The Twinsies Become the Four Mousketeers! A July 2013 TR Really Final Update 10/19

[bellebookworm9]

Sounds like a really fun day at AK and a great dinner at Raglan Road. RR is a favorite of mine too -great food, great atmosphere. The bit at the end about Kaitlyn walking out with her beer and the description with ears askew had me laughing! Drunk Disney Grownups for the win

Working at Epcot, I've seen way than my fair share of drunk disney grownups-I will never forget the nightly chugging parties when people found out they couldn't leave the park with their alcohol!

Great pics!

Thanks!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Friday morning brought a new adventure for me-we were going to Universal! Kaitlyn had been before, but Matt and I had not. It looks like we were on our way to "The Dark Side" by about 9:45. We found the entrance with no trouble at all, paid the slightly outrageous $16 parking fee, and were directed to Jurassic Park 306. We got the very first handicapped spot in the row, just steps from the walkway to security.

We made our way along the first moving walkway up to security; Matt and I didn't have bags so we scooted right through, and Kaitlyn got her backpack checked and followed soon after. This is the view right after security.

More moving walkways brought us to CityWalk. We were planning to eat dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. (Kaitlyn's favorite movie is Forrest Gump), so I was glad to see it was close to the exit back to the parking lot. I had purchased Universal Express for both parks, and we decided to start at Islands of Adventure.

Kaitlyn has a friend who is a manager at the Wizarding World, so he got us free park to park tickets-and it was so much easier than Disney's system. He set it up for us so all we had to do was go to a ticket kiosk, swipe a credit card, and put in Kaitlyn's name and phone number. Voila! Three tickets appeared! No lines or anything.

The line at the turnstiles was very short, and after our biometric info was taken, we were on our way.

I asked Kaitlyn if we should start to the left at Superhero Island or the right in Seussland. She said go left, and we almost immediately encountered the Hulk roller coaster.

We stored our bag, cameras, cell phones, sunglasses, etc. in one of the free lockers and put Universal Express to the test. It was great! We went through the queue and were off the ride within 20 minutes. And we all enjoyed the ride, though my head did bounce back and forth a bit so my ears kind of hurt after it was over. Matt wasn't expecting the launch and the look on his face was priceless (my camera was in the locker, so no red neck ride photos, unfortunately).

Next it was over to The Amazing Adventures of Spider Man.

Again, UE had us off the ride within 20 minutes of entering the queue. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect for this ride, and it was nothing like I had imagined from the Unofficial Guide description. It was really cool, but I did end up taking the glasses off because it was a bit too intense for me.

There was nothing else in Super Hero Island that we wanted to do so we continued on to Toon Lagoon.

I thought this area was absolutely adorable, and I'm not even a big comic strip person.

There were so many cute photo ops!

Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges was pretty close by so that's where we went. The stand by line was pretty short but we still used UE. It was fun, and definitely more exciting than Kali River Rapids but I don't remember many specific details. We all got pretty wet, and I think Kaitlyn maybe most of all. I tried to take a picture of how wet I was, but it didn't work so well. Plus Kaitlyn photo bombed me.

I saw Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls just a little ways away. We passed a little shop and these signs were too funny-Matt really is a gamer, and Kaitlyn's last name is Kelly, so that pretty much describes her apartment.

Kaitlyn decided to sit out the falls-she was done getting drenched. The stand by line was over an hour (I think probably 90 minutes), and even the UE line was predicted to be a 45 minute wait, so Matt and I decided to do the single rider line. The employee told us it would be about 15 minutes, but it was definitely longer than that-the line didn't move for quite a while.

Matt was originally sent to the back of his "log" but then they told him he was too tall! So he had to sit in the middle and break up the family he was riding with. Again, a cute ride, but Splash Mountain is absolutely better themed. And I've never watched Dudley Do Right, so the plot was a little lost on me. We did both get more water splashed on us, though.

Continuing on to Jurassic Park, we saw the River Adventure building. Kaitlyn again decided not to ride, so Matt and I hopped in the UE line (after we finally found the entrance-it's kind of tucked away) and almost walked on the ride.

I've never seen Jurassic Park but I do know the premise. This was a pretty tame ride, though I did jump and squeak a little bit when the box with the raptor in it seems like it's going to fall on you. The big raptor wasn't scary at all. The worst part was not even the drop but the FACE FULL of water at the bottom. There's a foot height difference between Matt and me, and we both ended up wiping water out of our eyes. Totally unavoidable.

With the abundance of water rides behind us, we continued on to what I was most looking forward to: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. As we got closer I shouted, "I see it!"

But would it live up to my hopes and expectations?

 

[bellebookworm9]

When I left off we were just approaching the Wizarding World from the Jurassic Park side.

There was a Spirit Rally going on, but we didn't stop to watch.

We were getting kind of hungry, as it was just after 1pm, so we headed toward the Three Broomsticks, of course.

The employee at the entrance told us it would be about a 30 minute wait. That was acceptable to us, and it really turned out to be just under 15 minutes.

I loved the displays of food in the queue.

After a short time we were seated at a table on the other side of the wall from the entrance.

Kaitlyn ordered the Shepherd's Pie, a side garden salad, a butterbeer and a Hog's Head brew beer in a souvenir mug.

I ordered the fish & chips, chocolate trifle and a butterbeer. Matt also ordered the fish & chips and a Hog's Head brew.

We all liked this meal a lot. The fish and chips were not too heavy, which was great because it was a very hot day. The trifle was amazing. I enjoyed the butterbeer, but thought the foam was maybe a bit too sweet. Both friends enjoyed their real beers.

A family of four sat next to us and Matt went, "Oh, they just ordered a salad!" I realized that was not the case, and that they had in fact ordered "The Great Feast" which starts with a salad. This was confirmed when their plate of meats showed up!

We were in the restaurant for about half an hour. A bathroom break was needed so that was the next stop-you can hear Moaning Myrtle in the stalls! If I hadn't been familiar with the books and movies, that probably would have been a bit weird. Sunscreen was also reapplied during our brief stop. Gotta protect our pasty white skin! I had heard it might be an advantageous time saver to store our stuff in the Dragon Challenge Lockers rather than the castle lockers, so we stopped there before making our way up to Hogwarts for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

Yes, that sign does say a 60 minute wait. It was 2:09pm. There is no Universal Express at this attraction. Unofficial Guide says the single rider line may be significantly shorter, and since you can't see the other members of your party anyway, this may be a good option. However, they also recommend that everyone goes through the full queue at least once since there is so much detail. So in we went!

 

[bellebookworm9]

I adored the props in this queue. In the dungeons, you encounter the Mirror of Erised. (Lighting was dim and we were moving pretty fast, so not great picture quality).

Potions Classroom:

They actually had employees at spots in the queue selling snacks and drinks because the line was so long! Kaitlyn tried to get in touch with her friend, since apparently the last time she was there he let her skip the line. She was not successful but it was no big deal.

