What exactly DID you do at Disney? May 2011 TR (TR link pg 44)

[jenbear123]

Great news on the cruise! I know you all will just love it!!!

 

[amandaw]

I love Fantasmic but agree that the crowds are ridiculous. You definitely need to see Illuminations on your next trip. It is really, really good!

I would love to go one year for SWW. Yes, I am a huge geek & love Star Wars. I would really freak out if they had the Ewoks walking around....although I'm sure they don't.

As for the upcoming cruise....I think y'all will enjoy it, even though it's only 3 days. It'll be nice since you'll be celebrating your 10 year anniversary. You could drop Caitlin off in the club one night & do a dinner with just you & DH. Or at least have some sort of alone time. I think the cruise was a good choice, especially since he wouldn't budge on the October trip. After the cruise, you can start working on him for a 2012 trip. Maybe you could go in September or October 2012 so that y'all could do the Halloween party.

 

[dizneeat]

Great Fantasmic pics!

We haven't been in a while, but since we have a Fantasmic package this time, I hope we catch it!

How fun seeing all the Starwars stuff!

 

[basketkat]

Bummer to no Phineas and Ferb....they are on our "must do" list for sure...

We haven't watched F! yet, but we are planning to this year.

 

[Chaitali]

I loved seeing the Fantasmic photos! It seems like a great show but we didn't see it on our trip. And to be honest, I'm not sure if I'll see it on the next trip either. From everyone's stories, it seems like such a hassle But now that they're showing it every night I hope that it becomes less crazy!

 

[MickeyisBeast]

wow I love your TR! can't wait for the next update

 

[KatMark]

Great Fantasmic pictures. We've not been since 2008 and I don't think we are going to make it again this year unless we leave Epcot and go over for it (which actually might be a plan because I am not a fan of Illimuniations and can skip that).

Love Caitlin in the Star Wars headgear.

 

[lbuzz52]

your F! pics turned out pretty good! Caitlin and your dh seemed to be pretty content this evening.

i really think she'll like the cruise. plus it seems like an easy place to split up and do what one person wants to do if you need to.

 

[Vwdiva93]

Love the SW pics, very cool! I didn't know you could meet C3PO either.

And Fantasmic is so amazing, it's definitely my favorite show at Disney. But I know what you mean about missing Illuminations. My parents didn't want to see it at all on our last trip so we skipped it too. Now I feel like I need to see it soon before I forget it!

 

[Jazzabelle508]

Subbing Loving your TR so far

 

[TinksThree]

I have yet to see Fantasmic but hope to on a future trip! I know what you mean by giving up one to see another. I keep missing Illuminations and that is one I have wanted to see! I can't keep anyone in the parks late enough although I am finding tricks like late ADRs in a park!

 

[tinacaplan]

Love the Star Wars pictures! I wish we could go during SWW. Mark is such a huge Star Wars fan. I can add that trip to my "someday" list of fantasy trips I have planned in my head. The Fantastmic pictures are great, too. We saw the high fireworks from it every night at the BC. Max would hate all the fire, though, so I haven't even considered going to see it.

 

[AKL LOVER]

Wow! I was off the DIS for a couple of weeks and I came back to see that you had your fall trip booked. Now I've been MIA for a week or so again only to come back and find that now you're taking a cruise! Nice I would love to take a Disney cruise one of these days, but sadly I'm too afraid. I would probably spend the whole trip . Maybe one of these days I'll get up the nerve...but I can't wait to read your cruise TR so I can live vicariously through you! You are going to write a TR for it, right?

 

[MeMom]

Yay for a new Disney hat!

I can feel the heat from the fire just looking at the picture. We love Fantasmic and try to see it often. Big smiles come with seeing the big white boat round the corner!

 

[MiaBella05]

joining in

 

[PirateKate]

I love the picture of Caitlin as one of those white plastic guys that I can't remember the name of- star troopers, maybe?

Fantasmic looks like it was fun, but I think it makes sense to catch Illuminations next time. We usually skip Fantasmic, since it's so crowded.

