sassysasha
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2008
- Messages
- 148
HI!, I finally caught up, and I am enjoying your report 
TR - Memorial Weekend Madness - Feeling the Force & Celebrating the 5th - COMPLETE
- Thread starter Nhebron
- Start date
Thanks for stopping by. Unfortunately, I couldn't get DS to wear the headphones I purchased...but I think they are a really good idea and will continue to offer them to him.
Ngwira
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2013
- Messages
- 2,931
So COOL. My DH and yours would so get along. I like to call myself a "nerd wife" bcos I am into all of that stuff now since DH loves being a "nerd".
Day 3 - Continued
So while DS and I were off running our errand, DH stayed at Hollywood Studios to check out a show and build his lightsaber at Darth Mall.
I believe the show he watched was Stars of the Saga. He said he really enjoyed it and thought James Arnold Taylor was pretty interesting. I really wanted to see this show (or any show) but didn't think it wise with DS. Since DH is really the huge SW fan, I took one for the team and let him have some solo fun as long as he promised to take some good pics. He delivered I think:
After the show, DH went to build his own lightsaber. Of course this could only mean one thing....epic lightsaber battles!
The force is strong with you padawan.
SW is an interest of his that I don't mind sharing at all....especially if there is a Disney trip involved
Still Day 3 (not quite party time...)
Wow, this seems like a really full day when I type it all out.
So at this point the boys were doing some Jedi training back in our hotel room but we really needed to get ready for our evening activities. I had promised DS I would take him to the pool and really wanted to make sure he had that time. He loves the pool probably more than any of the Disney activities I had planned. Plus we hadn't been over to the main CBR pool yet and really wanted to check it out. One of the reasons we chose CBR is for the mail pool area. However, it was getting late and we still needed to eat dinner before we headed over to the dessert party at Hollywood Studios.
I ultimately decided to let DS swim but I would skip it (boo). It would be too much to get both of us cleaned up and ready for the park. The plan was to have dinner at the Old Port Royale (OPR) food court and then let DS swim awhile. I would bring a change of clothes and dress him for the park in the locker room near the pool and then we would head to the park.
So we drove over to OPR. OPR is the activity hub at this resort and has the gift shop, arcade, and food court. It is also the entry way to the main pool area. I decided to get a whole pizza. We already had drinks from our room, so this was a pretty cheap dinner (yes, finally!!). My boys love pizza, even not so great Disney pizza. This was a good, low maintenance option for dinner and everybody was in a great mood. DS even broke out in some sweet dance moves next to the table.
After dinner, we headed out to the main pool area. I love that Disney pools have the life jackets. DS is comfortable in water but is still learning how to swim. Since we didn't get in the water with him, I wanted to make sure he had the vest on. DH and I were posted on opposite ends of the pool, constantly watching and following where DS was at all times. There were also a few lifeguards. DS loved this pool. He kept climbing the stairs to go down the slide. I could tell he really wanted to go down but was scared. The main pool was really nice. I was starting to regret not going for a swim and wondering whether we would have time to hit up the slide when we returned from the fireworks. I was a bit disappointed that the kiddie pool area was closed for cleaning. I was really excited for DS to get to play in that area. The kiddie pool area has smaller water slides and a pirate ship. I think he would have loved it.
DS was having an absolute blast and I was starting to wonder how we would ever get him out of the pool. Neither of us had swim clothes on and DS can be pretty defiant. So I was starting to get a little worried. But then the lifeguards were hollering at everyone to get out of the pool. I had to climb up the pool slide stairs to get DS out. He fussed a bit and I tried to explain to him the lifeguard was making everyone get out. I could see a guy coming with little containers but wasn't quite sure what had happened. Well, apparently some kid had pooped in the pool. DH had a chat with a lifeguard and thats the story he got. So I immediately look at my kiddo and asked "did you poop in the pool DS." He doesn't have a history of doing this but I wanted to make sure my kid wasn't the offender. Surely, if it was him he would smell bad right?? But I asked him anyway and he looked me in the face and said "yes!"
So we rushed into the family changing room to check it out. There was no evidence he did it...so I am just going to assume he misunderstood the question.
We got DS changed and then took a quick walk behind OPR and towards some of the other villages. There were some folks roasting marshmallows, some folks laying in hammocks, and kids activities near the pool area. Seemed like a good time but it was time for us to head out to Hollywood Studios.
Before we could go to HS, we needed to make a quick stop at Art of Animation. My husband needed to use an actual computer to handle something for work. He brought his iPad with him, but it wouldn't work for what he needed to do. This is a boring detail, but wanted to share in case others find themselves in this situation. You can have something printed at CBR, like a boarding pass, but there are no computers that you can use to do anything. AOA does have a business center with pay for use internet. I think DH paid $6.00 for 10 minutes. Crazy right? I remember internet cafes (before you could do everything on your phone...) and don't recall them being that expensive.