About to enter "horticulture purgatory", as named by the Unofficial Guide. We did spent about 25 minutes in the greenhouse area, but the line seemed to move pretty continuously, if not necessarily quickly.

Matt: What are you taking a picture of?
Me: Oh, I just like the design!

I believe these were Mandrakes.

Back inside. Can't remember who this statue is.

As a self-proclaimed and Pottermore proven Ravenclaw, I'm sad to see that my house is losing the House Cup.

The entrance to Dumbledore's office.

Portrait gallery, where the portraits question Dumbledore's decision to have a "muggle open house".

Dumbledore's office and a very blurry Dumbledore himself.

The Pensieve.

I stopped to take those two pictures and then had to excuse myself and scurry past a bunch of people to catch back up to my friends!

This was not the Fat Lady's most flattering moment.

Whoops, guess we are breaking that rule!

And finally, the Sorting Hat!

We spent about 50 minutes in the line but it really didn't feel that long because everything was so engrossing. I had my sunglasses, camera and lanyard still. According the UG, there is a small pocket in the seatback to store these things, although they do warn you there's not much time allowed to secure your items. I didn't even see this pocket, so I held my stuff in my hands and prayed it wouldn't fall! The employees had to push the bar down farther for both me and Kaitlyn and I was afraid we were going to be told we couldn't ride if it didn't latch for the three clicks. But it did and soon we were on our way!

I LOVED THIS RIDE!

Wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I'd read the description in UG and the reality doesn't compare in the slightest. I was slightly worried about getting motion sick but I wasn't too bothered. Much like how I'd imagined Spiderman, I didn't realize this moved through an attraction and had both film and actual prop elements. I did shriek a little when the first thing popped up in the Chamber of Secrets, but it was just so cool!

With that super headliner done we went back into the village to do Dragon Challenge.

 

[bellebookworm9]

We stopped back at the Dragon Challenge Lockers to drop off the rest of our stuff (phones, glasses, etc) before getting in line for the coaster.

I also took this picture of Hermione's Yule Ball gown. If this is the real prop, Emma Watson is tiny, both in stature and dress size.

DC only had a 20 minute wait. We still decided to use the UE line. Since Unofficial Guide recommends the "Chinese Fireball" side if you only have time to ride once, that's what we went with, deciding that the line was short enough to ride the "Hungarian Horntail" if we wanted to go a second time. It was a cool ride, but I did feel a bit nauseous when it was over. We decided not to ride again.

Back at the lockers, the area was crowded. There were several tour groups who decided that EVERY SINGLE PERSON in their groups needed to be in the confined space. I managed to push my way through to the screen and open my locker. Then it was time for some shopping!

We went into Dervish and Bangs, I believe. I was able to grab a Ravenclaw shirt while we were there. The Monster Book of Monsters was on display, and we also spent some time looking at wands, though Kaitlyn didn't find any she liked and didn't already own.

She still wanted a wand, so we trekked back up to Filch's Emporium at the end of Forbidden Journey. No wands, but she did find a shirt. Her flip flops were causing her major blisters so she also asked an employee if they had any other flip flops. She was told they did not have any HP themed ones, but they had some on hand for guests who lose their shoes on the ride, and gave her a pair for free. I misunderstood at first and thought she meant they kept the shoes that people lost on the ride and gave them out!

They were very thin flip flops, but they worked for the time being. I took a picture of the Marauder's Map before Matt and I went outside; it was very crowded in all the Hogsmeade shops, which was something I didn't care for.

After those purchases were completed, we started to head out towards Seuss Landing. Kaitlyn encouraged us to duck into Honeyduke's and Zonko's, but we didn't buy anything. We encountered the Hogwarts Express and it's conductor along the way out. He was awesome! As I approached he went, "Oh no, not another Weasley! Not that I don't like you all, but there's always just many of you on the train causing trouble!" He totally made my day and it's one of my favorite memories from the trip.

All told, we'd spent about three hours in the WWOHP, leaving at 4:10. There was nothing we really wanted to do in The Lost Continent or Seuss Landing, so we decided to head over to Universal Studios to continue our day. Kaitlyn stopped for ice cream and Matt got a fresh squeezed lemonade. My shorts were a denim material and still pretty wet from the water rides. They were chafing uncomfortably so I stopped at a store near the exit to purchase another pair-soft cotton ones this time! The cashier said they were a pipular item that day. I changed and we started the walk to the US.

A bit of a drizzle began coming down. Well, in the short time it took us to make it to the Studios park, it became a full on monsoon. So much for those dry shorts! I've never been so wet in my whole life. They were covering the turnstiles to keep them dry, and the biometrics were being uncooperative due to our wet hands.

There was literally no one outside at the park. They were all huddled on sidewalks under awnings, or inside attractions or stores. We were just walking in the middle of the roads laughing at our predicament.

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit was close by, so we checked out the line for that. 50 minutes for Universal Express and single riders, and 70 minutes stand by. No way! We walked by the Despicable Me and Transformers rides, which also had outrageous waits. There was an announcement that the parade would be postponed due to inclimate weather. Kaitlyn finally said, "I don't really want to eat like this. Would anyone be opposed if we just went back to the hotel?" Nope, all in favor of that plan! I mapped out the short little circuit we made around the park before we left.

As we exited, there was a HUGE burst of lightning and crack of thunder. So many other people were leaving as well. I had a poncho and really wouldn't have minded staying, but the other two did not have rain gear and so we all slogged our way back to the parking garage. We plan to go back to Orlando in March for the annual Audiology conference, so Kaitlyn says we can try Universal again then.

After a wrong turn out of the parking garage, we made our way back to I-4. There was a bit of traffic due to rush hour but nothing too bad, and the rain was nowhere to be seen over at Disney.

At the hotel, we dried off a bit, and I think this was the night I went swimming before dinner. Nobody else wanted to come, so I walked over to the Flippin' Fins pool at Little Mermaid alone. I relaxed over there for a bit, but I always feel kind of weird at the pool by myself so didn't stay long.

We ate a late dinner, around 8 I think, at Landscape of Flavors. I had the make your own pasta (fettucine, alfredo sauce and shrimp with a breadstick), Matt had butter chicken with roasted cauliflower and multigrain rice, and Kaitlyn had a very odd open faced steak sandwich. It was not impressive at all, so she also ordered a kid's meal of corn dog nuggets and fries. I picked a pumpkin tart for dessert and took it back to the room (not very good when I did finally eat it) and Kaitlyn got pistachio gelato. No pictures of this meal, for whatever reason.

