We're here SSR 18 Aug to 1st Sept - live TR Now with pictures!

[MrsH42608]

Enjoying your TR! We'll be at SSR next week, I can't wait!

 

[Clare D]

We're at SSR right now too for a week since Sunday.
I won't hijack your thread but just to say having a great time - mightily impressed with SSR - peaceful, very good quality rooms and nice surroundings. Dinner last night at Turf Club was excellent.
Weather great and crowds in the parks very manageable.
Not enough hours in the day - just stopped back at the room for a coffee and shower before heading out to Epcot for Coral reef dinner.

I'm enjoying reading your report

Not a problem at all. Haven't been to the Turf Club on either of our stays but have heard good things.

I agree about enough hours in the day. We have 4 days left and I'm wishing we had more.
Enjoy the rest of your stay

 

[Clare D]

Enjoying your TR! We'll be at SSR next week, I can't wait!

Thank you. Enjoy your stay and have a great trip

 

[Mummycat]

Hi Clare I'm enjoying your trip report and fab photos that you've added. Impressed with all you squeezed in at universal in 2 days! Hope the days slow down for you as I know how time flies out there. Have fun

 

[Clare D]

Hi Clare I'm enjoying your trip report and fab photos that you've added. Impressed with all you squeezed in at universal in 2 days! Hope the days slow down for you as I know how time flies out there. Have fun

Thank you for coming along. The Express Pass helps with that. Universal last year was quiet this year it was so busy due to the opening of HP. The Minions ride even had a wait time of 60 minutes!

 

[jamez2014]

Looks like a great holiday we are going to SSR next year so glad to see your enjoying it despite the niggles. One question is the transport to disney parks really as bad as some reviews suggest?

 

[Clare D]

Looks like a great holiday we are going to SSR next year so glad to see your enjoying it despite the niggles. One question is the transport to disney parks really as bad as some reviews suggest?

Honestly we've not experienced any problems at all. We are the 4th stop and there are always seats. The busiest bus and bus stops are those at Magic Kingdom. But it hasn't caused us any problems at all.

 

[darthtatty]

Great updates, sounds like youre having a good time.

i'm disappointed to hear about cosmic rays.....
when we were there last august, they had the place running with military precision!!...
they had it blocked off so that you couldn't get into the table area without your tray...
you could only enter from one door, all the others were blocked...
and they had many CMs running around cleaning tables and then coming forward to the CM in the front who was holding everyone to lead you to a clean table...
you never had to wait more than a couple of minutes to get a table..
it was brilliant...
i'm sorry to hear they're not doing that this year!!!!

I went the day after her and believe me it was running like a military operation. we also went a few other times during the trip, they had people at doors, directing people in to the counters and not letting anyone sit without food.
perhaps they just had an off day

 

[Clare D]

We were sat in the area by the restrooms so maybe that didn't help. There was one couple sat at a table for at least 20 minutes with no food until the rest of the family came over with full trays.

One thing I will say about Cosmic Rays is that the food is turned out fast so there was no way it took them 20 minutes to order and collect the food.

 

[BigMommaMouse]

Looks like you have the pool to yourself! I love when that happens. One reason we like Port Orleans was some how always having the quite pools to ourselves.

 

[Clare D]

Cat Cora
Lovely as ever can't believe it is closing down. The staff are being offered jobs at other Disney restaurants whilst the closure is in place and then will be returning to work at the new Italian. It was as busy as ever so I can't understand why it is closing.

Once we finished here we headed to watch Frozen on the screen outside the BWV and then headed over to the BC to catch the bus back to DTD and bed.

Thursday 28th - Typhoon Lagoon and Le Cellier
Got here for rope drop but it was really busy and getting really hot so by 2pm we left and headed over to the Earl of Sandwich. We've been really luck here, eating after the lunch rush means we always get a table.

Headed back to the resort for a nap as Le Cellier tonight.

Food was delicious worth the 2 TS credits. Lovely atmosphere and great server who kept us topped up with bread and drinks.

Will post pics of food once I've updated TR as it keeps wiping out my text

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

I've been reading along and enjoying your report. Looks like you're having a great time

 

[Clare D]

Friday 29th August - AK and Chefs de France
Headed over to AK and was there for just gone 9. Headed to Dinosaur as we didn't have a FP for this but the was a problem so kids and DH rode Primeval Whirl. I sat this out as it makes me feel ill.

They had a walk on and once finished I checked the app and it looked like Dinosaur was back up and running so headed back there. Again it was a straight walk on.

Once we'd done here we headed to Africa and the Kilimanjaro Safari. We had FP'd this but it was a walk on for those on the stand by line.
We were lucky as the giraffes were on top form, quite happy wandering in front of the vehicles.

Grabbed a quick bakery item and then headed across to Everest for our second FP of the day. The ride stopped halfway up the climb but thankfully we were soon on our way as it was really warm. As soon as I got off I had to have a couple of minutes in the shade. I'm sure it is the going backwards that makes me feel a bit ill.

Once we'd done here we then used our last FP on Kali River Rapids. DH2 decided not to ride so we sat in the shade and happily waited for them.

The boys had decided they wanted to do the Wilderness Explorer which is a bit of a pain around AK as this park can get so hot so we decided to have a few moments break from the park and do the bird show. I've not seen this for years but we all quite enjoyed it and I'm not a bird fan at all.