Wow, this seems like a really full day when I type it all out.
So at this point the boys were doing some Jedi training back in our hotel room but we really needed to get ready for our evening activities. I had promised DS I would take him to the pool and really wanted to make sure he had that time. He loves the pool probably more than any of the Disney activities I had planned. Plus we hadn't been over to the main CBR pool yet and really wanted to check it out. One of the reasons we chose CBR is for the mail pool area. However, it was getting late and we still needed to eat dinner before we headed over to the dessert party at Hollywood Studios.
I ultimately decided to let DS swim but I would skip it (boo). It would be too much to get both of us cleaned up and ready for the park. The plan was to have dinner at the Old Port Royale (OPR) food court and then let DS swim awhile. I would bring a change of clothes and dress him for the park in the locker room near the pool and then we would head to the park.
So we drove over to OPR. OPR is the activity hub at this resort and has the gift shop, arcade, and food court. It is also the entry way to the main pool area. I decided to get a whole pizza. We already had drinks from our room, so this was a pretty cheap dinner (yes, finally!!). My boys love pizza, even not so great Disney pizza. This was a good, low maintenance option for dinner and everybody was in a great mood. DS even broke out in some sweet dance moves next to the table.
After dinner, we headed out to the main pool area. I love that Disney pools have the life jackets. DS is comfortable in water but is still learning how to swim. Since we didn't get in the water with him, I wanted to make sure he had the vest on. DH and I were posted on opposite ends of the pool, constantly watching and following where DS was at all times. There were also a few lifeguards. DS loved this pool. He kept climbing the stairs to go down the slide. I could tell he really wanted to go down but was scared. The main pool was really nice. I was starting to regret not going for a swim and wondering whether we would have time to hit up the slide when we returned from the fireworks. I was a bit disappointed that the kiddie pool area was closed for cleaning. I was really excited for DS to get to play in that area. The kiddie pool area has smaller water slides and a pirate ship. I think he would have loved it.
DS was having an absolute blast and I was starting to wonder how we would ever get him out of the pool. Neither of us had swim clothes on and DS can be pretty defiant. So I was starting to get a little worried. But then the lifeguards were hollering at everyone to get out of the pool. I had to climb up the pool slide stairs to get DS out. He fussed a bit and I tried to explain to him the lifeguard was making everyone get out. I could see a guy coming with little containers but wasn't quite sure what had happened. Well, apparently some kid had pooped in the pool. DH had a chat with a lifeguard and thats the story he got. So I immediately look at my kiddo and asked "did you poop in the pool DS." He doesn't have a history of doing this but I wanted to make sure my kid wasn't the offender. Surely, if it was him he would smell bad right?? But I asked him anyway and he looked me in the face and said "yes!"
So we rushed into the family changing room to check it out. There was no evidence he did it...so I am just going to assume he misunderstood the question. We got DS changed and then took a quick walk behind OPR and towards some of the other villages. There were some folks roasting marshmallows, some folks laying in hammocks, and kids activities near the pool area. Seemed like a good time but it was time for us to head out to Hollywood Studios.
Before we could go to HS, we needed to make a quick stop at Art of Animation. My husband needed to use an actual computer to handle something for work. He brought his iPad with him, but it wouldn't work for what he needed to do. This is a boring detail, but wanted to share in case others find themselves in this situation. You can have something printed at CBR, like a boarding pass, but there are no computers that you can use to do anything. AOA does have a business center with pay for use internet. I think DH paid $6.00 for 10 minutes. Crazy right? I remember internet cafes (before you could do everything on your phone...) and don't recall them being that expensive.
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Still Day 3 (Fireworks go boom!)
Included in our Deluxe FTF package was a dessert party (SWEET!). There was a reserved area with tables, sweets, and beverages where we could chill and listen to music, watch the pre-fire works show, and then watch SW fireworks! I was nervous about the fireworks given the experience at MK the prior night. DS seemed to like his headphones though. Back in the room, we practiced wearing them and decorated them with stickers. I was cautiously optimistic that with the headphones things would be OK.
We arrived a little early for the party. There was a line at the check-in area. DS was way too hyper to stand in this line, so I decided to walk around to a less crowded area. At this time of night, the area outside the Disney Jr. theater is pretty empty and a great location for little ones to blow off some steam. Another cool thing that we found is that in each of the character meet locations (Jake, Sofia, Doc McStuffins) the lights were still on and the theme music is playing. DS got a kick out of going to each area and dancing to the music.
