Yo ho ho, a pirate life for me & me crew at MNSSHP (long overdue first trip report )

[Alexsandra]

Liking the trip report. We also went last September and I took plenty of pictures with the intent of writing my first trip report. After reading yours, I think that I finally may just do it. Oh yes, and we also stayed at POFQ for the first time.

Thanks,
it is so hard to start, seems like I could just not find the time but I finally got around to doing it. It is worth it!

 

[Judgey Judgerson]

I went to MNSSHP last year during my first trip to WDW...looking forward to reading about your trip so I can re-live some of the memories!!

 

[Alexsandra]

We woke up to a beautiful sunny day and headed over to Hollywood Studios once again. Yesterday was dedicated to rides but today we wanted to see more shows and catch the afternoon parade.

Once we entered the park, we saw there was no lineup for the Great movie Ride and decided to make this our first stop. Kheo loved the gangster shooting scene and really enjoy the "Indiana Jones" part too.
The "Aliens" part was a little intense but I told him to close his eyes.

Sorry really bad picture but the only one I took. Too busy watching the show

Next we ran over to Star Wars Jedi Training to sigh up Kheo. They gave us a time to return and so in the meantime we went to "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" Movie Set Adventure. This place was so cool! Both my kids' faces light up when they saw the oversized toys, the giant "Kodack" slide, and the forest of huge grass blades. We spent a good 45 min. if not more playing and chasing them around this play area. This is a great place for young children, the only problem is getting them to leave. I had to use the Jedi Training session to persuade DS4 to leave.

So Jedi Training was about to start so we ran over and my son and I were ushered into a room where the kids were given instructions. Then a jedi night came to get them and accompanied them to a small stage outside. There they were given a cloak and had to wait for their teacher.

The room were we had to wait

Waiting nervously.

He was first in line since he was the youngest participant.

Next the "Jedi Master" came out and gave a demonstration before the training began.

The kids mounted the stage and were place in a circle. The "teacher" and her helper showed them how to use the light saber and taught them a few moves.

My son was so shy, he didn't even smile once. Then Darth Vader came out and challenged them to a dual which the teacher gladly accepted.

Then each kid fought Darth Vader one by one and they were given a Jedi Night certificate for passing the test! So cute! DS was so proud, he was just beaming!

At this point were were all starving and the sun was pounding down hard on the pavement. We split up for lunch. My parents-in-law went to Backlot Express for a bite and we headed to Starring Rolls Cafe because I wanted to try their infamous cupcakes. We order our lunch with a very rude lady behind the counter (which is really rare at WDW). I ordered sushi and a red velvet cupcake. For kids they only had P&J sandwich which my son was allergic to so he shared my husband's turkey sandwich which was bigger than my son's head might I add. The sushi was not that good but the cupcake was totally worth it.

 

[Alexsandra]

After lunch we met up with my parents-in-law and ran over to the "Lights, Motor, Action Show".

My two boys love cars and this stunt show was amazing. They had such a blast. Plus there is a scene with Lightning Mc Queen and they were so excited to see him stop the "bad guys".

 

[Alexsandra]

Since we really wanted to see the afternoon parade we skipped nap time and went to stand in line for the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. It was really hot and we were happy to be in an indoor theater with AC. Both my kids loved the show, but Jonah got a little scared when it thundered and Ursula came out. (I don't blame him, she was scary!)

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Your family is so adorable and those trips with the grandparents are special ones. My older kids were able to go on a grandparent trip just once and even though those photos are old and blurry, I treasure them.

Nice photos of the Honey I Shrunk park. We spent plenty of time in that park over the years with my grandson. He loved it -- that one and the dinosaur bones park in AK.

Loved the red velvet cupcake photo. And thanks for cutting it open for us! It looks delicious! DD is a red velvet cake freak, she makes them from scratch, so I'll have to show her your cupcake photo.

Your son looks so cute at the Jedi training. Wow, and he even had a Star Wars shirt on! I got a kick out of the one photo of your little guy with the pacifier. Too cute!

Your POFQ/POR photos are so pretty. I know I keep saying that, lol. It really takes me back. I have so many fond memories of walking along the river and going to the Mill to eat.

