Why, My Little Guppy Has Groupies! - A Dec. 2013 TR *Completed

[MEK]

Yay Yay Yay on a May trip! that's awesome! And you know what is even MORE awesome?

I am going to be there at the exact same time! Can you say DISmeet? Woo hoo

I am sad that Alex will be deploying, but I know that is part of the job and I respect him immensely for serving our country.

Hey - I've been in the park before with no baby and it can take me two hours to do a ride. And you got awesome glamour shots. I think your morning is turning out pretty great so far. Blame it on the long line in TT. I think the rider swap thing is wonderful and its great that you can take advantage of it.

I think I would find the stroller parking pretty darn overwhelming too!

 

[khertz]

That ticket fiasco sounds absolutely horrible!! I can't believe how totally unhelpful that first CM was.

Photopass sounds like it was a cluster too, but at least once you finally took some photos, they came out really cute!

I am not at all a fan of the new Test Track. And the fact that it took so long for your mom & Alex to go through with a FASTpass, is pretty ridiculous!

 

[USAFdad]

It's pretty cool we could have 3 different DisMeets while we are there..... as it stands right now.

 

[Wanna be Ariel]

It is a such a new world taking kids to Disney. We took out DS last September(2.5) and WOW! It was slow, but it also made me look and enjoy things I had otherwise missed all the other times I went to Disney. Stroller parking is just crazy, and I hate when the move it. I will say once Landon is walking it will get a little easier, but just a little

Another great update!

 

[afwdwfan]

I'm glad that things are working out so that you can get another trip in. It makes perfect sense though... if you have the AP, it would be a shame not to use it again. And you definitely need some quality family time before Alex deploys.

It was extremely frustrating, because amidst the chaos of men and women taking pictures, the people in the PP line were rebelling and refusing to make way for them. What ended up happening was everyone got blocked in, nobody could move, and it actually began causing a traffic jam at the ticket gates.

Gotta love the passive aggressive crowd control line blocking methods...

Eventually, our turn for pictures was up. Hallelujah. I don’t think I could’ve stood there any longer. Especially since the woman in front of us took a long time, because she had to wait for her husband to return to her. He was in the other PP line, you see. Just making sure they got in the faster line. (You can insert an eye roll here. I know I did.)

Eye roll??? Heck, if I'd been there, they'd probably be complaining about the rude guy behind them grumbling under his breath while they were taking their nice family pictures.

So, now we were surely on our way to an actual attraction, right?


Not so fast.


Diaper change time.

Naturally...

I guess people are always going to find a way to cheat the system.

I mean if they aren't even going to be decent enough to let a PP photographer do their job...

I understand why Disney needed to change Test Track and make it more relevant to today’s technology, but I still missed the old attraction. I liked that the original design wasn’t dark and over computerized. The new version wasn’t awful, and I did enjoy myself (it was my first coaster in over a year) I just wasn’t over the moon about the changes.

I would definitely have to agree with that assessment of the changes.

Like finding a needle in a haystack.



A haystack that moved your needle to a new location while you were away.

That's why you've got to make the stroller stand out in a crowd. Shiny things on the handle, battery operated lights, etc.

 

[wiigirl]

Great update!

 

[amazingact21]

Wow, what a hot mess with the tickets! I hope you didn't have any more trouble after that. That's funny that you just updated about Test Track because my update last night included Test Track! What took so long? Is it the changes? DH and brother had FPs and I feel like I waited a really long time for them to come out. I love how easy Rider Swap was to use. I agree that we probably have to show the baby because people were abusing it. It's basically a free fast pass. In your case I'd say the slow pace was probably due to the ticket mess because it doesn't seem like Landon was high needs so far! Dude was chillin! You are making me nervous about the crowds though as we are probably going around the same week that you were there.

I think Test Track is so slow now, because you have to design your own vehicle. We watched single riders - who skip that part- fly through the wait. I guess because they only have so many computers and each group gets 2 minutes to build it adds up.
Honestly, that was the perfect age to take Landon. Now, he's so mobile and restless; touring the parks will be much harder from now on. Back then, he was cool sitting still and taking eveything in.


I think what made that week in December so bad was because there wasn't a week seperating Thanksgiving from it like there normally is. So everyone stayed longer from the holidays and all the Dec. frequenters went then, as well.

