You are now on Spring Break! What are you going to do next? I'm going to WDW March 2018 Complete

[disneywlf]

Hi everyone and welcome! My name is Wolf and I am a 26-year old male living in Delray Beach, FL with my Mother for about two years (formerly Westbury, NY). I am a Sociology Major and I am studying to likely go into nursing by taking post-baccalaureate classes at Florida Atlantic University in Boca and over the last Summer, I also started a side business, specializing in doing online shopping for people in order to help them by using tricks in order to get them the best products at the best price as well as selling promotional products. My interests include spending time with my family (including our five Affenpinschers (or “Monkey-like” terriers in German) and friends, travel (including WDW of course!), swimming, classic rock, automobiles, history, and politics. Since we moved to Florida from New York back in December 2016, I have been to Walt Disney World three times for day trips with my Mother in November 2017 to Epcot as well as December 2017 and February 2018 to the Magic Kingdom as well as on this overnight trip for the weekend in March 2018. Sadly, neither me nor my Mom have been to WDW in a while as our lives have been very busy, but we are hoping to get there soon, likely in March for a day at the Magic Kingdom. I am sorry that I did not write my TR much sooner, but now that I have a chance, I will be glad to write about it! Now hang on to your hats 'cause this here is the wildest ride (er TR) in the wilderness!
-Taken in March 2018 at the Magic Kingdom:

Favorite Character: Tough call, but I am going to go with Mickey Mouse
Favorite Movie: Tie between Aladdin/Beauty and the Beast
Favorite Park: Magic Kingdom
Favorite Attractions: Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Dumbo, Mickey’s Phillarmagic, Haunted Mansion, Hall of Presidents, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest, and Soarin’ to name a few!

 

[disneywlf]

Table of Contents:
Introduction
How?
Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho it's off to Disney I go Part 1!
Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho it's off to Disney I go Part 2!
Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho it's off to Disney I go Part 3!
An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 1
An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 2
An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 3
An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 4
An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 5
An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 6
An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 7
An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 8
An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 9
An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 10
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 1
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 2
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 3
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 4
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 5
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 6
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 7
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 8
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 9
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 10
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 11
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 12
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 13
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 14
"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 15
Not goodbye, but see ya real soon! Magic Kingdom 3/5/2018 Part 1
Not goodbye, but see ya real soon! Magic Kingdom 3/5/2018 Part 2
Not goodbye, but see ya real soon! Magic Kingdom 3/5/2018 Part 3
Not goodbye, but see ya real soon! Magic Kingdom 3/5/2018 Part 4
Not goodbye, but see ya real soon! Magic Kingdom 3/5/2018 Part 5
Trip Statistics
Thoughts on this trip/Conclusion

 

[disneywlf]

How?
While I had wanted to go on this trip with a close friend or my Mother, that would not happen as this was the only time that I would have available for an overnight trip due to school, as this was when my Spring Break fell during the Spring 2018 semester. In addition, me and my Mother did not really do overnight trips together as of late as at that time and before that in 2014 and 2016, we did not really have anyone trustworthy to look after our five Affenpinschers (or Monkey-like terriers in German), Gwendolyn, Arabella, Zaava, Pooky, and Zarina. As a result, we only do day trips to WDW and we went to Epcot in November 2017 and the Magic Kingdom twice in December 2017 and February 2018. Since I received some Hanukkah gelt from my Uncle, I decided to put some of it to good use and go on a weekend trip to Walt Disney World during my Spring Break, as I love being there and while I love going with someone, especially my Mother, going solo would give me the chance to take the parks at a slower and less rushed pace.
With my dates in mind after some contemplation in January 2018, I decided to go during the earlier portion of my Spring Break from Sunday, March 4th, 2018 until Tuesday, March 6th, 2018. For my first order of business, I decided to purchase a Four-Day Discover Disney Ticket, which was an excellent deal as thanks to being a Florida Resident, the ticket comes out to just under $40/day, which is a steal! I decided to focus on the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, as those are my top two parks with the Animal Kingdom and DHS not far behind (and I hope to visit them again soon as I love all the parks! ) While I would only be going to three days on this trip, I used the fourth day to go to the Magic Kingdom with my Mother in February 2018 before this trip. Next, I checked hotel rates at the Disney Value Resorts, Disney Moderate Resorts, the Hilton Buena Vista Palace, the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, and the B-Resort. There were many good deals, however, I found that for about $180/night thanks to the Sun & Fun Room Offer, I could stay at Disney's Coronado Springs, putting the price cheaper than all of the hotels except for the Value Resorts, which it was not much more than considering that you get a larger room and more amenities. I also requested a renovated room, as they looked excellent! This also marks the first time I would stay at a Disney-owned resort, as on previous trips, I stayed at the Hilton Buena Vista Palace or Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista in the Disney Springs Resort Area. Finally, I booked ADRs at La Hacienda de San Angel, as I wanted to end my first day, which would be at Epcot with a nice meal. I have tried Teppan Edo before and went there on my previous overnight trips in 2014 and 2016 and loved it, but since I can get fantastic Japanese near me, it was not essential. I also decided to do the Crystal Palace breakfast on my second Magic Kingdom day, which would be my last day as I had not done it before and I love the Winnie the Pooh characters. The other character meal I have done was Chef Mickey's at dinner in January 2005, November 2007, January 2011, January 2014, and January 2016 and it was excellent, but I wanted to do something different, so I opted for the Crystal Palace this time. With my trip booked, all I had to do was wait...or so I thought?
About two weeks later, my Mom found out she needed to travel to New York for personal reasons. Since she would have to leave on Wednesday, March 7th, 2018, the date I would leave WDW would be cutting it way too close for comfort. With that in mind, I called the Disney Reservations Center and they were fantastic about moving my trip up one day, so I would now go to WDW on Saturday, March 3rd, 2018 and come home on Monday, March 5th, 2018. In addition, they were able to leave my resort reservation otherwise intact and I then spoke to the Dining Reservations Center, which gave me similar times for my ADRs at La Hacienda de San Angel and Crystal Palace, but on different days.
With my trip now booked, I just had to book ground transportation either by train or bus from South Florida to Orlando or Kissimmee, as our only car that go long-distance at that time was our Subaru Legacy 3.6R, as our other car at that time, a 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC, was not really used to go long-distance. Since my Mother needed the car, I agreed to take the bus or train up to Orlando or Kissimmee. I first checked Amtrak between Delray Beach and Kissimmee and while the price was not bad, the schedule going home would not work as there was only one train per day between Kissimmee and Delray Beach and it would leave in the afternoon, cutting into my last park day. I then checked various long-distance bus lines and thanks to help from DISers on Facebook, I found Jet Set Express to be the best based on their experiences and both the price, at about $40 roundtrip and schedules worked beautifully. On March 3rd, I would be scheduled to leave the Lake Worth Service Plaza along the Florida's Turnpike (FL-91) at 7:45AM and arrive at the Walmart in Kissimmee on Osceola Parkway just west of the Turnpike at about 10:15AM. Going home, I would leave from the Walmart in Kissimmee on Osceola Parkway at 7:30PM and arrive at the Lake Worth Service Plaza at about 9:40PM. From the ends of where the bus would arrive and depart, I would use Uber in order to get where I needed to go.
Finally, I arranged my FP+'s. Here they are

Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the TR!

*Please note that for some reason, my ADR at La Hacienda shows three guests, so please disregard that. Thank you!

 

[disneywlf]

Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho it's off to Disney I go Part 1!
After Friday, March 2nd, 2018 arrived, I could not believe that I would have only one more day until my weekend trip to Walt Disney World. I only had my morning class that day at 9:30AM, so I left home at 8:30AM. Since my Mother needed the car for the morning, I agreed to take an Uber from our home to Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton and after my class ended at 10:50AM, she would pick me up. I went to class from 9:30AM until 10:50AM and after that, I met my Mother and despite the fact that she would not be going to WDW with me, we wanted to have an amazing day before I went. Once my Mother picked me up, we decided to go from Boca Raton to nearby Deerfield Beach, where Masamune, our favorite Japanese restaurant is located. We love Masamune thanks to their superb sushi, gracious hospitality, and cozy atmosphere and today would be the perfect day to have it. After leaving FAU, we turned left onto Glades Road (FL-808) and headed east to Federal Highway (US-1), which we would use to head south to Deerfield. After arriving in Deerfield Beach about fifteen minutes later, we had about 45-minutes until Masamune opened, so we went to the nearby Publix to get groceries, as it is also located in the Hillsboro Square shopping center. We then did our grocery shopping and after that, we ordered Masamune and had a car picnic. I ordered a Sashimi Lunch, which included Salmon, Tuna, and Wahoo. As always, it was fantastic thanks to the salmon having a buttery and satiny sheen, the tuna being clean tasting, moist, and meaty, and the wahoo being mild and meaty. I also had a Spicy Tuna Roll, which balanced moist and meaty tuna along with hot siracha sauce and kimchee sauce to temper the heat. Mom ordered a Sashimi Lunch with all Salmon, her usual order and she loved, as she scarfed it down! In addition, since they came with our meal, I also enjoyed the soothing Miso Soup and fresh and crisp salad. After our superb lunch, we then decided to head to my Mother's favorite consignment store, A Consignment Gallery, which used to be located nearby. Sadly, they went out of business back in April 2018 I think as the owner decided to retire. Anyway, we got back onto Federal Highway (US-1) northbound and turned left onto Hillsboro Blvd (FL-810) westbound, heading west to the corner of Powerline Rd (FL-845), where the shopping center that housed A Consignment Gallery is located. When we arrived there, we had a wonderful time shopping and since she had her eye on it for a while, Mom purchased a light fixture that she wanted. Finally, we stopped at the Target in that same shopping center, where we picked up goods for the house and few extra toiletries for my trip. After that, we then drove home, turning right from the shopping center we were in onto Powerline Road (FL-845). Once we reached the intersection of Glades Road (FL-808) in Boca, Powerline Road became Jog Road and we continued to follow it north to Atlantic Avenue (FL-806). We turned left onto Atlantic Avenue followed by a right onto Hagen Ranch Road, finally arriving back at our development about 30-minutes later. The time was 3:00PM, so I had the rest of the day to relax, so we walked the dogs and then prepared dinner. For dinner that night, I had penne with meat sauce made with glatt kosher ground beef and we also prepared a little extra, as I would take that for lunch for the next day. After dinner, I completed my packing, put my iPhone 7 Plus into charge, and also put the battery for my Panasonic DMC-ZS60 digital camera into charge. For my trip, I packed my belongings in my suitcase and also took my backpack for stuff I would use during the day. Since packing took a bit of time, I got ready for bed and ended up not going to sleep until 12:30AM. I knew that I would not get much sleep, as I planned to leave my home at 6:30AM, so I needed to wake up at 4:45AM and set my phone to that time. However, I did not care as just like the old Disney World commercials, I was too excited to sleep!
About four hours and fifteen minutes after I fell asleep, I awakened thanks to the alarm on my phone going off. I was somewhat groggy, but still awake. I unplugged my iPhone 7 Plus and the charger for my camera battery and put those items into my backpack. I then brushed my teeth, washed my face, took a shower, and got dressed, excited for the day that would await. My Mother was not up yet, but I had a breakfast consisting of a couple of pieces of gluten-free bread with melted cheese, a banana, coffee with milk and two Splendas, and orange juice. My Mom got up shortly after and in addition to my lunch, she packed me some additional food like cheese, some gluten-free bread, and a couple of bananas. We then spent time together with our dogs and by 6:20AM, I requested an Uber from our home to the Lake Worth Service Plaza. About ten minutes later, my Uber arrived and I said goodbye to our dogs and my Mom, who gave me a huge hug and wished me a magical time! I then got into my Uber, which was a Volkswagen Jetta driven by Ed, who was very pleasant. We left our development, turning right onto Atlantic Avenue (FL-806) and entering the Florida's Turnpike (FL-91) northbound towards Orlando. The ride went quickly and we had a nice time chatting, especially when we learned that we were both from Long Island, albeit different towns. While I was from Westbury, he was from North Woodmere, which I knew well as I had family who used to live there. We wasted no time and by 6:50AM, we arrived at the Lake Worth Service Plaza and all I had to do was wait for my chariot, er coach bus to Kissimmee. Since I had a little under an hour until my bus would come, I decided to go inside of the service plaza, as it was a bit brisk that morning with temperatures in the low 50s. Like other service plazas I have visited along the Turnpike, which now seem to share the similar if not same design, it was very clean, sleek, and modern. With this souvenir shop selling travel accessories, sundries, apparel for college sports teams (Go Canes!), and Disney, you can definitely exit this service plaza through the gift shop.

