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

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 3:
Hi everyone sorry about my absence life has just been quite busy as of late, so I have not had a chance to update my TR. Finally, I have a chance, so I will begin where I have left off, having just started a magical morning at the Magic Kingdom meeting Pluto, being serenaded by the Dapper Dans and the Citizens of Main Street, and riding It's A Small World and 7DMT! Since it was my first FP+ and I now had a chance to ride The Many Adventures. of Winnie the Pooh.

Since the FP+ line was short, I walked right on and in no time flat, I was riding on a hunny pot through the Hundred Acre Wood! This is an excellent ride in my book, as while the ride itself is simple, the special effects like the animatronic Winnie the Pooh characters in different sequences of the story, the undulations of the hunny pot after the rain is over, and of course, all of the music bring the story together! After a wonderful time riding The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, I then made my way over to Storybook Circus to ride one of my favorite attractions, Dumbo the Flying Elephant!

After waiting in the tent for Dumbo for about fifteen minutes, I found myself onboard the lovable flying pachyderm.

In addition to the bright colors and many details that make Dumbo a visually stunning attraction, for me, it is the simple pleasure of being able to soar to the sky on this classic attraction that definitely makes me feel like a child again, thus making Dumbo one of my favorite attractions. Since I still did not have to rush, as my next FP+ at Big Thunder Mountain was not until 12:05PM, I continued to seize the day, then visiting Big Top Souvenirs.
After that, I then visited the "Beauty and the Beast" portion of New Fantasyland, which just like the other areas of New Fantasyland, are among my favorite areas of any Disney park thanks to how immersive and well done the theming is, making you feel like you are part of the story!

Once there, I made my way to Bonjour Village Gifts, as my Mother had her eye on a special souvenir.

That souvenir was a plush Beast. Since Mom saw it on our day trip together only a few days ago, I decided to go ahead and buy it for her as I knew she really wanted it.

Since that was all I wanted to buy, I was then assisted by a very sweet young female CM. Happy to have purchased this other gift for my Mom, I continued to enjoy the rest of the day, with the time now being about 11:30AM. My FP+ at BTMRR was nearing, so I decided to make my way towards Frontierland. What would I do next? Find out soon!

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 4:
Wow! Has it really been close to two months since I left off? I am so sorry I fell behind on this TR, but as usual, it seems life has gotten crazy busy for me! Anyway, when I last left off, I rode on a hunny pot through the Hundred Acre Wood, soared on Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and visited the "Beauty and the Beast" portion of New Fantasyland. Since my 12:05PM-1:05PM FP+ at BTMRR was nearing, I made my way towards Frontierland. However, on my way there, I decided to stop at Adventureland, as I wanted to meet Princess Jasmine and Aladdin.

After arriving, I made my way to their meet and greet location about twenty minutes before they were scheduled. This worked out well, as the line was not long at all. In addition, I had the pleasure of meeting Deidre from Schenectady, NY, one of the greeters manning the line. She was fantastic, as she had an exuberant personality and vast Disney knowledge. As a matter of fact, while we were waiting, she led a game of Disney trivia, asking questions about different facets of the company like characters and movies. A couple of questions I still remember were: 1. What is Donald Duck's middle name? Answer: Fauntleroy, due to the hat he wears as he was a veteran. Which was the first Disney film to use sequences of computer animation? The two acceptable answers were "Beauty and the Beast" during the ballroom sequence as well as "Tron." This helped the time pass quickly and before I knew it, I was seeing Princess Jasmine and Aladdin again! They were very excited to see me and greeted me with "Welcome Sultan!" and bowed, in spite of the fact that I a mere commoner haha!

After their very warm welcome, they took notice of my t-shirt, depicting The Genie in the middle with I am here! written above him and What are your other two wishes? below. They were curious if I was a genie in training and if my camera that the photographer was using was a magic lamp? I responded that I was indeed a genie in training and that my camera was indeed a magic lamp . They also wanted to know if I knew the rules of being a genie and the types of wishes that I could not grant? I answered that I could not make people fall in love, bring people back from the dead, or kill. And yes, ichs-nay on wishing for more wishes. Jasmine and Aladdin were very impressed with my knowledge. They also added that in my clause for being a genie, I would have to add that Abu should not touch my lamp, as he can be very mischievous. I asked about what we should do with Iago and they said that we should add him to the clause as well. In addition, they said that he is so ticked off, he is always molting! We then took some more amazing pictures and before I left, happily embraced Jasmine and Aladdin, thankful for an amazing time with them!

