The 5 trips of My "Disney Free Year" - A Mermaid, A Buzz, A Boat and A Steak - 7/8

[Caretames1]

Mmmmm Ice cream! Must get some...


I've not ridden splash moutain yet, I wanted to but things kept getting the way!

I like your top of the ride pic, it shows the right amount of blur to show the AAAWWW I'm going over!

 

[IheartDDuck]

Yum, ice cream. And Mickey ice cream to boot!

You mean you've never seen Song of the South? Crazy! A few of the times that I went to WDW, they were still showing it at the nightly campfire movie in Fort Wilderness.

Although your Rescuers idea sounds kind of cool. I love Evinrude!

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Back to catch up! I graded a test and a big assignment this morning, so I deserve a break! Wow, what pre-vacation drama! Despite the extra fees, at least Chris will be there with you!

That was my reasoning.. A lotta good that did me

I'd totally pack my lunch too if the airport food wasn't good. Why spend money on it? Might as well spend that money at DISNEY! And yum, now I'm craving a salty snack because of your Stax.

Haha, for some reason, I think I'd be against eating My Little Pony fruit snacks for fear that they'd taste like little ponies.

Yeah, I love having a little airport for lots of reasons, but because it's small the food choices are slim to none. But it's easy to pack a dinner and it's way healthier too (well okay maybe not the stax, but you know what I'm saying )

HAHA The fruit snacks do not taste like ponies! However, when I was little, we had a my little pony that was scratch and sniff, and she smelled like grapes. I think her name was "yum yum." And she smelled so so good! If she tasted anything like what she smelled like, I would gladly eat the pony

I agree with you with that creepiness factor. I would NEVER stay there. I'd be crying the entire time especially with all my strange fears! I hate those heads in the food court even in pictures!

those heads are really creepy. I liked the resort, but the theming wasn't my favorite.

AGHHHHHH, I can't believe he overslept and missed the plane despite your constant phone calls!!!

Oh yum, your drink when you had lunch in China looks so delish. The chicken looks good too! I'm just not a fan of white rice probably because we eat it way too often at home.

Me neither!!

That smoothie was delish! But then again I love anything mango. it was perfect for hot day!

I definitely have not appreciated the queue for Star Tours. I'll have to stop to do that especially since Howard will understand more of it. I like the luggage! Same goes for the Muppets queue! Love all the newer movie posters.

I really tried to take my time and let people pass me this trip to enjoy the lines. The details Disney puts into everything. It's easy to not want to wait in line and just miss them.

OH MAN, I was not expecting that Chris wasn't going to go at all!!! I'm really crossing my fingers that you were able to enjoy your unplanned solo trip!

I'd get nervous with solo eating too, but like you, I'd bring along some reading material! But yum, that lobster eggs benedict looks DELICIOUS. I've never had eggs benedict before, and I've seen that one on the menu. I want to make a trip for that now!

Me neither, it really through me off. No worries, after the first day I didn't even have to try, I just let myself have fun.

Oh man. That eggs Benedict was AMAZING. We might have a night in Orland before a cruise later this year, and am trying to figure out how to stay at the Grand Floridian so that we can have it. I am still dreaming of how yummy it was!

I love that you took us with you on your bag hunt! I have to have big bags too because I either carry my nook with me or a regular book. I also carry a reusable water bottle with me and a little notebook as well. Zippers are super important! Aww that you couldn't find the exact bag you wanted. I know years ago, they had a bag just like that Vinylmation crossbody that had Mickey heads on it. I remember seeing it and wanting it, but I had already bought my Lesportsac crossbody.

I'm usually just jamming all my belongings into my pockets so I don't have to wait in the bag line at the beginning of the park I was kicking myself for not bringing one of my many purses from home, but the vinylmantion one worked very well.

Haha, I love those back-of-the-head pictures! What a great series of photographs for them!

I swear I didn't even realize I was taking pictures of his head. It was funny, but I hope he didn't think I was being creepy

Now I have a visual of you perched on the rocks of BTM with really obvious huge night vision goggles taking pictures of the back of the guy's head with like a 5 foot lens.



Breakfast of champions!

Oh but I love the Song of the South theme for Splash Mountain! Can that movie ever be released? The Rescuers would be cute though!

Ummm... so you saw me??

Hmmm... I don't know why it bothers me so much, but I get like angry every time I go on it. I think I just really want a Rescuers ride

Mmmmm Ice cream! Must get some...


I've not ridden splash moutain yet, I wanted to but things kept getting the way!

I like your top of the ride pic, it shows the right amount of blur to show the AAAWWW I'm going over!

Ice cream is always the answer

Personally, I don't think you're missing much - except for the extreme satisfaction you get by writing in your trip report "TRIPLE MOUNTAIN WHAMMY BABY!" Hopefully some day you'll make it!

Yum, ice cream. And Mickey ice cream to boot!

You mean you've never seen Song of the South? Crazy! A few of the times that I went to WDW, they were still showing it at the nightly campfire movie in Fort Wilderness.

Although your Rescuers idea sounds kind of cool. I love Evinrude!

I'm not sure what it is but ice cream just tastes 1000 x better when it's in the shape of Mickey!