Wow it seems like the TR I am following right now have news about a trip in May! I missed the boat! We have been in May twice but this year did not choose a vacation in May. I don't think I'm ever going to be at Disney the same time as anyone else. That's great you are getting to go back but sorry to hear about Alex's deployment. Family time is definitely important! I'm nervous about getting APs this time in case something were to happen (broken foot anyone?!) $1300 on tickets for one trip is not a deal.

This'll be our 3rd time going in May. We really didn't have much of a choice, though. It was either then or June, and I was afraid that would be hot too and the summer crowds would have gotten there. May's not a bad time, though.

Hi Alicia! I don't know if I have commented on this report of yours or not. I have read all of yours. You might not remember me from your prior trip report...I had commented that I rode Rock N Rollercoaster with your mom and you and Alex were in the front row. I was too shy to say "hi".

Anyway, I have been following along and just wanted to let you know that my family will be at WDW arriving late on May 12th - May 21st. We are staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani. I will certainly keep my out for you and will promise to say Hi this time.

I do remember you! My mom got a kick out of sitting next to another DISboard member.

Yay! I'm glad to hear you'll be there the same time as me again. We'll definitely have to keep an eye out for each other. If I see you, I'll be sure to say hello. And if you see a baby with glasses who's probably yelling at nothing, that's probably me. Definitely say hi!

Congratulations on another trip Alicia (and Alex and Landon too). There's just too many good reasons to do it. Annual pass... check. Florida anyway... check. Family time... check. It's a no-brainer from where I sit.

We compared Annual Passes to the military tickets and realized we needed to visit the parks another 3 days in order to get our money's worth. So, the decision seemed pretty easy after that. Who would want to waste money, especially when they'd be down in that area anyways.

I think I'm with you on Test Track, but it is finally starting to grow on me. The first time on it after the change though, I was just confused. But on the last trip, I kind of like the visuals on the ride itself. The design phase still bores me though, lol.

Alex had gone on it before and kind of forewarned me on what to expect, so I knew going in that it would be very Tron-like. Still, the nostalgic part of me wanted the old TT back.

Plus, I was never the type of person who enjoyed building stuff and to me, I felt like I had to "work" to ride the attraction. And I'm just not a fan of that.

Yay Yay Yay on a May trip! that's awesome! And you know what is even MORE awesome?

I am going to be there at the exact same time! Can you say DISmeet? Woo hoo

Really?!?! Oh YAY! That's so exciting!

We will certainly have to do a DISmeet one of the days we're there. I'd love to meet you!

Hey - I've been in the park before with no baby and it can take me two hours to do a ride. And you got awesome glamour shots. I think your morning is turning out pretty great so far. Blame it on the long line in TT. I think the rider swap thing is wonderful and its great that you can take advantage of it.

I think I would find the stroller parking pretty darn overwhelming too!

Rider Swap proved to be essential to touring the parks and riding the coasters. Even when it did take us 2 hours for everyone to get a turn, we would have waited longer without it.
Having a baby with you in Disney can be so difficult, but Disney really did help us out with that system. I don't know what I'd have done without it.

 

[amazingact21]

That ticket fiasco sounds absolutely horrible!! I can't believe how totally unhelpful that first CM was.

Photopass sounds like it was a cluster too, but at least once you finally took some photos, they came out really cute!

I am not at all a fan of the new Test Track. And the fact that it took so long for your mom & Alex to go through with a FASTpass, is pretty ridiculous!

The longer lines with the new TT really deter me from wanting to ride it again. I told Alex that on this next trip, I'd be fine skipping it and staying with Landon while he rode. It's just not as enjoyable to me, anymore.

It's pretty cool we could have 3 different DisMeets while we are there..... as it stands right now.

Still doesn't beat our May 2012 trip. That was a DISmeet-apooloza!

It is a such a new world taking kids to Disney. We took out DS last September(2.5) and WOW! It was slow, but it also made me look and enjoy things I had otherwise missed all the other times I went to Disney. Stroller parking is just crazy, and I hate when the move it. I will say once Landon is walking it will get a little easier, but just a little

Another great update!

Thanks!
Yes, Disney is a whole new experience once you visit with kids. I imagine each trip changes and evolves once the kids hit new age ranges, too. Taking a baby can be quite the adventure. Your former, Commando-touring self feels like you're wasting the day away. But the new, Parent self is overcome with joy at seeing your little one in your happiest place on the planet.
Such an emotional rollercoaster.