After dinner I went to the front desk yet again to add the credit card back to our room key. Hallelujah, this was the last time I had to make a trip there! We also browsed the gift shop. Matt had foolishly only brought one pair of shoes, which were wet from that day. I told him there was no way he could spend the next day at Epcot in soaked shoes, so he bought a pair of sandals. Kaitlyn bought a "mine, mine, mine" seagull shirt that she ended up returning because it was too small and see through. I didn't buy anything-at this point I'm pretty selective about my souvenirs.

We returned to the room and hung out for a while before going to bed. It had been a pretty long day and we would be going back to Epcot in the morning!

 

[wiigirl]

Great pics!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Saturday morning we had reservations at Akershus for the princess breakfast-Kaitlyn's request, but something I've always wanted to do as well. Our ADRs were for 10:35, but of course, we were a little late getting out the door. And then, I stopped paying attention as navigator for like 5 seconds, because I figured Matt knew where he was going by now. Nope, he missed the turn for Epcot and we had to go all the way down to Animal Kingdom to turn around. When we finally made it to the park, we parked in like the second row of Journey and I hustled us to the gate. But of course, my luck never works, and there was some sort of turnstile snafu so we got stuck there.

We RAN to Norway and got there just after 10:50. Thankfully, the CMs were so nice and able to accommodate us with no problem. I was so stressed out. I hate being late for ADRs, and I know this is one that they charge you for if you don't show up.

We got our picture taken with Belle and were seated almost instantly. We had our first buffet plates five minutes after we arrived!

I LOVED the dresses here. They seem to have gotten a makeover and they're now beautiful velvet gowns.

This was my plate: fruit, butter, a bagel, a half eaten croissant (sorry, I was hungry!) and one of those delicious lingonberry muffins that people rave about.

Matt's plate: lox (I think), caramelized goat cheese, some other fish, and maybe that's salami?

And Kaitlyn's plate: Muenster cheese, strawberry yogurt with granola, strawberries, and a cinnamon roll.

Three minutes later, Aurora stopped by.

Matt was our photographer. He's apparently too cool for princess pictures.

Then Cinderella. Kaitlyn and I couldn't pinpoint exactly what we didn't like about her. Her face is almost too modern and angular or something.

Snow White, who was adorable.

And there's me trying to get out of the way of their picture, tripping over the chair and table, and spilling coffee and stuff.

I look so awful in all my individual pictures. No idea why.

My serving from the big plate. Eggs (not so good, but I don't like them anyway), bacon, sausage, and the most amazing potato casserole ever on the Earth.

The princesses did this cute little parade with all the little girls in the restaurant.

We did have a little incident during the meal. I was already in a bad mood. Matt sometimes cuts me off in the middle of a sentence, realizes what he's done, tells me to keep going, and then proceeds to interrupt me about three more times. I got a bit mad. I guess I hurt his feelings. Oops.

The whole meal took just about 45 minutes, and when we left they were setting up for lunch. We headed to Maelstrom, rode with no wait, and it was just as weird as I remember it being. Then we went into the gift shop so Kaitlyn could get her prized "Laila" perfume with my discount-I think she ended up giving it to her grandmother in the end.

When I found Matt & Kaitlyn in another gift shop, we took more hat pictures. Kaitlyn told me to be an angry viking. Yeah, not so much.

"Off with his head!"

Into the Stave Church to look around. Off with her head!

After a bathroom break we headed up to Test Track. I really liked the pavement outside, which I had never noticed before!

I've never done the Fastpass or Stand by line since it's been redesigned, only the singles line. So this was the first time I've been "forced" to make my own car. I don't even know what we did with our design. All I can say is it's extremely powerful and NOT AT ALL efficient!

Unfortunately, it didn't read on the scanner, so we weren't shown in how we measured up to the other designers in our car. Using the Fastpass line, it was 30 minutes from the time we got in line to the time we got off the ride.

They both really enjoyed it, and Kaitlyn thought the redesign was cool. Next we headed for Mission: Space. There was a short Fastpass wait for Green Team (no spinning for me!) and then we were blasting off to Mars. Another hit!

Finally we crossed Future World to my love, Soarin'. Kaitlyn had NEVER been on this ride. She didn't even know it existed, which absolutely baffles me. I guess on all her previous trips she'd been too busy drinking around the world! I think Matt had ridden the original at California Adventure. The wait wasn't too bad with Fastpass, and we were directed to Concourse 1, as always. Best of all, we were assigned B1 without me even asking! Aaah, five minutes of paradise. I felt much more relaxed when we were done and grabbed some Fastpasses for later-they were still available at probably 2pm, which was shocking. We also rode Living with the Land, because I thought Matt would enjoy it, and he did.

Then Kaitlyn stopped at the bathroom while Matt and I found an empty table at Sunshine Seasons (which was kind of uncrowded anyway) and he engaged in some foot care. Those sandals from the night before? Yeah, they absolutely destroyed his feet. He was actually bleeding. Kaitlyn said her feet were sore too, so I suggested we take a break for the afternoon. While I was feeling better, I was a little tired, which Matt noticed, so a nap was much appreciated, and we knew we'd be back to Epcot later in the evening anyway.

 

[bellebookworm9]

After our naps and relaxing, we decided to order pizza for dinner. I'd never had the resort pizza delivery before and we had a heck of a time finding the menu in the room! It was just a single slip of paper hidden in the folder they leave on the dresser.

We decided on a cheese pizza, plus two tye dyed cheesecakes (prepackaged, not the slices you get at Pop's food court) and Kaitlyn also ordered one mini margarita and a mini mudslide-these were premixed in little bottles. The total, with all the taxes and charges added on, was close to $50.

It didn't take too long to be delivered. The pizza was actually reasonably good and the tye dyed cheesecake was delicious as usual. I'm pretty sure this was the evening I tried to watch TV in the living area and Kaitlyn threatened to cut my hands off if I changed the channel. (I think she was watching "Moonshiners". The girl loves her documentaries and reality TV.) So I went into Matt's room and hung out with him. It was a Harry Potter weekend on ABC Family, so we watched part of Order of the Phoenix.

Eventually we were all refreshed and ready to head out again around 6:15. We were able to park in the first row of Journey this time. After entering, we took some more Photopass pictures.

Matt and I wanted to ride Soarin' again; Kaitlyn didn't want to walk out of the way to ride it and headed back to the UK to start getting her drink on.

We used our Fastpasses and then something very exciting happened! We were directed to Concourse 2! I've lost count of the number of times I've ridden Soarin' since May 2010, but in all my rides, I have NEVER EVER been sent to the right! Matt was making fun of me so badly though. "Really, you're excited because we went right and not left? You need to seriously examine your life." I explained that I suspected the film in Concourse 2 might be in better condition (less bugs and dirt) because it's not used as often. And I was right, actually. We requested B1, even though we had to wait a cycle for it. Totally worth it. I never get sick of this ride.

We meandered back through World Showcase and met up with Kaitlyn in UK. I decided we should get a snack from France so that's where we all headed next. We encountered a PP on the bridge and took some fun pictures with her, but they didn't show up on my account and I forgot about them until after I had ordered the CD. Matt also wanted to stop at the IG gift shop so we looked in there briefly.