I then continued to check out the service plaza.

Since my bus's arrival time was nearing, I decided to head outside. While it was still brisk, the temperatures had warmed up a bit. In this shot, I was looking north to where the gas station is located within the Lake Worth Service Plaza.

At 7:45AM, the bus, which originated from Miami and stopped in Fort Lauderdale and at the Pompano Beach Service Plaza before this, arrived on time! The bus was crowded, but I found a seat towards the rear and relaxed, ultimately nodding off for about an hour and a half until we were north of Fort Pierce, passing through what appeared to be farmland.

We made excellent time and by 10:00AM, we were already exiting the Turnpike at Exit 249: Osceola Parkway (Osceola County Road 522)-Walt Disney World.

After exiting the Turnpike, we turned left onto the Osceola Parkway and shortly after, we arrived at the Walmart shopping center. I then disembarked, grabbing my suitcase from the bottom of the bus.

Now ready to go, I summoned an Uber and about five minutes later, Richard, who was driving a 2006-2007 Honda Accord, picked me up. He was very engaging and we hit it off right away, as he learned that I was from New York and I learned that he was from Brooklyn, not too far from where I used to live. The ride went smoothly and at 10:18AM, we were only ten miles from Walt Disney World!

In addition, he also had a great radio station playing, which played songs such as "Thriller" by Michael Jackson and "Love is a Battlefield" by Pat Benatar. Fifteen minutes later, we were nearing the interchange for Interstate 4.

Only a minute later, I felt like I died and went to heaven, as we passed through the Walt Disney World welcome sign!

What magic would await next? Find out in my next installment!

 

[buteraa]

Hi. Following along

 

[disneywlf]

Hi. Following along

Welcome @buteraa!

 

[disneywlf]

Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho it's off to Disney I go Part 2!
After a great ride on the Jet Set Express bus from West Palm Beach to Kissimmee, I was now riding in a 2006-2007 Honda Accord driven by Richard from Uber, who picked me up from the Walmart in Kissimmee on Osceola Parkway just west of the Turnpike and was taking me to Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. Fifteen minutes after I hailed my Uber, we had already driven under the Walt Disney World welcome sign and were continuing to head westbound on the Osceola Parkway. After heading west on the Osceola Parkway, we then turned left onto Victory Way to head northbound and then made another left onto Buena Vista Drive, where I could see the Speedway gas station nearest the Epcot Resort Area.

Once we turned left, we headed west on Buena Vista Drive and two minutes later, we were arriving at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort! In the distance, I could see the skeleton of the future tower that will be built.

At the security gate, we were greeted by CM Lou who checked my ID and gave me a warm welcome followed by Mark from New London, CT, who helped Richard, my Uber driver unload. Both gentlemen were very polite and professional, making for an excellent first impression! In addition, I loved the theming and bright colors that greeted me, even along the entrance path to the lobby.

Inside, the fountain made for a grand entry and I appreciated all of the architectural details, such as the arches and columns that really gave the lobby of the resort a colonial feel.

The colonial feel carried over to the Registration section of the lobby, which was bright and airy.

I did not have to wait too long to check in and once I did, I was assisted by Natalie from Orlando, who was fantastic! As she was registering me, we chatted about my stay at WDW such as the parks I would visit as well as where we were from. She noticed that I was from Delray Beach and mentioned that she had been there, saying that the town was beautiful and the beaches were gorgeous, which were statements I both agreed with as I truly love living in Delray Beach. Natalie then asked if I got to WDW alright? I told her yes as I had a very smooth ride on the Jet Set Express long-distance bus from West Palm Beach to Kissimmee followed by an Uber to WDW. She said that the way I got to WDW sounded excellent but was curious about the Brightline train, as she heard a lot of good things about it. I told her that I would use it, but it would not go between Miami and Orlando until the early 2020s, so I couldn't use it to go to WDW until then. We both agreed that it would be amazing to use the Brightline, as while I do not mind driving, this would be an excellent alternative for getting between South Florida and Orlando. Now registered, Natalie informed me that I had a renovated room, which made me very happy as it looked very nice and that it should be ready soon. In addition, because I declined Mousekeeping due to the short length of my stay, I was credited $20 in the form of a Disney gift card. When my room was ready, she said I would get a text message and if my room were not ready soon, she could have bell services watch my bags as she wanted me to be able to go to Epcot, which I had mentioned as part of today's plans. Now checked in, I checked out the rest of Coronado Springs. I first checked out the gift shop, which had a neat map that you could place a pin on asking De Donde tu Eres or Where are you from in Spanish.