One thing I do enjoy about AK is the choice of food. It's lovely to have a break from the usual quick service fare being offered in the other parks. We headed to the quick service next door to Yak and Yeti and ordered 3 meals, teriyaki beef, honey chicken and the salad with the frozen lemonade. This was more than enough for 3 of us.

By this time the sky was starting to turn, even the animals on the trails knew that the rain was coming. Well come it did. The heavens opened and it threw it down for the next 3 plus hours.

We decided to head out of the park with very wet feet, thankfully we were dry due to our ponchos and onto the bus back to the resort all very tired and cold.

We had enough time for a quick shower and then we were off out again for our ADR at Chefs de France. I decided we should catch the DHS bus and then catch the Friendship boat across to EPCOT. The bus driver told us the boats had now reopened so off we went. The EPCOT bus has been a bit slow on this trip so I decided to risk it. Just got to the boat stop and a. Oat was leaving. Waited5 MK s and the next one arrived, all ok until fork lightening lit up the sky.

We all got on the boat but due to the weather we were told that the boat was going nowhere once we a he'd the BC. That was it. We were off the boat, ponchos back on, marching across to France.

When we arrived it was bedlam. There were people everywhere and it was taking a while to be called. We were all wet, shaking off ponchos huddled under the entrance cold due to the AC.

Thankfully when we were seated we weren't in the main dining area which was cold but in a room overlooking the water.

The downside to here was the fact that we were squeezed in like sardines, it was crazy. Our server was lovely but I didn't think the food was great. It's a shame as it is always somewhere we've wanted to try.

Illuminations was on as we were eating which was lovely and by the time we left the rain had stopped. Yippe!

Caught a bust straight away and we were done back at SSR and bed.

 

[wayneg]

One thing I do enjoy about AK is the choice of food. It's lovely to have a break from the usual quick service fare being offered in the other parks. We headed to the quick service next door to Yak and Yeti and ordered 3 meals, teriyaki beef, honey chicken and the salad with the frozen lemonade. This was more than enough for 3 of us.

We find AK the worst park for food. Karen has a phobia of birds so has to be indoor seating, not much of it in AK. We would definitely eat at Y&Y if it had somewhere indoors.

 

[BigMommaMouse]

We find AK the worst park for food. Karen has a phobia of birds so has to be indoor seating, not much of it in AK. We would definitely eat at Y&Y if it had somewhere indoors.

My Daughter has a phobia of birds too. The AK is like a fear challenge test for her.
I had thought she was the only one until your post.

 

[Clare D]

My Daughter has a phobia of birds too. The AK is like a fear challenge test for her.
I had thought she was the only one until your post.

I'm exactly the same but thankfully there were no sparrows or anything bothering people yesterday which was good.

It has been the pigeons that have been the problem. They have been flying right past you at which point I'm ducking down cowering behind my DH

 

[Clare D]

We find AK the worst park for food. Karen has a phobia of birds so has to be indoor seating, not much of it in AK. We would definitely eat at Y&Y if it had somewhere indoors.

I totally agree and I think they need more indoor seating.. I think this is the worst park when it is hot too as there is little air due to all the trees.

Thankfully we were in the shade and within 20 mins we were done and on our way

 

[scoobydooby]

I love the food stands at AKL. Something different than a burger on every corner. Yummy. It is a hot park though for sure and now you say it, I suppose doesn't have a lot of indoor CS places and the two it does have are burgers and pizza so somewhat meh for me.

 

[Clare D]

Saturday 30th August -EPCOT and Tutto Italia

We decided to have a lie in this morning as last night at EPCOT it was EMH which meant we rode Spaceship Earth then instead.

It took a while for the EPCOT bus to arrive, we had 3 for MK before ours eventually arrived.

Into the park and we used our FP for Test Track. The boys then rode Mission Space so I sat and people watched from inside instead and had 5 minutes. This ride doesn't suit me at all and it worries me when I see sick bags on a ride

We then decided to have lunch and stooped at the Electric Umbrella. It was busy but we soon found a table and were soon eating away.

Once done we made our way into the World Showcase. We took a slower pace having a real good look around. In Canada it was deserted at the back of the pavilion, this is a good spot to just take a rest. In the shop the CM was really lovely even giving my 6 year old a pin as she said his were too nice to trade. I bought some Beaver Butt soap and some bed socks.

The CM's were very chatty in the UK too, they'd only been here for 3 weeks and were really excited to take to fellow Brits.

Ice cream in France. Delicious. I had the chocolate ice cream sandwiched in a chocolate macaron.

The kids were also happy to do Kid to today which was fine by me as we then had a real good look around Japan. I love it here, there is so much to see and I could happily spend a fortune in the Pearl store Mikimoto, however they are out of my price league.

Another Christmas decoration was purchased in Germany. I love at Christmas being able to hang my purchases.

When we arrived at Maelstrom the stand by line was 20 mins. Not a problem at all as we can stand in the AC and have water. However there was an issue and it took 15 mins to be resolved. When we left the line was 45 mins.

A quick look around Mexico and we ready to head to Italy for our ADR. It wasn't that busy in TI at all so we were soon seated. Lovely olives with focaccia and breadsticks and olive oil whilst we were waiting for our food.

Our server was lovely, bringing more bread and olives when we had polished them off.

Food was delicious and really tasty so we will be back.

We then made our way back to SSR and headed for the pool before bed.

 

[wayneg]

Our first meal in TI was great so went back following year but menu had changed and not as good. Not been back since.