We Only Had to Wait in Line Twice For This - An April 2024 runDisney TR *Updated 7/28

[amazingact21]

Caught up! I'm very excited to read about your DL trip! I've been twice and really loved both visits. It just feels more manageable than WDW but has most of the "good stuff". My sister and I are doing a Disney trip next year. I tried to talk her into DL but she's pretty set on Florida. She doesn't get to travel very often so I'm giving in Enjoying your race trip - you should be VERY proud of your medals!

Congrats on another Disney trip next year! I can see how WDW sounds more appealing for a casual Disney visitor. There's more to do, more parks to visit, etc. Hopefully down the road you'll be able to get back to DL, though.
Especially in the summertime heat, I'm really looking forward to being able to walk from park to park and then walk back to our hotel room.

 

[amazingact21]

How is everyone’s summer going? It’s been a busy time here. The kids are loving their first summer in Texas. We have a neighborhood pool that we visit several times a week, a lot of their friends live within walking distance, and the crushing heat that’s standard for this state means they get generous time indoors with their ipads and switches.


Our Florida visit was hectic, but it was worth the 3,000 miles of driving. The kids got to spend 4 days with some of their cousins, where they went mini golfing, watched Inside Out 2 in theaters, visited the zoo, and caused mayhem in their grandparent’s house.

Disney’s After Hours was wonderful. The kids had an absolute blast and wouldn’t think about stopping until the park closed. It was 12:40 in the morning, we were near the Teacups, and they both insisted we pick one final attraction to visit before the night ended. So there my little humans were, walking across Fantasyland to get to Haunted Mansion before it closed.

I’m hoping to write an update covering the night at the end of this report, but I’ll include a few photos here to show how much fun we had.











I will, say, though, as the kids get older there are new challenges and hurdles that come with taking them to the park. Landon, at 11, gets frustrated at having to slow down for his little sister.

And 8 year old Evie. Whoa boy.

Let’s just say Alex and I have become masters at letting her have her moments and carrying on with what we’re doing while she sulks. We have no doubt there will be some emotional dramatics at Disneyland.


Speaking of!


WE ARE OFFICIALLY IN THE SINGLE DIGITS!!!!!



Disneyland is days away!


I can’t believe it. A first time at a new Disney park. Is there anything better?

The absolute best thing that’s come out of this trip is witnessing the kids’ anticipation rise as we get closer. Because Alex and I have been taking them to WDW since they were infants, and they were too young to remember their first Disneyland Paris trip, this has been a brand new experience for them.

I think they also love that Mom and Dad have never been before, either. It’s something we’ll all get to experience together, as a family.



Last summer, when we spent time in Galaxy’s Edge in DHS, the kids gave me a lot of grief for being the only person in the group without a Star Wars shirt. They didn’t like that I wasn’t participating in the fun. But beforehand I stood firm on not purchasing one.

“I’m not spending money on an article of clothing I won’t wear again. Star Wars is not my thing.”

It was a thorn in their side.

And under no circumstances were they going to allow this travesty to happen a second time. The three of us were talking about outfits we wanted to bring when we realized Landon and Alex have a bunch of Avenger related shirts.

To which Evie said, “I have one, too!”

And then they both turned and looked at me.

Off to Etsy I went…

And, naturally, when Evie saw me shopping she let me know how completely unfair it was that she only had ONE Marvel shirt. “Landon’s going to get to wear more superhero stuff than me.”

Which is why I present:


Can you guess which one is Evie’s?

Don’t mention that it’s gray. She wanted green to match the God of Mischief, but they didn’t have the color in a kid’s size.

It was a whole thing.

I’m not sure what I did to the universe to warrant a preteen boy and almost tween girl at the same time, but I’m paying the penance.

Thank goodness for cold brews and headphones.



In addition to the Marvel shirts, the kids asked for matching Disneyland shirts.

Up until this point, Alex has staunchly been in the camp of “We’re not a Disney matching family.” It is not something he has ever considered for a WDW trip.


But when it’s your first ever trip to Disneyland and your kids are begging for it, you find yourself playing along.





I love that the kids want to go all out for Disneyland. They want the shirts, they want the First Visit Buttons, they want the snack lists and the music playlists and the countdown tally.