That's a good idea to do rides one day and then shows and parades another day. A good way to regenerate without missing out.

 

[Alexsandra]

Your family is so adorable and those trips with the grandparents are special ones. My older kids were able to go on a grandparent trip just once and even though those photos are old and blurry, I treasure them.

Nice photos of the Honey I Shrunk park. We spent plenty of time in that park over the years with my grandson. He loved it -- that one and the dinosaur bones park in AK.

Loved the red velvet cupcake photo. And thanks for cutting it open for us! It looks delicious! DD is a red velvet cake freak, she makes them from scratch, so I'll have to show her your cupcake photo.

Your son looks so cute at the Jedi training. Wow, and he even had a Star Wars shirt on! I got a kick out of the one photo of your little guy with the pacifier. Too cute!

Your POFQ/POR photos are so pretty. I know I keep saying that, lol. It really takes me back. I have so many fond memories of walking along the river and going to the Mill to eat.

That's a good idea to do rides one day and then shows and parades another day. A good way to regenerate without missing out.

Thank you very much for the compliments. The kids are not hard to photograph at that age when they are so adorable.
It was a very special trip for all of us. My parents in law had so much fun with the kids and I think it was great to all be able to share these wonderful memories as a family.

The red velvet cupcake was so delicious. It was moist and the cream cheese topping was really good however it was way too big and too sweet to finish. I only ate half. I would love to get the recipe for red velvet from your DD if it isn't a family secret or something

Jedi training was really great and my son loved it. He asked me after that if he could join the dark side! (he always wants to be the bad guy. Thinks Darth Vather is cooler than the good guys)

POR and POFQ are really beautiful resorts. I'm happy that it brings back so many great memories, that is what Disney is all about, right!?

I found that splitting up days like that are easier on everyone. I usually plan out the rides or shows we all want to see most, do those first then fill in the day with the remainder of the attractions.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

*snipped by me*

The red velvet cupcake was so delicious. It was moist and the cream cheese topping was really good however it was way too big and too sweet to finish. I only ate half. I would love to get the recipe for red velvet from your DD if it isn't a family secret or something

Jedi training was really great and my son loved it. He asked me after that if he could join the dark side! (he always wants to be the bad guy. Thinks Darth Vather is cooler than the good guys)

I'd be happy to give you the recipe. DD got it from a library book. We no longer have the book and can't remember the name of it, but she says she took a picture of the recipe, lol, and as soon as she finds the memory stick that it's on, I'll pass it on to you.

I got a chuckle out of your son wanting to join the dark side, lol. When my grandson saw the jedi training (he wasn't picked to do the training that year) he started cheering when Darth Vader appeared on stage. Everyone was staring at us 'like we had lobsters crawling out of our ears.' DGS wanted to join the dark side as well.

 

[Alexsandra]

*snipped by me*

I'd be happy to give you the recipe. DD got it from a library book. We no longer have the book and can't remember the name of it, but she says she took a picture of the recipe, lol, and as soon as she finds the memory stick that it's on, I'll pass it on to you.

I got a chuckle out of your son wanting to join the dark side, lol. When my grandson saw the jedi training (he wasn't picked to do the training that year) he started cheering when Darth Vader appeared on stage. Everyone was staring at us 'like we had lobsters crawling out of our ears.' DGS wanted to join the dark side as well.

That is so sweet. Thank you.

As for your grandson, the same thing happens to us when in plublic. The irony is that my son is really sweet and all of his daycare teachers told me he is one of the most generous and loving kid of his group. But he always chooses to be the villain (he thinks they are cooler).

 

[Alexsandra]

So we found a nice spot to view the parade near The American Idol building and waited/relaxed there until it started. As soon as the first Pixar characters started making there way down the road, my oldest got all excited. First up there were the characters from The Incredibles. Frozon, and Mrs Incredible and then a giant colorful float with Mr. incredible.

Then came the characters from Bugs. There were dancers to dressed in bug costumes...so cute.

Next up the famous rat that is loved by everyone, Chef Rémi on his giant cheese float.