If you could look below, I am the white pin between West Palm Beach to the north and Miami to the south

I then walked past the Pepper Market food court, which is now known as El Mercado de Coronado as of September 2018. It looked amazing and I knew that I would have to eat at least one meal there, as I had heard very good things about it. As I was walking, I was greeted by Eddie, a CM from Brooklyn, NY. He was very outgoing and I told him that while I had now lived in Florida for a little over a year, I am an ex-New Yorker from Brooklyn and Long Island. He was very intrigued and said that he was from the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn, which I knew a little bit as I used to pass it when heading west on the Belt Parkway to see family. I told him that after I was born, I lived in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn before I moved out to Westbury on Long Island, where I lived mainly with my Mother until November 2016. We had a great time chatting and about a mere ten minutes after checking, I received a text that my room was ready. My room number was 8131, located on the first floor of Cabanas Building 8A.

With my room ready, I bid Eddie farewell and exited the rear of the lobby, where I was greeted by the gorgeous and tranquil lake (despite the crane).


The weather was beautiful, as the skies were sunny and the temperatures would be approaching the 80s, making for a beautiful day. What will my room be like? Find out soon!

 

[disneywlf]

Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho it's off to Disney I go Part 3!
After a fantastic first impression of Disney's Coronado Springs thanks to their superb service and aesthetically pleasing surroundings, I began walking to Room 8131, located on the first floor of Cabanas Building 8A. I continued to go further along the lake, getting closer to Cabanas Building 8A.

Finally, I had arrived at Cabanas Building 8A and while the building looked like a standard hotel, the bright blue and white shutters along the window gave the building a very warm feel.

I then put my Magicband against the reader, excited to see my room! Once the door unlocked, I was very impressed! First off, the room was in fantastic condition, as the cleanliness was impeccable, with the room even smelling new and no wear and tear whatsoever. I also loved the bright colors, the many lights so there would be plenty of lighting as needed, and the subtle Disney touches, like silhouette pictures of The Three Caballeros.


Mousekeeping even left me towels in the shape of Mickey's head as well as a set of special Three Caballeros pins due to the inconvenience of the construction, which was not that bad to be honest. Still, it was a magical touch!

I then checked out the bathroom, which was very well-furnished, with two modern looking sinks and a brightly lit vanity.

I also loved the portion of the bathroom with the toilet and tub/shower combo, which came well equipped with a handheld showerhead and a mounted showerhead.

There were also high-quality toiletries, with the shampoo and soap mounted from dispensers in the shower and other toiletries from H20+ Beauty depicted below.

I put my belongings down, then packing a drawstring bag I would use for the day with my digital camera, glasses, and a poncho. About ten minutes later at about 11:40AM, I began to head out of the room, as I wanted to catch the bus to Epcot. However, I first took in the lake view from my room, which was even better than I expected!

Five minutes later, I left my room, as I wanted to head to the bus stop, as I was excited for my day at Epcot. What adventures would await? Find out in my next installment!

 

[disneywlf]

An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 1:
After a magical start to my day with a smooth trip from South Florida to WDW and an excellent experience arriving at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, it was time for me to head to Epcot for the rest of the day. Once I packed my day bag, I left my room and made my way to Bus Stop 4, which was a short walk from my room. About a couple of minutes after I left my room, I finally arrived at Bus Stop 4.

Since my last trip to WDW, I saw more of the bus arrival information monitors, which were very handy and with the time being 11:57AM, I only had to wait six minutes until an Epcot-bound bus would arrive.

While I was waiting, I met a man my age who was visiting with his family from Smithtown, NY, located in Suffolk County on Long Island. We first start conversing after he complimented me on the Trump hat that I was wearing. While I was waiting, we talked a bit about Disney, conservative politics, and how we were both from Long Island. Unfortunately, the conversation did not last long, as he was heading to DHS while I was heading to Epcot. Nevertheless, it was nice meeting this gentleman and after we parted ways, we wished each other a magical time! The bus arrived on time at 12:03PM and I relaxed, also taking this selfie as we were en-route to to the park.

As we were riding, I realized that transportation-wise, I hit the jackpot with my room location, as thanks to being the fourth bus stop, we only had to stop at El Centro, the main building at Coronado Springs before we headed to the parks. About fifteen minutes after we left Coronado Springs, we arrived at Epcot! Before I headed into the park, I had to stop at one of the ticket windows, as I needed to activate my admission. I went to the next available ticket window, where I was assisted by Monica, a very kind and efficient CM from California. As she was activating the ticket on my MagicBand, I realized that the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival was going on. I did not realize this as I did not plan my trip around it, but I saw that Night Ranger would be playing that night. I inquired with Monica about Night Ranger playing and she said I had to see them, as they were excellent and she had seen them before. She said that there were two shows and that the later one was less crowded, which worked well as I had an ADR at La Hacienda de San Angel at 5:45PM. Also being into rock music, I enjoy Night Ranger's music very much, so I decided to end my day seeing them perform. Now ready-to-go, I entered Epcot, excited for the day that would await!

I then spotted absolutely lovely topiaries of Mickey, Pluto, Goofy, and Minnie!

Then, a very nice male Photopass CM took my picture in front of Epcot .

I then made my way to Spaceship Earth, my first FP+ for the day.

Thanks to my FP+, I avoided a 40-minute standby wait.

About five minutes after I entered the FP+ line, I was onboard Spaceship Earth, ready to travel through the history of how communication has evolved over time, along with fabulous narration by Dame Judy Dench. After I boarded Spaceship Earth, we passed the cavemen, who used paintings on the walls of caves in order to communicate.