I'm glad that things are working out so that you can get another trip in. It makes perfect sense though... if you have the AP, it would be a shame not to use it again. And you definitely need some quality family time before Alex deploys.

We can't let those Annual Passes go to waste.

Gotta love the passive aggressive crowd control line blocking methods...

I'd be lying if I said we didn't block a family or two with our stroller while we waited.

Eye roll??? Heck, if I'd been there, they'd probably be complaining about the rude guy behind them grumbling under his breath while they were taking their nice family pictures.

Oh, my mom said something along the lines of, "Come on, people!"

That's why you've got to make the stroller stand out in a crowd. Shiny things on the handle, battery operated lights, etc.

Alex had attached some bandana onto the handlebars, but it was primarily black (on a black stroller) and I'm blind as a bat, so after looking (and failing) for the thing once, it became his job to find it.

Great update!

Thank you!

 

[MEK]

Really?!?! Oh YAY! That's so exciting!

We will certainly have to do a DISmeet one of the days we're there. I'd love to meet you!

Definitely. I am going with Cynthia (eandesmom). I love traveling with her because she is an uber planner. As we get closer we'll have to share itineraries and figure out when to meet.

 

[teekathepony]

So happy for you guys and your May trip! All excellent reasons. And how wonderful that you'll be overlapping some Disers!
I actually had PP Photog who asked some folks to move so he could get the picture of the guests who had already lined up. I was impressed! The people who had butted in between just moved along, no issue. Wish it always worked like that! I'm with Rob -- reindeer are better than people. Glad you got your pictures! They're adorable!
I'm in the minority who really likes the new TT design. Which is weird, because usually I pine for the old way. I don't normally adapt to change well!
Love Soarin'
Hope you find yourself moving right along a little faster for the rest of the day!

 

[amazingact21]

Definitely. I am going with Cynthia (eandesmom). I love traveling with her because she is an uber planner. As we get closer we'll have to share itineraries and figure out when to meet.

Oh, cool, another girl's trip. Those are always fun.
Yep, we sort of know where we'll be so once we get closer to May we'll see if we overlap.

So happy for you guys and your May trip! All excellent reasons. And how wonderful that you'll be overlapping some Disers!
I actually had PP Photog who asked some folks to move so he could get the picture of the guests who had already lined up. I was impressed! The people who had butted in between just moved along, no issue. Wish it always worked like that! I'm with Rob -- reindeer are better than people. Glad you got your pictures! They're adorable!

That PP photographer must have had enough. I don't have near enough patience to deal with rude guests like that all day long.

I'm in the minority who really likes the new TT design. Which is weird, because usually I pine for the old way. I don't normally adapt to change well!

Alex likes the new version, so I know not everyone shares my opinion. And I definitely don't hate it, I would just pick the former if given the choice.

 

[amazingact21]

Monday, December 2nd, 2013:

Isn't the Land fantastic? Can we all agree on that?

It doesn't have the Wow factor of the World Showcase, nor does it bode well with heavy crowds, but there's something unique about the building. I really get the sense that the Imagineers' visions of creating sustainable options has succeeded in there. I grew up being taught that Epcot had three important factors. The first being progress through technology. The second, of course, was the combinations of multiple cultures, evening the scales of the future with those of the past.

And the third was alternative methods for agriculture, which was done through new technologies. I remembered spending hours in Innovations as a kid, getting a pretty good sense of how Disney was trying to achieve these goals, and whenever I walk into the Land, it reminds me of those days.


My group had every intention when we walked inside to make a beeline for Soarin'. Our Fastpasses for the attraction had come due over half an hour ago, and we didn't want to miss them.

However, along the wall right before the staircase was an amazing gingerbread display. It was incredible and - dare I say - just as great at the house in the Grand Floridian. Each icon was so detailed; you could have inspected each one for hours.

See for yourself:
Dsc02150 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


Dsc02152 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

France, anyone?



Dsc02153 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

How about a cruise?




Dsc02155 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

Or perhaps a snowcapped Epcot? That'd be a sight.



This was my favorite:
Dsc02158 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

To have the imagination and skill to create such a display...it's good to know there is still plenty of creativity left in the world.




My mom and I were getting a kick out of seeing all the sculptures, but she was aware a certain flight was awaiting her boarding down the stairs, and nothing was going to make her miss it!