Then came the characters from Monsters Inc. There was "Boo" and Mike and Sully was on his Monsters Inc. float.

Next we had the characters from the movie "Up". Even the dog was there

And last but not least my kids favorite Toy Story characters. I personally think this was the nicest float of all with giant toys and colorful elements. It was really impressive. DIsney does such a great job!

The whole family enjoyed the parade but my kids especially because they recognized all the characters. I would say that this parade was the most suited to my children's ages. A must see with young children!

 

[Alexsandra]

After the parade we went to see the interactive show Muppet Vision 3D. It was great fun and the kids really loved it.

Next we ran over to Indiana Jones just in time to see him almost run over by the giant bolder. My DS4 really like the Indiana Jones movies so this was exciting enough but lost interest with the whole movie making stuff. However he loved the "nazi plane" reenactment.

(Sorry about the bad pic. this part was so dark)

DS with the thank on the way out of the ride.

It was now time for our ADR at 50's Prime Time Cafe and we had all built up an appetite. We were promptly greeted by the hostess who told us it would be a 15 min. wait. She showed us to the "living room" aka the sitting area and were suddenly transported back in time to the 50's. We took advantage of the kitsch surroundings to take some really fun pics.

We then were seated in a very unattractive corner of the restaurant were the AC was blowing down on us full blast. We don't like to complain but after all putting on our sweaters and still shivering (yes it was that cold!), we just could not take it anymore. I politely asked to be moved stating that is was just too cold there, especially for the baby. The hostess said that that corner is the coldest spot in the restaurants and she often gets complaints. She said that it was no problem to be moved if we were willing to wait another 15 min. So we gladly accepted. Back to the "living room" we went.

The corner with blasting AC!

Still took pic of cool retro TV.

Enjoying the couch once more

She came back to seat us after 10 min. we were brought to a different section of the restaurant a nice warm corner with a nicer "50's kitchen theme" Our waiter "cousin" something or other was very nice and gave us quick service. The chef soon came out to accommodate our food allergies and we quickly received our food.

our view from were we were sitting

First let me say that I made a small mistake by ordering a peanut butter and jelly milkshake at the beginning of my meal, which highly came recommended by our waiter. I know a lot of people love this milkshake but I found the flavor to be too intense and too sweet. I prefer a good vanilla milk shake plain and simple! It was too filling and too heavy to drink with the meal and soon regretted my choice. For an entree, I ordered "Mom's special": a small taste of all of their most pop. dishes (pot roast, fried chicken, meatloaf, green beens, collard greens, mashed potatoes)...it was delicious and if I hadn't spoiled my appetite with that milkshake would have most probably cleaned that plate in no time. Thank goodness, I shared my dish with the baby.
My husband ordered the olive oil poached salmon and said it was one of the best salmon dishes he has eaten. My parents in law ordered the pot roast which they both adored and Kheo had the meatloaf.

Sorry guys, we were all so tired we forgot to take pics of the food!

By dessert time no one had any room so the waiter all brought us fruit salads in take away boxes (the portion of fruit was huge). We ate the fruit for breakfast the next morning so it was not a waste after all.
This place has good and simple comfort food and doesn't try to hard. The theming is fun and the food is good, what more can you ask for. Thumbs up for 50's Prime Time.

When we got out, the kids were beat especially since they skipped their afternoon nap, so we decided to call it quits for the day.

 

[Alexsandra]

We woke up just in time to see the sunrise from our bedroom window!

It was really early since we had to get to Epcot for our 8:30AM ADR at Akershus. It was a beautiful day and the bus ride there was enjoyable. Since we were able to get into the park before opening time, we got to enjoy walking through the World Showcase while still empty.
Akershus is located in the Norway section which I have to say was really beautiful in the morning light.

We gave our names and were asked to wait outside until they called us in. Akersus didn't look that impressive on the outside. It didn't look like a castle, just like an old building facade.

They called out our "Royal names" and we were sent in. You walk into the lobby were you can see the Grand HAll and a open Story book incased in a glass display.

Then you are brought to a side room were Bell awaits to take a family picture with you. The kids were already shy but at least she was "human" so the baby did not freak out like with the characters at CP. Good Start!