This was followed by the Ancient Egyptians, who used hieroglyphics recorded on papyrus in order to communicate.

We continued to travel through time, we learned that the Phoenicians worked toward creating an alphabet in order to lessen trade barriers, witnessed the Ancient Greeks engage in the study of Mathematics, and learned how the Ancient Romans used a common language in order to unify a large empire! Where will our time travel take us? Find out soon!

 

[disneywlf]

An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 2:
After traveling through ancient times on Spaceship Earth, we traveled through the Ancient Roman Empire and now witnessed Ancient Arabic and Hebrew scholars make greater use of preserving recorded information.

Many years into the future, I witnessed Gutenberg invent the Printing Press after the Protestant Reformation, enabling printed information to be distributed quickly.

Further into the future into the 1800s-1900s, newspapers, film, and the telephone were invented. In addition, radio became more common.

We then passed through the 1900s, making our to the 1950s when televisions were invented followed by the 1960s, when computers were invented.

However, these first computers were fairly large and immobile, with the personal computer as we know it not being invented until 1985 by Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc. We then made our way back to Earth, which felt slightly exhilarating but pleasantly relaxing with the slight backwards dip to the end of the attraction. Before leaving, I filled in the questionnaire, putting in that I wanted a house near the beach, not far from the city, and that I worry most about my pets when I leave home. Spaceship Earth came up with the perfect solution, especially as far as the pets, as they would be cared for by robots, who would feed them and watch them . It was now about 1:00PM, so I had about half an hour until my next FP+ at The Character Spot, where I would have the pleasure of seeing Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy again!
I then left Spaceship Earth and outside, I was greeted with clear skies and warm temperatures as I headed towards the fountain by Innoventions.

Since I was feeling thirsty, I headed over to Club Cool, where I could quench my thirst with free samples of various sodas from around the world.

As I headed over to one of the soda fountains, I was greeted by many Coca-Cola themed souvenirs.

At the soda fountain I went to, the sodas available included the infamous Beverly from Italy, Fanta from Greece, Fanta Melon Frosty from Thailand, Bibo from South Africa, Sparletta from Zimbabwe, and Inca Kola from Peru.

Since I wanted to take a picture of myself enjoying a sample of soda, I asked a lady nearby who was visiting with her daughter to take a couple of pictures and she gladly obliged .

With my thirst now quenched, I headed over to The Character Spot, excited to see Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy!

 

[disneywlf]

An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 3:
After riding through time on Spaceship Earth and quenching my thirst at Club Cool, it was time for me to meet Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy! I was very grateful to have a FP+, as the stand-by wait was 55-minutes!

I entered the FP+ line and while I was waiting, I met Belle and her daughter Maria, who were visiting from Boca Raton for Belle's birthday! I wished Belle a Happy Birthday and right away, we hit it off as they did not live far from me and we had fun conversing about South Florida. Time flew and since they were ahead of me, they went first and there was nothing like seeing them interact with Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy. A few minutes later, I had the pleasure of being with Mickey Mouse again!

It was wonderful to see him again as he is like an old friend! He was over the moon to see me and could not get over the fact that his likeness was on my shirt!


Meeting Mickey was an amazing interaction and it is definitely not hard to see why he is "the leader of the club!"
Next, I had the pleasure of seeing Goofy, who was lovable and jovial as always! For whatever reason, he took an interest in my hat, so I took it off and I was more than glad to show it to him and he loved it!

After a great time meeting Goofy, it was time to meet Minnie! As always, she was lovable and very warm! She was over the moon to see me and hugged me rather tightly!

She then saw my t-shirt, which had her favorite Mouse on it and she was head over heels! Minnie was so happy that she invited me to dance and feeling honored, I accepted!


Minnie then hugged me some more and we made heart signs with our hands!


I could not have asked for a better time with Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy and if I was already happy with my day so far, I now felt over the moon! Where will I head next? Find out shortly!

 

[disneywlf]

An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 4:
After a magical start to my day riding Spaceship Earth, quenching my thirst at Club Cool, and meeting Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy at The Character Spot, there was still more to see! Since I wanted to ride Soarin', I made my way over to The Land. Once I arrived, I had hoped to ride Soarin'. However, the wait time was close to two hours, so I decided to wait a little bit and see if the wait would decrease. Feeling a little hungry, I went to Sunshine Seasons, which is an excellent QS spot and got a light snack to tide me over until dinner. I purchased a Fruit and Cheese Platter as well as a Perrier to drink. The Fruit and Cheese Platter hit the spot, as it had sharp cheddar cubes, creamy and slightly spicy pepper jack, mild jack cheese, tart grapes, and a sweet and pleasantly plump strawberry.

My Mother then called to check in on me, so I spoke with her for a bit and watched the wait for Soarin' decrease to 45-minutes, so after our wonderful conversation, I took advantage and got in line!

While I was waiting, they had a nice trivia game on world geography that you played via your smartphone and that helped to pass the time, as 35-minutes later, I saw Chief Flight Attendant Patrick, aka Patrick Warbuton, who greeted us on the overhead TVs. After boarding, I enjoyed soaring into the sky and flying over various world locations like The Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower, the Matterhorn, the Grand Canyon, and of course, Epcot. I would have gone on Living with the Land next, but with a long standby line and my FP+ for Frozen Ever After nearing, I decided to satisfy my need for speed at Test Track by Chevrolet.

Once I arrived at Test Track, I opted to use the Single-Rider line, which always works to my advantage as it gives me a lesser wait time. I arrived there at 3:47PM and about ten minutes later, I was already creating my car, which was a dragster that emphasized responsive handling, a lot of power, and decent efficiency. However, I waited another twenty minutes until I got into a car. Once I got onboard, my need for speed was definitely satisfied, as I loved being a human crash test dummy as the car simulated being put to its paces to test its various facets.

