We Skipped Wishes to Ride Stitch?! an October 2013 Trip Report (COMPLETED!~2/2/14)

[amberg93]

I'm here And I'm going to comment on things from all the posts I've missed. So sorry that it's a bit long :/

Wow that road trip is too intense for my liking. Driving may be cheaper, but flying is so much faster.

Aww what cute decorations! And I'm curious about POR since we stayed at POFQ last year. I heard it's super huge and the bus system isn't fantastic.

Yeah, I can imagine how hard it is to be paitent. My wife and I don't even always agree on a plan of action, I can't imagine how it will be when we have kids. At least you did get to see the parade.

Soarin' FP+ for the win!

Opening family sounds really cool! Congrats. No one can really deny coke slushies either!

I really need to eat at Chef Mickey's sometime. Maybe when we bring my little cousins in a few years.

Wow, you're good at getting up early enough to make it there so soon. And so many great photo ops.

Marie loves buying ortiments in the Christmas shop too

Eww that is a crazy time to wait for a bus. At that point I would have hopped a bus to Epcot and taken the monorail from there.

Well, at least your DS was happy despite the fact that he picked Stitch over Wishes.

Looking forward to reading more

 

[freckles04]

Thanks for all the comments! I agree on the driving bit. It was our second road trip down there and I've had enough! Luckily, Southwest is coming to Memphis in November (wow, that's this month already!), and so we finally get some affordable airfare! Already booked flights for our January trip.

I'm glad you joined in, I have really been enjoying your TR!

 

[khertz]

Joining in on your TR and getting caught up on your last couple of updates!

First off, I love that your DS is a history buff! I am too, so I hope my DS grows up to be one too and we can team up on DH, who isn't. I am really hoping for a trip to Colonial Williamsburg in the future, and my DH is not quite on board. If he is out numbered, he will have no choice!!

That's pretty nice that you were able to change your FP+ reservation on the fly. We stayed offsite on our trip a couple weeks ago so we didn't have the option of FP+. But it was kind of mind-boggling to watch people use a FP+ to get on Spaceship Earth when the wait was less than 5 minutes.

Oh man, skipping WISHES to ride STITCH?!?! I must say, you are one great mom!! I don't know if I could have had that kind of restraint. On the one hand, I'm glad for your son that he enjoyed it because I bet he might have been upset to miss Wishes and then hate the attraction. But on the other hand, I'm sad for you that he liked it so much, because now he will be asking to go on it again on future trips! Stitch is one of my favorite characters, but that is one truly AWFUL attraction!

Looking forward to reading more!

 

[freckles04]

Joining in on your TR and getting caught up on your last couple of updates!

First off, I love that your DS is a history buff! I am too, so I hope my DS grows up to be one too and we can team up on DH, who isn't. I am really hoping for a trip to Colonial Williamsburg in the future, and my DH is not quite on board. If he is out numbered, he will have no choice!!

That's pretty nice that you were able to change your FP+ reservation on the fly. We stayed offsite on our trip a couple weeks ago so we didn't have the option of FP+. But it was kind of mind-boggling to watch people use a FP+ to get on Spaceship Earth when the wait was less than 5 minutes.

Oh man, skipping WISHES to ride STITCH?!?! I must say, you are one great mom!! I don't know if I could have had that kind of restraint. On the one hand, I'm glad for your son that he enjoyed it because I bet he might have been upset to miss Wishes and then hate the attraction. But on the other hand, I'm sad for you that he liked it so much, because now he will be asking to go on it again on future trips! Stitch is one of my favorite characters, but that is one truly AWFUL attraction!

Looking forward to reading more!

Thanks! I don't know where DS gets it. I'm not a history buff and neither is his Dad. It's just something he picked up on early, around age 5 I guess. It's still going strong.

About the Stitch thing... it just felt like the right thing to do. I think he really enjoyed getting to choose what we were going to do (or not do) a lot on this trip, especially since last trip we did EVERYTHING by the touring plan, no exceptions. haha. And if he wants to ride Stitch again next time, I may not be too happy about it, but I WILL do it.

 

[momabaarjo]

Disney at night! I think it is the most magical time of the day!

