We've got this Rider Swap thing DOWN! - July 2012 TR/ 3/21/15 Final Update COMPLETE

[JoshAndEvsMom]

I finally got my Photopass pictures uploaded to Photobucket and now I'm ready for a BIG update! This may be a couple posts long with LOTS of pictures so bare with me. Anyone else have trouble with Photobucket in the last couple days? Ah well. On to the trip report!

I left you hanging as we were leaving Beauty and the Beast and walking back up Sunset Boulevard to go have lunch with some Disney Jr. Pals... except, I was wrong. (Yes, it does happen sometimes) We did NOT immediately go to lunch! As I was looking at the Photopass pictures that came in the mail, I realized that THIS was our first ride on Tower of Terror AND our BIGGEST Rider Swap Mistake we would make. So, listen up and don't make the same mistake we did!

Josh was actually pretty excited to go on this until it was actually time to go. We had to stop calling it "Tower of Terror" and started calling it "Hollywood Tower Hotel" just so he would stop freaking out. Well, with all that Joshua-convincing going on, and heat, excitement, Evie fell asleep in her stroller. I really wanted to ride with Josh first because ToT is my very favorite ride but (here comes the BIG mistake) I told Eric to take the Fastpasses and ride with Josh. I would take Ev inside to cool her down and would wait for them at the exit. Anyone notice yet what I did wrong? So the boys go on the ride and I make my way down, through the gift shop, to the exit of the ride. They were out in about 15 minutes. MUCH faster than I expected.

Josh LOVED it! He said he wanted to go again and we had time so...I pulled out my Fastpass, and started to take him to go again. THAT's when it hit me. We didn't get a Rider Swap ticket! Doh! I could go, but he couldn't go with me. I really wanted to go with him and not by myself so I gave my fastpass to a teenage boy and decided to try for a later Fastpass where we would NOT forget to get the Rider Swap ticket!

We were pretty starving at this point and it was right about time for our lunch ADR at Play & Dine at Hollywood & Vine! When we walked up to the restaurant, Josh & Evie still didn't know what to expect so we told them to look in the window to see if there was anyone they knew in there...

Oh my gosh, they were so excited! Our plan worked!

I thought the buffet was really fresh and yummy. There were fresh salads (a garden salad and a caesar salad), sliced fruit, two soups (minestrone and broccoli cheddar) very fresh sandwiches on focaccia bread (I think they were turkey with cheese and an Italian type one), then a variety of hot dishes which I didn't pay much attention to. I know for sure there was a fish pasta and some teriyaki chicken, which DH LOVED. For the kids, there were the usual mac & cheese and chicken nuggets. This is exactly what my kids always want to eat, so it was completely fine by me!

Josh's plate

My plate

A picture Josh insisted on me taking...

I really liked all the food, in fact, I think it was the best buffet we went to... and we went to a lot! The broccoli cheddar soup was really good, as was the caesar salad and sandwiches. I thought everything tasted really fresh. Like I said, DH loved the chicken and everything else on the buffet looked good as well. The kid's selection was... meh... but they ate it and liked it so I was happy.

Continued in next post...

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

As we were eating, two very energetic CM's announced that it was time to get up and dance! The kids were a little shy at first but quickly warmed up.

After dancing, the characters started making the rounds. Our first visit was from June, Evie's favorite.

June obliged us with a little dance. Then Oso...

Josh & Evie don't really watch Oso that much but they knew who he was and were excited to meet him. Next was Handy Manny...

Eric asked Manny what the best way was to re-tile the bathroom floor... Manny thought for a second then signaled "Don't try it yourself; call me." It was pretty funny!

The bouncy CM's announced it was time to dance again and this time the kids were TOTALLY into it. They sang songs from Jake and the Neverland Pirates, which we have on iTunes, so they knew all the words. It was great!

Once we sat back down, Jake made his way over. THIS was the guy we were really here to see! It was worth it!

I was way too full for dessert but Eric and the kids grabbed some cookies. It was now getting very close to our JTA time so we had to scoot. We did the bathroom circus... if you have/had young kids, you know how this goes...

Me: "Ok, I'm going to take Ev to the bathroom. Josh, do you need to go?"
Josh: "No."

I take Evie to the bathroom. She's two and *almost* potty training so we try whenever she's willing. She was NOT willing this time so I go back to the table...