Last weekend, they both picked up small notebooks at Target because they want to bring them along in their park bag and write down the things they like and dislike.

Evie even began hers.

Does this count as her first Pre-Trip report update? What a proud DIS mom moment.



It reads:
A few weeks before the trip! Hi my name is Evelyn and I am going to Disneyland! That what you’re for. It’s only 11 days until we leave and I’m excited. Here is a list of things that I’m excited for and not!

Excited:
-Avengers Campus
-Mission Breakout
-Webslinger
-Radiator Springs
-First Dole Whip
-Hotel Monorail Slide


Not Excited:
-Incredicoaster
-Breakfast Ronto Wrap



Both kids are looking forward to checking out the DL pool, which pains Alex a little. I know whenever they mention swimming, Alex silently cries, “But we only have three days! Why are we going to waste them outside of the parks?!?”

It’s fine. I’ve already told him we’ll divide and conquer. I’ll take the kids to the pool. He can browse the gift shops. Everyone wins.



I had to laugh that Evie’s not looking forward to Incredicoaster. She’s still traumatized from Rock N Roller Coaster.

The breakfast Ronto Wrap comes from a conversation Alex and I had about where we should grab breakfast after Early Entry Mornings. I had made the comment that we could finally try the breakfast ronto wrap, and Evie groaned out loud.

It’s not the Ronto Wrap, in particular, she’s dreading. Girl just hates breakfast.

I’m not sure why, but at least her disdain is all encompassing. She hates eggs, she hates pancakes, she hates cereal, she hates fresh fruit (only in the morning). She will gladly skip this meal if given the chance.

And yet, you let her get too hungry and it’s bad, bad news. She is the walking embodiment of the hangry stereotype.

It’s a fine line Alex and I have to walk. A fine line.

Well, in reality, it’s us telling her, “You have to have SOMETHING. You can pick.”

She was none too pleased when we joked that she turns into the Hulk when she’s hungry.


Disneyland will be here before we know it, and then just like that it’ll be over. I’m very curious to see how it compares to the other parks I’ve visited. (Landon’s excited to hear the Webslinger Pre-Show in English.)


I hope everyone has a great 4th of July weekend. Alex has to work the holiday, so it’ll be a lowkey holiday for us. The bosses alternate who takes 4th of July and Thanksgiving so that way the younger people, a lot of whom have small kids, get the holidays off. And since we’re going on our vacation next week, it wasn’t a big deal to have him work. Plus, this means he gets a comp day the day before we leave, so he can distract the kids while I try and pack. Sounds good to me!

 

[hpygrll]

I'm so excited for you guys to go to Disneyland - it's the BEST! Have a great trip!

 

[Paulaparm]

Off to Etsy I went…

Love it!

 

[Stacybaeasm]

Evie and I are soul mates. We are simply going to have to meet and spend time together in Disney at some point. My baby sister from another mister and all that. But boy - are you going through it with those two entering those teen years that close together. At least you can get out and run when it gets to be too much (although not right now with the heat. YIKES). And I'm not sure where you are but you ARE keeping an eye on Hurricane Beryl, right?

 

[rdkeim]

Very excited for your family! I hope you all LOVE Disneyland! The kids excitement has to make it even all the more fun for you and your DH. I hope you're blessed with low crowds and good weather. I had to laugh at your headphones comment A parent's lifesaver

 

[amazingact21]

I'm so excited for you guys to go to Disneyland - it's the BEST! Have a great trip!

Thanks! I can't believe our trip is this week!

Love it!

Etsy is my go-to place for fun Disney shirts. They ship to APO addresses so I utilized them a lot during Christmas when we lived overseas.

 

[amazingact21]

Evie and I are soul mates. We are simply going to have to meet and spend time together in Disney at some point. My baby sister from another mister and all that.

I think it was in your last update how you talked about going to the food court to get breakfast even though you didn't really want to, and it made me think of Evie. You two would get along great.

And I'm not sure where you are but you ARE keeping an eye on Hurricane Beryl, right?

Oh yes, I have been watching Beryl. Fortunately, it looks like the storm is turning right, but there was a short period of time when it looked as if it was coming straight up the state.
I'm hoping since it'll be passed by a few days before our trip, any flight delays or changes will be worked out by then.