As for Stitch...I too hate the smells and being locked into that seat. Poor DD when we went it came down too far on her and she was pinned in an uncomfortable position the entire time!

YAY for SW coming to Memphis! When they came to Denver it was such a celebration for me...we live half way between Dallas and Denver and it gave us 1 more option...plus Colorado it home for me and it made it getting home a lot easier when I need to make fast trips!

 

[littlenellbell]

I'm really enjoying your report! Your DS sounds a lot like my DS, who is 8. Little history buff, sometimes too cool for things that he once loved, COP became a new favorite for him this past trip and he thinks the Stitch ride is awesome as well. Overall though it is a fun age for Disney. Old enough to appreciate the history and story lines of the attractions, yet young enough to still really believe in the magic.

You have some really great photopass pictures!

 

[precious pixie]

Really enjoying your trip report!

My bf and I were at wdw this past July. We were at AKL and I thought the pool was also "too chilly". He thought I was nuts but I am glad I am not the only one.

I can definitely relate to missing wishes. We decided to hit splash quickly before wishes started and got stuck on the ride for 20m! We got a few universal FP out of it (which really came in handy being that it was peak season) but still, it would have been nice to see wishes.

 

[RatherBeInAK]

Well, I'm glad it sounds like you had another chance to see Wishes during your trip! And at least your DS enjoyed Stitch. It would have really been a bummer if all three of you had hated it!
We totally missed the People Mover. I've read about a dozen TRs where people talk about how much they loved it. How is it that we spent 3 days in the MK and missed the People Mover? It's on my to-do list for the next trip.

 

[freckles04]

Disney at night! I think it is the most magical time of the day!

As for Stitch...I too hate the smells and being locked into that seat. Poor DD when we went it came down too far on her and she was pinned in an uncomfortable position the entire time!

YAY for SW coming to Memphis! When they came to Denver it was such a celebration for me...we live half way between Dallas and Denver and it gave us 1 more option...plus Colorado it home for me and it made it getting home a lot easier when I need to make fast trips!

I LOVE Disney at night, too. Never been to AK in the dark but I LOVE the other parks at night. Especially in the summer when you've been in the heat all day, and that sun finally goes down... it's perfect!

Yup, the restraints on Stitch are ridiculous. You would think the ride throws you upside down but instead you go nowhere at all. You're just stuck.

We are glad about Southwest coming here because Memphis airport has only had Delta Airlines for years and years and with no competition their prices were ridiculous. I have actually not flown since pre-9/11 so I'm really nervous about the whole process and hope I don't pack the wrong thing or something.

I'm really enjoying your report! Your DS sounds a lot like my DS, who is 8. Little history buff, sometimes too cool for things that he once loved, COP became a new favorite for him this past trip and he thinks the Stitch ride is awesome as well. Overall though it is a fun age for Disney. Old enough to appreciate the history and story lines of the attractions, yet young enough to still really believe in the magic.

You have some really great photopass pictures!

Thank you! Yep, our sons sound a lot alike. It is a fun age for Disney but I wish I had been able to take him at an age where he believed the characters were real... oh well!

& thanks on the pictures. We stopped for every PP photographer we came across.

Really enjoying your trip report!

My bf and I were at wdw this past July. We were at AKL and I thought the pool was also "too chilly". He thought I was nuts but I am glad I am not the only one.

I can definitely relate to missing wishes. We decided to hit splash quickly before wishes started and got stuck on the ride for 20m! We got a few universal FP out of it (which really came in handy being that it was peak season) but still, it would have been nice to see wishes.

Thanks! I'm weird about pools and really would rather them be like bath water before I can enjoy it. Last year we stayed at Pop in August and the pool temp was good to me (their pools have NO shade so that probably helps warm them up). Riverside's is very shady.

Your post confused me a little at first I was wondering why Disney gave you fastpasses for Universal. Then it clicked! hehe.