Josh: "I have to go potty."
Me: "Of course you do."
Eric: "Can you wait, because I have to go..."
Me: "Why don't you just take Josh with you then?"
Eric: "Well.. I just.. *sigh* ... okay."
Evie: "Mommy! Want to go potty!"
Me:

I take Ev again, who immediately changed her mind once she saw the toilet. We went back to the table and the boys still weren't back. Its at that point, I realize that I still haven't gone... so back we go. I ran into Eric outside the men's room and he tells me that Josh still isn't done. (Poor Joshua is cursed with his mommy's weak tummy. Traveling messes him up!) Eric was getting nervous because our JTA time was creeping up fast. I told him that when Josh finished, to just go. I would take care of the check and meet him over at the JTA stage. Our 5 minute potty break had just taken us 25 minutes!

Ev & I made our way back to the table again to find our super sweet waiter holding a plate of chocolate covered strawberries and a little chocolate wafer that said "Happy Anniversary" So cute! Unfortunately, I was in a hurry and Eric wasn't there so I let Ev gobble up the strawberries and forgot to take a picture, which I regretted as soon as we walked out of the restaurant.

I settled the bill then rushed to the JTA stage... I had a little Padawan about to become a Jedi!

**Okay, so the big question is: Would we do Hollywood & Vine lunch again? The answer: YES!! The food was great and the character interaction was amazing. If you have kids who love Disney Jr., this is a MUST.

Would I recommend it for people without kids or families with older kids??... No. I would not come here for the food alone. It is clearly geared for the under 8 crowd so I would think that all the singing, dancing and "peppy-ness" might get old after, say, three seconds.

However, we had a blast. The kids loved the characters and the food. Eric and I enjoyed the buffet and loved watching our little darlings having so much fun. We will definitely continue to keep Hollywood & Vine on our list as long as our kids love Disney Jr.**

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

THIS is the reason we got up so early! We did Jedi Training last year and it didn't turn out so well. Josh loved the first part but was terrified when Darth Vader came out. He hid in the back and didn't want to fight Vader. Despite his last experience, he talked about Jedi Training ALL the time and REALLY wanted to do it again. I think he wanted to redeem himself.

Anyway, Ev & I walked over to the JTA stage and made it just before they walked all the Padawans out.

Our Jedi Master came out on stage and made the usual jokes then invited the Padawans up.

I thought the Master was great. He was really funny and seemed like he really enjoyed being up there. He was cracking some jokes that were flying over the kiddo's heads when he walks up to Joshua and asks him if he knows who Yoda is. Josh is like DUH!! Of course he knows who yoda is! Then the Master asks Josh if he thinks Yoda looks like a green, hairless cat... this is Josh's reaction:

Priceless! The helpers then pass out the lightsabers and they get to work.

Continued in next post...

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

Just as they were finishing up the basics of lightsaber dueling, who shows up but Darth Vader!

Vader challenged the Padawans to join him on the Dark Side. And of course they choose to fight! Josh's turn comes up and he doesn't even flinch! Yay Josh!

Then, during his fight, the Storm Troopers suddenly jump up from their posts and walk over to Josh holding their guns! Josh was clearly startled and the Master quickly told him to hold up his hand and use the Force to push them away. Josh did what he was told and was thrilled when the Storm Troopers flew backwards. "Again!" the Master told Josh. Josh gleefully held up his hand and again, the Storm Troopers flew backwards. It was so awesome!

For the finale, Vader gave them one last chance to join him. The Master told all the Padiwans to activate their lightsabers, which basically told Vader where he could go. Vader left in a huff, leaving the Storm Troopers to fend for themselves.

Having defeated Vader, the Padawans graduated from Jedi Training Academy.

Jedi Training Academy is SOOOO fun! There are boys AND girls who do it and the pictures you get from it are awesome. Even if you don't have a kid participating, it is hilarious to watch and the crowd really gets into it. Getting a JTA time was WAY worth only getting 4 hours of sleep to get there before the gates opened. If your kid decides that he/she wants to do this, get there EARLY and go straight to JTA. Don't do the TSMM rush unless you can split up because times go fast. This will be on our must do list until Disney stops doing this show. Its one of the best in my opinion!

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

Here are some photopass pictures from our morning at DHS. I posted some in the back posts but if you've already been reading along, here they are so you don't have to go back and search for them. You're welcome.

OOPS! Since these were duplicates, I deleted these photos to try & recover some bandwidth!

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

Once JTA was over, Evie was clearly done. I was feeling pretty "done" myself so I suggested that we all go back to the room for a nap. Eric wanted to do Star Tours again and Josh began to whine about a lightsaber. We decided that I would take Ev back to CBR while Eric and Josh did the BYO lightsaber and Star Tours, then they would head back as well. Silly me, suggested that it would be easier if they took the stroller and I would just carry Ev. Not the greatest idea, you'll see why in a minute...