I guess I lost track of time. DH was texting me wondering where I was and telling me that "my party" had started. When I found him in the party area, he looked pretty grumpy. Apparently, this wasn't his thing and he didn't like the music. The music was like dance or techno or something. It was nothing to be grumpy about though. I made my way to the bar area and tried some special SW drinks. This made me happy and I actually like dance/techno music. I think it is quite perfect actually for folks dressed like a jedi or sith and carrying lightsabers
DS loved the music and was super hyped up. He was dancing all over the place and it was quite a challenge to keep him from bumping into folks. At one point, some CMs started dancing with him. He was really having a good time. DH was not having a good time. He did not care for the music or the desserts and he just looked absolutely miserable. We talked about this later in the evening. I told him if he had drank some of those special SW drinks and brought his lightsaber, he probably would have had a better time
If I am being honest, it was hard for me to have a good time. Between trying to keep DS under control and being worried about DH's happiness (or lack thereof), I couldn't really enjoy the party. I didn't get to try many desserts or take many pics of the party area. I did try the cupcakes. I think my favorite was the yoda cupcake, but I don't really recall much of any of the other desserts. To be honest, this is an event I would have preferred to do by myself (how horrible is that!!!). I love fireworks, desserts, and booze! I wonder if we had been honest with each other upfront, maybe we could have split up like we did earlier in the day and everyone would have had a better time.
Here is a clip of the party and some pics:
sugar high
I did really enjoy the fireworks pre-show:
I don't think I have any fireworks pics. We didn't stay very long once they started. DS cried in his stroller and wouldn't wear his headphones. I tried to comfort him. DH got upset over the whole situation. I finally decided it would be best to make our way to towards the exit.
So here is the dilemma, when your child is upset over something like fireworks...do you stay and try and talk them through it or do you leave? In this case, I am sure he wasn't bothering others. It was loud already. I think DH was afraid we were traumatizing him. I didn't think that was the case because he had watched fireworks before. I think DS didn't like the noise and wanted to leave and was throwing a fit. DH wasn't willing to wait very long to see if it would subside. So we left. I glanced back at the fireworks as we were moving our way towards the exit. And as soon as we had made it to the parking lot, DS was completely fine. "Fireworks go boom, boom...." he starts chanting.
And I promised DH I would never book another dessert party..
Included in our Deluxe FTF package was a dessert party (SWEET!). There was a reserved area with tables, sweets, and beverages where we could chill and listen to music, watch the pre-fire works show, and then watch SW fireworks! I was nervous about the fireworks given the experience at MK the prior night. DS seemed to like his headphones though. Back in the room, we practiced wearing them and decorated them with stickers. I was cautiously optimistic that with the headphones things would be OK.
We arrived a little early for the party. There was a line at the check-in area. DS was way too hyper to stand in this line, so I decided to walk around to a less crowded area. At this time of night, the area outside the Disney Jr. theater is pretty empty and a great location for little ones to blow off some steam. Another cool thing that we found is that in each of the character meet locations (Jake, Sofia, Doc McStuffins) the lights were still on and the theme music is playing. DS got a kick out of going to each area and dancing to the music.
I guess I lost track of time. DH was texting me wondering where I was and telling me that "my party" had started. When I found him in the party area, he looked pretty grumpy. Apparently, this wasn't his thing and he didn't like the music. The music was like dance or techno or something. It was nothing to be grumpy about though. I made my way to the bar area and tried some special SW drinks. This made me happy and I actually like dance/techno music. I think it is quite perfect actually for folks dressed like a jedi or sith and carrying lightsabers
DS loved the music and was super hyped up. He was dancing all over the place and it was quite a challenge to keep him from bumping into folks. At one point, some CMs started dancing with him. He was really having a good time. DH was not having a good time. He did not care for the music or the desserts and he just looked absolutely miserable. We talked about this later in the evening. I told him if he had drank some of those special SW drinks and brought his lightsaber, he probably would have had a better time
If I am being honest, it was hard for me to have a good time. Between trying to keep DS under control and being worried about DH's happiness (or lack thereof), I couldn't really enjoy the party. I didn't get to try many desserts or take many pics of the party area. I did try the cupcakes. I think my favorite was the yoda cupcake, but I don't really recall much of any of the other desserts. To be honest, this is an event I would have preferred to do by myself (how horrible is that!!!). I love fireworks, desserts, and booze! I wonder if we had been honest with each other upfront, maybe we could have split up like we did earlier in the day and everyone would have had a better time.