Kaitlyn ordered a Grand Marnier slushie in France at my suggestion (and loved it!) while Matt and I went into the Patisserie. I got my beloved cheese plate, baguette, and strawberry tart. Matt got (I think) the quiche Florentine, creme brulee, and the Duo au Chocolat Mousse. We managed to snag a table inside and Kaitlyn joined us. She thought our stuff looked so good, she went and got a Quiche Lorraine for herself!

After our snack, we moved on to Japan. Those two were so intrigued by the Mitsukoshi store that we had to stop in again! We browsed in there for quite a bit. Matt really liked the incense, but we can't have any in our apartments. (Though I don't think anybody would notice or care if we did ) Matt also loves sake, so he was pleased when we discovered the sake bar in the back of the store. He and Kaitlyn each had a Japanese beer, which they enjoyed. Matt also tried unfiltered sake and ended up purchasing a bottle (plus a bottle of the beer) to bring home. And I'm pretty sure that's the only souvenir he got!

When we finished in the store, we headed out towards the benches. It was around 8:30, and I wanted to get a spot for IllumiNations. I'd never watched from this area before. I had to stand on a bench because there were trees and bushes in the way and I'm too short for that!

Matt went and got a "Strawberry Amasake Mist" from the stand outside, which I had a sip of and found surprisingly enjoyable. I called my mom and brother, wanting to Skype IllumiNations to them, but my phone wasn't cooperating.

Kaitlyn went to the restroom in the USA and took forever to come back-I actually thought she may have gotten lost!

During the show, I took a couple of pictures when the countries light up.

After the show was over, we meandered out of the park. Kaitlyn wanted to meet up with her friend from Universal at Downtown Disney, so we dropped her off there. The parking lot was a NIGHTMARE with all the construction going on. Matt and I went back and turned in for the night. Kaitlyn told us the next day she hadn't met up with her friend after all but met some nice girls that she hung out with. She took the bus back around midnight and said she only waited like 10 minutes-I didn't even hear her come in!

And the next day would bring my least favorite park, but the one Matt was looking forward to because of nostalgia: Magic Kingdom!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Sunday was going to be our sleep in, stay out late day. Looks like we got moving and down to Landscape of Flavors around 10:30am. I know we ended up sitting in the Cars area. I have to say that overall I was kind of disappointed with the food choices here for all meals. Not a lot of familiar stuff, which isn't cool for picky or unadventurous eaters like myself. But hey, you can't go wrong with Simba character waffles with fruit topping and bacon!

It appears Kaitlyn got the "breakfast sandwich": Naan bread with bacon, scrambled eggs, and cheese sauce plus a side of tandoori potatoes.

And Matt ordered the "World of Flavors Breakfast Platter": Scrambled Eggs, Breakfast Potatoes, Portuguese Sausage, Bacon, and Mini Naan Bread.

We were done eating and out of there within 20 minutes. Time to explore the resort!

Starting our journey in the desert town of Radiator Springs. I really like the theming over here-I think they have the best outdoor theming at this resort. And this is actually the section my brother requested to stay in when we go in January for his birthday!

The "flooring" surrounding the cars is HEAVENLY. It's like a soft, squishy foam material and I really wish they would make mats out of that stuff for the cast members to stand on throughout the day!

Again, loved the building schemes over here as well.

Cozy Cone Pool

Kaitlyn took a short break in one of the Cone Cabanas. I think this is a very nice touch and wish more pools throughout the resort had this option!

The Cozy Cone "office" serves as this section's restroom and laundry area.

Cute details all over the place!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Continuing over to Finding Nemo:

Kaitlyn loved these seagulls!

And I loved all the different fish everywhere!

Squirt's playground area:

Big Blue Pool:

Kaitlyn didn't want to walk anymore so she went to fill up her mug again and told Matt and me that she would meet us back at the room. So the two of us continued into our home section, The Lion King.

That's our building behind the log.

 

[bellebookworm9]

And last but not least, The Little Mermaid section!

Flippin' Fins Pool:

It took just about 30 minutes to walk the whole resort. When Matt and I got back to the room, Kaitlyn had already fallen asleep again! So we hung out for a while, watched some more Harry Potter movies, and just relaxed. But I was getting kind of antsy. I hate just sitting in the hotel room when it's so nice outside and there are things to do! Matt said if she didn't wake up soon he and I would just go to Magic Kingdom by ourselves. I explained the way the main gate pass works and that we couldn't go by ourselves. I even asked PB if he could get her in later but he was working until close at BC Marketplace. Thankfully, I think she woke up around 1:30 and we were on our way to the TTC!

 

[bellebookworm9]

We piled in to the car and headed for the TTC. They directed us into whatever lot was hosting handicapped parking at that time...but there were no spots! And of course you can only turn one way in the rows so we had difficulty even trying to look for another spot. So we quit that idea, left the parking lot to turn around and just followed the blue line. We ended up in Aladdin 65, which is the first row! After a quick walk we boarded the monorail, which we made just as it pulled up.

Bag check line was short and we found a short line CM entrance. It was just about 2:30 when we hit Main Street. Photopass time!

For some reason, they didn't want to be in the Tinkerbell shot.

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to Space Mountain we go! Matt had told me he really wanted to ride at Disneyland the last time he was there, but it was when his dad was really sick so they didn't do a lot of rides. Even though I hate it, I made sure we did it since he asked. I always forget how long that queue is, and it always seems like miles and miles of walking. We waited pretty briefly. It looks like we were in the first car, and I know we asked which seat would be best for Matt!

I know where they take the picture, and since the ride is still pretty calm at that point, we decided to pose: look bored, and point at your wrist like there's a watch there. Apparently Matt missed the latter half of that memo.

The line to get the picture wasn't very long but it took FOREVER. When we finally got up to the counter, the CM was deaf! Which we as future audiologists find absolutely fascinating. Instead of telling her the photo number we wrote it down and we were on our way pretty quickly. Next up was the WEDway People Mover. We were able to see a bit of the parade from up there.

On to Buzz Lightyear! Matt outscored me by quite a bit. The line to get the pictures was again very slow moving. They only had two CMs for all the people wanting a picture.

I kind of wanted to do Monsters Inc Laugh Floor but the posted wait was 30 minutes. Too long for me, so we headed out for the time being and boarded the monorail over to the Poly. Oh, but first we got another Photopass picture. This photographer called me "a rose between two thorns" and told Matt & Kaitlyn that if I called them thorns for the rest of our lives that he was not to blame!

It was still early for our ADR, maybe 4:15 or so? And Ohana doesn't open until 5. So we took a seat at the Tambu Lounge bar. I finally splurged and got the Lapu Lapu (my first alcoholic drink of the trip, if you're keeping score).