Since my FP+ for Frozen Ever After was nearing, I made my way to the World Showcase, first passing the grand Mayan pyramind of Mexico.

Before I went to my FP+, I saw that Donald Duck was meeting, so I had to meet the #1 Duck! The line was not too long, which worked well and I was very excited. When I saw Donald Duck, he saw my t-shirt, which had Mickey Mouse on it, which did not please him, as he face palmed and shook his head. While I may be a fan of Mickey Mouse, I am also a fan of Donald Duck and when I told him not to worry and that he is the #1 Duck in my book, he was elated, as we high-fived each other quite a few times and he gave me a huge hug! In addition, we did a very nice pose.

After having an awesome time meeting Donald Duck, I went over to the Norway Pavilion, which looked beautiful with its trees and authentic architecture, like the Stave Church.

I then went inside the Norway Pavilion, ready to line up for Frozen Ever After. Once I was inside, this poster prepared me for what would await!

I waited about fifteen minutes until I boarded the boat. Onboard, the ride was basically the same as the former Maelstrom ride, which was a classic but I loved the addition of the "Frozen" characters and hearing all of the classic songs, including Queen Elsa belting "Let it Go." After celebrating in Arandelle, my dinner reservation at La Hacienda was nearing? How would it be? Find out soon in my next installment!

 

[disneywlf]

An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 5:
With the time now nearing 5:45PM, which was the time of my ADR at La Hacienda de San Angel, I was amazed at all I had done, including visiting many attractions and meeting many characters. I had just had a blast riding Frozen Ever After and after riding it, I left the Norway Pavilion to head back to Mexico, where I was greeted by the outside of the restaurant, which looked authentic and homey with its light yellow and dark orange paints.

At the reception desk, I was greeted by Adrianna from Mexico, who was very welcoming and gracious. My table was ready immediately, even though I had arrived sixteen minutes ahead of schedule, with the time being 5:29PM, so she escorted me inside to the dining room, which was homey thanks to its warm colors, charming lighting, and authentic artifacts. In addition, I was not far from the window and had good views of the World Showcase Lagoon.

After being seated, I was then greeted by my waitress Laura from Colombia, who was engaging and professional. She knew of my food allergies to all grains except corn and rice as well as eggs right away and even brought me an Allergy Menu, which was very helpful. The menu was diverse, with meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetarian choices. While I was craving the Del Mar (a platter of Grilled Shrimp, Fish, and Scallops with vegetables and all the trimmings at $60 for 2 people) sans Scallops, they don't do a half-size version of it. However, we both agreed that the Huachinango a la Parrilla, which was Pan Seared Snapper with a Cascabel Pepper Reduction, Roasted Tomatillos Seranos, Onions, Queso Fresco, and all the trimmings for $29 was an excellent option, so I ordered that, but with the Cascabel Pepper Reduction on the side. In addition, I ordered a Classic Margarita at $13.50 to drink. Laura asked if I wanted to see the chef, but since I was good with my allergies thanks to the Allergy Menu, I politely declined. After placing my order, Laura then delivered tortilla chips with a red salsa and a salsa verde along with my Classic Margarita, making for an excellent start to my meal. This was the case as the chips were delicious, thanks to their freshness (they looked and tasted like they were just made), crispiness, and touch of salt. I also loved the salsas, which included a spicy red pepper salsa and a less spicy but tangy salsa verde. I also loved the Classic Margarita, as it was pleasantly strong with a sweet and tart flavor thanks to the use of fresh limes. Trust me, I have had many Margaritas and I can tell when they are fresh versus when a mix is being used.

My dinner was very relaxing and I loved being in the cozy atmosphere and watching World Showcase Lagoon from the nearby window. A little later, Laura arrived with my entree, which looked delicious! It tasted even better, as the Red Snapper had a mild taste and flakey texture, with the skin slightly crisped as well making for a high quality and well cooked seafood dish. I also loved the other accompaniments, like the well-cooked and earthy corn tortillas, the fluffy and slightly salty rice, the sweet, savory, and slightly smokey grilled vegetables, the sweet and nutty corn, and the peppery and slightly smokey Cascabel sauce.

While I was eating my dinner, I took in the glorious views of the World Showcase Lagoon and from where I was sitting, I could see the Italy Pavilion in the distance.

In addition to the excellent food and cozy atmosphere, Laura was a superb waitress thanks to her sweet personality, attentiveness, and her efficiency. About an hour and fifteen minutes later, I was done with my meal. Not wanting dessert thanks to being stuffed, I went ahead and took care of the check. Once I did that, thanking Laura and all of the fantastic CMs, as it was an excellent meal. Overall, I would add La Hacienda de San Angel as a TS restaurant I would definitely return to when at Epcot, as the food was of high quality and authentic, the service was excellent, the atmosphere was cozy, and the prices were not terrible for what you got. All in all, I would definitely return there again if I were able to. What would I do for the rest of the evening at Epcot? Find out next!

 

[disneywlf]

An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 6:
After a delicioso dinner at La Hacienda de San Angel, the night was still young and there was more that I wanted to do, I continued to tour Epcot. Wanting to meet Queen Elsa and Princess Anna, I headed back to Norway, where I lucked out with a posted "20-minute wait."

Besides the fact that I love meeting them, part of the reason I went to meet them so they could send a message to our dear-friend's then five-year old granddaughter, who is a huge fan of "Frozen." We know this friend of ours through various Affenpinscher breeders, as she breeds Affenpinschers and Papillons in Montana and ended up becoming fast friends with her, which has been awesome! When I entered the Royal Sommerhus, I thought the queue was very detailed, with Norwegian artifacts like these plates above the fireplace.

Further into the queue, I also loved the other details, like the grandfather clock and carvings in the wall of Anna and Elsa when they were young.