But first, another Rider Swap:
Dsc02161 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr



This time my mom and I rode first. We made it straight through the section where you scan your MagicBands (the second kiosk) then hit a wall of people. Soarin' seemed to be just as busy as Test Track, and the Fastpassers didn't get much of a lead on the standby.

It took my mom and I approximately 30 minutes to get to the video viewing area. Good thing we picked up a Rider Swap, otherwise Alex would have missed his turn due to his Fastpass expiring.


My mom and I were seated in Row 2, middle row. Not going to complain. A seat on Soarin' is better than no seat at all.

The second the lights dimmed and we were lifted into the air, the atmosphere in the room changed. You could practically feel dozens of people holding their breath.

Then, the screen burst to life and all I heard was an overwhelming, "Ahhhh!!!! Ooooohhh!"

I'm pretty sure most of the room had never been on Soarin' before, and it was so cool hearing their first reactions. Throughout, I kept hearing things like, "We're going to touch the water! We're going to touch it!"

And, "Smell! Mom, smell! It's ORANGES!"

And the fireworks, scene-oh, the shock and awe that ensued.

The whole room clapped when we were lowered back to the floor.

Honestly, the best part of the ride was other people's reactions. I loved being privy to fellow guests' pure unchecked joy and surprise. Getting to hear not only kids, but grown adults have such fun discovering the "Disney touch" that went into Soarin' was special. It reminded me why there were so many guests in the park that week. Why I keep returning year after year. Why Disney is what it is.

Because people of all shapes and sizes, socioeconomic status, beliefs, cultures, etc got to walk into a ride together and become overtaken with all the sights, smells, and feelings of California.





Meanwhile, while I was getting my kicks listening to a roomful of laughter, Alex was doing his best to entertain Landon.

I think I had the better end of the deal on that one.




I guess hand chewing was up first on the agenda:
Dsc02162 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

That didn't last long.

​

Better bring in reinforcements. Quick! Make a phone call, Landon!



Ooh, look, gotta pose for the camera.​

Mmmm, P.I.T.A. looks pretty tasty. Let me check for you.
​

Eventually, my mom and I found Alex at the table he'd staked out, and I switched spots with him. It was my turn to entertain Landon while my mom and Alex went to use the Rider Swap pass.




My view:




The baby was behaving pretty well, so I jumped on facebook to see what was up in the world of my friends and family. I had posted that I was off to Epcot that morning, and as it turned out, an old friend from school commented that she was also visiting the park that day.

So, I shot her a text, and she told me she was in Norway at the moment but that her and her family were headed to Sunshine Seasons for lunch.

Perfect!

It had been years since I'd seen Courtney (at least 5) and we'd both gotten married and had kids, so I was looking forward to seeing her little one for the first time.


The timing was spot on for everything. Alex and my mom returned to the table about fifteen minutes later (I don't know why the second go round on all the attractions was faster than the first.) and then Courtney and her family arrived.

Yay!

​

I met her husband briefly (he had a meeting with a hot meal to attend to) then I got to shower her then-3 month old daughter with attention.

It's always fun running into someone from the "outside world" in Disney. When you're in the parks, you almost forget other people visit and that you're not the only one who gets a kick out of making the theme park rounds. This was my second time running into someone I knew at Epcot, and it didn't get old.

It was especially nice to visit with Courtney (whose name here on the boards is BelleinPink), because A) she lives out of state and goodness knows when I'd see her again, and B) we both got to meet each other's kids and not been made to feel bad that we had little ones at Disney.

It was nice not having to justify why we were taking our under 1 years olds with us on vacation or why it was important to us to do such a thing. Courtney's a huge Disney fan, as well, so I knew she wouldn't need to ask all those annoying "why" questions. She used to be in the College Program and she's actually having a Disney wedding next month. (Her first one was just an official one before her husband deployed.)


It can be nice, having a friend who gets just as excited over Disney things as you. People don't look at you quite as crazy when you post pictures of the new parade floats and there's 4 or 5 comments from other excited folks. Actually, I can't complain too much, Alex and I are lucky to have several friends who "get" Disney.


Courtney and I talked a little bit about how our day was going and how our Thanksgiving went. Apparently, Duffy wanted her to put her 3 month old in his lap for some photos...whaaaa? I didn't even think characters were allowed to do that?

Who knows? Like I said earlier, Epcot was being weird that morning.