We were then brought into the main hall and into a second room off the side were we were then seated. This room was small but quaint and had a small fireplace. Snow White was already doing her rounds.

 

[Alexsandra]

The food was served family style and a plate of eggs, potatoes, sausage and bacon was brought to the middle of the table. It was remarkably small for a family of six but we did ask for seconds half way through our meal. We also had access to a cold buffet located at the other end of the restaurant. There there was fresh fruit, granola, yogurt, assorted cheeses, cold cuts, smoked salmon and a variety of other smoked fish, breads, pastries and breakfast condiments. The buffet was delicious and I enjoyed it much more than the serving of hot items.

The plate of hot items (already half eaten)

My plate

As we ate the princesses came around to our table and we got autographs and pictures with each. DS4 was so shy that he kept hiding under the table each time a princess spoke to him..
I finally coaxed him into joinig me for pics.

First came Aurora from Sleeping Beauty.

Then Cinderella

SnowWhite (who was really sweet)

And finally Ariel (who was our favorite princess). She was just so nice with the kids and we thought she was the prettiest. My son was in love!

As we walked out we got some pics of the main hall which was really spectacular, with its grand windows and hanging flags. It looked so Royal.

So overall we really enjoyed our breakfast here and Akershus is a must especially if you have princess lovers in your group. My boys were just happy to have eaten in a "real Castle" as my oldest put it.

 

[Alexsandra]

Ok I'm back to tell more. Sorry for the delay but work, kids and everyday life got in the way.

When we got out of Alkershus it was sunny and the park was now open. We walked toward the Land pavilion to get try and get fast passes for Soaring but not before taking a nice mom and son picture in front of the giant iconic Epcot ball and water fountain.

After riding Soaring (our favorite at Epcot) and then living with the Land. We headed to went to The Seas with Neemo. When we got out of the ride there was a deep sea diving demonstrations and the kids visited the different aquariums and played in the interactive sections. It was hard to get them out of the giant aquarium on the second floor were we saw sea turtles, dolphins and other fascinating creatures.

After we went to ride Test Track, we headed to Sunshine Season food court for lunch. It is a pretty good food court with a lot of variety however the place feel like a huge school cafeteria to me. The food is good but I prefer eating in the World Showcase.

It was so hot when we got out we almost decided to leave but my son really wanted to do one more ride, so we went to Figments sound Factory. The kids like it overall but the was a point where the baby got really frightened that he almost jumped out of the moving vehicle. The interactive play area as you come out of the ride was really great and the kids had a lot of fun playing there.
When we finally convinced them to leave they were burnt and we made our way back to the resort for a little nap.

We came back to the park after 5ish and we headed straight to the Norway pavilion so that Kheo can ride his favorite ride of all: Maelstom. I just don't get why he loves this ride so much but on our first trip it was all he could talk about after we left. Now on the second trip he waited all day to come to this ride! Well, whatever makes him happy! We had to ride it twice, by the way!

It was time for our ADR at Biergarten. We were looking forward to trying this restaurant based on all the good reviews and the fact that my family loves German food. We waited to be seated (took about 15 min. after checking in) and were shown our table which was at the bottom next to the stage/dance floor. We were sharing the table with a nice older couple from Texas. The atmosphere in this restaurant was great. They do a really good job at making you feel like your in the heart of a small Bavarian town at nightfall. It was really pretty. The band was already playing and the kids were really happy to watch them.

The buffet had tons of sausages, roasted meats, potatoes, salads and a nice selection of delicious desserts. The kids wolfed down the food and my husband and his parents enjoyed the beer.
After the meal my kids went to dance with other kids on the dancefloor infront of the musicians. It was so cute. We finally joined them and all had a ball.

Beirgarten was one of the best dining experiences we had so far. Will definitely add this one to my list of favorites.

 

[Alexsandra]

We left with our tummies full of sausage decided to walk around the showcase to digest until Illuminations started. We stopped in "China" first. The temple seemed to call us in.

Once we walked through those big wooden doors, I was blown away by the beauty of decorated walls and mosaic domed ceiling.