Ev and I made our way out the front gate and to the CBR bus stop. There was already a bus waiting there for us! Score #2 for the buses! It was a very short trip from DHS back to CBR and now that we were cooling off in the air conditioned bus and sitting down, I started thinking how great it would be if I just went ahead and got off at Old Port Royale to get our mugs and bring back a cool drink! So Ev & I hopped off and got the mugs... now I was carrying 4 full mugs... We walked out through the gift shop toward the pool area. Ev saw the display of stuffed animals and started giving each one a hug. It was so adorable and I knew Big Brother was going to be bringing a toy back to the room so I asked her if she wanted one. Her face lit up and she immediately chose a Princess Minnie doll! We paid for it and started to make the looooooong walk back to Trinidad South... so NOW I was carrying 4 full mugs and a large Princess Minnie doll with a tired, hot two year old stumbling behind me. Yah. I totally should have taken the stroller!! She was a trooper though and walked the entire way back! It took a while and several times I had to distract her with passing ducks ("Hurry Evelyn! Come see the ducks up this way!") but we DID make it back.

We settled in for a nap around 4:00 and the boys showed up about 4:45. Eric had gotten us Fastpasses for ToT! They were for 6:15 so we knew we would have to leave by 5:30 if we wanted to make it. Josh crashed on the bed for 20 minutes before we woke them up to head back to the park. Well, Ev never actually woke up but we just put her in the stroller fast asleep.

We left the room right at 5:30 and DHS was the first bus to come around. Score #3 for busses! We got to DHS and went straight to ToT. I am serious, it was exactly 12 minutes from our room to ToT. It was AWESOME! I really wanted to get some photopass pictures in front of ToT with Joshua since it was his first time on it so we found a photographer before we rode. I love these!

I rode first with Josh and THIS time we were sure to get our Rider Swap ticket! Josh and I went to the end of the queue and we ended up standing next to a lovely young man in his early teens. He told us that this was his favorite ride and that he had already rode it 10 times that day! He said he was happy to just ride Tower of Terror all day long while his family did other thing. He knew all kinds of details about the place and pointed out all the little extras the Imagineers worked into the theming. He was so delightful! Unfortunately, he was directed to the left and us to the right at the pre-show, so we were split up. I wish we could have stayed with him because he was doing such a good job distracting Josh from the "spooky" parts of the Tower. Once we got in the Library, Josh started freaking out. He said that he changed his mind and didn't want to ride again. I was the mean mom who made him go anyway.

I'm not sure if this is the way it always works or if the camera was just broken that day but once we were seated in the elevator, the CM said "Ok now everyone hold up your hands and scream!" then a flash went off. I know this is the photo that we got because it is the only time I put up my hands. Hmmm.

Josh loved it just as much as the first time and said he wanted to go again. Since we REMEMBERED to get our Rider Swap ticket, Eric went took Josh while I waited with Ev, who was STILL asleep in her stroller from when we left the room!

After the third time, Josh says: "I like that ride but I NEVER want to do it again." I guess three times is enough!

With my ToT mission out of the way we needed to do some more rides! Earlier that day, Eric had also grabbed some fastpasses to TSMM. We really lucked out on our fastpass "schedule." We were always able to get a fastpass for whatever we wanted and for a time that worked out for us. The only one that we didn't make was Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, which we really didn't care too much about anyway since Eric & I would each have to ride by ourself.

Josh decided to leave town but his luggage was too heavy

Our TSMM fastpass wasn't until much later that evening so we decided the Pizza Planet was in order. It took some searching out but we found it and went inside to order. My first impression was that it was REALLY loud. I had to finally wake Ev up and she was NOT happy. The restaurant was so overwhelming that we decided to brave the patio, even though it was still pretty hot outside. The patio was actually very nice! It was quiet, cool (I don't know how they did it but I swear it was air conditioned) and no games to distract the kiddos. It was perfect! I got a veggie pizza with a cupcake, Eric got pepperoni with a cookie and we got one cheese pizza off the kids menu for the two of them to split. Josh had wanted a pepperoni pizza too but they only offer kids cheese.