Here is a clip of the party and some pics:
sugar high
I did really enjoy the fireworks pre-show:
I don't think I have any fireworks pics. We didn't stay very long once they started. DS cried in his stroller and wouldn't wear his headphones. I tried to comfort him. DH got upset over the whole situation. I finally decided it would be best to make our way to towards the exit.
So here is the dilemma, when your child is upset over something like fireworks...do you stay and try and talk them through it or do you leave? In this case, I am sure he wasn't bothering others. It was loud already. I think DH was afraid we were traumatizing him. I didn't think that was the case because he had watched fireworks before. I think DS didn't like the noise and wanted to leave and was throwing a fit. DH wasn't willing to wait very long to see if it would subside. So we left. I glanced back at the fireworks as we were moving our way towards the exit. And as soon as we had made it to the parking lot, DS was completely fine. "Fireworks go boom, boom...." he starts chanting.
And I promised DH I would never book another dessert party..
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So I am finally up to the last day of our trip. I can't believe how quick the trip and this report went. This will actually be my first complete trip report on the DIS board! I have started and abandoned previous reports.
While our last day at WDW was not perfect, it was my favorite of the entire trip. We were done with MK and HS and heading to Epcot!
While our last day at WDW was not perfect, it was my favorite of the entire trip. We were done with MK and HS and heading to Epcot!
dvc at last !
DVC Member 2006!
- Joined
- May 27, 2006
- Messages
- 3,485
Just found your TR - I am enjoying reading it ! Disney can be tiring when it is hot !
Your meal choices look delish. You have a beautiful family - your son is a cutie !
I also enjoy the planning and when not everyone is happy you worry about the vaca -
and the attitudes.
Ready for more...
Your meal choices look delish. You have a beautiful family - your son is a cutie !
I also enjoy the planning and when not everyone is happy you worry about the vaca -
and the attitudes.
Ready for more...
dvc at last !
DVC Member 2006!
- Joined
- May 27, 2006
- Messages
- 3,485
Wow your first TR - you did super - I always tell myself I will do a TR - but have never written one -
Congrats to you !
Congrats to you !
I still have one more day to write up...but I am not ready for this report to end!
So I am going to share some post Disney fun. We actually got home from Disney around 2:30am on Tuesday and we left to drive for VA Thursday after work (7 hours!). It was an absolutely exhausting week. But we got to spend time with my parents and we celebrated DS' birthday AGAIN!
It wasn't really a birthday without a cake from Mom-Mom. She let him decorate it with red spray frosting.
The theme was Dr. Seuss of course. He is going through a green eggs and ham phase. It is starting to ease up now but we were reading it multiple times a day and he would recite lines from the book randomly through-out the day. For Easter, I even made him green eggs and ham
So of course his Mom-Mom had to make him a Dr. Seuss themed cake.
We also went to the Air and Space museum while we were in VA. This is the one close to Dulles airport. We loved it and I think it is really a good value. It costs $15 for parking but there is no entrance fee. Inside the museum they have a full size space shuttle and concord airplane. Those were the highlights for me but there were a ton of military aircrafts, including helicopters. There is also an IMAX and observation deck. Just a very cool place and a perfect destination for a curious little one.
So I am going to share some post Disney fun. We actually got home from Disney around 2:30am on Tuesday and we left to drive for VA Thursday after work (7 hours!). It was an absolutely exhausting week. But we got to spend time with my parents and we celebrated DS' birthday AGAIN!
It wasn't really a birthday without a cake from Mom-Mom. She let him decorate it with red spray frosting.
The theme was Dr. Seuss of course. He is going through a green eggs and ham phase. It is starting to ease up now but we were reading it multiple times a day and he would recite lines from the book randomly through-out the day. For Easter, I even made him green eggs and ham
So of course his Mom-Mom had to make him a Dr. Seuss themed cake.
We also went to the Air and Space museum while we were in VA. This is the one close to Dulles airport. We loved it and I think it is really a good value. It costs $15 for parking but there is no entrance fee. Inside the museum they have a full size space shuttle and concord airplane. Those were the highlights for me but there were a ton of military aircrafts, including helicopters. There is also an IMAX and observation deck. Just a very cool place and a perfect destination for a curious little one.
It is hard being the planner sometimes...but when things work out and everyone is happy it feels really good. Our last day was really good.
Day 4 - Epcot
We will have fun!
After a long talk, DH and I decided that no matter what we were going to have a great day at Epcot. It was our last day at Disney and I just really wanted to enjoy it. The plan for the day was to hit RD and head directly to Test Track. Then we had fast passes for Soarin, Turtle Talk with Crush, and Epcot character spot (yes more characters!). We would wrap up the day with a walk around WS and lunch at Le Cellier. Our flight was at 7pm, so I wanted to leave the park no later than 4pm. I wasn't sure if there would be traffic since it was Memorial Day.