 

[pinkxray]

Great pictures of Fanstasmic!
We didn't see this show until probably our 5th trip. I had wanted to see it but my DD was afraid of fireworks, loud noises etc.
I had watched it on YouTube and really wanted to see it on one of our trips. I finally told my DH that I was going to watch it myself and he could take DD & DS to another park or back to the room, whatever they wanted to do.
My DS decided if I paid him $1 he would see it with me. (He was young then -now his price would be higher-lol). I said sure.
It ended up they all saw it and loved it - even my DD.
I would love to do a Disney Cruise - can't wait to read how that turns out for you all.
Enjoying your TR and waiting for more updates
Amy

I really love Fantasmic. I hope they decide to keep it on every night so that it is easier to see. We have done the Fantasmic package the last few years since I know no one will agree to stand in line.

You know, I think we had nearly identical schedules. We also went to SWW the Sunday of that first weekend. I can't believe that we were in the same parks pretty much every day and in the same areas too and we never ran into each other! Well, you did see me run by in France and Mom thought she spotted you in Japan. I just think it is kinda funny.

Whenever I read your trip report I think "Hey, we were there at that time too." Next trip I take I will have to have actual meets set up instead of hoping to bump into someone. That didn't seem to work at all. Apparently WDW is pretty big.

Great update!!! We finally saw fantasmic for the first time a few weeks ago. It was good, and fun, but once with that mad crowd is enough for me!!

Lifelongdreamer, we were at DHS Sunday that first weekend too!! That was our first day, so I was engrossed in them kids

I can't believe you just saw it for the first time since you are always at Disney. I haven't been paying to much attention to the theme parks board. How are the crowds at Fantasmic now that it is everyday for the summer?

 

[pinkxray]

Great news on the cruise! I know you all will just love it!!!

I hope we do. I am afraid if DH doesn't we will never go on another cruise.

I must have missed your send off. I hope you have a great trip

I love Fantasmic but agree that the crowds are ridiculous. You definitely need to see Illuminations on your next trip. It is really, really good!

I would love to go one year for SWW. Yes, I am a huge geek & love Star Wars. I would really freak out if they had the Ewoks walking around....although I'm sure they don't.

As for the upcoming cruise....I think y'all will enjoy it, even though it's only 3 days. It'll be nice since you'll be celebrating your 10 year anniversary. You could drop Caitlin off in the club one night & do a dinner with just you & DH. Or at least have some sort of alone time. I think the cruise was a good choice, especially since he wouldn't budge on the October trip. After the cruise, you can start working on him for a 2012 trip. Maybe you could go in September or October 2012 so that y'all could do the Halloween party.

DH has said that after the cruise he will not hear of any Disney talk for 2 years which is fine with me. I want to wait until the new expansion is done anyway. Last May he said it would be three years so at least it has dropped down. October 2013 here we come!

Great Fantasmic pics!

We haven't been in a while, but since we have a Fantasmic package this time, I hope we catch it!

How fun seeing all the Starwars stuff!

Fantasmic is very cute and it will be so easy to see if you have the package.

Your trip is getting so close. I am so jealous of all of your plans.

Bummer to no Phineas and Ferb....they are on our "must do" list for sure...

We haven't watched F! yet, but we are planning to this year.

I was bummed that they weren't there but the line would have most likely been very long so we would have skipped it anyway.

I hope you enjoy Fantasmic for the first time

I loved seeing the Fantasmic photos! It seems like a great show but we didn't see it on our trip. And to be honest, I'm not sure if I'll see it on the next trip either. From everyone's stories, it seems like such a hassle But now that they're showing it every night I hope that it becomes less crazy!

We have done the package the last few years. I am hoping the new nightly schedule sticks around so the crowds aren't so bad. I don't really want to do the package again and there is no way I am dealing with waiting a huge line to see it.

wow I love your TR! can't wait for the next update

Thank you. I did hope over to your new TR but haven't had a chance to suscribe yet. I love you TRs. I have never really wanted to stay at GF before until I saw all of your pictures. Now I must stay there one day.