It was a TON of food! This was a really good use of a counter service credit, in my opinion. I actually wasn't too excited about going to this place because, from the pictures on the menu, the pizza doesn't look that great. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed my pizza and salad and so did everyone else in my family. The real star of the show though was the cappuccino cupcake. Oh Em Gee. I'm not a "cake person" but this was delicious with a capitol D. I would go back to Pizza Planet for that cupcake alone. The cake was moist and chocolaty, while the frosting was light, fluffy and full of coffee flavor. I hate the greasy, heavy frosting that just tastes sweet, no flavor, that comes on most store bought cupcakes. This frosting was DEFINITELY not that. It was soooo gooood. Disney, if you're listening, NEVER get rid of the cappuccino cupcake!!

Anyway, I would go there again. I can't tell you if it was a good "value" on the DDP or not. We really didn't pay that much attention to the prices, we just got what we felt like eating. To me, it was a good value if it tasted good and my kids ate it.

Once we finished eating, we still had some time before our TSMM passes so we hit up Muppet Vision 3D. I love this show! We walked right into the pre-show area and there were barely any people waiting. Ev was just beginning to shift out of her cranky mood so she and Josh wandered around the room looking at all the props. It was a nice transition before walking back to Pixar Place to do TSMM for a THIRD time! We stopped quickly at Luigi's Garage to say hellow to Lightning and Mater.

This time I got to ride with Ev and Josh rode with Eric. Ev giggled the whole time! She just couldn't get enough of the "Woody Ride." Nether could I! Such a fun ride.

Just as we were walking out, we heard Fantasmic! starting up. We had made a conscious decision to skip Fantasmic! this trip. We just didn't want to fight the crowds when there was the potential for the kiddos to have a meltdown in the middle of it due to fatigue. Instead, we wanted to try something new: The Great Movie Ride. We didn't do this on our last trip and I hadn't been on it since I was a kid. There was no line whatsoever and we walked right up to the very front podium next to the doors where you enter the ride vehicles. We thought for sure we'd be riding in just a few minutes... Well, I guess that late at night, they only run one vehicle at a time or something because it was a full 25 minutes before we got on! The sweet CM at the podium entertained Ev the entire time, playing peek a boo and showing her all the buttons until it was our turn. I must say, this ride is a whole lot cheesier than I remember! There were a whole 5 people, including us, in the ride vehicle so maybe the CM's weren't giving forth their very best effort but seriously. I think this ride may need a revamp.

When we got out, the park was finally closing. It had been a really long day! But I wasn't done... I still needed photopass pictures in front of the hat!!!

I got my pictures and now it was time for bed. It had been a really, really great day.

 

[megan511]

I'm all caught up!

I'm glad Josh rode & liked TOT. It is my very favorite too!

We really enjoyed Hollywood & Vine's buffet too! I really liked those sandwiches. I totally get the bathroom dance that sounded just like my family.

Great JTA pics! Go Josh! I have never seen the use the force on the Storm Troopers part! Too cool.

You did have great luck with buses. 12 minutes? That's awesome!

I'm glad you got to ride TOT with Josh. Love the ride pics.

It sounds like you all had a nice evening. That cupcake sounds soooo good!

 

[debrapagliasotti]

Lots of great updates!

JTA looks like fun. DS10 (will have just turned 11 when we go in Dec) really wants to do this.

 

[PrincessAmongPrinces]

Hi there! Joining in!

My boys will be five the next time we make it to WDW, so I am enjoying hearing about what your son liked to do. The pictures of him at Jedi training were awesome! Your daughter is adorable, I'm glad she enjoyed TSMM so much! It sounds like you guys had a wonderful DHS day!

 

[airforcemomof2]

Love your TR so far! We are going to WDW at Christmas this year! I am so excited! I love your pictures! Hope to see the rest of your trip when you have time to post them!

 

[OThopeful35]

Awesome trip report!!

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

Hi guys! I know I've been MIA for quite some time but if anyone out there is still following along, I thought I'd try & get back to this trip report. Somehow life (or Pinterest - don't really want to admit to which) got in the way of DISlife but now that the temperature is FREEZING and our Northwestern nights begin at 4:00 pm, well I just need a bit of Disney cheer. Bring on the sunshine!

Okay, I left off finishing up our AMAZING day at DHS. On to Day 2, our first Epcot day. Again, we were up bright and early but there was no EMH so not AS early as our first day. It was a bit more of a struggle to get out the door but we were on our way about 8:00 am. Seems as though our luck with the buses was still with us because a bus to Epcot was there within 5 minutes and there were plenty of seats.