Very excited for your family! I hope you all LOVE Disneyland! The kids excitement has to make it even all the more fun for you and your DH. I hope you're blessed with low crowds and good weather. I had to laugh at your headphones comment A parent's lifesaver

Alex and I are really glad we waited until they were older to visit Disneyland, because watching them plan and think about their upcoming trip has been such a joy.
It looks like the weather is supposed to get up to 90 on the days we're there, but we've been dealing with feels like temps of 108 here in TX, so anything will be a break.

 

[Disney102015]

Hope you had/are having an amazing Disneyland trip!! How fun to have the kids getting so excited with you! We just booked a (very impulsive) room at the new Disneyland DVC tower for January 2025…now we just need to keep an eye on flight prices to see if it can really happen. We did a quick trip to DL last year but it got cut short due to illness so really hoping we can get back to cover all that we missed. Excited to read a report of your trip there!!

 

[vamassey1]

So excited for your family's first trip to Disneyland. I'm hoping that someday that will be me.

Love the shirts and the kid's excitement for going and being together. I can't wait to hear about it when you get back.

 

[piglet1979]

It’s not the Ronto Wrap, in particular, she’s dreading. Girl just hates breakfast.

I’m not sure why, but at least her disdain is all encompassing. She hates eggs, she hates pancakes, she hates cereal, she hates fresh fruit (only in the morning). She will gladly skip this meal if given the chance.

Nick and I are like this. We will eat some breakfast foods but are more then happy to just not eat until 10 or 11. But we don't get hangry

Does this count as her first Pre-Trip report update? What a proud DIS mom moment.

This is awesome!

And yet, you let her get too hungry and it’s bad, bad news. She is the walking embodiment of the hangry stereotype.

It’s a fine line Alex and I have to walk. A fine line.

This is Elizabeth. Do not talk to her in the morning until she is fully awake and has had something to eat. With her being 16 I just let her eat what she wants because the only breakfast food she eats in waffles made at home. Yesterday she told me she ate Oreos for breakfast. We are slowing trying to get her to eat better but she doesn't most food in general. She is worst then a toddler when it comes to what she will eat. She lives on Mac and Cheese.

I can't wait to hear about this trip.

 

[amazingact21]

Hello friends!

We're back!




What a trip. Disneyland was amazing, and I'm so glad we got the opportunity to check the original park out. Despite there being so many similarities between WDW and DL, it actually did have a completely different feel to it.

Alex and I commented on more than one occasion that Disneyland reminded us more of Disneyland Paris than Walt Disney World!


The Cast Members at Disneyland are phenomenal. So, so kind. And more of the guests are diehard Disney fans, unlike at WDW where you get the "once in a lifetime family vacation" guests. The kids and I had a blast checking out people's keychains, admiring Disney bounding outfits, and complimenting people's Disney tattoos.

However, if you can believe it, Alex and I felt like we did MORE walking at DL than at WDW. We came back exhausted. I think not having the monorail or the Skyliner or buses to take a break on really impacted how tired our feet became.

Especially since the Disneyland Hotel is .60 miles from the park entrances.

By Day 3, with little 8 year old legs, that became a challenge!!!
(And the monorail shuts down in hot temperatures.)


The only thing that Alex and I regret about our Disneyland trip is going for the first time with an 11 and 8 year old.


Look, I love my kids. And yes, it was so much fun watching as we all got excited for a new experience together.
But my kids were expecting Walt Disney World expert Mom and Dad on this trip.

Not, "I don't know where the closest bathroom is," Mom and Dad.
Or, "I don't know how to to get to this ride. We have to look at a map first," Mom and Dad.

And, of course, they really didn't like the, "I have no idea if you'll like this ride or not, I don't know what it's about," Mom and Dad.

Plus.
We encountered some... 11 and 8 year old personalities. As my two tiny humans grow and mature and develop into the awesome little people they are, the days of having sweet little sidekicks that go along with anything and follow plans has retired.
A lot of our setbacks came from hiccups with the kids and having to adapt quickly to their new personalities.

I'd like to go back to DL with just Alex one day. See what it's like to sit for awhile, not break up a fight between kids.


That being said, we did get to do a lot.

We saw World of Color: One



We rode Mission Breakout.


We watched the Magic Happens parade:



We rode Mission Breakout.


We basked in the cool Californian nights.