With the time being nearly 12:30PM, I made my way to nearby Frontierland, as it was time to ride "the wildest ride in the wilderness!" After passing through the passage that is adjacent to the restrooms between Adventureland and Frontierland, I then turned left, about to pass Pecos Bill and heading straight in the direction of Splash Mountain.

I then passed Splash Mountain, which was closed for refurbishment.

Finally, I had arrived at Big Thunder Mountain at 12:35PM!

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 5:
After an amazing time meeting Princess Jasmine and Aladdin, I then arrived at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, ready to ride "the wildest ride in the wilderness." With the time being 12:35PM, I was very thankful to have FP+, as the standby wait at this time was 85-minutes. With not much of a line ahead of me, I breezed through the queue, taking time to admire the theming.



Shortly after I arrived, I had a blast riding "the wildest ride in the wilderness!" Once I was done riding BTMRR, I then disembarked, then deciding to take a break, as I felt famished. I decided to originally head to Columbia Harbor House in Liberty Square, as I enjoyed their Salmon on my previous visit in December 2017. With that in mind, I began walking to Liberty Square.


However, I changed my plans after I saw Ed, a very friendly and helpful older CM who was a cashier at Pecos Bill and assisted me on my trip to WDW in January 2016. This was an amazing surprise and to my delight, he even remembered me by face! In addition, I also loved the Tex-Mex fare that they served here, so this worked perfectly! I knew what I wanted, which was a Chicken Fajita without the flour tortillas as well as a Diet Coke to drink. Just like last time, Ed offered me corn based tortilla chips on the side (normally, these cost extra) and to have my meal cooked separately in order to prevent cross-contamination. Once my order was taken, I then used my iPhone 7 Plus with ApplePay to pay for it, which worked very well. A short time later, I then received my food and headed to the dining room, where I first stopped at the large and well-stocked condiments bar, where I took tomatoes, guacamole, a couple of different types of salsa, and a corn-based salad. I then went to the dining room, where I relaxed and took in the atmosphere, which felt like a hacienda thanks to the dark yet warm colors as well as the brownish I think terra cotta floor tiles. I found the meal to be large in portion size and it tasted as good as, if not better than it looked, as the grilled chicken was moist, juicy, and perfectly spiced, the rice was fluffy, the black beans were well cooked, and the tortilla chips offered on the side were crispy and pleasantly salty. I also enjoyed the sides I got from the toppings bar, like a balanced and not too spicy tomato salsa, a filling and slightly spicy corn salsa, and creamy and mild guacamole.

After a wonderful lunch, I then decided to wind down my touring a little bit, as the afternoon temperature would be eighty degrees, which would be perfect to take a break and head back to the hotel to swim. However, before I did that, I decided to get a refreshing treat at Aloha Isle. With that in mind, I left Frontierland, then heading back to Adventureland. On my to Aloha Isle, I passed The Magic Carpets of Aladdin.

I then arrived at Aloha Isle, where the line was long but moved rather fast.

A few minutes later, I was helped by a kind and efficient male CM and ordered a Pineapple Float with Pineapple and Vanilla swirl, which is one of my favorite snacks at WDW! A minute or two later, I received my Pineapple Float and took a quick picture of it.

I then began walking towards Main Street USA and enjoyed my treat as I walked there, with its base of sweet, sour, and refreshing pineapple juice along with a generous helping of cool, creamy, sweet, and slightly tangy Pineapple Dole Whip mixed with mild and creamy Vanilla Dole Whip. About ten minutes later, I found a spot north of the train station, which would afford excellent views of my favorite parade, Festival of Fantasy!

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 6:
After nearing my soon-to-be parade spot on Main Street USA, I decided to head over to Guest Relations, as I wanted to tell them about the exemplary service I had received throughout my trip, especially on this day from Cooper, who gave me a FP+ for 7DMT and Elizabeth, who was manning the meet and greet for Princess Jasmine and Aladdin, as her positive energy and enthusiasm for the Walt Disney company were contagious! After I stopped at Guest Relations, which went very well, I then made my way to my spot just north of the train station, where I was able to see The Main Street Confectionary and the American flag in front of me.

The parade then made its way down Main Street USA as elegant dancers led the palatial-looking float, which featured Belle and the Beast, Cinderella and her prince, Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen, and Queen Elsa and Princess Anna .