Never ever. A few years ago, I tried to get it, but I would have had to like order it from England or some craziness, because they won't allow it sold in the US. I think because of this, in my mind it's just this awful movie... Though, it also could just be that I want the Rescuers to finally get some park love.

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Now that I had checked a major to-do off my Disney list - Triple Mountain Whammy!!! check and check! It was time to figure out what to do next. It was so crowded, that I didn't feel like trying to ride any more rides, so I headed to the train to get to the front of the park.

Problem is I now associate the train so closely with Chris that it kind of bummed me out.

It was also the most crowded I’ve ever seen the train. I was pretty much over the crowds at this point. These are like spring break crowds. Did someone forget to tell them that it was September?

I mean, I wasn’t alone in my row on the train. Unheard of for me. Even on Christmas week it wasn't the crowded.

But the train was so crowded I ended up doing a full loop and a half, so I didn't have to crawl over this nice family I was sitting next to.

I had intended on taking pictures on main street but it was so so crowded. I was hungry and thought of going to the Plaza, but then a stroller ran over my foot and I decided it was time to go.

Since I wanted to make it back for Wishes, I decided to eat somewhere in the Monorail loop. I just didn't know where yet. So I hopped on the monorail hoping to make a decision on the fly

 

[Caretames1]

What days were you down there? We were there Sept 21-25th and it was low crowds but too warm for me to ever try it again in Sept!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Have I mentioned already how much I love Halloween-decorated MK?? Oh how I want to go in the fall!!

Also, I have never ridden the train, and I feel like I'm missing a huge part of the experience here. Also also, I have NO idea where the train station in Frontierland is. Isn't that pathetic?

 

[Bethislucy]

Wow the crowds are crazy.

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

What days were you down there? We were there Sept 21-25th and it was low crowds but too warm for me to ever try it again in Sept!

I was there Labor Day weekend. This was September 3rd. We've gone that same weekend the last 3 years now, and this was by far the most crowded. It is really hot in September - especially for this Wisconsin girl.

Have I mentioned already how much I love Halloween-decorated MK?? Oh how I want to go in the fall!!

Also, I have never ridden the train, and I feel like I'm missing a huge part of the experience here. Also also, I have NO idea where the train station in Frontierland is. Isn't that pathetic?

Agreed. I do love the Halloween MK even more than Christmas MK (with the exception of the castle, cuz the lights are awesome!) There's something about Main Street that just screams fall isn't there?

You've never been on the train? I don't even know how to process that. Although now that I'm thinking about it to tell you, I can't place where the train station in Frontierland is either. But you go up some rickety-looking stairs. I think they're by the FP distribution. I could walk there blind folded, but now I'm second-guessing myself. Guess I'll have to ride the train more. Don't tell Chris!

Wow the crowds are crazy.

Yes, the crowds were nuts. I'm not sure why, since usually that time of year is nice and quiet. Oh well, it may have helped make me feel less conspicuous being alone.

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

So I hopped on the Monorail, and out of pure habit I got off at the POLY. There, I decided I was hungry so I put my name in at Kona.

I was seated within 3 minutes. But I was placed at a table for 4 right in the center of room, so everyone going to their table had to walk by me.

It made me feel a little conspicuous, but to add to that, I ordered myself a Magical Star, so people were noticing my glowing drink. Oh well, blending in was never really my thing!

So I opened my nook and had a nice leisurely dinner. They have a 3 course prix fixe menu, so I had Pot Stickers (I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture!)

A chicken noodle bowl (big bowl of bland)

And the chocolate volcano.

As I was eating and reading the seater/host came up and started talking to me about my nook. And he stuck around for like 10 minutes. It was a nice distraction. I noticed I got a lot of comments about my nook, everyone was very interested in it.

After dinner, I was going to head back to the MK, but it was just so crowded, that I decided to hang out on the Poly instead.

Eventually, I headed out to the beach and caught the end of the electrical water pageant. No really, I swear that is what the picture is. Really.

I had an awesome view of the castle from where I was seated, but the best I could do to capture it was this

 

[Princess_K]

Hi, Joanna!

I love your photos of the Magic Kingdom. I've never been in the fall, and I'm so excited to see the decorations next year!

I think spending a night at the Poly sounds like a wonderful idea. I love it there We debated and debated whether to spend our honeymoon there (I pushed for it very strongly!), but DBF really wants to stay at the Grand Floridian. I figure we'll make many visits to the poly though!

That's fun so many people commented on your nook at dinner! I guess when you sit front and center, people think they have to comment

I'm excited to read more!

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Hi, Joanna!

I love your photos of the Magic Kingdom. I've never been in the fall, and I'm so excited to see the decorations next year!

I think spending a night at the Poly sounds like a wonderful idea. I love it there We debated and debated whether to spend our honeymoon there (I pushed for it very strongly!), but DBF really wants to stay at the Grand Floridian. I figure we'll make many visits to the poly though!

That's fun so many people commented on your nook at dinner! I guess when you sit front and center, people think they have to comment

I'm excited to read more!

Thanks! Halloween/Fall at the MK is so awesome. The decorations are really awesome.