For some reason, there are a complete lack of pictures so you'll have to trust me that we made it to the gates and into the park. Daisy was signing autographs off to the right and Stitch was off to the left. We skipped them and thought we could catch them later (but never did.) We had a plan... or so we thought. The plan was: Mission Space, RIDER SWAP, get FP for Sorin', Character Spot. It honestly seemed like an awesome plan. We went to Mission Space and saw that the standby line for Green was only about 5 minutes so Josh & Eric headed onto the ride while I took Ev over to the play fountain since it was already BLAZING hot.

You can see the tour group loading onto the ride!

After 15 minutes or so, I see Josh & Eric coming our way. Sweet! I yelled over to them and Eric waved and kept on walking.... They disappear into the bathroom. Oohhh, okay. When they reappear, I THOUGHT they were done with the ride and we were ready to SWAP out but nooooooo. I guess right as they were about to load onto the ride, Josh "had to go to the bathroom." This was turning into a pattern. Now the standby line was 15 minutes so we decided we had better get a RIDER SWAP ticket. Eric & Josh headed back onto the ride & Ev & I continued to play at the fountain.

It seemed like it was taking FOREVER! As the novelty of the fountain wore off, Ev was getting hot and cranky. I decided to use a few snack credits to get us all a drink. I got us a Strawberry Lemonade Slushie and a Mango Lemonade Slushie and a Diet Coke for the hubby, since he is completely addicted. (Again, sorry for the lack of pictures! What was wrong with me?!) At this point we were right in front of the entrance so I figured we would enjoy our beverages and wait for them to return. We waited, and waited and waited. People kept coming out of the exit so I knew the ride wasn't broken. Where WERE they? I called Eric's cell. No answer. We went into the Mission Space dump zone, thinking they may have been sidetracked by the video games... nope. FINALLY, I heard my phone ringing and its Eric saying "WHERE ARE YOU?!" Huh? "I'VE been here the whole time, where ARE YOU?!" Somehow they walked right by us and went all the way to Innoventions to look for us. WHY he thought we'd be in Innoventions? I have no idea. WHY he didn't think to call me when he got off the ride? I'm still clueless. Oh well. I could tell he was grumpy so I didn't press the issue. I just pushed the Diet Coke into his hand and grabbed Josh for his second Mission.

We got in line with yet another tour group. Most of them were going on Orange so it didn't really affect us. As we got closer to the elevators, the CM came down the line asking for 2 riders. Score! I guess that's one benefit of getting in line with the tour groups: they all want to ride together so there's usually "filler" room! We ended up riding with two other girls who were very sweet to Josh. I think I was the Navigator and Josh was the Pilot. I was a little nervous because I don't "do" spin-ey rides but it was TOTALLY fine. I actually found the ride to be kind of relaxing! All said and done, Mission Space ate up about an hour and a half of our precious non-crowded morning time but it was okay. I enjoyed the ride and Josh LOVED it. Ev was not as happy as she had spent the morning waiting around so we decided to go straight to the Epcot Character Spot so she could meet some old pals.

*Apologies for the lack of pictures in this post (and most of this day). I'll make up for it when we get to the Magic Kingdom!!

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

Sorry I have been gone so long!!! I hope you all come back for the rest of our adventure

I'm all caught up!

I'm glad Josh rode & liked TOT. It is my very favorite too!

We really enjoyed Hollywood & Vine's buffet too! I really liked those sandwiches. I totally get the bathroom dance that sounded just like my family.

Great JTA pics! Go Josh! I have never seen the use the force on the Storm Troopers part! Too cool.

You did have great luck with buses. 12 minutes? That's awesome!

I'm glad you got to ride TOT with Josh. Love the ride pics.

It sounds like you all had a nice evening. That cupcake sounds soooo good!

That cupcake WAS good! Holy cow, I'm still having dreams about it. I think I saw on the Disney Food Blog recently that Pizza Planet has added a couple more cupcakes to the menu! It looked like they were seasonal but hey, a girl can hope!

Lots of great updates!

JTA looks like fun. DS10 (will have just turned 11 when we go in Dec) really wants to do this.

Your trip is coming right up!!! I hope you guys have a FABULOUS time!

Hi there! Joining in!

My boys will be five the next time we make it to WDW, so I am enjoying hearing about what your son liked to do. The pictures of him at Jedi training were awesome! Your daughter is adorable, I'm glad she enjoyed TSMM so much! It sounds like you guys had a wonderful DHS day!

5 is a magical age Your boys would LOVE JTA. My one tip would be to try and NOT get the first show of the day so they could watch at least once before they get up on stage. It can be a little intimidating if they don't know what to expect! (i.e.: DARTH VADER popping out to fight children!!!)