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 7:
The next float that passed was the colorful Tangled float, with its pendulum-like mallets? flanked by a replica of Maximus along with Rapunzel, Flynn Ryder, and dancers and Pub Thugs leading the way.

This was followed by Princess Ariel's elegant-looking clamshell float, which was led by dancers who looked almost like creatures from under the sea.


Captain Hook's pirate ship followed, with Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook, and Tinkerbell onboard with Smee, Tick Tock, and some Lost Boys following along .

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 8:
As I was watching Festival of Fantasy, a float in the style of Captain Hook's Pirate Ship was passing.



Princess Merida's musical, whimsical, and colorful bagpipe float soon followed.


the imposing, beautiful, and slightly scary Maleficent in dragon-form float was next . The float was also flanked by The Good Fairies, Prince Phillip, and stilt-walkers. I mean, how could you not love the fire-breathing? Sadly, I did not get a picture of the flames, but that's just my luck I suppose.

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 9:
After being pleasantly startled by the Maleficent stilt walkers and marveling at the Maleficent float, Snow White, The Seven Dwarfs, Jiminy Cricket, Alice, The White Rabbit, and The Mad Hatter stopped by to say hi to everyone!


Pinocchio, Donald and Daisy Duck, and Pluto then rode in their float, which was large and colorful fusion of Monstro the Whale, Dumbo, and Fantasia figurines .





Then, Goofy, Chip, and Dale danced their way down Main Street USA.

And of course, it wouldn't be a parade without Mickey and Minnie!


As always, the Festival of Fantasy Parade is amazing and one of Disney's best parades in my opinion! I loved the designs of the floats, especially the Tangled, Peter Pan, Maleficent, Mickey and Friends, and Pinocchio floats. What's an excellent parade without music you ask? Well, I loved the "Festival of Fantasy" song, which was interluded with classic Disney music, like "Beauty and the Beast," "For the First Time in Forever," and "I've Got No Strings" among other songs. All in all, Festival of Fantasy is a must-see! Since I was feeling a little tired and temperatures were warm, I decided to leave the Magic Kingdom for Coronado Springs, where I would go swimming and enjoy dinner. However, don't worry, I will be back at the Magic Kingdom later!

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 10:
After having a superb time at the Magic Kingdom for the morning and part of the afternoon, I decided to leave for a bit in order to take a break and have dinner before I would return later that night, so I exited the Magic Kingdom and got a bus back to Coronado Springs at around 3:30PM. About twenty minutes later, I arrived back at Coronado Springs, where I headed back to my room and changed into my bathing suit. A few minutes later, I left my room, ready to head to The Dig Site, the location of the main pool at Coronado Springs. Because my room was not far from The Dig Site, the walk took only a minute. My first impressions of the Dig Site were excellent, as I appreciated the many trees and lush landscaping.

After entering the pool area via the gate, I found myself alongside the waterslide and more lush landscaping.

I then reached the main pool area, where I was greeted by the piece-de-resistance which was the Mayan pyramid facing the large swimming pool. It looked absolutely gorgeous and the trees and vines surrounding it made the area feel very tropical and jungle-like.

After finding a chaise lounge not too far from the pool and putting down my stuff, I then went in the pool and had an excellent time, enjoying the pleasantly warm water and pop music playing in the background. While I was in there, I did some laps and just loafed around, floating in the pristine and refreshing water. In addition, I also took a ride on the water slide a couple of times and it made me feel like a kid again! I stayed in the pool until about 5:20PM, then leaving it as the warm temperatures were beginning to drop slightly, so I got out and dried off, relaxing on my chaise lounge. Once I was somewhat dried off, I headed back to my room, where I took a quick shower. I then got ready, grabbing my camera and my sweatshirt, as the temperatures would drop into the low 60s/high 50s and before I left for the Magic Kingdom, I headed to the Pepper Market, the food court at Coronado Springs. I followed the signs and entered the main building, following the hall to Pepper Market. When I arrived, I was amazed by this authentic looking statue at the entrance.

Once inside, the festive atmosphere continued, with its bright colors and surroundings that made you feel like you were in Mexico or the Southwestern US.