Now, to me, all drinks taste strong so I don't complain. But two other patrons during the evening ordered the same thing and brought it back, saying there was too much alcohol and not enough juice. Guess I'm tougher than I thought! I know Kaitlyn had a few drinks, including the backscratcher. As we found out, it literally comes with a backscratcher!

Matt had a few drinks too, including a Habanero Lime Margarita and some sort of beer. I was good though and only had the one drink-my tolerance and taste level can't compete with the other two! I kept periodically checking the area where the check in desk is located. Shortly before 5, a CM came out so I joined the massive line that had formed. I was soon told that the huge line was actually for people without reservations! In fact, I was the second person with an ADR to check in.

We were seated right next to a window on the back wall with a limited view of the castle, due to the giant palm trees blocking the way. It didn't really matter though because there was a storm while were eating so the view would have not been great regardless.

I had first eaten at Ohana in May 2010 with my mom and I remembered really enjoying it. Then I ate there last May (2012) with my college program roommates and it was just okay. But this time it was great! So I am strongly convinced that my perception of this "family" restaurant is heavily influenced by how much I like my dining companions-I really didn't get along with my CP roommates, but of course, I have great relationships with my mom, Matt and Kaitlyn.

Pineapple bread and the salad were delicious, according to Kaitlyn and me. I loved the new strawberry lime dressing! (Matt doesn't like pineapple or really vegetables at all so he didn't eat any of that course.) Soon after our server (Simo) brought us the pot stickers and chicken wings. We all loved the pot stickers and Matt & Kaitlyn liked the wings. I'm a born and raised Buffalo girl, so hometown wings are the only ones I love. We ended up asking for more potstickers and wings.

Lo mein also gets a big thumbs up from me in particular, and Kaitlyn loves broccoli, so she had a field day with the mixed veggies. And then came the meats. Oh, the meats. The chicken was amazing and I normally don't like chicken at all. The pork and steak were very good as well. Kaitlyn doesn't eat seafood and I don't like the marinade on the shrimp, but Matt thought it was great. To each his own, I suppose. They kept offering us more meat but we were so full already!

And to top off the meal, the Bananas Foster Bread Pudding. Kaitlyn hates bananas so she asked if she could just get pineapple cubes with caramel (I guess they used to do this) and she was told no. So she just had the bread pudding and ice cream with no sauce and found it enjoyable. I liked the bread pudding much better than I have in the past (I find the texture of bread pudding displeasing and also don't love bananas foster). Matt enjoyed it quite a lot as well.

Only two minor, minor complaints about this meal. They do serve you incredibly quickly. This leads to a rushed feeling which is highly unpleasant when you're being fed such vast quantities of food. And we also weren't given leis at the end of the meal like in the past.

After dinner Matt went back to the bar and had another margarita and another beer. Kaitlyn went to smoke and look in the gift shops. I also browsed the shops to look for some earrings that my mom had requested but didn't find them so went back upstairs to the bar to chill with Matt while he finished his drinks.

Then we wanted to take a break. Back on the monorail to MK, where we boarded the bus for Art of Animation. Matt was obviously in no condition to drive, and although I was okay, since I wasn't listed as an additional driver Matt didn't want something to happen if I was to drive. No problem, as the bus showed up within 10 minutes.

We took a short break, maybe an hour, in the room. Kaitlyn passed out, so Matt and I headed back to MK for extra magic hours without her. I normally avoid EMH (morning or night) like the plague but since I was with people who are night owls I thought we would give it a shot. Again, the bus arrived within minutes to take us back to the park. I think we got there right around 9:30. The CM turnstiles were closed and all that were open were the RFID ones. Thankfully, they had extra CMs with iPhones and scanners attached for paper/non-RFID tickets. Celebrate the Magic was starting at 9:45 and we headed up Main Street to the PERFECT spot. I looked at Matt and said, "Can you tell I've done this a time or two?"

See, perfect!

We waited only minutes before the show began. I hadn't seen the summer version yet but I was so happy they'd added the "coloring" in the castle with "Ohana means family" back in as that was one of my favorite parts of the Magic, the Memories, and You.

Under the Sea:

Floating Lanterns from Tangled (one of my favorite parts):

Pirates of the Caribbean (that's Jack Sparrow in the upper left):

And I think these are all from the end montage:

Yay! And Matt was absolutely amazed at the projection technology.

 

[bellebookworm9]

Waiting for Wishes to start:

A slightly fuzzy Partners statue:

No other pictures of Wishes because I have over 350 pictures already, not including Holiday Wishes, Hallowishes, or Celebrate America (4th of July). Instead I just enjoyed how awesome this show is. And sang along, of course!

But, I did get some Disney "stock images" included with my Photopass CD, so I'll showcase those!

After we learned that we'll "never run out of wishes because they're shining deep down inside us" we fought our way upstream towards Liberty Square, specifically the Haunted Mansion. The standby queue was pretty short at that point but they were forcing everyone to go through the interactive section. In the Stretching Room we bee-lined for the painting of the lady with the parasol and soon were in the main queueing room. And of course, the ride broke down. It was probably a good 15 minutes before it started up again, to the point that everyone in line actually cheered! Once on the ride it stopped a few more times, including while we were dallying with the hitch hiking ghosts. Our special effect didn't work anymore when it restarted.

Eventually we made it out alive (haha) and made our way to Splash Mountain. The stand by wait was very short and we were seated in the last row of our log. Well, the reason the wait was so short is because they were dispatching logs more quickly than the ride could handle so there were literal logjams before every single drop. Booooo. And then, when we got off, the ride pictures weren't working. Bigger booooooooo. Matt said that was probably a good thing though as his face probably looked ridiculous from fear.

After a quick bathroom stop we headed towards the parade route right where it heads backstage, as I know that's not a normally crowded spot. I was right, there weren't a ton of people there, and we got there just as the beginning of the parade did. I could not have timed it any more perfectly. Love when things just work out like that!

This was the first time I noticed those Native American heads on this float.

Matt said basically what my mom says about this parade: It hasn't changed hardly at all since the last time they saw it in the early to mid 90s.

We backtracked to Big Thunder Mountain. There was a massive crowd of people outside but that was simply because EMH were now in effect and they had one CM checking everyone's room keys. We thought the queue would be a mess as well but our wait was basically just walking through the line. We were directed to the front row-woo hoo! I adore BTMRR. Matt kept falling into me because it slams you around so much, and when it ended he was like, "I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?" He told me that his Mom used to hang on to him by the beltloops because she was afraid he would fly out. It's hard for me to picture Matt being small enough that such a thing was necessary!