We then proceeded to another room with ancient chinese artifacts and a miniature (not that miniature!) replica of the Terra Cotta army. It was impressive even in its half size.

I have been to China many time for business but have never had the chance to visit the Great Wall or the real Terra Cotta Army but now will have to make it a point on my next trip there.

We walked out to the small chinese "market" where we looked around and Kheo tried on different masks. It was fun.

By the time we were finished, it was already time to find a good viewing spot for illuminations. We found a place near Norway tried to get comfy. The places were getting scarce. I walked over to Kringala Bakery where I got a school bread as a snack. My husband and mother-in-law went to get themselves some kind of fruit slush at some random food cart. Their drink was really bad! Way too sweet and kind of "fake/chemical" tasting. MY school bread on the other hand was delicious, and I shared it with my youngest. He love it as much as I did.

The firework show begun and the kids watched attentively. It was a very nice show but a little too long. I am happy we got to see it at least once but don't think I would see it again, especially when traveling with young children. It just finished too late.

My youngest didn't even make it to the bus. It was an fun but tiresome day and I could not bear fighting the crowds out of the park or dealing with the long line-ups for the buses. But hey, that is what you get if you want to stay to see the show. It was just not worth it with the kids being so tired.

At least I got a really nice shot of the Epcot ball at night!

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Thanks for the really nice Akerhaus review. We have never eaten there, but I had thought about trying it one of these times. Would you do Akerhaus again or was this one of those 'did it once and probably don't need to do it again' type places?

The pics of Akerhaus were great. It really gave me a feeling of what it was like inside. What nice decor. It didn't look overly crowded either when you were there.

The Maelstrom is a must do in our family too. We like the backwards part, lol.

Nice review!

 

[Alexsandra]

Thanks for the really nice Akerhaus review. We have never eaten there, but I had thought about trying it one of these times. Would you do Akerhaus again or was this one of those 'did it once and probably don't need to do it again' type places?

The pics of Akerhaus were great. It really gave me a feeling of what it was like inside. What nice decor. It didn't look overly crowded either when you were there.

The Maelstrom is a must do in our family too. We like the backwards part, lol.

Nice review!

I would definitely recommend Alkershus! It was a really nice experience. The castle setting and the free picture with Belle (at the beginning) are worth it alone. It was not that busy and the interaction with the princesses was great. We did not feel rushed at all. The breakfast brought to the table was ok, nothing to rave home about. However the cold buffet was exceptionally good. You have to try their Lingonberry cream cheese on bagel. It is so good! We did order another platter of hot food and it took a while before another platter came out.

I actually had planned to go back to Alkershus again for our upcoming Dec. trip, however this time for dinner (just to have a different experience.) The dinner menu looks good and we really like fish. I also heard their desserts are really good! BUt in the end my husband didn't really want to go back and my boys are not that excited by the princesses so we are going to skip it. I think that if I had been there with little girls, they would have flipped out and we would be booking another visit again for sure. It is a must do at least once for sure and only one dining credit compared to Cinderella's Royal Table which takes 2, so go for it!

I actually don't mind Maelstrom but I still don't understand my son's obsession with it. He asked me to describe the ride over and over for six months after we got back and he wanted to learn more about the Vickings.It really impressed him.

 

[Alexsandra]

Day five was Animal Kingdom Day, my husband's favorite park! It not hard to see why, this park is so beautifully landscaped with its exotic trails and wonderful safari ride, you feel like you are actually on the planes of Africa or in the heart of Asia.

We woke up early again, and had our usual breakfast in the room. I usually order milk, cereal, fruit, granola, yogurt and several snacks items from Garden Grocers before our trips to WDW. Eating breakfast in the room not only saves us money but we do it for the convenience of having food ready at all times. That way when the kids wake up starving, we feed them immediately while we shower and get ready. Then we dress them and turn on the TV, and while they watch Disney cartoons, we have breakfast.

Anyway, back to Animal Kingdom: so we headed there for rope drop and arrived just as it opened its gates. It was another beautiful day an you could already feel that it was going to be another scortcher. First up a picture with the impressively beautiful Tree of Life.