I took a look at the myriad of options available, but ultimately, decided to keep it simple and order a Grilled Chicken Sandwich with no bun along with fries and a Diet Coke. At the counter, I was assisted by Jared, one of the Managers working there. He was excellent as he was friendly, efficient, and very accommodating of my food allergies to all grains except for corn and rice as well as eggs. He even offered to grill my chicken breast on a separate grill and fry my fries in fresh oil, which was excellent! I received my food about ten minutes later and grabbed a table in the middle of the dining room, sitting back and relaxing. While this meal was simple, it was excellent, as I found the grilled chicken breast to be moist, tender, and well spiced, the tomatoes were ripe, sweet, and savory, the lettuce was crisp, and the fries were soft and fluffy on the inside yet crisp on the outside.

By about 6:30PM, I had finished my dinner, so I grabbed my stuff and I was ready to head back to the Magic Kingdom! What will await? Find out soon!

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 11:
After a relaxing time at the pool and a delicious dinner at Pepper Market, it was time for me to head back to the Magic Kingdom to see Happily Ever After, as this would be my first time seeing it as well as to visit more attractions. Once I left Pepper Market, I headed to the lobby, then heading outside where the park buses departed from. Since the temperatures were beginning to drop, I put on my sweatshirt. Less than five minutes later, I boarded a Magic Kingdom-bound bus. Onboard, I had an interesting time, as a man from the Chicago area, who was visiting with his family noticed my Trump hat, which as USA on the front, the number 45 on the sides, and Trump on the rear flap and complimented it! He then unzipped his sweatshirt and showed me what he was wearing, which was a black t-shirt that said Trump 45. I was very impressed, as he was really showing his support for the President. He then inquired if I checked out The Hall of Presidents? I told him I did when I went with my Mom, but would seeing it again later after Happily Ever After. I asked him how it was and he said it was excellent, which is the way I feel about it exactly! We continued to converse about Disney and by 7:00PM, we arrived at the Magic Kingdom! I then headed in, passing the Main Street USA Train Station, excited for my evening .

Once I passed underneath the train station, I made my way to the castle, hoping to scope a spot for Happily Ever After, which would start in an hour.

Thanks to arriving early, I was able to find a spot fairly close to Cinderella's Castle, even though it was fairly crowded this evening.

I relaxed for this time and at 7:50PM, the lighting on the castle changed.

By a little before 8:00PM, all of the exterior lighting near the castle was turned off and the castle's coloring changed to red and gold.

Then, the music, in the form of the theme song, "Happily Ever After" by Angie Keilhauer and Jordan Fisher played, with its catchy lyrics and almost country music-like sound made for an excellent start to set the mood! And of course, what would Happily Ever After be without fireworks?


Then, the castle's projection changed to a bluish color and then to Princess Tiana looking from the castle as "Down in New Orleans (Prologue)" played.

To be continued...

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 12:
Hi everyone! I am sorry for my four month absence from updating my TR, but my work has been keeping me busy! Luckily for me, I have a little time to update my TR, so I hope to keep at it and have it finished soon . Anyway, when I last updated my trip report, I was beginning my evening at the Magic Kingdom by watching Happily Ever After. Already, I was amazed by the projections, effects, and of course, the music! After seeing the castle come to life with Princess Tiana sing "Down in New Orleans (Prologue)," the projection then changed to the "Part of Your World" sequence from "The Little Mermaid."

Seeing Ariel swim up the turret of the castle was truly a sight to behold and an amazing use of projection! As "Part of Your World" continued to play, I then caught sight of Remy from "Ratatouille" dreaming about his cooking career and Rapunzel longing for freedom from her tower. Then, the song changed to "Out There" from "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and Quasimodo wishing to be out in the world.

After that, the music then changed to "Touch the Sky" from "Brave" and featured clips from "Brave," "A Bug's Life," "Cars," "Up," and "Finding Nemo." However, thanks to the recent popularity of "Moana," the crowd erupted in cheer when Moana was shown and "How Far I'll Go" was played.

After that, Aladdin introduced the next portion of the show, focusing on the friendships of Disney characters. And what a better way to begin than by playing "Friend Like Me?"


This was followed by an interlude of the Trashin' the Camp" sequence from "Tarzan."

Then an instrumental version of "Hakuna Matata" played.

Then an instrumental version of "You've Got a Friend in Me" played and the "Toy Story" characters decorated the castle with toys!