After that we decided to call it a night with rides. We meandered through Adventureland and up to Main Street. We stopped in the Emporium to look for those earrings again. I saw the Beauty and the Beast Thomas Kinkade painting that I LOVE (it's actually my phone case) as a puzzle, but as I had just purchased a different TK Cinderella Castle puzzle in May that is still nowhere near complete in September, I skipped buying this one. I suggested we stop in the redesigned Main Street Bakery because Matt loves Starbucks and I was curious to see how it looks now. We were both pleased to discover that literally EVERYTHING on the menu, regardless of size, is a snack credit. So he got whatever venti caramel frappuccino he always gets and I got a tall strawberries and cream frappuccino. Then we also stopped in at the Confectionary to spend down some more snack credits. Keep in mind, there were only 1.5 days left for the trip and we still had something nonsensical like 15 credits left.

Finally we headed out around 12:30am. I had accomplished everything I really wanted to do at MK, even though we didn't do a whole lot. The monorails had stopped running at 12 and I was hoping they would have buses to take us back to the TTC. Nope, of course not. Everyone had to take the ferryboat, which I was not happy about. It's just always so buggy. Although it was a short wait to get on, we just sat there forever until they deemed it full enough to go. But I did get this lovely shot of the Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower.

We made it back to the TTC and found the car with no problem-it was like the last one in the lot at that hour! Back at the hotel, Kaitlyn was still asleep. At Matt's request, I pushed back our lunch (at 50s Prime Time) and dinner (Yachtsman Steakhouse) ADRs back significantly so we could sleep in. Monday would bring our last park, Hollywood Studios, and PB would be joining us again!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Monday was a late start day. Our new ADR for 50s Prime Time was at 1:45pm. Looks like I managed to get everyone rounded up and out the door by about 12:30. I remember that the handicapped lot up by the bus loop was full, so we were parked in the "Stage" medical overflow.

Once in the park we headed straight for Tower of Terror. I thought it best to ride that before lunch!

"Act scared!"

Using the GAC, we got on pretty quickly. Time entering the queue to getting the picture printed was about 25 minutes. The standby line was long, yet there were empty seats in our elevator?!

Matt pointed out that they take the picture before anything has really happened, which is why everyone looks bored. He also said that because of that, the girls with their hands up had obviously ridden before. Kaitlyn said she remembered it being a much cooler ride when she was a kid, back when the drops weren't randomized. I guess at that point you were always guaranteed a 13 story drop?

It was in this gift shop that Kaitlyn found a cool Jack Skellington headband that she absolutely had to have. We bought it and she immediately asked the cast member to cut the tag off so she could wear it! Then we headed towards 50s to meet PB for lunch. He was there already, so I checked us in and we hung out in the living room for a bit.

We were seated at a TV table, yay!

I've eaten here I think four times now, and the experience was a little weird this time. We told our server that three of us were on the DDP and one was not. She literally ran through the menu rundown and DDP inclusions twice in a row without starting over, like she totally forgot she had already said all of it. I experienced a bit of deja vu! She told us we couldn't have clean plate stickers even when we asked AND cleaned our plates, and didn't do any fun interaction with us. At the end of the meal she was kind of snarky about my discount and how I "should have told her sooner" that I would be using it.

In other news, the food was good. Because PB was using my CM discount, we ordered the Fried Cheese appetizer to share which is always delicious! We had kind of a variety of entrees: Matt had Olive Oil Poached Salmon, Kaitlyn had "Mom's Favorites" (fried chicken, pot roast, and meatloaf), I had pot roast, and PB had fried chicken. Yum yum!

I had a PB&J shake for a drink and PB had one for his dessert. I ordered the Smores for my dessert. They were just okay, I think they just had so much hype that my first time trying them was a let down. Kaitlyn had a vanilla shake to drink, and Matt had the Brownie Sundae, hold the whipped cream.

Aside from the so-so service, it was another good experience and I wouldn't hesitate to go back.

After lunch, we went to The Great Movie Ride. Honestly, I don't enjoy this ride all that much and only go on it maybe once per year. But I figured Matt would enjoy it since he loves movies! We got the gangster scene, as always. I did get a picture in the land of Oz:

Matt and Kaitlyn both deemed it delightfully cheesy. Then it was back to Pixar Place for Toy Story Mania. The standby line was its usual insane length, but the GAC got us through the FP line in no time at all. We ended up girls vs. boys. These were mine and Kaitlyn's scores, though I can't remember which was mine.

We skipped the Backlot Tour and headed to Star Tours. I actually managed to keep the glasses on for more of the movie than ever before, but by the end I was quite nauseous. PB has clearly ridden this too many times because when the Wookie Planet showed up he was just like, "Noooo!" He said that one is particularly bad for motion sickness because your space pod (or whatever it's called, sorry, I've never seen Star Wars) gets "stuck" to that creature's tongue underwater and "shaken".

A bathroom break was requested and I stopped to get a frozen lemonade. They were out of the lemon kind unfortunately, but I was able to get the strawberry version. By this point it was 4:30ish and we were hot and getting tired, plus I know Kaitlyn's feet weren't doing so great. So we made our way up to the front, stopping for some pictures at the Academy of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame.

I think this is her Lucille Ball impression:

With Betty White:

Yay for Walt Disney!

Apparently she adores Bob Newhart:

Also on the way out we got some more photopass pictures.

Matt's face in this one makes me laugh every time I see it:

And they had fun props to use too!

We decided to take the tram even though we weren't parked all that far away. And of course the first tram was full, so we had to wait for the next one and it would have been faster to walk in the first place! While we waited, Kaitlyn fell in love with PB's calves. I think she may have said he should be a leg model, and actually made me take a picture of them!

PB returned to his house for the afternoon and we went to the hotel to rest up before our fancy dinner and more evening EMH at the Studios!

 

[bellebookworm9]

We were able to chill out in the hotel room for about an hour and a half. Our dinner ADR was at Yachtsman Steakhouse at 7:20pm. I took this selfie, all dressed up with make up and hair done, at 6:50.

The Yacht Club was a short drive away and we were super fancy and took advantage of valet parking. Walking down the hallway to the restaurant, Kaitlyn and I pointed out and explained Stormalong Bay to Matt. We were a few minutes early checking in, so we waited in the little alcove between the restaurant and (I think) the Crew's Cup Lounge. After about 10 minutes we were taken to our table. I liked the candle centerpiece.

We perused the menu, and ordered drinks and appetizers from Susan, our server. Twenty minutes or so after we were seated we got our free bread basket, which had onion "muffins" and sourdough rolls.

I also ordered a "Glow-tini" because I really, really wanted the glow cube. I mean, the drink was okay too, but I'm essentially just a five year old.

Fifteen minutes later we received our appetizers. Matt had Squash Blossom Crab Rangoon with hearts of palm, ginger and a sweet and sour cherry sauce.

Kaitlyn chose the Truffle Macaroni and Cheese, which is normally a side, and deemed it the best macaroni and cheese ever.

And I ordered a Caesar Salad. This is not what I was expecting.