We headed straight to Africa, where we ordered a coffee and cinnamon roll at Kusifiri Coffee Shop.

The coffee was really good but the cinnamon roll was dry and stale! Yuk!

We got in line straight away for the Kilimanjero Safari. With the afternoon heat forecasted for today, it was best to do the safari as early as possible to see the animals before they take shelter. And lots of animals we saw! Here are pictures of just a few since I really had too many to include in this report.

We saw a rhino

hippos

a Giraffe who came right up the the vehicle

A few elephants

another rhino

a scary ostridge (seriously he was so close, I was really scared!)

I also saw lions, hedgehogs, antelope, gazelles, flamingos, zebras,etc.
It was really a great ride to start off the morning and the kids were really fascinated with the animals they saw.

As we came out, Kheo played in the big misting fans along with other kids. He had more fun there than on the ride

Next we headed to the camp Minnie and Mickey for the Lion King musical (which we missed on our previous trip and chose to see Neemo the musical instead). We were seated in a great indoor theater with AC (thank goodness, 'cause it was already so hot!) Since my mother in law was in a wheelchair, we got to sit in front and the kids sat on the first bench with her. This gave us really great seats for the show, although I don't think there are any bad seats in there! It was really well made.
The performers were absolutely marvelous! The songs, the colorful costumes, the dancing and sets were just stunning. The acrobats were really fun to watch and the lighting really added to the experience. My sister would have freaked out to see what a great job they did with the set design (she is a set designer by the way!) This is complicated stuff, hats off to DIsney!

If you debating between this show or Neemo, pick Lion King! You won't be disappointed!

As we walked out, we saw Pocahontas.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Those are really nice pictures of the Hollywood Studios parade. I don't think I've ever seen that one. You're right. It's perfect for the little kids. Lots of fun characters.

What a nice shot of morning at POFQ too. Very pretty!

I feel like I must live under a rock. I had no idea 50s Prime Time had such cute theming. I love that era and would love to try it out. Great pics!

Did your mother in law feel much better using the wheel chair? I bet it made a difference. I remember back in the day when we went to Disney with my parents (many moons ago, lol), my dad was getting so tuckered out from all the walking in the heat, his legs were just killing him, and once we finally snagged him a wheel chair (which he had never used before), his mood changed dramatically for the better.

I'm glad you really liked the Lion King Show. We got to see it for the first time last month and really enjoyed it. Those performers are so talented!

It just cracks me up how much your son loves the Maelstrom! How cute!

Wow, lol, that ostrich WAS close!

 

[Alexsandra]

Those are really nice pictures of the Hollywood Studios parade. I don't think I've ever seen that one. You're right. It's perfect for the little kids. Lots of fun characters.

What a nice shot of morning at POFQ too. Very pretty!

I feel like I must live under a rock. I had no idea 50s Prime Time had such cute theming. I love that era and would love to try it out. Great pics!

Did your mother in law feel much better using the wheel chair? I bet it made a difference. I remember back in the day when we went to Disney with my parents (many moons ago, lol), my dad was getting so tuckered out from all the walking in the heat, his legs were just killing him, and once we finally snagged him a wheel chair (which he had never used before), his mood changed dramatically for the better.

I'm glad you really liked the Lion King Show. We got to see it for the first time last month and really enjoyed it. Those performers are so talented!

It just cracks me up how much your son loves the Maelstrom! How cute!

Wow, lol, that ostrich WAS close!

The parade was great. I really enjoyed it.

There so much to see and do at Disney, it is easy to miss some stuff!
50's is great and their milk shakes are famous. It is a cute theme and is fun to do at least once.

My mother-in-law has a skin disease (I don't remember the medical name!) which makes her skin blister with any friction. Walking, running even any rough scrubbing on her hands make her blister. She has lived with it her whole life and never complains, and she even tried to do without the wheelchair on the first day (was shy to use wheelchair). But she blistered so bad we convinced her to rent one for the rest of the week. It was really worth the price. I also think that even without the skin disease, she would have ended up renting one. It would have been too hard for her to keep up. It made the rest of the trip very pleasant.

I am really scared of ostriches, they look like dinosaurs to me!