 

[pinkxray]

Great Fantasmic pictures. We've not been since 2008 and I don't think we are going to make it again this year unless we leave Epcot and go over for it (which actually might be a plan because I am not a fan of Illimuniations and can skip that).

Love Caitlin in the Star Wars headgear.

I really enjoy Fantasmic but I haven't seen Illuminations since I traveled with my family, maybe when I was 13? I barely remember it so that is a must do next time.

I think by our next trip Caitlin will be okay with skipping it. We only did it this year b/c she likes seeing the boat full of characters at the end.

your F! pics turned out pretty good! Caitlin and your dh seemed to be pretty content this evening.

i really think she'll like the cruise. plus it seems like an easy place to split up and do what one person wants to do if you need to.

I was surprised I got a few decent pictures. I couldn't get anything good last year.

I am hoping the cruise will be a good way not to split up. DH might go off on his own in CC for a bit but otherwise I am hoping to stick together. We'll see.

Love the SW pics, very cool! I didn't know you could meet C3PO either.

And Fantasmic is so amazing, it's definitely my favorite show at Disney. But I know what you mean about missing Illuminations. My parents didn't want to see it at all on our last trip so we skipped it too. Now I feel like I need to see it soon before I forget it!

It was so cool to see C3PO. Plus he talked which was awesome. I remember seeing him in Chewy's backpack last year during the parade so I thought he wasn't there. Maybe they just got him this year. It was a nice surprise.

I like to see Fantasmic. It is just very Disney to me. It brings back memories of when DH and I went in 2002 together. There was a little blonde girl named Ocean sitting infront of us and I remember thinking I couldn't wait until one day we could come back with our kids. Then, 9 years later here we are.

Subbing Loving your TR so far

Thank you. I am trying to finish the darn thing but I haven't had much free time this summer. All work and no play.

I have yet to see Fantasmic but hope to on a future trip! I know what you mean by giving up one to see another. I keep missing Illuminations and that is one I have wanted to see! I can't keep anyone in the parks late enough although I am finding tricks like late ADRs in a park!

I have a hard time getting everyone back to the parks. Next time I am booking the Wishes dessert party if it is still around. That way we have to see it.

Love the Star Wars pictures! I wish we could go during SWW. Mark is such a huge Star Wars fan. I can add that trip to my "someday" list of fantasy trips I have planned in my head. The Fantastmic pictures are great, too. We saw the high fireworks from it every night at the BC. Max would hate all the fire, though, so I haven't even considered going to see it.

I can see how small kids would be scaried. The fire and all of the villians might be a bit scary.

How cool that you could see the fireworks. I have been reading along your report even if I haven't posted. I am able to read on my phone at work but can't post. I can't wait to see where your room is and your view. BC in July must have been absolutely fabulous.

Wow! I was off the DIS for a couple of weeks and I came back to see that you had your fall trip booked. Now I've been MIA for a week or so again only to come back and find that now you're taking a cruise! Nice I would love to take a Disney cruise one of these days, but sadly I'm too afraid. I would probably spend the whole trip . Maybe one of these days I'll get up the nerve...but I can't wait to read your cruise TR so I can live vicariously through you! You are going to write a TR for it, right?

I see that you are on your nice adult getaway right now. DH and I went to see the new HP movie without Caitlin last week and it was the first time in a very long time we had done anything alone. Usually the movies we see are movies that Caitlin wants to see to so she comes along. We took her to the last HP movie and she whined the whole time about leaving. This time we lied and said we were going to see a killer spider movie (which she said she still wanted to come) I can't imagine having a whole vacation to ourselves. One day maybe.

Yay for a new Disney hat!

I can feel the heat from the fire just looking at the picture. We love Fantasmic and try to see it often. Big smiles come with seeing the big white boat round the corner!

The white boat is my favorite part

Yep, another hat that hasn't been worn since the trip.

joining in

Thanks for joining!