I thought it would be like a tossed salad, not a head of lettuce! It was still good though.

The pacing of this meal definitely indicated it was a fancy place. An hour after we first sat down, our entrees arrived. I went classic and simple, with the filet mignon and mashed potatoes. Yum!

Although Susan tried to convince Matt that he looked like the 28 oz Porterhouse kind of guy, he chose the Ramp & Goat Cheese Tortellini.

When Susan warned him that was a small portion, he also asked for a side of Ratatouille.

And Kaitlyn had Grilled Rack of Lamb. It came with yuca fries but she asked for mashed potatoes instead, and got both!

We were very full after that delicious meal and declined dessert. Our total, with my 20% discount, including drinks and an 18% automatic gratuity, was about $210. Totally worth it, I think, and I'm very glad that was my first "signature" experience!

Matt went to the valet desk to claim the car and Kaitlyn and I waited in the breezeway. Kaitlyn needed to stop back at the hotel to change her shoes, but decided she wasn't feeling well and that her stomach had been bothering her since lunch. So we just dropped her off and Matt and I continued back to the Studios. I'll admit that we were bad and parked in the handicapped lot right in the bus loop.

We were back in the park right around 9:30pm. I made us stop to get some Photopass pics taken.

More fun props!

Continuing up Sunset Blvd., we met PB at the Fantasmic entrance. They had totally rearranged the entrance walkway area, and we waited nearly half an hour in the plaza kind of near the stroller parking area. It was a bit odd. Eventually, a bit after 10, we were allowed to go get seats. My choice was the Mickey section, of course, and we were still pretty close but not as close as I normally prefer. After another half hour of waiting, the show began and PB & I did our traditional Mickey dance.

Pocahontas!

More pictures to come!

 

[bellebookworm9]

More of Fantasmic!

You go, Brave Little Tailor Mickey!

Yay Mickey! We hightailed it out of there and said good bye to PB, as it was now EMH and he was not a resort guest. Fortunately, our durations of not seeing each other tend to be no longer than six months. In fact, I'll see him three times within the first five months of 2014!

Matt and I made our way to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. I believe the single rider line was closed but Matt decided he was okay waiting the 30 minutes that the wait time claimed. I did this cool picture of Tower of Terror from the RnR queue.

We did eventually make it up to the limo loading area, and I requested an odd number row for Matt's long legs. We were directed to row 11. Wahooo! After our speed adventure through LA we descended on the photos...and didn't see ours? So I stopped at the counter to inquire. The asked if we were in rows 11 or 12. Yes, yes we were. "Oh the photos for that car aren't working." (Indeed, there was just a blank screen where they should have been.) The very nice CM saw that I had the PP+ card and said, "Would you like to ride again?" She must have sensed my split second hesitation about waiting again and immediately said, "With no wait!" Well, no question about that!

We were escorted back through the exit gates to the hallway where they do baby swap, chicken exits, and wheelchair transfers. There's also the test car in that hallway to make sure that "pooh size" guests fit comfortably. Matt was all excited, like "Ooooh, people like me never get to see hallways like this!" The load CM saw that we had the card and immediately directed us to row 10-and then Matt understood why I had wanted a first row in the first place, as he was pretty cramped.

But we got our picture and those guys in front of us were too funny! Screaming and hollaring through the whole ride, in a good natured way. Matt said it's probably good we didn't get the first photo because his face would have been contorted in fear; the second time around he knew what to expect!

After that, it was nearing midnight and the park would be closing soon. We considered stopping in at the Beverly Sunset Sweet Shoppe, but the line was out the door. The last "Monsters U Pep Rally" of the night was playing to a pretty sparse crowd. We found our car with no trouble, seeing as it was basically the only one in the handicapped lot again, and drove back to AoA to pack up after our last full day -and I'm pretty sure Kaitlyn was already sound asleep again when we got back!

 

[bellebookworm9]

All too soon, our last day was upon us. We were out of the room by 10:15am or so, and walked our bags to Resort Airline Check In. It took the CM a few minutes but he was able to find our JetBlue reservation, print our boarding passes, and tag our luggage. Then it was back to the parking lot. I took one last shot of the Lion King section before we departed.

Once in the car it was off to Animal Kingdom Lodge for breakfast at Boma! I had last eaten here in May 2010 and didn't find it to be great. However, I wanted something low key for our last morning and I love AKL so decided to give it another shot. So glad I did! We valeted the car again and made our way downstairs. We were seated pretty quickly and ordered our beverages. I thought the salt & pepper shakers were cool:

Trip #1 to the buffet was for a croissant, banana bread, cinnamon bun, and mini blueberry muffin, plus a bowl of fruit.

I could have done without the giant sugar crystals on the muffin but other than that everything was good!

Then I got some oatmeal, which I thought was maybe a bit too watery.

Sausage, bacon, blueberry pancake, and a waffle.

Finally, the dish I remembered being amazing three years ago: the goat cheese and chive scrambled eggs.

Still just as AWESOME! And I don't even like eggs, so that should tell you something. It was a very enjoyable last counter service meal. And when our server came over at the end she was like, "OK, you've now used up all your table service credits, have 12 counter service credits, 11 snack credits, and 3 mug credits." WHAT?! Something must have gone wonky when they rebooked the reservation and we got an extra day of counter service and mug credits! We didn't end up redeeming the extra mug credits but took care of the extra snack and CS credits later that day.

After breakfast (brunch?) we headed back behind Magic Kingdom to one of my favorite places: Cast Connection! I took Matt & Kaitlyn into the "big store", where they have normal, leftover, out of date, and some exclusive merchandise at a discounted price. I also went over to the "broken" building, where they have items that have been returned, broken, or something else is wrong with them (such as mis-labeled mouse ear hats) at like 75% off. Love that store!

Kaitlyn and I bought a ton! I found her a Jack Skellington travel mug in the broken store; I think it was missing a jewel. I got this Splash Mountain shirt and Minnie pj shorts (no top) from there as well.

I also stock up on broken antenna toppers back here for 10 cents each!

In the normal store, I finally bought myself one of these shirts, and am so glad I did. I love it!

And this shirt, which is unfortunately too small.

Great haul, when all was said and done. Then it was on to Downtown Disney for more shopping. We went into Goofy's and spent all of our remaining snack credits. I got fudge for my grandma, maybe a smores square, and definitely a butterfinger covered rice crispie treat.

We also browsed in the Christmas shop.

Made a stop at Wolfgang Puck for lunch. Matt ordered the Butternut Squash soup and creme brulee.

I had cheese pizza and frozen yogurt. Since we had so many CS credits, Kaitlyn got two orders of chicken fingers and mashed potatoes (one to go), plus a creme brulee (which she didn't like and gave to Matt) and a sugar cookie.

We also stopped into Once Upon a Toy, and I bought two books there.