We let the two kids meet:
​

​

Landon was more interested in Disney's tutu than anything else. I'm sure I could make some sarcastic comment here about his fascination with trying to pull her skirt off, but I'll leave that one alone. ​

We had time for one more picture:
​

Then she needed to get back to her lunch, and my family had to go get our stroller and make our way to our meal reservation. ​

So, I didn't manage any DISmeets on this trip, which felt weird seeing as last trip I had about 6, but I did get to see someone I knew, which was really cool. Won't complain about that.

Back outside, the day was turning out to be very nice, weather-wise. For a day that began chilly and foggy, the FL sun sure took care of that.

​

My mom, Alex, Landon, and myself didn't have far to walk to get to our lunch.

It was right around the corner. Any guesses?

​

Continued in next post:

 

[amazingact21]

Continued from Previous Post:


Monday, Dec. 2nd, 2013 Cont.d…


Gold star to everyone who guessed Coral Reef!

My family and I were indeed eating at Coral Reef that day. Originally, I had a regular lunch reservation reserved, and then we found out who the Guest Narrator for the Candlelight Processional would be and decided to switch to a Package Dinner.

While this did eat up two of our dining plan credits in one meal, I don’t think any of us regretted doing it after we saw the show. Not to mention, this meant we got an appetizer with our meal, and who’s going to complain about more Disney food?

Not us!



I fed Landon some lunch on the little bench outside the front doors while Alex went and checked us in. Then, we all just sat and people watched while we waited.





Eventually, our name was called and we were led to a booth on the second row of seating.

Here’s a photo for reference:




Last time, we’d managed to sit right in front of the tanks; it would have been cool to have Landon closer to the fish this time around. I’ve taken him to a local aquarium and he got a kick out of the all marine life. But, as the meal progressed I realized sitting that close would have been a waste, so I was content that other families got to enjoy the view.



Our server brought us a highchair that attached to the table and fit right into the seat of the booth. The aisles in Coral Reef are pretty narrow, so this prevented anyone from accidentally hitting him as they passed by. Alex and I really liked the seat and wished more of the restaurants carried them.


Landon, too, was happy with the arrangement:





He had to look around, check out the other kids in the nearby vicinity.




I loved the look of Coral. To me, each Disney restaurant has such a unique feature to them. They are all special and appealing in their own way, and I think one of my favorite things about dining in the parks is experiencing each new theme.


I’m not sure what I thought was coolest at Coral. The layout of the tables where it was almost stadium style or the lighting on the ceiling.
 


It made you feel like you were under water, just hanging out with the sea turtles and the stingrays.

The best part about the ceiling was how much it fascinated Landon. He was continually reaching up towards it, trying to catch the swirling lights. I caught him doing it very briefly in this video:
Ignore all our random ramblings


(I guess I should also mention that I am notorious for not wearing my glasses. Anywhere. Watching tv, reading a menu at a drivethru, on attractions at Disney, etc. And on this trip Alex was getting pretty sick of me not being able to see anything. Every time I turned around, he was telling me, “Maybe if you put your glasses on, you could see…” By our Coral Reef lunch, he’d probably mentioned it about 3 times, hence his ending statement in the video.)





All right, all right, enough exploring, time to pick my lunch!



Decisions, decisions…


The three of us conferred on our entrees, everyone choosing something different so we could graze off each other’s plates and placed our appetizer and entrée orders with the server.



Meanwhile, this guy paid some visits to the tables right next to the tank:



He was having a field day messing around with the kids that were dining, even ribbing on a couple that were splitting a dessert.

I found it hilarious to watch, but I don’t think I would have liked it as much if I were on the receiving end.

I probably would have been like, “All right, haha, very funny, now please leave me alone so I can eat in peace.”




On our May 2012 trip, all of us adults managed to get some really great shots of one another while we sat at our table, so I wanted to try for that again.


My mom’s turned out good:




And Alex and I’s would have worked if Landon hadn’t been so blurry:


Dang P.I.T.A. photo bombed us! Ugh, stupid bag. Ruining things left and right.




We had to wait a really long time for our appetizers to show up, and during that time Landon was beginning to lose patience.

I tried handing him his MagicBand to play with, which he immediately threw on the floor, where it preceded to roll all the way down to another table. A kind guest had to bring it back to us.

Various other thingabobs and doohickeys were just as unsuccessful, so Alex pulled out the big guns and brought out his favorite toy of all time.