We took our classic Disney shots:







I tried as many Cold Brews as I possibly could:



We ate ALL THE SNACKS:



And we tried to accomplish as many new attractions as possible.

Including Mission Breakout.
Have I mentioned we rode that already?

Because if there was a theme on this trip, it was: "What do I have to do in order to get back into Avengers Campus?"

We ended up spending 75% of our time in that area.

But I shouldn't complain. It's the one thing that will convince the kids to return to DL one day.



Anyways! We're still in the thick of summer break here, but hopefully sometime next week I'll be able to get back to this April trip and press on. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

 

[disneyAndi14]

I’m glad you had a wonderful time in Disneyland!
I would love to return one day, it has been a long time for me.
Did you like Mission Breakout better than Tower of Terror?
I have some who like it better and others who prefer ToT, I guess it depends on the person!
I would love to ride the attraction in Radiater springs that wasn’t there years ago!

 

[ksinniger]

Hello friends!

We're back!

View attachment 878485


What a trip. Disneyland was amazing, and I'm so glad we got the opportunity to check the original park out. Despite there being so many similarities between WDW and DL, it actually did have a completely different feel to it.

Alex and I commented on more than one occasion that Disneyland reminded us more of Disneyland Paris than Walt Disney World!


The Cast Members at Disneyland are phenomenal. So, so kind. And more of the guests are diehard Disney fans, unlike at WDW where you get the "once in a lifetime family vacation" guests. The kids and I had a blast checking out people's keychains, admiring Disney bounding outfits, and complimenting people's Disney tattoos.

However, if you can believe it, Alex and I felt like we did MORE walking at DL than at WDW. We came back exhausted. I think not having the monorail or the Skyliner or buses to take a break on really impacted how tired our feet became.

Especially since the Disneyland Hotel is .60 miles from the park entrances.

By Day 3, with little 8 year old legs, that became a challenge!!!
(And the monorail shuts down in hot temperatures.)


The only thing that Alex and I regret about our Disneyland trip is going for the first time with an 11 and 8 year old.


Look, I love my kids. And yes, it was so much fun watching as we all got excited for a new experience together.
But my kids were expecting Walt Disney World expert Mom and Dad on this trip.

Not, "I don't know where the closest bathroom is," Mom and Dad.
Or, "I don't know how to to get to this ride. We have to look at a map first," Mom and Dad.

And, of course, they really didn't like the, "I have no idea if you'll like this ride or not, I don't know what it's about," Mom and Dad.

Plus.
We encountered some... 11 and 8 year old personalities. As my two tiny humans grow and mature and develop into the awesome little people they are, the days of having sweet little sidekicks that go along with anything and follow plans has retired.
A lot of our setbacks came from hiccups with the kids and having to adapt quickly to their new personalities.

I'd like to go back to DL with just Alex one day. See what it's like to sit for awhile, not break up a fight between kids.


That being said, we did get to do a lot.

We saw World of Color: One
View attachment 878486


We rode Mission Breakout.


We watched the Magic Happens parade:
View attachment 878487


We rode Mission Breakout.


We basked in the cool Californian nights.


We took our classic Disney shots:
View attachment 878488


View attachment 878489



I tried as many Cold Brews as I possibly could:
View attachment 878490


We ate ALL THE SNACKS:
View attachment 878491


And we tried to accomplish as many new attractions as possible.

Including Mission Breakout.
Have I mentioned we rode that already?

Because if there was a theme on this trip, it was: "What do I have to do in order to get back into Avengers Campus?"

We ended up spending 75% of our time in that area.

But I shouldn't complain. It's the one thing that will convince the kids to return to DL one day.



Anyways! We're still in the thick of summer break here, but hopefully sometime next week I'll be able to get back to this April trip and press on. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

I was catching up on your trip report and was about to comment when I saw the update about Disneyland, and realized you were probably already home. I just did this first time trip with a 16 & 17 year old. Plus side of them being that age: I could let them go off on their own or leave them in the room when they were too teen-agery. Down side: they have way more stamina than I do -- that walk back to the hotel at night almost killed me. I was SO HAPPY to move to the Grand Californian and end up with a villa directly across from the entrance onto Pixar Pier. I immediately changed all our days to CA days, and we would walk through on our way to Disneyland Park.