After that, clips from "The Jungle Book," "Wreck-it-Ralph," "Big Hero 6," "Zootopia," "Inside Out," "Monsters Inc.," and "Aladdin" were shown along with instrumental versions of "The Bare Necessities," "I've Got No Strings" from "Pinocchio," "That's What Friends Are For" from "The Jungle Book," and of course, the showstopper of The Genie performing "Friend Like Me." Happily Ever After then moved onto the theme of love, introduced by Olaf from "Frozen" with his famous "some people are worth melting for" line. This then led to "Love is an Open Door" playing followed by a sequence of Wall-E and Eve floating through a projection of the night sky on the castle, which then led to an instrumental version of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" playing, synced to Simba and Nala nuzzling. Then "You'll Be in My Heart" from "Tarzan" played and featured familial love from various Disney films, such as "Tarzan," "Finding Dory," "Up," and Dumbo," which was definitely heartwarming! However, the tone of the show then became dark, as it highlighted the conflict that various Disney characters faced. For example, Aladdin battling Jafar. This was definitely climatic and the many fireworks added, providing explosion for this portion of the show. However, Happily Ever After then changed back to a more triumphant tone, with the ghost of Mufasa reminding us "to remember who we are." The triumph of the show continued to conclude with the playing of "Go the Distance" from "Hercules" as the castle became embedded with Disney Heroes and Heroines who have attained their "happily ever after."

Finally, the show concluded with the castle's projection restoring itself to a red and gold keyhole, just like at the beginning of Happily Ever After and just like Wishes before it, ended with Tinker Bell flying over the Magic Kingdom. Overall, I loved Happily Ever After and thought it was a superb show. The use of projections for the clips from various Disney films meshed to various songs as well as the fireworks was well-synced and thought-out, as they definitely added to the story. Speaking of which, I loved how the story of Happily Ever After proceeded, as it truly did a magnificent job at capturing the journeys of various Disney characters and how they reached their happily ever after. Another small but significant item I loved was that while they included all of the movies that were hits, they did an excellent job at including many underrated gems, like "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." All in all, these factors are why "Happily Ever After" is now my favorite nighttime production at a Disney Park and is definitely a classic in my book! With the time now being 8:11PM, the night was still young as there were just under two hours until the Magic Kingdom would close. Where would I go next? Find out soon!

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 13:
After being enchanted and mesmerized by Happily Ever After, I still had a little under two hours left until the Magic Kingdom closed. With that in mind, I first headed over to Liberty Square to enjoy one of my favorite attractions, which is the Hall of Presidents! When I arrived at the entrance, I was greeted by the colonial looking architecture, which was definitely reminiscent of America during the 1700s.

Since I had about ten minutes until the next showing of The Hall of Presidents, I took advantage of that time to admire all of the details put into it. Inside, the theming continued and I passed a replica of the Presidential seal in the carpet.

As a history buff, I then had to admire the portraits of various Presidents. Depicted below are Presidents Jefferson, Wilson, and Reagan.

Followed by Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Carter.

President Lincoln:

President Jackson:

The Hall of Presidents would not be complete without a Presidential seal!

And the very first President, George Washington!

I also saw tributes to Walt Disney, which were amazing!


Finally, it was time to enter the theater to watch The Hall of Presidents!

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 14:
After appealing to my inner history buff by checking out all of the exhibits in the lobby of the Hall of Presidents, it was finally time to watch the presentation. I was excited, as this would be my second time seeing it as I first saw The Hall of Presidents with my Mother during our day trip to the Magic Kingdom just five days prior. We both loved it, especially as both are strong supporters of President Trump. I must note that while I was no fan of President Obama, I saw this version of it and thought it was excellent as well, as I appreciated the historical significance and patriotism that this attraction evokes! I then entered the theater, excited for the presentation .

Disney also did a solid job with President Trump's audio-animatronic, as while it did not look 100% perfect (more in the stature as opposed to the face that others have pointed out and no, President Obama does not look perfect either), it was amazing seeing his likeness on the stage and hearing him speak! A Also, I loved how on-point the President's hand-gestures were.


After an amazing time at the Hall of Presidents, it was time to possibly become the 1,000th Happy Haunt!


Since the wait was not long at all, I soon passed the many tombstones leading to the interior of The Haunted Mansion.


About five minutes later, I boarded my doom buggy and enjoyed being spooked silly by the axe-wielding bride as well as all of the ghosts dancing and having a grand old time in the ballroom. What's more, "Grim, Grinning Ghosts" is such a catchy and classic song! After disembarking The Haunted Mansion, passing a tombstone for Bluebeard and his loving wives.