So we packed up our room and said goodbye to CBR. I can't remember exactly what time we arrived at Epcot. We were so early and close enough that we could walk to the entrance vs. taking a tram. There was already a good crowd of folks in line but it wasn't terrible. I think at most we might have waited about 20-30 minutes before it was time to go in. We used that time to have a little breakfast and play with our Darth Vader voice changer. DS really enjoys reciting Green Eggs and Ham in Darth Vader's voice.
I don't have really great pictures from this day because I didn't want to carry around my big camera. I really just wanted to enjoy my family and not be focused on capturing the perfect shot as I have in the past. Plus I have some really great Epcot pics from prior trips
As soon as we made it through the turnstile, it was off to Test Track. In the time it took to get there, park the stroller, and get in line, the wait increased from 10 to 20 minutes. Still that wasn't a bad wait at all and there were enough interactive items and things to look at in the queue to keep our son's attention.
Things were going well. DS enjoyed helping design the car which ended up being a really rough looking truck. And it had to be blue according to DS. I loved that he was engaged and had an opinion on things.
We were a little worried about the dark interior portion of the ride, but DS did fine! In fact, I think he really enjoyed it, even though the ride picture might suggest otherwise. He still talks about the blue race car.
After the ride, we played in the interactive areas for awhile. DS LOVED this, especially getting to sit in the cars.
By the time we exited Test Track, the posted wait was 75 minutes! I am so glad we made it to rope drop and I was so please that DS enjoyed the experience. When planning this trip, I was so excited that DS was now tall enough to ride some of the headliners. BTMRR was kind of a disappointment (didn't see his reaction and was told he didn't really react) and he didn't get to ride 7DMT. So this made me so happy and I couldn't wait to see his reaction to Soarin!
I think we finished with Test Track around 9:30am or so. It was definitely before 10am and we had time to kill before our Soarin fast pass. So we just started wandering a bit. I hadn't really researched other things to do besides our fast pass plans and there wasn't anything high on our list. We ended up walking in the Innoventions East building. I think Disney is in the middle of renovating this area. Sum of All Thrills was in the building, but it had a 25 minute wait. Not sure if DS could ride either. I am not sure I would ever go to the Inventions building as a specific attraction BUT it was air conditioned, not crowded and had benches. DS ran around the building and we took turns following him. There was hardly anyone around, so I didn't have to worry about DS bumping into people. We probably spent a good 20-30 minutes in here. It was nice, and cool, and relaxing!
After break time was over, we headed over to the Soarin building. I was a bit apprehensive about DS riding this one because of the dark and the fireworks. Once we were in line for the ride, I remembered that there was a scene towards the end of the ride with fireworks over Disneyland. Oh well, too late now! DS was completely fine in the line and even seemed excited. I told him we were going on an airplane ride over California. I guess technically it is a hang glider simulation but I don't think he knows what a hang glider is. We were actually standing in line next to a mother and son that seemed close to DS' age. The little boy was scared and his mom and a CM were trying to explain what the ride was going to be like. It was cute. We didn't end up next to him, but I am hoping he enjoyed his ride too.
DS did absolutely fine on the ride and I think he liked it....probably not as much as Test Track. He never really spoke about it afterwards. I think he was just pretty amazed by it all, except for the fireworks at the end. He started to fuss and said "no fireworks!" Fortunately, it doesn't last long. So yes, another successful ride on a headliner!
Again, we really didn't have any plans and had some time to kill before our next fast pass. We decided to get a snack at the Sunshine Seasons food court. While DH and DS had some breakfast items while waiting for RD, I hadn't eaten anything and was pretty hungry. I think it was still relatively early and breakfast was being served. I ended up getting some fruit, tuna salad, and croissant. It was kind of pricey but everything tasted fresh and it was enough for us all to share.
After finishing our meal, we headed over to the Seas Pavillion. There were other activities in the pavilion but to be honest the area was kind of crowded. I did not have a lot of energy for trying to keep up with DS in the crowd. So we headed towards Turtle Talk. We ended up missing the cutoff for a showing, so we had a bit of a wait. The wait was longer than we had anticipated with a fast pass and we were getting antsy. Fortunately, there were some shark tanks that kept DS occupied for a little bit but he kept moving around to look at them. It was hard to keep up with him in the crowded waiting area. Finally it was our turn to go in. DS wouldn't sit with the little kids, instead clinging to his daddy. I saw him turn around and look at Crush occasionally but I don't think he was really into it. That's OK. We tried it. He didn't throw a fit or anything.