 

[freckles04]

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

We originally planned for this to be our Epcot day, but I had second thoughts due to crowd calendars giving Epcot a "not recommended" status today, I think due to the evening EMH which we probably would not use. So the previous night, I ended up deciding to go to DHS instead, because it was "recommended." I changed our dinner ADR at Sci-Fi around (I was happy to find tables available) and also switched our FP+ without any trouble (Toy Story Midway Mania, Rock n Roller Coaster, and Fantasmic!). To DHS we headed!

After our bus snafu yesterday, we decided to drive to DHS. We got there about 8:30AM. Waiting for the tram to get going:

Our first stop was our favorite ride ever... Tower of Terror.

One with our camera:

That lobby!

In line:

Blurry, but there ya, go. The elevator of doom!

We rode so many times that we didn't bother with grabbing many of the PP+ pics. We got blocked by people's arms most of the time anyhow. I like how my hair is poofing out from the drop in this one. I also like the lady in the pink "Keep Calm" shirt, who doesn't look to be keeping that calm.

We then headed over to Rock n Roller coaster for our FP+. I hadn't given much thought to this ride since DS hated it last year, but he agreed to give it another try. I'm glad we did; despite his face, he loved it!

We grabbed legacy FP for it and it was already out to 6-7pm.

Matthew loved the old cars.

We browsed in some shops on our way. Matthew liked the Planet Hollywood store and some of its movie artifacts.

We couldn't believe there wasn't a PP photographer here! Is that always the case???

We went over to the Great Movie Ride and were a little shocked that the wait time was 40 minutes. We decided to do something else and come back to it later.

Star Tours also had a 40 minute wait. So we mosied over to MuppetVision 3D where a show was just about to start.

We hadn't seen it before. It was cute. Probably not one we will do again, though.

It was lunch time and about now was when I really noticed the crowds picking up. I wanted to eat lunch at Starring Rolls because I LOVE the fruit tart there. It's my second favorite dessert at Disney (with the breading pudding at 'Ohana being the first). The line was out the door and very slow moving. I think they should really make that place a bit bigger. I got my wonderful fruit tart, though.

By this time we were in our window for Toy Story Midway Mania. We entered the FP+ line and I was really surprised to see how long it was. We waited about 30 minutes to ride. Much faster than stand-by, for sure. But I was still surprised!

By this time the Great Movie Ride was a 20 minute wait so we stopped in. I do like the old movie trailers playing on the big screen in the queue. I wonder if I'll ever get to ride the cowboy one?? We got the gangsters again.

Next, we walked over to Star Tours. 10 minute wait - score! I love this ride! I don't remember the scene with the glass breaking from last year. I TOTALLY ducked and covered my eyes!

We wanted to see Indiana Jones, but our timing was off, so we decided to do the Backlot Tour, another first. The wait was 40 minutes. We decided to wait as we really did want to see it.

This part with the audience participation was great. A couple of the actors were actually pretty good, but one was terrible (in a funny way) and he actually made it great!

Catastrophe Canyon pretty much made this attraction, though. That was really neat. I think I have vague memories of this on my trip as a kid. Was this there in '94?

When we left the Backlot Tour it was great timing to head to Indiana Jones and get there early... or was it??? To be continued!

 

[Iowajes]

As for the ride, it is not one I ever want to go on again. I thought the queue area (with the robot) was cute, but the ride itself... NO. The restraints were tight and painful, the smoke had me choked, the smells were awful. Matt had the same opinion. DS said he thought it was "awesome!"

Well, I guess we know now who the target audience is

I haven't been on the stitch ride, but when it was the Alien ride I learned that with the restraints, if you put your hands up about to your ears when the restraints come down, it will stop there and then you can sit without being uncomfortably crushed into the seat. You do lose any of the effects that come from it pounding down on your shoulders though; but that's what I was going for.

 

[freckles04]

Well, I guess we know now who the target audience is

I haven't been on the stitch ride, but when it was the Alien ride I learned that with the restraints, if you put your hands up about to your ears when the restraints come down, it will stop there and then you can sit without being uncomfortably crushed into the seat. You do lose any of the effects that come from it pounding down on your shoulders though; but that's what I was going for.

That's a good tip! I'll use it next time I'm dragged onto this ride.