Love your TR so far! We are going to WDW at Christmas this year! I am so excited! I love your pictures! Hope to see the rest of your trip when you have time to post them!

Wow, I am so jealous! I wish I was getting away this Christmas with everyone!

Awesome trip report!!

Thanks! Hopefully you didn't become too impatient with me!!

 

[debrapagliasotti]

I was wondering where you had gone...gosh darn Pintrest

Our trip is right around the corner! So much to do still!!

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

I was wondering where you had gone...gosh darn Pintrest

Our trip is right around the corner! So much to do still!!

Hooray! You're still here! Pinterest... Sheesh! I go on thinking "I'll just look up one thing..." 2 hours later

You must be so excited about your trip! I bet its going to be so wonderful to spend the holidays somewhere warm and sunny. Are you thinking of doing a TR? I'd love to hear about your adventures!

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

With Mission Space finally completed, it was time to meet some old pals. We quickly made our way over to the Character Spot. As we came around the corner, we saw a bright pink flag being held high in the air, rounding the other corner and heading straight toward Mickey Mouse and his Friends. Eric and I both look at each other and, knowing exactly what was going to be following that fluttering neon fabric, mouth "run." I grabbed Ev from her stroller, took Josh by his hand and did my best walk/run/beeline to the Character Spot entrance. I got in line JUST before the tour group started filing in. Eric parked the stroller and met me in line.

Eric: "Hey the wait time says 30 minutes. I'm going to go get Sorin' Fastpasses."
Me: "Are you sure you can make it back?"
Eric: "Does it matter?"
Me: "Uh... Yah! You don't want to miss them seeing Mickey & Friends, do you?! And if I'm helping Evie with autographs, who's going to video?"
Eric: "I'll be back in time."
Me: "what if they don't let you in?"
Eric: "I'll just video from the outside! Don't you want to go on Sorin'?"
Me: rrrrrrrrr...."Okay."

And so I was left in a 30 minute que with two kids. Fantastic. Thank goodness for those old Disney cartoons they play! Eric came back RIGHT as we were the next people in line. Lucky for us, the CM holding the front of the line let him join us despite the dirty look she got from the Photopass photographer. We weren't getting a bunch of group poses, just the kids this time, so we didn't feel like line-jumpers. Oh well. Ev was sooooo excited to See Mickey again!

For some reason Eric noticed that Mickey was signing with his right hand today and YESTERDAY he was signing with his left. He mentioned this to a CM who replied "He's a magical mouse. Of COURSE he's ambidextrous."

On to Minnie...

Pluto...

Pluto's ears were a little itchy!

I LOVE how Pluto signs his name on his nose. I know it's necessary with that big schnoz of his in the way, but I laugh every time.

Donald was next. He wasn't as good as our Donald from last year but he was still as adorable as ever.

Last but not least, the Goof-man. For some reason, Ev started crawling on the floor and acting like a puppy. The 2-year-old brain will always remain a mystery.... anyhoo, I had read somewhere that its good to warn Characters when there are little ones underfoot since they can't always see them or know they are there. I casually let Goofy know so he sat right down on the floor with them. It was great. I know its just a little thing but that's why I love Disney so much. Goofy didn't even think about it, he just did it. It was very thoughtful, I thought.

So, as you know, Goofy is the end of the lineup. But there's one problem with these children of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Era. There's no such thing as the "Fab 5"... It's the "Sensational SIX!!!" As we're walking out the door, Ev starts pulling me back...

Ev: "NO MAMA!! We're NOT done!!!"
Me: "Yes, darling, that's all there is. We have to give other kids a turn to meet Goofy."
Ev: "NO mama! Where's DAISY?! Gotta see DAISY!!!"

Oh dear. I tried to explain that Daisy was somewhere else but Ev wasn't having it. She was in full meltdown mode, thinking that we were depriving her of meeting Daisy. (Sidetrack: If you're listing, Disney, perhaps it might be a good idea to add Daisy to the Character Spot. I know she's at the front but come on, you've got PLENTY of characters to choose from to dump next to Stitch. Maybe bring Robbin Hood & Maid Marian out of obscurity? Or even, LILO!)

By now it was 11-ish so we decided it was definitely lunch time. Eric got a 12:30 pm fastpass for Sorin' and we love Sunshine Seasons so we made our way over to The Land for lunch.

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

Once we had visited with the Fab 5 we were definitely feeling a little rumbly in our tumblies. To The Land we went!