I noticed after we exited the pavilion that the Seas with Nemo ride had a posted wait time of 30 or 40 minutes. I thought that was insane but when I looked around, I couldn't find any ride that did t have a 30 min or higher wait time. Neither DS or I could handle a line that long. We probably had at least 30 minutes to kill before our last fast pass. So we headed to a bench near Character spot to chill out for a few. We had perfect timing because it started to pour! We had pretty good luck with the weather on our trip but on this day, I had forgot to pack an umbrella or the ponchos. We ended up just waiting it out under this pavilion until it was time for fast pass. DS was pretty chill about it actually. He just laid back in his stroller until it was time to go say goodbye to Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto!
We will have fun!
After a long talk, DH and I decided that no matter what we were going to have a great day at Epcot. It was our last day at Disney and I just really wanted to enjoy it. The plan for the day was to hit RD and head directly to Test Track. Then we had fast passes for Soarin, Turtle Talk with Crush, and Epcot character spot (yes more characters!). We would wrap up the day with a walk around WS and lunch at Le Cellier. Our flight was at 7pm, so I wanted to leave the park no later than 4pm. I wasn't sure if there would be traffic since it was Memorial Day.
So we packed up our room and said goodbye to CBR. I can't remember exactly what time we arrived at Epcot. We were so early and close enough that we could walk to the entrance vs. taking a tram. There was already a good crowd of folks in line but it wasn't terrible. I think at most we might have waited about 20-30 minutes before it was time to go in. We used that time to have a little breakfast and play with our Darth Vader voice changer. DS really enjoys reciting Green Eggs and Ham in Darth Vader's voice.
I don't have really great pictures from this day because I didn't want to carry around my big camera. I really just wanted to enjoy my family and not be focused on capturing the perfect shot as I have in the past. Plus I have some really great Epcot pics from prior trips
As soon as we made it through the turnstile, it was off to Test Track. In the time it took to get there, park the stroller, and get in line, the wait increased from 10 to 20 minutes. Still that wasn't a bad wait at all and there were enough interactive items and things to look at in the queue to keep our son's attention.
Things were going well. DS enjoyed helping design the car which ended up being a really rough looking truck. And it had to be blue according to DS. I loved that he was engaged and had an opinion on things.
We were a little worried about the dark interior portion of the ride, but DS did fine! In fact, I think he really enjoyed it, even though the ride picture might suggest otherwise. He still talks about the blue race car.
After the ride, we played in the interactive areas for awhile. DS LOVED this, especially getting to sit in the cars.
By the time we exited Test Track, the posted wait was 75 minutes! I am so glad we made it to rope drop and I was so please that DS enjoyed the experience. When planning this trip, I was so excited that DS was now tall enough to ride some of the headliners. BTMRR was kind of a disappointment (didn't see his reaction and was told he didn't really react) and he didn't get to ride 7DMT. So this made me so happy and I couldn't wait to see his reaction to Soarin!
I think we finished with Test Track around 9:30am or so. It was definitely before 10am and we had time to kill before our Soarin fast pass. So we just started wandering a bit. I hadn't really researched other things to do besides our fast pass plans and there wasn't anything high on our list. We ended up walking in the Innoventions East building. I think Disney is in the middle of renovating this area. Sum of All Thrills was in the building, but it had a 25 minute wait. Not sure if DS could ride either. I am not sure I would ever go to the Inventions building as a specific attraction BUT it was air conditioned, not crowded and had benches. DS ran around the building and we took turns following him. There was hardly anyone around, so I didn't have to worry about DS bumping into people. We probably spent a good 20-30 minutes in here. It was nice, and cool, and relaxing!
After break time was over, we headed over to the Soarin building. I was a bit apprehensive about DS riding this one because of the dark and the fireworks. Once we were in line for the ride, I remembered that there was a scene towards the end of the ride with fireworks over Disneyland. Oh well, too late now! DS was completely fine in the line and even seemed excited. I told him we were going on an airplane ride over California. I guess technically it is a hang glider simulation but I don't think he knows what a hang glider is. We were actually standing in line next to a mother and son that seemed close to DS' age. The little boy was scared and his mom and a CM were trying to explain what the ride was going to be like. It was cute. We didn't end up next to him, but I am hoping he enjoyed his ride too.
DS did absolutely fine on the ride and I think he liked it....probably not as much as Test Track. He never really spoke about it afterwards. I think he was just pretty amazed by it all, except for the fireworks at the end. He started to fuss and said "no fireworks!" Fortunately, it doesn't last long. So yes, another successful ride on a headliner!