I also found Disneyland to be more comparable to Disneyland Paris than Disney World. I will say, the one major bonus of NOT having to rely upon a bus or even a skyliner to get back to the hotel was that we enjoyed the pool/pool bar. And the late night hours at the parks were fantastic!

And if the worst problem after a Disneyland trip is that you feel you need to go back (which I also experienced), that's not too bad of a trip!

 

[rdkeim]

Loved reading about your DL trip! Happy that you were able to make it happen. Hope the good times outweighed the pre-teen issues My grandsons are 5 and 8 I can already see the changes. Seems like it's happening at a younger age now-a-days? Enjoyed the pictures - happy smiles! I see a DL couples trip in your future....

 

[Lynne G]

My kids are 4 years apart and I fondly, well not really, remember the teen and preteen years. It does get better.

And to this day, my youngest is 22 soon to be 23, but she still does not like breakfast food. When she was little, I got her to eat soup for breakfast. When other parents commented on finding that out, I said hey, it’s not candy, and she likes eating it. Does it really matter that it’s not the traditional breakfast food types she’d rather eat? So when we are on vacation, we never schedule breakfast anywhere.

Yay for your DL trip report. We haven’t been there since my kids were 9 and 12. And then we haven’t been back to any Disney park until this past year. So there’s hope that as adults, your kids will still like to travel with you.

 

[amazingact21]

Did you like Mission Breakout better than Tower of Terror?
I have some who like it better and others who prefer ToT, I guess it depends on the person!
I would love to ride the attraction in Radiater springs that wasn’t there years ago!

Landon and Evie and I all preferred Mission Breakout over ToT. Since I can't ride Guardians, it was fun seeing which music and video we would get. Plus, I felt like the more upbeat nature made it a teensy bit less intense.

Radiator Springs Racers was the most popular attraction at DL and DCA! We entered the line right at opening and still ended up waiting an hour for it. However, I can definitely see why that area is such a draw. It was very well themed. I hope you can make it back out to CA one day!

Plus side of them being that age: I could let them go off on their own or leave them in the room when they were too teen-agery. Down side: they have way more stamina than I do -- that walk back to the hotel at night almost killed me. I was SO HAPPY to move to the Grand Californian and end up with a villa directly across from the entrance onto Pixar Pier.

I do worry about keeping up with them when they're teenagers. I keep telling my DH that I hope Evie's personality doesn't change too much. She'd much rather sit by the pool or meander around DTD.
I completely understand what you mean about being happy to move to the Grand Californian! I went to a lunch with a friend when I was planning my DL trip, and she warned me. She said, "I don't think I can ever stay anywhere besides the Grand Californian now."
I should've listened.

And the late night hours at the parks were fantastic!

Those late nights with the nice CA weather were wonderful!

 

[amazingact21]

Loved reading about your DL trip! Happy that you were able to make it happen. Hope the good times outweighed the pre-teen issues My grandsons are 5 and 8 I can already see the changes. Seems like it's happening at a younger age now-a-days? Enjoyed the pictures - happy smiles! I see a DL couples trip in your future....

There is some truth about kids hitting those stages earlier and earlier. I count myself lucky that Landon didn't start really diving into the preteen/puberty emotions until he turned 11.
Alex and I have already said that once the kids are out of the house or old enough to be left alone for a weekend, we'd love to return to DL and experience it at a much slower pace.

My kids are 4 years apart and I fondly, well not really, remember the teen and preteen years. It does get better.

I love hearing survivor stories. I remember I was talking with our dentist about their ages, and he said, "Oh. My kids are 13, 12, and 10, and this is when I remind myself that this is parenting. I'm flexing my parenting muscles now." I thought that was so accurate.

Does it really matter that it’s not the traditional breakfast food types she’d rather eat?

If anything, soup can be healthier than traditional breakfast foods. I mean, soup will have veggies and protein, potentially. Pancakes or waffles or muffins or bagels are just straight carbs.

And then we haven’t been back to any Disney park until this past year. So there’s hope that as adults, your kids will still like to travel with you.

This is good to hear. I feel like the dynamic of traveling with adult children could be really fun.

 

[amazingact21]

April 19th Part 3:


I last left off with Alex and I walking up for our lunch reservation for Space 220. We waited in a short line to check in, and when we approached the Cast Member holding an ipad, she began asking us questions in rapid fire.

