

If you hadn't said anything, I would assumed you went to dinner and Chef Mickey's and not breakfast. Looks like you had fun despite the gloomy-looking morning.

I'm really nervous about character meals since I've also read about parties of just adults being passed over by the characters. At the two I've been to as an adult the characters have all been great, but I think I'd be really disappointed if I payed that much to do a character meal and then got skipped by some of the characters.

We did enjoy our breakfast and like I said it turned out to be a good morning to do something like that. I would've been mad if it had rained another morning and we had park plans that day!

Wow! It totally looks like 11 o' clock at night there! That's crazy!

I know. Scary!

Those clouds are crazy! I can't believe how dark it was. Was it that dark while you were traveling to the Contemporary? I think I'd have been nervous going out in that weather.

Great Buzz and Woody drawings!

Yes, it was pretty dark while we were on the bus but like I said in another comment I think it got worse once we got to the resort.

I should have "crashed" your Breakfast with Mickey. I remember sitting in our room so sad, because my sisters refused to leave. They kept watching the radar and texting my nephew. The band didn't even leave for the MK, they were waiting for the storm to pass. I tried to tell them, the MK would be open and they wouldn't hear of it. We didn't get to the MK till 4:00 p.m. that day, but it all worked out in the end and we ended up with great pictures, no one in the park and we shut it down at 1:00 a.m. Did I mention Advil when I got back that nite. (I also rode Dumbo with no wait at 4:00 p.m.-totally unheard of).

That is such a bummer that the band wasn't able to get out right away. I would've been so mad. I think 4:00 is when we had decided we had enough of the rain and just went back to OKW for the night. I'm sure a lot of people felt the same way! But that's awesome the crowds were so low.

What a creepy photo! I bet a lot of people stayed in bed that morning!

can't wait to hear what first is in store for you at Epcot!

I'm sure they did!

Holy cow, if you hadn't said that it was morning, I would have totally thought it as night from your picture!

I haven't eaten at CM in quite some time. I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

Yeah, it was the gloomiest Disney morning ever. But atleast CM's was fun.

We went to the MK that evening too. Still raining during our dinner at CP, but then the rest of the night was gorgeous. No one there, great parade and Wishes/castle show views. We didn't make it quite as late as you, but it was definitely our latest night at 11:30/12. We rode Splash 3x in a row that night!

I don't remember when the weather finally cleared up. We had given up on the parks by that point!

We did every ride in Fantasy Land while it down poured, but like you said, by 7:00 p.m. it was gorgeous out. I really should do a trip report. I have a picture with me and my 2 sisters in front of Walt & Mickey in front of the castle with no one in the picture or background. I kept telling my sisters, "this no crowd thing is unheard of."

If I would've been paying attention maybe we could've gone to the MK and had a DIS meet. I think I was just too depressed after having two days of rain, rain, and more rain.

 

[jenbear123]

Just checking in to see if another update was on the way

 

[tinkgurl]

You thought of me there? Aw, you're so sweet!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Just checking in to see if another update was on the way

I have to finish up my lesson plans for tomorrow but look for another update later this afternoon!

You thought of me there? Aw, you're so sweet!

Of course I did! I think reading your TRs and seeing your OKW pictures made me want to stay there and I am glad we did...I really liked it there!

 

[wdwgirl03]

OK everyone, time for another update. But first, a sort of "real life" update. Did anybody else go see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 this weekend?! Dad, my sisters and I all went Thursday night for the midnight showing! I never thought I'd be one to go to a midnight release, but between the books and movies we've been to five midnight premieres (both book and movie for Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows). We got to the theater around 10:30 or so and there was already a line, mostly high school/college age kids. I love how people will go out of their way to dress up for these things. It's part of why I felt I had to go at midnight again...it just makes it all the more exciting! I didn't dress up but feeling like I needed to sport some bit of Harry Potter, I wore my Gryffindor lanyard and pin that I got from the Wizarding World last summer.

(sorry for the lousy phone picture...oh well!)

I think it was also amusing because while we were waiting to go into the theater, some people were leaving from a late showing of Transformers (I think...). You could tell they thought everyone there for Harry Potter was insane. Guess they just weren't cool enough for that. I won't say much about the movie in case you haven't seen it/want to see it but it was really good (the ending was so cute)! It is hard to believe the series is now completely over. But now that it is, I'm dying to get back to WWOHP! If you saw the movie, what are your thoughts?

Now back to the dreary day of March 31...

Thursday, March 31, 2011 cont'd (part 2)

First, I have to apologize for the lack of pictures from this day. Again, it's not worth destroying my camera by taking it out in the rain.

After enjoying our character meal at Chef Mickey's, we made a quick stop in the gift shops before deciding to brave the weather. We hopped on the monorail and got off at the TTC so we could transfer to the Epcot line. There really weren't too many people out quite yet. After all, it was still raining and just not a nice day at all. But it wasn't going to stop us (yet...).

We had an interesting experience on the monorail. As we were on our way to Epcot, the monorail all of a sudden just stopped. I know that doesn't sound unusual (after all, it happens) but when I say it suddenly stopped, I mean it literally just stopped. Didn't really slow down at all which was weird. Normally I wouldn't think too much of that except a couple days earlier I had read on the March facebook page how someone (pretty sure it was a DISer so if it was you, comment!) was on their way to breakfast or something and they got stuck on the monorail for over an hour. I really did not need that to happen to us-the bad weather was enough. Luckily, after a couple minutes the driver came on and said we just had to hold for traffic clearance and we'd be on our way shortly. Phew!