About five minutes later, I was already in the room where Queen Elsa and Princess Anna meet, along with a few other families who were meeting them. While I was waiting, I chatted with a family from the Toronto area as well as Patrick, a very kind CM from Stony Brook, NY. I asked him if at the end of my meeting with Anna and Elsa if they could do a video greeting for my friend's granddaughter, since she has not been to WDW for a while. He said absolutely and thought it would be a brilliant way to spread some Disney magic! Less than ten minutes after I entered the Royal Sommerhus, I was already meeting Queen Elsa! She welcomed me to their Sommerhus, asking how I liked it? I told her that it was absolutely wonderful, thanks to all the neat touches and rustic feel.

She said the secret was that Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven put a lot of hard work into building the Sommerhus and I told her that it definitely paid off, as I loved it! She agreed that she loved the Sommerhus and together, we continued to admire it.

After conversing for a bit, Queen Elsa warmly embraced me and gave me a huge hug! Now I know Olaf gives warm hugs and I don't doubt, but I must say that hugging Queen Elsa definitely warmed my heart!



After interacting with Queen Elsa, her friend as well as the Photopass Photographer, who was holding my iPhone 7 Plus, made her aware of my desire to have her record my friend's granddaughter a video message and she could not have been more glad to do it, as it was just a beautiful message for one of her biggest fans! With my heart on fire, it was now time for me to meet Princess Anna!

 

[disneywlf]

An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 7:
After having the pleasure of interacting with Queen Elsa, it was now time for me to meet her younger sister, Princess Anna. Princess Anna was spunky and very talkative, excited to have me as a guest at their Sommerhus. Right off the bat, she admired my sneakers and asked if I was able to ice skate in them, as she recently began ice skating more and more thanks to her sister using her ice powers to create an ice skating rink. She wanted to teach me how to ice skate, so she began to demonstrate the steps.

I then began to follow and thanks to Princess Anna's methods, doing her ice skating moves the way in which she performed them was not too difficult.


Princess Anna said I did an excellent job at ice skating and loved that I even added a little twirl at the end, which was unintentional on my part. We then gave each other a hug that once again warmed my already warm heart!


At the end of the interaction, the Photopass Photographer made Princess Anna aware of my desire to have her record a video message for my friend's granddaughter and she was very grateful for the opportunity. Again, like her elder sister's video message, this one was beautiful as well and made my friend's granddaughter's day! What would I do for the rest of the evening? Find out soon!

 

[disneywlf]

An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 8:
After a fabulous time meeting Anna and Elsa at the Norway Pavilion, I still had about two hours until Epcot would close to enjoy it. I wanted to make sure to see Night Ranger at their 8:00PM performance as part of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, as I like their music and this would be the perfect opportunity for me to see them. However, I still had some time to kill, so I first took in the end of the sun setting on the World Showcase Lagoon.

I then proceeded to the China Pavilion, with its marvelous architecture conveying Ancient China.


I noticed that the Dragon Legend Acrobats would be performing, so I sat down and stopped to see them.






Words cannot describe this show! I was shocked an amazed thanks to the talent and alacrity of the performers and if I were at Epcot, I would definitely see this again! My only piece of advice to anyone would be don't try these tricks at home! With half an hour until Night Ranger would perform, I continued to walk around Epcot. On my way out past the Outpost between China and Germany, I admired this topiary of Timon and Pumbaa.

With about half an hour until Night Ranger would perform, I continued to walk through the World Showcase. Where would my travels take me next?

 

[disneywlf]

An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 9:
After visiting many attractions, meeting many characters, having a delicious dinner, and just seeing the Dragon Legend Acrobats, 8:00PM was getting closer, so I decided to head towards the American Pavilion to the America Gardens Theatre. On my way over, I passed the Italy Pavilion, which is bellisimo!


At about 7:40PM, I lined up to enter the America Gardens Theater. The line was long, but it moved efficiently. About ten minutes later, I was sitting to the front ride side of the theater, with a solid view of the stage! Then, at 8:00PM, Night Ranger took the stage and I was ready to rock!

The songs they played included "Highway Star," "Don't Tell Me You Love Me," "Sing Me Away," "When You Close Your Eyes," "You Can Still Rock In America," and "Sister Christian," to which they had the audience sing along to at points. All in all, I was grateful to have seen Night Ranger, as they put on an excellent concert thanks to their commanding stage presence, the fact that even though they don't sound quite the same as they did in the 1980s, they still sounded very good, and how engaging they were at getting us to rock! Seeing Night Ranger made a rocking day even more rockin'! With about half an hour until park closing and Illuminations, I continued to tour the World Showcase. I first stopped by the American Adventure, which evokes Colonial America in the 1700s thanks to its architecture.

Then, I went to Japan, which is one of my favorite pavilions thanks to its amazing theming, its areas that are off of the beaten path and have a lot of natural beauty which are very relaxing, the Mitsukoshi Department Store, and its good dining opportunities. I entered the main part of the pavilion, where the majority of the buildings are located.
I then headed to the rear of the pavilion, where there are koi ponds and this has to be one of the most relaxing areas in any Disney park.


After relaxing in Japan, I decided to head to one more pavilion. Which one is it? Find out soon!

 

[disneywlf]

An Epic Day at Epcot 3/3/2018 Part 10:
After rocking out to Night Ranger and visiting the American Adventure and Japan Pavilion, I decided to head to Germany, another one of my favorite pavilions. I arrived there at 8:50PM, taking in the scenery in the central plaza of Germany, which made me feel more like I was in Bavaria than in Central Florida.

I went into all of the souvenir shops to look around, but I mainly looked in Volkskunst and Der Teddybar. While there were many terrific souvenirs, there was nothing that really caught my eye at that the moment, but I did look fab in this Tyrolean hat!