 

[freckles04]

Wednesday, October 9, 2013 (continued)

Where I last left off, we left the Backlot Tour to catch Indiana Jones. We had missed it our last trip so Matthew had never seen it and I hadn't seen it since '94. We were about 15 minutes early so I figured we would get pretty decent seats. It was after leaving the Backlot Tour that we realized how crowded it was getting. It was nearly impossible to even walk, the crowds were so thick. I remember thinking: if this is a recommended day, I'd hate to see a non-recommended one! It was MUCH more crowded than anything we had seen on our last trip which was in early August.

When we got to Indiana Jones, the line was all the way from the theater entrance, around American Idol and towards the Sorcerer Hat area. At least, we think it was the line... the crowds were so heavy that it was hard to tell what was what. We were hot, tired, and discouraged from the crowds, and honestly with that line I did not think we would even get in.

So we sat on a bench in the shade and thought what to do next. Waits for most every ride were very long according to the app and to be honest I was just plain cranky. Eventually we felt like a bit of sight-seeing was in order.

Here are some pics we took.

DS spent a long time checking out the details of this truck.

We had to check out what I call the autograph store. DS could spend all day in there and I usually have to drag him out because I'm dying of boredom.

We nabbed this picture because Matt had a dalmatian when I met him and he went where all good dogs go a few years ago. DS still remembers him fondly.

I think there were FP+ kiosks here but I didn't pay much attention. They were just computers that had the MDE page on them, so I guess that's what they were.

The car obsession must just be a guy thing.

I tried to get into it and pretend to be a Price is Right model but it turns out that I just don't have the knack for it.

We decided to ride ToT again with a 30 minute wait.

Spooky lobby pic.

It was nearing time for our ADR at Sci-Fi but not quite, so we wandered the Streets of America for awhile. DS was really disappointed that the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground was closed.

We checked in at Sci-Fi and our table wasn't ready, so we browsed in the little shop next door. I bought the Walt Disney World Official Album CD. It was a GREAT buy! We are still listening to it two months later. My favorite song to listen to is the theme to Soarin'. Makes me feel like I'm back in Epcot on that ride. DS and Matt like the Splash Mountain song.

Anyway, we got seated in a "car" in the middle of the restaurant. We loved the atmosphere. It was just too cute. It's now DS's favorite restaurant at WDW according to him. It even beat out 'Ohana in his book, and you would just have to understand that's a BIG deal for him to say that!

We all had cheeseburgers. They were just meh. The uniqueness of the place is what you are paying for.

We headed back to our favorite for another round.

Our last FP+ of the day was for Fantasmic and it was past time for us to head that way. To my surprise, though, DS didn't feel like seeing it again, and I honestly realized I didn't either. (Matt didn't know what he was missing out on, so he said, whatever). We hadn't taken a resort break that day and we were just beat. We decided to head out before the rest of the crowd. When we left the park, a tram was waiting. FYI: Don't run to make it on to the tram. You will get scolded. (Not that we did that or anything... ) We did make it and had an easy drive back to POR.

This was waiting on us when we got back.

DS decided to tuck them into "bed." (He bought that snake in Adventureland. It's creepy! lol)

In my next chapter, I'll share about our day at Food & Wine, but first will be our adventure doing something we'd never done before but always wanted to! Stay tuned.

 

[LiveToTravelNicely]

Freckles, I love your trip report! It's making me so excited about our trip in January!

 

[freckles04]

Freckles, I love your trip report! It's making me so excited about our trip in January!

THANK YOU! We are headed back in January as well & I can't wait!!!!

 

[amberg93]

Thanks for the warning about the Sci-Fi food. I'll be eating there next time so I'll know not to expect anything.

 

[stasijane]

Your trip sounds amazing so far! I cant wait to hear about your F&W day!

 

[freckles04]

Thanks for the warning about the Sci-Fi food. I'll be eating there next time so I'll know not to expect anything.

Yep, the burgers were just OK. But, other things on the menu might have been great! Despite the "just OK" food I would definitely go back again. It's a fun experience.

Your trip sounds amazing so far! I cant wait to hear about your F&W day!

Thanks! I'll be updating asap.

 

[wiigirl]

Great update!

 

[freckles04]

Great update!

Thank you!