It’s a rubber giraffe called Sophie and it’s like the holy grail of infant toys. Kids love this thing. Almost every single one in Landon’s playgroup have one. I don’t know why it’s this amazing thing, but for some reason it is. (As it should be, the thing costs almost 30 dollars.)

I keep it in his diaper bag for the express purpose of carrides and public outings. Usually when Landon gets fussy, a visit with Sophie distracts him for a good long while.




Unfortunately, even Sophie was not doing the trick.


Landon was quickly escalating from grumpy to all out grouchy, and he was becoming that unhappy baby in the restaurant everyone stares at.

Alex and I could tell it was his tired screams, so Alex offered to take him outside and put him to sleep. Of course, about the time he got Landon out of the highchair our appetizers finally arrived.

Timing…



I had decided I needed to be more adventurous with my Disney dining, step out of my comfort zone a little bit and try new things, so I convinced Alex to split the Appetizer for 2 item.

Looking back, I don’t know why I chose that.

I don’t like seafood, really.

I think I might have been torn between 2 things and felt pressured, because the server was waiting on me so I made a split second decision.

Whatever…

Either way, this was what our plate looked like:
Dsc02206 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

It was 2 Jumbo Shrimps, 2 Lobster Bisques, and 2 Crab Cakes.



My mother went with the more reliable salad:
Dsc02205 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


Because Alex wanted to get Landon outside as quickly as possible, he grabbed his bowl of Lobster Bisque and downed it one swallow.

“You just had a Lobster Bisque shooter.”

I felt like enjoying my soup, so I skipped the shot method and used a spoon.

How boring.

I really liked this item, and if I ever order an appetizer in the future, I’ll probably get a full bowl of that. Very creamy and not fishy tasting at all.

I tried the Fried Shrimp next, and I was happily surprised by it. I’m not a shrimp person, but this didn’t even taste like shrimp. Not overpowering at all.

The crab cake rounded out the trifecta, and I discovered that I don’t like crab cake.

Good to know.



It took about ten minutes for Alex to return with a sleeping baby, but once he was back there weren’t any further interruptions, and we were all able to eat in relative peace.

That was the only meal that we had to step away with the baby, which was a miracle. I had anticipated having a lot more meltdowns, especially after we’d been there for 4 or 5 days, but Landon was an amazing trooper and behaved like a prince the rest of the dinners.


Here he was resting up between Alex and myself:
Dsc02212 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


Dsc02216 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

To be a kid and sleep wherever and whenever the mood strikes…



Alex had plenty of time to eat the rest of his half the appetizers before our entrees arrived.

If we thought Kona was long, Coral took an eternity. I don’t know if it was because we had 3 courses or if it was just exceptionally busy that afternoon, but we sat there for what felt like ages.

Just when we were about to top off our second loaf of bread, the main dishes showed up.



My mom got the steak:
Dsc02209 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


And what do you know?!?!

We found Alex’s lost brocolini!

It was under my mom’s steak.




Alex was none too happy to see that.




If anyone can remember my last Coral meal, my dish should come as no surprise.

Dsc02210 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

I had the Mahi Mahi and rice with the Coconut Lime sauce. Like I said, I don’t even like seafood, but that rice is worth suffering through it.

I had been looking forward to that dish for months.

Did it live up to my expectations?

Mostly.

Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious and flavorful and seasoned perfectly, but it just wasn’t what I remembered in my head. I think I might have inflated its deliciousness in my memory to the point where nothing could live up to my expectations. Still, I didn’t regret ordering it and ate every single grain of rice on my plate.

“I think you might’ve missed some over there,” my mother sarcastically pointed out.

“Be careful, I might lick the plate.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Don’t tempt me.”




To my left, Alex enjoyed some Lobster Macaroni:
Dsc02211 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


He claimed that the portion size was a little small for his liking, and while EVERY portion size is usually too small for him, I had to agree he got jipped on this lunch. 5 or 6 forkfuls and it the bowl was empty.

Luckily, I only about half my fish so Alex got the rest.

No rice, though. I made sure to scrape all the grains off before I passed him the plate.

I love Alex and all, but not enough to give him any of my favorite food.






All three of us were boring and ordered the Jack Daniels and Bailey’s mousse.

Dsc02217 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

Don’t these crunchies look delectable?


As we began eating, my mom and I noted to each other that the dish wasn’t nearly as strong as the last one we’d had.

Alex shot us a funny look.

“No, really, Alex, I don’t taste the alcohol at all. This is actually kind of bland.”