I love the Poly too, but I've got to say I'm siding with your DBF. The GF's rooms are much nicer than the Polys. I love spending time at the Poly, but the rooms are small and the showerhead was eye-level for 5'2" me! It's an older hotel, and they've done a great job with it, but you just can't completely fix 70s.

Yeah, I was pretty much in the center, but it made me feel less lonely so it was all good

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Soon, the fireworks started.

Ohh hey, I guess I finally got a handle on shooting in the dark, this is a pretty accurate depiction of my view.

So I was playing with the settings on my camera for fireworks. So there are a lot of them. On your marks.

Get set.

Scroll Baby Scroll

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Oooohh

Ahhhhhhh

Oh who am I kidding, there’s still more pictures. Keep scrolling

Wow. This is really a blow-by-blow of Wishes isn’t it.

Okay, this is the last one PROMISE. You can stop scrolling now.

I just love wishes. It is my favorite! I hopped on the boat back to MK, and I was so worried that I'd be crammed like a sardine on the bus. Really I neededn't have worried.

I think the crowds were mostly local-ish people the TTA boat was crazy full!

Back to SSR we Goooooo

I took the long long walk back to my room. And apparently I ran into a spider?

I was exhausted, so I went back to my room, and had a glass of wine and watched Wizards of Waverley Place.

He Nory – Look it’s a screw top!

Bottoms up!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Eventually, I headed out to the beach and caught the end of the electrical water pageant. No really, I swear that is what the picture is. Really.

I would have gone with "Torch at the Beginning of Illuminations". But Illuminations is my answer to a lot of things .

I do like that you inconspicuously got the glowing drink with the gigantic palm frond sticking out of it at Kona. I mean, it looks awesome. But subtle is definitely not a part of that drink's description!

 

[Caretames1]

My scrolling finger fell asleep!

I would like to watch Wishes from the Poly beach someday.


Nice glow Drink Attention to table 4, party of One!


So you love your nook, did you compare e readers before you bought? I thinking of thinking of getting an ereader and don't know where to start thinking!

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

I would have gone with "Torch at the Beginning of Illuminations". But Illuminations is my answer to a lot of things .

I do like that you inconspicuously got the glowing drink with the gigantic palm frond sticking out of it at Kona. I mean, it looks awesome. But subtle is definitely not a part of that drink's description!

Haha.... I have you saying (in a very 6th sense type whisper) "I see Illuminations everywhere"

Very true, then again subtle is not part of my description either. That drink so so yummy, the "in your face"ness of it is ust icing on the cake

My scrolling finger fell asleep!

I would like to watch Wishes from the Poly beach someday.


Nice glow Drink Attention to table 4, party of One!


So you love your nook, did you compare e readers before you bought? I thinking of thinking of getting an ereader and don't know where to start thinking!

Haha. Sorry. apologize your finger for me.

The Poly beach is a really good wishes-watching spot, but nothing beats watching it from Main Street.

Yeah in retrospect, the glowing drink probally wasn't the best way to blend in. And ordering a 2nd one really didn't help either

I did compare ereaders. I chose the nook because of the one time price for 3G. It also has some browser functions that the kindle doesn't. Also, theres just something about the affiliation with B&N that kind of sold me on the nook. I bough it a little too soon, and I wish I would gave gotten the nook color. The controls aren't the most intuitive to me, but I think they're all touch screen now, so that would be better.

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

I woke up around 8, and stayed curled in bed watching the Phineas and Ferb Movie. I was thinking about Heading to Kouzinna or Captian's Grille for breakfast, but I just wasn't hungry yet, so I took a shower and got ready.

Off on my daily (long) trek to the bus stop.

Hey buddy!

Look at you showing of for me. Lookin’ good!

I told you it was a trek!

I decided to head to DHS, and remedy a few erroneously missed rides from my first trip.

Yep, it’s crowded here too, not nearly as bad as the MK was, but still more than I expected. Hello people it is Sepember, didn’t you get the memo?

We’ll see you later sweetheart

ToT was calling, but I had a date with a super stretch limo!

Nothing gets the morning started like a little Aerosmith!

Wow, I think this was the first time I used this line as an actual single rider!

I waited about 20 minutes. While I was waiting there was a group of 3, two women and a teenage boy. One of the women proclaimed that she wouldn't ride by herself, so I told her she wouldn't be by herself, I'd be seated next to her. So we started chatting and she was totally freaking out. Then the CM said that we'd be in the front car (YAY!) well then she was really freaking out, so I ended up in the front row with the boy. After the sling-shot start, she was laughing and screaming "I LOVE THIS" it was so funny!

 

[norybell]

Hey, Joanna, glad you found a screw-top!

(I actually noticed a lot more of them on my trip last week, so maybe Disney resorts are realizing screw-tops work better for corkscrew-less travelers?)

I can't believe the parks were so busy in September! What the heck was going on???

 

[Caretames1]

Leapin' Lizards! What the heck is that? I would have run screaming.


Aerosmith in the morning...what a way to start your day

 

[IheartDDuck]

Aerosmith is a great way to start your day!

Ah, screw top wine. The top shelf of classy wines.