The one on the left is called "Fairest of All" and it's the story of the Evil Queen from Snow White and how she got to be so evil. It was pretty good and an easy read. And I absolutely adore the trivia book!

Our last shopping stop was at World of Disney. I bought earrings for my mom (not the ones she wanted, but she still likes these).

The most adorable pjs ever!

And a picture frame, which 2.5 months later still has no pictures in it because no photos come in this very weird square configuration.

After I had cashed out, I saw this beautiful throw blanket that I had been eying online for a while, and I had to have it.

Wicked expensive, but no regrets!

Last but not least was a stop at Earl of Sandwich to use up the other eight counter service credits. Between Kaitlyn and I, we ordered two Originals and one each of the Earl's Club, All American, Hawaiian BBQ, Best BLT, Chicken Caesar Wrap, and Buffalo Chicken Wrap. We also got eight desserts: sugar, oatmeal, and chocolate chip cookies, a brownie, and mini-muffins. The eight bottled waters and diet cokes were given away to other guests since we couldn't take them on the plane. It was absolute insanity! For about three days after that, all I was eating were those dumb sandwiches, despite the fact that they didn't hold up very well during travel. I'm okay if I don't see another Earl's sandwich for another year or so.

Finally it was time to go back to the airport. We crammed all our shopping bags, carry ons, and ourselves into the Galant and were on our way. The ride was smooth until we got to the Dollar car return. What an unorganized mess! Another car in the garage almost hit us because there was no direction on where to go or what to do. Eventually we got all our stuff out. Kaitlyn had a moment of panic when she couldn't find her Tablet, but it was in a bag somewhere. She went to have a smoke break and Matt and I continued through the airport to security. Kaitlyn was so confused and kept telling us she'd meet us at the JetBlue and/or Dollar counters. NO! We will meet you at A SIDE SECURITY!

Matt and I found our way over there and sat and waited for her. We also managed to redistribute almost everything from the shopping bags into our backpacks, because I was pretty convinced we weren't going to be allowed on with a backpack (plus a rolling carry on for Kaitlyn) and about three shopping bags each. Kaitlyn was insistent that the airline wouldn't care but I was not taking any chances. Unfortunately, some of the food and snacks got smushed from being stuffed in the backpacks, but hey, what can you do? After some confused phone calls, Kaitlyn did manage to find us and we joined the line. Matt and I were allowed into a special line normally meant for crew members, but I guess the lines were generally too long that day so they were letting in single adult travelers or something? Eventually they allowed Kaitlyn into the line as well.

Once at the air-side terminal, we split up for a few minutes. I don't remember where Kaitlyn went (bathroom, maybe?) but I know Matt stopped for more Starbucks and I went right to the gate. We were plenty early. Kaitlyn fell asleep on the floor for a while.

Eventually the plane boarded, we took our seats, and were on our way back to Buffalo. The flight was uneventful, and we made it back safely. Baggage claim was a little chaotic but our luggage came out after a while. The parking shuttle was waiting and took us right back to the Prius. Five minutes later and we were saying good bye and I was in my apartment. Home sweet home.

Stay tuned for final thoughts and comments, plus future plans!

 

[bellebookworm9]

So I thought I'd do one final entry here to summarize my thoughts about the trip.

Art of Animation-Lion King Suite
I loved the resort! Yes, there were some minor snafus, such as the room key problem and the incredibly poor cell service. But they definitely didn't have a major influence on the success of the vacation. I would give the following ratings for the resort (out of 5):
Cleanliness of Room: 4
Room Size and Layout: 5
Quietness of Room: 4.5
Comfort of Beds and Pillows (based on InovaBed only): 4.5
Pool Size and Layout (Flippin' Fins Pool only): 3.5
Crowd Level at Pool: 5
Cleanliness at Pool: 5
Shuttle to/from Theme Parks: 4
Check-in/out process: 5
Resort staff accessibility, friendliness, and knowledge: 4.5
Overall food court experience: 3.5
Overall food court value: 3.5
Ability to easily find your way around: 4.5
I would absolutely stay here again and would definitely recommend it to friends!

We loved the room itself, thought it was great for the three of us.

As for food & restaurants, I'll rate in terms of value, quality, service and portions.

Landscape of Flavors (AoA)
Value: B
Quality: B
Service: B+
Portions: B

Via Napoli (Epcot)
Value: B+
Quality: A-
Service: A-
Portions: A

Flame Tree BBQ (AK)
Value: A
Quality: B+
Service: A
Portions: A

Raglan Road (DTD)
Value: B+
Quality: A
Service: B
Portions: A

Three Broomsticks (IoA)
Value: B
Quality: A
Service: A
Portions: A

Akershus (Epcot)
Value: B
Quality: B+
Service: A
Portions: A

Les Halles de Boulangerie Patisserie (Epcot)
Value: B
Quality: A
Service: B+
Portions: A-

Ohana (Polynesian)
Value: B+
Quality: A
Service: A
Portions: A

50s Prime Time Cafe (DHS)
Value: B+
Quality: B+
Service: C
Portions: A-

Boma (AKL)
Value: A-
Quality: A-
Service: A
Portions: A

Wolfgang Puck Express (DTD)
Value: A
Quality: A
Service: A-
Portions: A

Earl of Sandwich (DTD)
Value: A
Quality: A
Service: A
Portions: A

I feel that the dining plan was probably a good value for this trip, as the cost per night was essentially the cost of the TS meal each day alone.

I would highly, highly recommend renting a car if it fits into your budget. It was so nice to just jump in and go when we wanted and not be packed in to a bus with a ton of other people each night.

Future Plans
In January, my mom and I will be taking my brother to WDW for the first time. It will be in celebration of his 19th birthday. He has special needs, and we finally feel prepared to take him. We are booked in a Cars suite at Art of Animation (I suggested the resort, he picked the room). 5 days, January 6-10. Renting a car, flying JetBlue, and kind of an easy going trip. I may do a PTR for this one soon.

In March, I'm going to Orlando for a conference. I'm flying in a day early regardless, but may spend that first night at All Star Movies-with a CM discount it's the same price as the Red Roof Inn I plan to stay at for the other few nights. That would allow me to say I've stayed at all the value resorts. PB and I have a ressie all set for a dinner at Be Our Guest-we plan to use our 50% off coupon and sample various menu items.

And the trip I'm most excited about is planned for May: PB and I will take a pilgrimage to Disneyland for the first time! We are going to book at room at Paradise Pier, and we're going all out with a theme park view concierge level room at 50% off! Our trip is going to be six days, so we should have plenty of time to do everything we want.

We also hope to take a discounted cruise next fall/winter holiday season. But we have to see what kind of discounts are offered, as they are "Space Available" and generally only released 45 days in advance or so.

Thanks for reading along! It's been fun reliving the memories!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Kaitlyn finally found her camera and memory card so I now have the pictures from our first day at Epcot!