Where would I go next? Find out in my next installment!

 

[missjackiemcg]

I still haven't seen Happily Ever After properly; only just once from the balcony at the Contemporary. The soundtrack was piped in, but we definitely couldn't appreciate the projections from that far away. I'm hopeful in December we may be able to see it, in addition to Christmas Wishes, since we will be there during the holiday week.

 

[disneywlf]

I still haven't seen Happily Ever After properly; only just once from the balcony at the Contemporary. The soundtrack was piped in, but we definitely couldn't appreciate the projections from that far away. I'm hopeful in December we may be able to see it, in addition to Christmas Wishes, since we will be there during the holiday week.

Hi @missjackiemcg! Great to hear from you again! I hope you do get to see Happily Ever properly but seeing it from the Contemporary is better than nothing. However, I definitely understand from that far away, it is much harder to appreciate the projections. I definitely hope you are able to see Happily Ever After as it is one of Disney's best in my book! However, I have not seen Christmas Wishes yet. Hopefully I will one of these days. Looking forward to hearing from you and reading more about your upcoming trip!

 

[disneywlf]

"To all that come to this happy place, welcome." Magic Kingdom 3/4/2018 Part 15:
I was having a fantastic evening at the Magic Kingdom! So far, I had been enthralled by Happily Ever After, enjoyed a patriotic presentation at the Hall of Presidents, and nearly became the thousandth haunt at The Haunted Mansion. I had one FP+ left for the day and that was to ride Peter Pan's Flight from 8:30PM-9:30PM. With the time being ten after nine, it was the perfect time to do so. Before I headed over to the "Tangled" themed restrooms, which were very well themed.

After that, I then headed over to Peter Pan's Flight.

By 9:14PM, I had arrived at Peter Pan's Flight.

Since I had FP+, I walked right on and boarded a flying pirate ship bound for Neverland! As always, I enjoyed flying through the night skies of London with Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, meeting the Darling Family, visiting the sights of Neverland, and watching Peter Pan fight Captain Hook to save the day! . With closing time at the Magic Kingdom nearing, I had one last mission I wanted to complete. That mission would be to save the galaxy with a certain Space Ranger. With that in mind, I made my way to Tomorrowland, first passing the rear of Cinderella's Castle, which was lit with light purple and blue hues.

After passing through the center of Cinderella's Castle, I then turned in the direction of Tomorrowland.

Once in Tomorrowland, I hotfooted it to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. Thanks to a posted wait time of five minutes, I was able to walk right on. Once onboard, I was determined to beat my previous record of 114,000 points, which placed me at a Level 4-Space Scout. I made this record in January 2016. While I had fun, I fell below my record at 74,200 points, which placed me at a Level 3-Ranger 1st Class.

I then played one more time thanks to no wait, but only scored 100 points better with 74,300 points, still placing me at Level 3-Ranger 1st Class. Despite not doing as well at Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, I had a lot of fun and definitely look forward to riding it again! After disembarking the ride, the time was now 9:50PM, meaning that the Magic Kingdom would be closing in ten minutes. Since that was the case, I decided to end off my night with a sweet treat. I headed over to the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor, ready to soothe my sweet tooth.

Once there, I got in line and a very kind CM handed me a menu to look at. Everything sounded delicious, but I ultimately decided on an All American Sundae, which Contained Vanilla and Chocolate Ice Creams, Hot Fudge, Peanut Butter Drizzle, Whipped Cream, and of course, a Cherry.

I waited less than five minutes and I was assisted by Lisa, a very sweet and engaging CM. After ordering my sundae, we conversed for a bit and she inquired about my day? I told her it was amazing and was able to do a lot, which made us happy! A few minutes later, I received my sundae and could not wait to tuck in, which was what I did after finding a table right outside the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. Overall, this was an excellent sundae, with creamy whipped cream, crunchy nuts and sweet but bold chocolate chips, nutty peanut butter drizzle, bold and slightly hot hot fudge, creamy and mild vanilla ice cream, sweet and slightly bold chocolate ice cream, and a sweet and tart maraschino cherry to top it off. The sundae was delicious and quite filling and made for a sweet ending to my day at the Magic Kingdom!

Once I was finished, I then walked to the front of the park to exit, but not without taking this photo in front of the castle.