“I don’t know what ya’ll are eating, but mine is almost too strong.”

Sure.


Then, about halfway through, my mom and I got slammed with the Jack Daniels half of the dessert.

Wham!

We take it back!

Turned out, the dish was plenty strong.

Not evenly distributed, maybe, but certainly strong.

It was so overpowering not a one of us finished it.

Weaklings!


I wanted to note that while we were eating our meal, my mom and I happened to be watching a table across from us. It was a dad and who we assumed was his teenage daughter. The entire time we were there the dad’s face and hands stayed glued to his phone, and his daughter just sat there, staring out at the fish tank. We don’t think they exchanged five words to one another the whole time.

The father was completely absorbed in what he was doing, and the girl just seemed so subdued. Obviously, we didn’t know what was going on with them, who was on the other end of that phone, or what their situation was so we weren’t going to place too much judgment on them.

But, it did seem pretty sad. I mean, it was great that the dad was taking his daughter to Disney and eating a meal with her, but you would have thought he would have talked to her a little bit. To us, it seemed like the girl was disappointed at being ignored and was hoping for something a bit more fun.

No matter what their story was, it reminded all of us to be sure to stop and smell the roses on this trip. A big part of a Disney trip is getting to spend time with loved ones, and it can be so easy to spend time checking Facebook or texting other people or even playing games.

All of us wanted to make sure we stayed in the moment and left the emails for when we weren’t trying to enjoy the parks and everything Disney had to offer.


It was a good lesson to keep in mind as we left Coral Reef.

What time did we make it out of there, you ask?

Why, that would be at 2:20pm.

Two hours and twenty minutes after we sat down.

Blegh. These long meals were killing me.

It meant in one morning, we’d gotten to ride 2 attractions, take 1 set of Photopass pictures, and eat one meal.

We needed to play catch up that afternoon!

 

[Dugette]

Yay on the new trip. Sorry to hear about the deployment coming, and I feel for you about going it alone on the bedtime routine, but I totally agree about making those family memories together to think back on while he's deployed. I'm excited to hear about your split stay. We've done the start-value-then-go-deluxe thing before and it's a great way to essentially make staying deluxe more affordable. I hope it's a great trip!

Yikes on the PhotoPass/non-PhotoPass crazies! Glad you got your photos eventually and without incident.

That's a bummer your Test Track FP+ wait was so long! Glad the Rider Swap worked well and you had a quicker wait the second time, though. Yeah, I'm not sure how I feel about the new Test Track. I really liked the old one and only went on the new one once, so I almost feel like I'd need to ride again to really decide what I liked better. I think the designing a car thing was okay once, but I doubt I'd care to do that every time.

Totally relate to the "would every day be this slow?" pace. We were the same way for much of our trip. We pretty much decided that two rides and a show was a full morning and/or afternoon. Crazy.

Just saw your comment about Landon being more mobile and restless now. For what it's worth, it looks like he'll be about 1.5 months younger on your next trip than Izzy was on ours and we found that anything of interest (especially dark rides) had her sitting still and looking around to take everything in. I'd been worried about hanging onto her for nothing. Shows were a different story, though - she didn't like sitting still. Also, he may be able to toddle up to the characters on your next trip!

Anyway, back to the updates. We ran across that gingerbread display too! Very cool! I don't remember them having that in December 2010, so we were surprised to find it and very impressed.

Ha, I love listening to first timers on Soarin'!

Aw, that's sweet that you got to meet up with your friend and her baby! We actually had a non-DIS-meet on our trip too. You're right - it is really nice to have real-life friends who are very into Disney and love to discuss all the details. And they brought their baby too! (and two older kids)

We've never been to Coral Reef, but it looks fun. Neat high chair. Love how Landon is trying to grab the ceiling!

I swear Izzy is the only kid in the world that never much cared for Sophie. She half-heartedly played with her a few times and that's it. I'm pretty sure our dog would have liked her more, if given the chance.

I'm glad Landon was able to get to sleep when Alex took him out (and stay asleep once he brought him back in).

Food looks good, especially that dessert! But, wow, that is a very long meal!

Sad story about the dad and teenager and phone. Good observations about staying in the moment, though.

 

[lilmape]

Love the updates, and what a blessing to spend some special time together before your hubby deploys. It will be so neat to see how differently Landon reacts to things you saw just a few months before. Will keep you guys in my prayers. Looking forward to hearing what happens next!