Again, we really didn't have any plans and had some time to kill before our next fast pass. We decided to get a snack at the Sunshine Seasons food court. While DH and DS had some breakfast items while waiting for RD, I hadn't eaten anything and was pretty hungry. I think it was still relatively early and breakfast was being served. I ended up getting some fruit, tuna salad, and croissant. It was kind of pricey but everything tasted fresh and it was enough for us all to share.
After finishing our meal, we headed over to the Seas Pavillion. There were other activities in the pavilion but to be honest the area was kind of crowded. I did not have a lot of energy for trying to keep up with DS in the crowd. So we headed towards Turtle Talk. We ended up missing the cutoff for a showing, so we had a bit of a wait. The wait was longer than we had anticipated with a fast pass and we were getting antsy. Fortunately, there were some shark tanks that kept DS occupied for a little bit but he kept moving around to look at them. It was hard to keep up with him in the crowded waiting area. Finally it was our turn to go in. DS wouldn't sit with the little kids, instead clinging to his daddy. I saw him turn around and look at Crush occasionally but I don't think he was really into it. That's OK. We tried it. He didn't throw a fit or anything.
I noticed after we exited the pavilion that the Seas with Nemo ride had a posted wait time of 30 or 40 minutes. I thought that was insane but when I looked around, I couldn't find any ride that did t have a 30 min or higher wait time. Neither DS or I could handle a line that long. We probably had at least 30 minutes to kill before our last fast pass. So we headed to a bench near Character spot to chill out for a few. We had perfect timing because it started to pour! We had pretty good luck with the weather on our trip but on this day, I had forgot to pack an umbrella or the ponchos. We ended up just waiting it out under this pavilion until it was time for fast pass. DS was pretty chill about it actually. He just laid back in his stroller until it was time to go say goodbye to Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto!
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Day 4 - Epcot (continued)
Time to say goodbye to our Disney friends...
Given our earlier character interactions, I was a bit worried about Character Spot and had contemplated canceling the fast pass. However, I wanted DS to have one last opportunity to tell Mickey goodbye. If he wasn't into it, we would just exit promptly. I had very low expectations, but I am so glad that we kept this fast pass.
He was less excited about Pluto and Minnie but that's ok. He did start with the pants pulling. I was ready this time though and had a belt on.
We said goodbye to our Disney pals and headed over to WS. It had stopped raining at this point and we had an hour or so to kill before our lunch at Le Cellier.
First stop in WS was the Mexico pavilion. We have walked past it a few times but never gone inside. Today was the day! It was a bit hectic inside the pyramid with shopping and dining and other activities. I wanted to ride the Grand Fiesta Tour boat ride. I thought it might be neat for DS and I also wanted to ride it. DS wasn't feeling it though. He kept saying "no boat, no dark." I was ready to just skip it but DH told him that we were going to ride. I was surprised. After the first time DS saw Donald, he calmed down. It ended up being a really cute ride.
The next stop was for mommy! I had my first margarita from the Mexico pavilion. It was some specialty flavor margarita. I don't quite remember what it was and didn't get a picture, but it was good.
DS was getting antsy but I knew what would cheer him up. We were getting close to the drums in the Africa section. As soon as he spotted them, he was trying to get out of his stroller.
He had a great time playing until he urgently needed to go! DH grabbed his hand and went off in search of a bathroom. I was sitting at a table with an umbrella, drinking my margarita, feeling grateful that DH was handling the situation and just generally pleased with how the day was progressing.
On the way to our ADR, I made a stop in the France pavillion to get a grand marnier slushie...something I have been wanting to try for awhile.
We then walked towards the Canada pavilion, stopping to watch a little of the lumberjack show.
Soon it was time for our reservation for Le Cellier. I know my husband loves this place and I had originally made a reservation when I first booked our trip. Then I cancelled it. I cancelled it because I think it is too expensive and I didn't really enjoy the food that much last time and because I wanted to keep our afternoon flexible. But I wanted to make DH happy and end the trip off on a good note for him, so I rebooked it. I was able to secure another ADR the night before.
So we arrived at Le Cellier for lunch.
Both DH and I had the filet. We shared appetizers of beer cheese soup and an order of poutine. I ordered fruit and a chicken entree for DS. He was antsy and wouldn't eat. I decided to take him to the bathroom. He literally screamed from our table to the bathroom ("No potty, no potty mommy") and then we had to wait for a stall, so there was some more screaming until he finally made it to the stall. All of these theatrics and he actually did have to go to the bathroom.
Le Cellier is kind of a fancy restaurant, so I did feel bad that my kid was loud. It was a brief situation. Once we came back from the bathroom he was calm and started eating his meal. At the end of the day, it was the middle of the afternoon and the restaurant allows kids, so I am not going to beat myself up over it. We won't be going back to Le Cellier anytime soon anyway because I don't like it!