I love the picture of Caitlin as one of those white plastic guys that I can't remember the name of- star troopers, maybe?

Fantasmic looks like it was fun, but I think it makes sense to catch Illuminations next time. We usually skip Fantasmic, since it's so crowded.

Storm troopers. I forget the names of the other ones. Clone somethings. Clone troopers maybe.

It would probably be a huge hassle to get the boys to Fantasmic. It will still be there in a few years.

 

[pinkxray]

When I first starting planning this trip Sat. was the day I was really looking forward to. Akershus in the morning, walking over from BCV, a leisurely day strolling through WS. If you have learned anything about my plans it is that they never work out.

Once Pixar Weekend was announced I added another EPCOT day as our first full day. It made our old EPCOT day plans a bit weak. I tried to switch Akershus but I couldn’t get it for when I needed it. The new plan was to head to breakfast, spend a few hours in WS and go back to SAB. I was hoping to see Illuminations that night too since now would probably be the only time ever that we didn’t have to worry about transportation after the show and could walk to our resort.

Here is how the day actually went.


I was up early again and decided to check out the villas. You might have seen this pictures somewhere but I will repost them anyway.

Our Akershus adr was 830. I had no idea how long it would take to get there when walking. I figured if we left by 740 we would be okay. I had heard it was a 10-15 walk to Epcot but didn’t even factor in the long walk to Norway once we got there.

I was back in the room around 7 and started getting everyone up. Caitlin was a bit sleepy but woke up and got dressed pretty easily. DH seemed to wake up on the wrong side of the bed. This probably would have been a good morning to sleep in and relax but Caitlin and I really wanted to go to Akershus. DH got up and headed to the shower which was ridiculous and not included in my plans since he takes showers before bed. Then, he just out and surfs the web for 15 minutes. I am anxiously watching the minutes fly by on the clock.


Finally DH agrees to leave. We gather up everything we need for the day. DH asks “Where are my sunglasses” I don’t know. We search my backpack and all of the bags from the night before. His sunglasses that he LOVES are nowhere to be found. I was annoyed b/c I had told everyone the night before to stop handing me stuff since my bag was full or I would lose it. DH was very mad b/c he loved his sunglasses and wouldn’t be able to get the same ones in FL.


I agreed to replace them as soon as we got to Epcot and pay for the new ones in CT that had to be replaced. We were finally on our way. We left maybe a little before 8. We got to the entrance quickly but it took forever to get to Akershus. I think we were 10-15 mintues late. I do not like being late. DH claims it is my fault we were late but if he hadn’t been on the internet messing around we would have made it on time.


We checked in and had a short wait.

Caitlin got her picture taken with Belle.

We were seated and since the princesses were not close we went up to the cold buffet. Caitlin didn’t like anything on the buffet besides grapes. I loved all of the pastries and muffins and would have liked to go back to get some more.

We got our hot plate. DH ate all of the eggs and I got all of the potatoes.
Caitlin didn’t like anything on there so we ordered her some pancakes.

While we were eating we saw all of the princesses that were there. It was the same exact set that we had seen at CRT. Caitlin was sad that not even one was different. They did the little parade that they do where all the little girls follow the princesses through the restaurant twice while we were eating. Caitlin didn’t want to do it. Once we got our check the princesses were starting to come to our room. DH was still in a bad mood and wanted to leave. Caitlin didn’t feel the need to see the same princesses again and agreed to leave. At that point Caitlin seemed to be over the princesses and although she liked them she didn’t need to see them. Since the summer started she has decided she loves them again. If we were to go now there is no way we could have left without seeing them.

Overall I liked Akershus. The food was very good and walking through Epcot when it is empty is cool. Akershus was the place I booked for our now cancelled Oct. trip. I am thinking of booking breakfast next time and putting DH on the Segway tour in Epcot. He hated Akershus but I am pretty sure he was just annoyed about his sunglasses. He has said he never wants to go to World Showcase again. He will only go to FW for a few hours for Test Track and Soarin then he will leave. He thinks WS is too much walking.