 

[teekathepony]

I can agree to the fantastic nature of The Land.
That gingerbread display is incredible! Or, incrEDIBLE. See what I did there?
I love listening to the reactions to the crowd on Soarin'. It's the best ride for guest reaction I think!
I haven't been to Coral Reef in years. I'm not a seafood fan unfortunately! I absolutely love the decor inside the restaurant, especially the tanks.
I don't even have kids and I know Sophie. My friends with kids all have Sophies! Glad Alex got Landon down to sleep with not very much issue!
Holy cow, another really long meal? Yikes!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Hmmm... The Land... Landon... I see a subtle connection as to why you might like the Land, lol.

I have to admit, I too was a little distracted by that wonderful gingerbread display.

Alisha, you nailed the Soarin' experience perfectly. One of my favourite things and one of the things I always share with people at home is the "audience" reaction. How many rides/attractions are there where people applaud EVERY SINGLE TIME? Plus the simultaneous seat-belt click.

How wonderful to meet up with an old friend in Disney so spontaneously.

OK, I can't lie. I would LOVE to be the guy in the tank messing with people. OMG how fun!!!

You know, it almost makes me cry hearing that story about the table near you of the father and daughter (or whatever their relationship was). Whatever the story really was (and you're right, without knowing you can't judge), but the image itself makes me really sad. And I see that sort of thing so often these days. Plus with MyMagic+ Disney is practically begging you to be on the phone all day. Put the phone away away people and enjoy the moment.

 

[afwdwfan]

And the third was alternative methods for agriculture, which was done through new technologies. I remembered spending hours in Innovations as a kid, getting a pretty good sense of how Disney was trying to achieve these goals, and whenever I walk into the Land, it reminds me of those days.

I live on a farm and minored in crop and soil science... To say I love that place is an understatement.

Or perhaps a snowcapped Epcot? That’d be a sight.

Interesting to say the least. I bet there would be a lot of walk on attractions!

Honestly, the best part of the ride was other people’s reactions. I loved being privy to fellow guests’ pure unchecked joy and surprise. Getting to hear not only kids, but grown adults have such fun discovering the “Disney touch” that went into Soarin’ was special. It reminded me why there were so many guests in the park that week. Why I keep returning year after year. Why Disney is what it is.

That is always an amazing way to experience those attractions for the "first time" again.

So, I didn’t manage any DISmeets on this trip, which felt weird seeing as last trip I had about 6, but I did get to see someone I knew, which was really cool. Won’t complain about that.

Always nice to reconnect with an old friend. And I can't think of a better place to do it.

Of course, about the time he got Landon out of the highchair our appetizers finally arrived.


Timing…

It always works that way.

I don’t like seafood, really.

So the Coral Reef is a natural choice for lunch...

The crab cake rounded out the trifecta, and I discovered that I don’t like crab cake.

I'm right there with you.

I like that picture.

Why, that would be at 2:20pm.


Two hours and twenty minutes after we sat down.

Never fun. Especially as a parent of a little one.

 

[Nermel9]

I love The Land, there is so much going on in there, I could seriously spend a huge chunk of my day hanging out in there! I loved that gingerbread display, it was just as impressive as the GF gingerbread house!

That's so cool that you got to see one of your friends in Disney! And meet her baby, how adorable! I seriously have no Disney friends, it's sad. No one I know really gets my Disney obsession other than my sister. Another reason I need to move to Florida.

Coral Reef is so pretty! Poor Landon, getting cranky and tired, but at least he can sleep whenever he wants! I get tired and cranky in Disney and I just have to deal with it, I wish I could take a nap on a bench or something, but that would be weird...

(Although I've seen plenty of people sleeping at Disney, so maybe not so weird?)

Haha, I never wear my glasses either, just when I drive. I have this theory that if I wear them all the time, my eyes will get worse, and you know what? I think it's true, because the last eye doctor appt. I had, my eyes were exactly the same, and I go every 5 years maybe! Luckily I can still see pretty well, I just need them to drive and watch TV if it's far away...ok, this is way too much info about my glasses wearing habits. Just wanted to say, I can relate!

Anyway, Coral Reef looked yummy, everything you guys had looked so good! I wasn't a huge fan of the place, it was good, but not great like you expect, so it will probably be a while before I go back! Your dessert looked amazing! I do love the desserts there!

 

[wiigirl]

Awesome pics!