We LOVE Sunshine Seasons! I think it could be in the running for Absolute Best Counter Service in the WHOLE WORLD. There are just so many choices! And the desserts! Don't get me started on the desserts! Eric & I decided that I would take Evelyn and he would take Josh to get our food. I took Ev to each station and let her pick out her own lunch. She chose Macaroni and Cheese ($5.49) from the Soup and Salad Station, which actually was pretty good. It was thick and really cheesy. A step up from the Mac & Cheese we encountered at Hollywood & Vine (however, she liked their mac & cheese just fine.) It came with the standard Kid's Meal choices and she got grapes and a cookie.

Eric, apparently, wasn't as patient as I was because once he found what he wanted to eat, he just told Josh he had to choose from that menu. Eric & I both went to the Sandwich Station where the Kid's Picks are: Pizza Panini ($5.49) or Uncrustables Peanut Butter & Jelly ($5.49). Josh likes pizza but I'm sure the word "panini" scared him off because he chose the PB&J. I really wish Eric wouldn't have let him get that because Josh doesn't like Uncrustables so he didn't eat it. Fortunately Evie's portion of Mac & Cheese was humungous so they split it.

Now, for the good stuff. Eric got a Turkey and Monterey Jack on Ciabatta - with Chipotle Mayonnaise and with a side $8.99 (Allears.net) and I got a Reuben Panini - with a side $8.99 (Allears.net).

They both came with a side and there was only one choice, which was a potato salad that had some kind of vinaigrette on it instead of a mayo base. I wasn't too excited about it; I didn't think it looked all that appealing but it turned out to be wonderful! Get the potato salad! It was awesome! Our sandwiches were huge and both were delicious. We probably could have split one so that is something to consider if you are paying out of pocket or trying to conserve dining credits. However, the BEST part about Sunshine Seasons is the FABULOUS dessert case! If you're on the DDP, don't forget about the dessert case! I had read many, many reviews about the desserts here and I knew exactly what I wanted. The Strawberry Short Cake! It was every bit as wonderful as everyone says. Fresh, sweet strawberries, light, fluffy whipping cream and moist cake. A-mazing. Eric got the Cheesecake with Berries. They ladle the berry sauce over the cheesecake when you order it so you can get plain cheesecake if you prefer. He ate it too quickly for me to get a picture, let alone a bite so I guess you'll just have to trust his opinion that it was great!

Sunshine Seasons was very crowded. It took a while to find a table to sit at and once we were eating, there were people constantly hovering, ready to nab our table once we were done. It was a little stressful but the meal was still worth it. Once we were done, we did the Potty Circus again before our Fastpass for Sorin' was up. Woohoo!

This time, I asked if I could take Josh first while Eric took Evie on Living with the Land. First, we got our RIDER SWAP ticket at the "Flight Desk." They didn't even look up or check to see that we had a child who couldn't ride, they just handed over the pass. We found that every ride seemed to have different "requirements" for giving out RIDER SWAP tickets. Even with a Fastpass, Sorin' was about a 20 minute wait and there are no games in the Fastpass que so Josh & I played thumb wars while we waited . Once we got to the front, we were told by a CM to go Bay B, line #4 (or something like that... you know how it works) anyhow, we went to that spot and it was occupied by a couple of teenage girls from a Tour Group. When we approached they gestured to us to go to line #3; they were obviously trying to all sit together but I know that the CM's have the seating down to a science to maximize space so I asked someone about it. The CM was annoyed with the girls and told them something along the lines of "I TOLD you to line up HERE." As if it wasn't the first time they had tried switching things up. The girls acted like they couldn't understand him; that they didn't speak any English. The CM had to threaten them by telling them that if they didn't STAY PUT, in the line he told them to go to, he would remove them from the ride. Let me tell you, they understood THAT.

As a side note: This was only one of two times I really got annoyed with the kids in the tour groups. Most of the things people find irritating... the singing, chanting, walking without looking where they are going... that's just typical teenage group behavior. I can even forgive the girls for trying to bend the rules to stick together. What I found upsetting was that they were trying to use the fact that they were foreigners to their advantage, pretending like they couldn't understand. My mom and stepdad had a Brazilian doctor stay with them last summer, who was guest teaching at the University of Washington. He said, the kids who go on those tours aren't your typical kids. They almost always come from upper middle class families and go to private schools where English is a requirement for graduation. While they may not be fluent, these kids would definitely know enough English to get around Disney World and they definitely understand when a CM says STAND HERE. Rant out!