Le Cellier is expensive. The filet and side is like $49 which would be fine if it wasn't so freakin salty. The meat was seriously ruined and I could only eat half of it. I ate all the risotto though. It was yummy. I thought the beer cheese soup was salty as well. The poutine was salty...but I kind of like my fries salty and there was red wine reduction and cheese that just balanced it all out. By the end of the meal, I was actually kind of aggravated that the bill was going to be so high and the food so mediocre (in my opinion). I thought the food was salty last time but was hoping this time would be better. This is obviously a matter of personal taste because my husband thought the food was great.
..
Time to say goodbye to our Disney friends...
Given our earlier character interactions, I was a bit worried about Character Spot and had contemplated canceling the fast pass. However, I wanted DS to have one last opportunity to tell Mickey goodbye. If he wasn't into it, we would just exit promptly. I had very low expectations, but I am so glad that we kept this fast pass.
He was less excited about Pluto and Minnie but that's ok. He did start with the pants pulling. I was ready this time though and had a belt on.
We said goodbye to our Disney pals and headed over to WS. It had stopped raining at this point and we had an hour or so to kill before our lunch at Le Cellier.
First stop in WS was the Mexico pavilion. We have walked past it a few times but never gone inside. Today was the day! It was a bit hectic inside the pyramid with shopping and dining and other activities. I wanted to ride the Grand Fiesta Tour boat ride. I thought it might be neat for DS and I also wanted to ride it. DS wasn't feeling it though. He kept saying "no boat, no dark." I was ready to just skip it but DH told him that we were going to ride. I was surprised. After the first time DS saw Donald, he calmed down. It ended up being a really cute ride.
The next stop was for mommy! I had my first margarita from the Mexico pavilion. It was some specialty flavor margarita. I don't quite remember what it was and didn't get a picture, but it was good.
DS was getting antsy but I knew what would cheer him up. We were getting close to the drums in the Africa section. As soon as he spotted them, he was trying to get out of his stroller.
He had a great time playing until he urgently needed to go! DH grabbed his hand and went off in search of a bathroom. I was sitting at a table with an umbrella, drinking my margarita, feeling grateful that DH was handling the situation and just generally pleased with how the day was progressing.
On the way to our ADR, I made a stop in the France pavillion to get a grand marnier slushie...something I have been wanting to try for awhile.
We then walked towards the Canada pavilion, stopping to watch a little of the lumberjack show.
Soon it was time for our reservation for Le Cellier. I know my husband loves this place and I had originally made a reservation when I first booked our trip. Then I cancelled it. I cancelled it because I think it is too expensive and I didn't really enjoy the food that much last time and because I wanted to keep our afternoon flexible. But I wanted to make DH happy and end the trip off on a good note for him, so I rebooked it. I was able to secure another ADR the night before.
So we arrived at Le Cellier for lunch.
Both DH and I had the filet. We shared appetizers of beer cheese soup and an order of poutine. I ordered fruit and a chicken entree for DS. He was antsy and wouldn't eat. I decided to take him to the bathroom. He literally screamed from our table to the bathroom ("No potty, no potty mommy") and then we had to wait for a stall, so there was some more screaming until he finally made it to the stall. All of these theatrics and he actually did have to go to the bathroom.
Le Cellier is kind of a fancy restaurant, so I did feel bad that my kid was loud. It was a brief situation. Once we came back from the bathroom he was calm and started eating his meal. At the end of the day, it was the middle of the afternoon and the restaurant allows kids, so I am not going to beat myself up over it. We won't be going back to Le Cellier anytime soon anyway because I don't like it!
Le Cellier is expensive. The filet and side is like $49 which would be fine if it wasn't so freakin salty. The meat was seriously ruined and I could only eat half of it. I ate all the risotto though. It was yummy. I thought the beer cheese soup was salty as well. The poutine was salty...but I kind of like my fries salty and there was red wine reduction and cheese that just balanced it all out. By the end of the meal, I was actually kind of aggravated that the bill was going to be so high and the food so mediocre (in my opinion). I thought the food was salty last time but was hoping this time would be better. This is obviously a matter of personal taste because my husband thought the food was great.
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nrexxma44
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2013
- Messages
- 174
Loving your trip report!!! We go often to DW, and when my nephew travels with us he is also sensitive to noise. We find it useful to pack ear muffs, and a set of ear phones. the ear muffs usually work, and if not we try to distract him with the ear phones plugged into an iPad. I always carry a penlight flashlight with me, and we make a game of being in the dark...this may help 
I think every mom has had a child almost (or actually) pull her pants down. I know I have! I think it's awesome that your son can articulate the fun parts of the vacation!
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