As I was looking, I had the pleasure of chatting with Melanie from Munich, who was very kind and talkative. We chatted about various topics, including life in Germany versus America. She was curious if I had ever been to Germany and I answered in the negative, as the only international country I have been to so far is Israel. Melanie said that she had never been to Israel, but had hoped to go one day as she had heard amazing things about it! I told her they are all true and that she had to go! After our great conversation, I made one last stop in the German Pavilion at Karamell-Kuche, as my sweet tooth was calling.

All of the treats looked excellent, but the Caramel & Chocolate Dipped Strawberry and Caramel & Chocolate Pineapple called my name, so I decided to purchase these two items. With closing time nearing and Illuminations about to start, I began to leave Epcot, but not without stopping to watch Illuminations, with its amazing pyrotechnics and meaningful brotherhood of man message.


On my way out off Epcot, I made one last stop at Mousegear, one of the best WDW souvenir stores and one of my Mother's favorite souvenir stores.
I looked at the various plushes, texting Mom these pictures in order to help her decide.


I bought the plush directly above and I was assisted by a friendly and efficient CM from Brazil. By 9:40PM, I left Epcot, making my way to the bus stops.

I went to Bus Stop 3, where I got a Coronado Springs-bound bus about five minutes later.

The bus was fairly crowded, but it was a relaxing ride and ten minutes later at almost 10:00PM, I arrived at Bus Stop 4 of Coronado Springs. Feeling tired, I headed straight to my room, passing through the beautiful scenery of the resort! I then entered my room, putting down my belongings, calling my Mother to check in and talk about my day. Mom was very happy for me and we had a wonderful time talking for about thirty minutes. After we wished each other good night, I then tucked into my sweets from Karamell-Kuche, which were delicious!I enjoyed the Caramel & Chocolate-dipped Pineapple Skewer, with the sweet and sour pineapple enrobed in creamy milk chocolate and silky caramel as well as the sweet and tart strawberries, enrobed in sweet, creamy milk chocolate, and sweet and silky caramel. I then brushed my teeth and washed my face, then falling asleep at about 11:30PM, thanks to the slightly firm and very comfortable bed. It truly was an epic day at Epcot, as I had a magical time visiting the many attractions, meeting many characters, and having a fabulous dinner. As I slept, I was excited for what tomorrow would hold, as I would visit the Magic Kingdom, my favorite park!

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 1:
After my epic day at Epcot, I slept well thanks to the Coronado Springs's excellent bed, awakening at about 6:00AM. I awakened, getting ready by brushing my teeth, washing my face, and taking a shower. After that, I got dressed and ate a breakfast consisting of bread, cheese, and a little bit of orange juice I brought in a water bottle. While I was eating breakfast, I watched a little bit of Stuart Varney on Fox Business. Once I was ready, I left my room at 8:00AM, heading to Bus Stop 4. At 8:10AM, my chariot er bus to the Magic Kingdom arrived. I relaxed and twenty minutes later, we arrived at the Magic Kingdom. Since the bus went straight to the Magic Kingdom Bus Stop, there was no need to go to the TTC and get the Monorail or Ferry like on other trips, making for a very direct route. I then cleared security and scanned my MagicBand and by 8:50AM, I was beginning to walk right down "the middle of Main Street USA!"

However, since I was not in too much of a rush as my first FP+ at The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh was not until 9:25AM, I took the opportunity to meet Pluto, one of the finest Disney Dogs! I waited about ten minutes and my wait went quickly, as I talked to a family from Michigan. When it was my time to meet Pluto, he could not have been more excited!

He then gestured to me to stroke his snout, so I did exactly that!

Pluto was very elated and he gave me a huge hug, also licking me, which made me feel very good as I was missing my dogs back home.


After an amazing meeting with one of my favorite Disney Dogs, I then chatted with Cooper, a very nice CM from Trenton, NJ. We chatted a bit about the day ahead and somehow, we talked about attractions. I told him I was looking forward to many attractions, but due to my luck, I was unable to get a FP+ for 7DMT, so I probably would not get to ride it. In an unexpected magical gesture, Cooper offered me a front-of-the line pass for 7DMT. I was very thankful and it was definitely an amazing dose of Disney magic! Not being able to thank Cooper enough, I then continued down Main Street USA. Since I did not have to rush too much due to the hour window of my first FP+ at The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and the fact that I could use my front-of-the line pass for 7DMT anytime, I watched The Dapper Dans perform their always fabulous barbershop quartets!

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 2:
After being serenaded by The Dapper Dans, I began my journey to Fantasyland, walking towards this magical sight!

However, I would be serenaded some more, as the Citizens of Main Street performed. They sang and danced to "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" and I'm Walking Right Down the Middle of Main Street U.S.A."


Their performances were fantastic and made an already magical day even more magical! I then headed towards Cinderella's Castle again.

I walked through Cinderella's Castle and then entered Fantasyland, which is truly an enchanting place! I first made my way to It's A Small World.

The standby wait was listed as being ten minutes, but in reality, it was less than five.


I then set sail on "the happiest cruise that ever sailed," enjoying this classic and relaxing ride and hearing the audio-animatronic children from different nations sing the Sherman Brother's infamous but classic "It's A Small World, which is like an ear worm.

I then went to 7DMT, and I was very thankful to Cooper, the CM I met earlier as the standby wait was already 90-minutes!


I then rode 7DMT, which has become one of my favorite attractions.I loved the smoothness of the coaster, the pleasant side-by-side motions, the animatronic dwarfs singing "Heigh-Ho," and of course, The Seven Dwarfs dancing with Snow White as The Evil Queen eerily watches at their door! After riding through the Seven Dwarfs mine and visiting their cottage, I continued to visit Fantasyland. Where did I go next? Find out soon!