I couldn’t keep up, only catching the last bit: “Are you aware you might not see space today and are you okay with that?”

Confused, I said yes and brushed it off. I assumed this was meant as a "cover their bases spewl" in case we were seated at a terrible table.

Alex and I were ushered inside the lobby, where a lot of people were congregated. Our names were called after about five minutes, and we were led into the elevator with about four other parties. It was fun watching us go into space, even though Alex wisely closed his eyes and listened to the narration.

But upon exiting, the host at the stand at the end of the hall began calling out names that didn’t match anybody around us. He seemed very frazzled and turned to his partner, saying, “They keep sending up the wrong parties!”

Since this was our first experience with the restaurant, Alex and I had no idea if any of this was normal for the restaurant. We were very confused.

Eventually, the host took our names and passed us off to another CM, who led us to a table right next to the viewing window. Nothing was floating out in space, but it was entertaining to look out and see Earth.



Our server arrived quickly to take our drink order and discuss the menu. He was a little rushed throughout the meal, but he was good enough at his job that we had no complaints. We also heard him talking to a couple next to us, and I think he might have just picked up a “leave them be” vibe.

Space 220 is a prix fix menu, which on principle, Alex and I hate. I never eat enough to get my money’s worth with these structures, and it is a downright waste with the kids.

However, we really wanted to try Space 220 and settled in for appetizers and entrees.

Alex ordered the calamari, which came with a nice citrus aoli and spicy marinara. I hate seafood, so I naturally didn’t like the bite I tried, but I agreed with Alex and the dipping sauces were really flavorful. They weren’t afraid to shy away from the heat, which I liked.



I got the Blue Moon Cauliflower, which was fried cauliflower in a buffalo sauce and blue cheese dusting. This was the best dish of the meal. The sauce had a nice hot sauce taste, and the portion was huge.




Which was unfortunate for me, because by the time my main entrée came, I could only eat half of it:


I got the Space Pad Thai, and Alex got the steak and frites.

And I hate to say it, but both were unremarkable. All the vegetables in my dish were fresh and cooked well, but the seasoning was very basic. I think I was a little disappointed after receiving such a pop of flavor in the appetizers. Alex’s steak was a basic cut of meat, and he felt like it wasn’t worth the 55 dollars it was costing him.

That being said, we didn’t HATE the food. Honestly, if we had paid somewhere in the 30 dollar range for our dishes, we’d have a lot more positive things to say. But for 55 dollars on a lunch, we had hoped for a little more elevation to the dishes.

Of course, it should be said that we were only having the food to go off of.

It was a meal sans experience.

Because right after our appetizers arrived, Alex and I realized what the Cast Member meant by her questions.

The viewing screen went black and up popped a bunch of coding. And remained like that until the end of our meal.

Something appeared to be wrong with space that afternoon.

Oops.



So take our food reviews with a grain of salt. Our opinions were formed on the basis that this was a regular restaurant. We might have felt more favorably had we gotten the space experiment.

Because of the drama with the screen, Space 220 did give us a 20% discount on our meal, which was a nice treat.



When we paid our bill and waited to take the elevator down, a few CMs began to talk and argue with one another. We witnessed another set of commotion and hand gestures and furious whispering before one of them proclaimed, “This is the worst day ever!”



Poor, poor girl. It appeared nothing was going right for the restaurant this day. She walked over a moment later and announced, “Great news, folks, Dr. Strange came to visit and opened a portal for you all.”

I won’t talk about what happens when the “elevator” is broke to get you back to earth, just in case someone doesn’t want me to ruin the magic, but I’ll just say that they have a contingency for that. Alex thought the Dr. Strange comment was great customer recovery and told the CM, “You’re doing great! I hope your day gets better from here on out.”

She was in no mood to do anything but smile.

Poor gal.



Needless to say, that was a Space 220 experience we weren’t expecting. It was certainly unique and memorable. The restaurant itself reminded me a lot of Coral Reef, where the tables are focused on a central wall. Food aside, I think I’d choose the ambiance of Coral Reef over Space 220, but I also haven’t stepped foot inside there in 10 years so the appearance might have decreased in the last decade.