By the time we got to Epcot, the park had been open for a few minutes but making the circle around Future World was so strange. I wish I would've taken pictures because it was DEAD. There were a couple people here and there but for the most part the park was empty.

The good news about the park being so empty was that we were able to head straight for Soarin (minus the mad dash/fastpass rush) and were able to walk right on. Our first sight of people was in the boarding area. Shortest Soarin' wait ever!

We did manage to get some fastpasses too for a second ride later on. We also were able to go on Living with the Land.

After the Land we crossed over to the other side of Future World. We might've been able to squeeze in a ride on Test Track before it went down (see, the weather was so lousy I just want to block this day out...I can't even remember for sure what happened!). Claire wanted to go on Mission:Space but of course I wimped out again so she had to ride solo. I just sort of hung around in the gift shop and looked at the training lab stuff at the exit.

One of these days I'm going to have to suck it up and ride M:S. As I was waiting I saw a little boy with his parents. The kid really wanted to ride but the dad didn't, so I think the mom ended up taking him on. If younger kids can do it, then I suppose I can too-but I always joke how kids today are a lot braver than I was when I was little.

The nice thing about Epcot is that atleast there is plenty to do inside when it's raining. So our next stop was Innoventions. This is where I experienced a couple different "firsts" for me. The first first was the Sum of All Thrills. I had originally wanted to try this last April when Dad and I were there but then I saw the mechanical arm and got a little nervous. However, since then I had conquered the Forbidden Journey, which uses similar technology so I figured what the heck! The wait was about half an hour, but waiting in line was better than wandering outside in the rain. I have to admit I was still a little nervous, so while we were waiting I found myself timing people on the ride to see how long it took. LOL. I determined it couldn't have been much more than a minute or so, so not too bad. Finally we were briefed, received our card, and designed our roller coaster (RachelNinja: Kingdom Keepers reference here? hehe ) Of course I made sure our design was pretty tame. Then we were directed to our "ride vehicle." Note to those who are claustrophobic: beware of this ride! When they bring down the harness you're confined to a pretty small space. The ride actually turned out to be pretty fun, so I didn't need to hit the emergency stop button at all. haha

The second new thing we tried was the "Great Piggy Bank Adventure." We felt kind of stupid doing it since most of the people in line were families with really small kids, but oh well. It was basically a fun way to teach kids about the importance of saving money. You get a piggy bank and play 3 different video games to try to earn money for the goal you set at the beginning (bedroom makeover, dream vacation, college education, retirement). The games were pretty easy, but like I said, it's designed for kids. So needless to say we saved enough money for our vacation. Here's Claire with our little piggy bank:

While it continued to rain all morning, the good thing was that it was never hard enough that we had to wear the ponchos again. After Monday I refused to wear it anymore. I decided my jacket and hat was good enough, especially since we were inside more than we were outside. So where did we head next? Stay tuned!

 

[jenbear123]

I loved the latest HP movie but wish I hadn't seen it in 3D. Just made it hard to watch. I really want to go to WWOHP now!!! I've actually started reading the books over again from the beginning.

Love the Piggy Bank adventure. I wish they sold those piggy banks. I would definitely buy one! I'm glad the rain didn't stop you from having fun at Epcot.

 

[PlutosRHM55]

Lucky you for seeing Harry Potter at the Midnight Premiere. I begged my mom to go, but we waited too long until she said yes and there were NO PASSES LEFT. I did end up going to see it in 3D two days after and I must say it was AMAZING! I mean, some things were missing as always, some that angered me, but I loved it. The end almost had me in tears and it was the part I most anticipated. I want to see it again in regular movie quality. I can't wait until Pottermore is finally up and running. Signed up already, Sarah?

Thank goodness you weren't stuck on the monorail for an hour like said and you got to experience a practically empty AND opened EPCOT! Epicness! Then, a Soarin' with little line that's crazy! Like I've been on Soarin' when the wait wasn't long, but still that sounds short. The Sum of All Thrills sounds like a lot of fun. Probably once I go to WWOHP and go on the Forbidden Journey, I'll have to do that. Also, don't think these generations are more daring than past ones, trust me, it is becoming a rarity now for kids to go on many rides. :/ Well not really, but whatever LOL

Can't wait to read about your next adventure!

 

[SoonerGirl]

I think it was also amusing because while we were waiting to go into the theater, some people were leaving from a late showing of Transformers (I think...). You could tell they thought everyone there for Harry Potter was insane.

Soooo funny that you said this because Justin went to see Transformers the night before HP opened, when he got home he was talking about how funny it was to see people camping out in tents just to see HP He did end up going to HP too, but he wasn't about to camp out for it!

Sorry about all the rain, but you picked the best park for it, lots of indoor stuff to do in Epcot

I thought the Piggy Bank Adventure was fun too, I had Jared with me when I did it though so I didn't feel quite so silly playing a kids game as an adult

 

[Vwdiva93]

I haven't seen the last HP yet but I totally plan to. I just need to watch the 6th one and Deathly Hallows pt. 1 first lol

Wow Epcot really must have been dead to have such a short Soarin wait! I bet it was nice though not having long waits or too many people.

Sum of All Thrills sounds really cool. I've always been curious about that one, I'll have to try it next time I go. And the piggy bank game sounds cute, definitely better than being out in the miserable rain that day!