So Sorin' was great. As always I had never smelled the smells before! I don't know if it was broken before or if I just didn't notice but the orange groves and the salty sea was wonderful! When Josh & I finally exited the ride we found Eric over by the old switch-back que for Living with the Land (I say "old" because there was literally NEVER a line for this ride) talking on the phone with his sister while Evie entertained herself by running under the wooden railings. Josh, of course, hopped the chains to join her... Well, Ev was just short enough to run right under the railings... Josh, not so much. He underestimated the height and on his first pass, before I could catch him, CLUNK!!! He ran right into the railing and fell down. It looked like it was right out of a 3 Stooges movie or something! I wanted to laugh but my poor baby boy was sobbing on the floor. Fortunately, he was just fine but his pride was hurt pretty badly.

Eric got off the phone with his sister and told me that they, FL residents, had decided to drive up to meet us in two days and we needed to change our ADR for The Garden Grill from 4 to 7 people. SERIOUSLY?! They had known for months that we were coming to Disney and they were JUST NOW deciding that they were coming up? AND joining us for dinner at a CHARACTER meal?!! I knew it would be a long shot but since we were already there, I suggested that we go up and check at the reservation desk. The young gentleman at the desk was very gracious. He told us that they didn't have anything for 7 but to keep checking back for any cancellations. He said, if worst comes to worst, we could always see if there was anything available when we checked in. It may not have been a definite answer but at least it wasn't a no!

By this time, The Land was crawling with people, shoulder to shoulder, and we were all ready to get out of there. Since it was so close, we traveled on to The Seas with Nemo and Friends!

I love Nemo This was a walk-on ride which was great because we rode it 3 times! Ev LOVED it. She called it the "flower ride" because of the sea shell vehicles.

see the CM photobombing?

The CM's working this ride were hilarious. There was one gal who was saying "goodbye" in as many languages as she could think of as the omni-mover entered the first tunnel. "Au revoir! Arrivederci! Ciao!"... then in her best southern accent "Bye y'all!" I wasn't expecting it and I burst into giggles. After our third tour through the Big Blue World, I decided it was time to get back to the room for a nap and some pool time.

Eric wanted to stay but I insisted that they come back. He argued that Josh still wanted to get a Sorcerer Mickey stuffy that he had seen in the first five minutes of arriving in Disney and they could find a good selection at Mouse Gears. We made a compromise that I would go back with Ev and they would shop in Mouse Gears but that they would come RIGHT back as soon as they were done. NO MORE RIDES! Josh really needed a nap and I didn't want to push him. Plus, we had promised him some pool time that day and if we were going to have time to nap, swim, and get back for our dinner ADR we REALLY needed to leave right then. So, we parted ways. Ev & I back to CBR and Josh & Eric to Mouse Gears. I couldn't help stoping for some mommy/daughter photopass pictures though

 

[debrapagliasotti]

Hooray! You're still here! Pinterest... Sheesh! I go on thinking "I'll just look up one thing..." 2 hours later

You must be so excited about your trip! I bet its going to be so wonderful to spend the holidays somewhere warm and sunny. Are you thinking of doing a TR? I'd love to hear about your adventures!

We are very excited about our trip! Cant believe its only 11 days to go! I am definately going to do a TR when I get back. I will be sure and let you know when I get it started, but it will be right after the first of the year.

I totally get what you mean about Daisy! My little boys LOVE MMCH and watch it every single day. DS4 has asked me about Pete being at Mickey's house.

The CM photobombing the Nemo pic...the CM saying "goodbye" in different languages...too funny.

I love how the characters really do their best to get down to the kids levels. Sitting on the ground...crouching down to hug them.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

OH, and the PP pics of you and DD are super cute!

And, I am SOOO trying the stawberry shortcake from SS!!

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

We are very excited about our trip! Cant believe its only 11 days to go! I am definately going to do a TR when I get back. I will be sure and let you know when I get it started, but it will be right after the first of the year.

I totally get what you mean about Daisy! My little boys LOVE MMCH and watch it every single day. DS4 has asked me about Pete being at Mickey's house.

The CM photobombing the Nemo pic...the CM saying "goodbye" in different languages...too funny.

I love how the characters really do their best to get down to the kids levels. Sitting on the ground...crouching down to hug them.

Oh my gosh! 11 Days?! Where did the time go? Christmas seemed so far away when I started this thing, now its just around the corner. I am so excited for you! I can't wait to read all about it!

OH, and the PP pics of you and DD are super cute!

And, I am SOOO trying the stawberry shortcake from SS!!

Awah, thank you!