I would like to see the restaurant when it’s running on all cylinders before passing judgement on it, but with its price point and prix fix menu, I doubt we’ll return anytime soon.



As we walked out into the brutal sunshine (the temperature hit over 90 on this day) I texted with @vamassey1 and asked where her and her travel party were. (She was in Epcot with her friend and one of her daughters.)




Luck was on our side, because she was headed to Norway to try the frozen coffee, and I was looking for some caffeine to keep me going.

2 a.m. wake up, remember.



She had managed to find a table for our party of five to sit and relax, so after grabbing the Frozen Viking coffee for myself, we all met and said our hellos.



This drink was more of a chocolate shake than a coffee, but I got it without the alcohol and I think that was a mistake. The booze probably cut down a lot of the rich sweetness of the chocolate.

Dang, I was not winning with food choices this day.

Oh well, gives me an excuse to get it again next time.



It was wonderful to get to visit with Vanessa again. We met in person for the first time last April, and I feel like we get along great. I’m sure you all are familiar with her reports here on the boards, and let me tell you, she is just as nice and welcoming as she comes across on screen. There was never a lull in the conversation, and I was happy to see Alex seemed to be having a nice time joining in the talk, as well.

I think he was happy to commiserate with Danielle on being a customer service heavy job and also with the balancing act required of incorporating different generations and their values into one work environment. Alex is in a specialized job right now where he’s in charge of a lot young adults, the 18-24 age range, and there was a learning curve involved in that. And so he appreciated having sympathetic ears to listen to him.

Because he knows I can only nod along to the same story so many times before my eyes glaze over.


The five of us shared our trip experiences so far and made tentative plans to meet up a few more times.

Spoiler Alert: I ruined all of them.



Unlike when I travel with my mom, going to Disney with Alex was a little more chaotic. He wanted to shift plans and change schedules a lot more than I expected. And, as a result, every time and place I told Vanessa I would be ended up not being true.

I apologize again, Vanessa, for that. I was really looking forward to Oga’s and DAK. Hopefully one day in the future we can meet up again. And maybe then I won’t be working around a husband and 19 miles of running.



Naturally, the meetup didn’t happen without photographic evidence:




We stayed and talked for about an hour, but Vanessa wanted to catch Mulan at her meet and greet in China, and I was ready to head back to the resort.

On the way out of the parks, Alex and I went into a few stores and checked out the merchandise.

Notice how nice I was by including both of us in that description? See, I can be a kind wife sometimes. But you all know who was doing most of the browsing. I know I can rely on you, friends, for the truth.

Although, I did spot this cute bag and debated getting it:


But I knew if I got it, then Alex would see it as another step in the “We’re Getting a Dog” marathon he’s been running. It’s been a long, long journey. Nobody put odds on me leaving the state of Texas without a dog in tow. By this point I know I’m fighting a losing battle.


Grabbing a bus back to the Wilderness Lodge, the kids gave me a quick call:


Where they both demanded they wanted to wait until we got home to see the medals.

Well, that was no fun.

“Put Nana on the phone, she’ll ooh and ahh over them.”




Back at the resort, Alex and I lounged around, taking it easy, not doing much of anything. At five, we walked down to Geyser Point and were seated immediately. While not incredibly hungry, we needed to eat dinner early enough to let our stomachs settle before going to bed early.

I was happy to be off my feet and enjoying the gorgeous Florida weather.



This ended up being one of my favorite locations of the trip. I get why you love it so much, Susan. It’s become my must do if I ever get the opportunity to stay at WL again.

I ordered the turkey sandwich without bacon, and this dish ended up being my favorite new dish of the trip. I loved the black peppercorn on the turkey (Alex thought it was a little much) and the avocado puree was delicious.

I highly, highly recommend this dish!





Alex got the bison burger and said it was very good, too. All in all, Geyser Point was a gem of a find, and this was not the last time we visited the bar and grill!



Up Next: I Smell Bacon!

 

[Stacybaeasm]

Yikes!! What a terrible experience at Space220. Having been a server and hostess more times than I care to remember - it is unfortunate that they were making those remarks around customers. I get it - bad day and all. But you can't complain about it in front of the customers. Although I do like the Dr. Strange recovery. And personally, I have no plans to ever try Space220. The food is not in my wheelhouse at all.