By 10:20PM, I had exited the Magic Kingdom, over the moon for a truly magical day! I then boarded a Coronado Springs-bound bus and arrived there about twenty minutes after left the Magic Kingdom. I then headed to my room, where I then got ready for bed. I was excited for what tomorrow would bring, as I would be going to the Crystal Palace for the first time at 9:30AM and would be dining with Winnie the Pooh and Friends! In addition, I would have most of the morning and afternoon to enjoy the Magic Kingdom again. Unfortunately, this day would also mean the end of this trip, as I would be heading home to Delray Beach that night. However, I was still happy and ended up falling asleep at 11:30PM, excited for the day ahead!

 

[disneywlf]

Not goodbye, but see ya real soon! Magic Kingdom 3/5/2018 Part 1:
Hello everyone I hope that all is well! I am sorry I was not on for a little over a week but I was busy preparing and then waiting for Hurricane Dorian. Thankfully, Hurricane Dorian by and large spared Florida, but I am worried for the Bahamas and the rest of the East Coast and I am praying for them! Anyway, I left off leaving the Magic Kingdom the night before and then headed back to my room. After a good night's sleep, I woke up at 6:30AM. On this day, I had a 9:30AM ADR at Crystal Palace and before this trip, I had not eaten there. Before this point, the only character meal I had been to was Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary, which is excellent and I had dined there for dinner on my trips in March 2005 (with Mom), November 2007 (with Mom and Dad), January 2011 (with Mom), January 2014 (solo), and January 2016 (solo). I wanted to try something different and love Winnie the Pooh and Friends and with the location being right in the Magic Kingdom, it was a slam dunk, so I decided to try it! Before I would head to the Magic Kingdom for opening, I would check out of my room and store my bag at Bell Services until I would leave that evening, catching the 7:30PM Miami-bound Jet Set Express bus from the Walmart on Osceola Parkway in Kissimmee and then disembark at the Lake Worth Service Plaza in West Palm Beach about two hours later. After waking up, I brushed my teeth, took a shower, and then got dressed. I was pretty much packed since I did not take too much stuff, but before I left my room, I checked to make sure I had all of my belongings. With all of my belongings accounted for, I then left Cabanas Building 8A Room 8131 at about 8:15AM, so I would make the 8:30AM bus in time for park opening. I took one last photo of Cabanas Building 8A and took in the beautiful weather, thanks to sunny skies and temperatures in the 60s.

I then walked to the lobby and then headed outside, where I found Bell Services. At Bell Services, it was crowded, so I had to wait a few minutes longer than expected. However, a few minutes later, a kind and helpful male CM checked my suitcase and backpack and handed me a ticket when I would come back later that day to claim my bags. Unfortunately, the long wait caused me to miss the 8:30AM bus and I knew I would not be able to make my first FP+ at Space Mountain for 9:05AM-10:05AM, as I then had my ADR at 9:30AM. Luckily, I knew I would still make my ADR and was able to get a FP+ for Space Mountain for 1:20PM-2:20PM. In addition, I did not have to wait long for a bus to the Magic Kingdom, as another bus arrived about ten minutes later. Once the bus arrived, I boarded and then relaxed, arriving at the Magic Kingdom about twenty minutes later at 9:00AM. Since there were many people, it took about fifteen minutes to clear security, which went well, but by 9:20AM, I was already right down the middle of Main Street USA, ready for another magical day! With not much time until 9:30AM, I headed straight for Crystal Palace, with its gorgeous exterior harkening to the Victorian-era. This is actually fitting since there is some resemblance to the Crystal Palace in the Hyde Park neighborhood of London.

Once there, I was greeted by Ben from New Zealand, who was very enthusiastic and helpful. He checked me in for my ADR and since my table was not ready, he handed me a buzzer that would let me know when my table was ready. In addition, he also went over my food allergies to all grains except for corn and rice as well as eggs and handed me a pamphlet listing common allergens in various foods on the buffet, which was very handy! He also noted that Chef Joyce would be taking me around the buffet to determine what I could eat, what I could not eat, and what could be modified. We chatted for a bit and I learned that he recently celebrated his 21st birthday at Epcot, which was wonderful as we were able to talk about our times at Epcot and share stories of our times there. At 9:50AM, my buzzer went off and Ben escorted me to my table, located in a dining room to the left of the entrance. Inside, I first fell in love these topiaries of Pooh and Eeyore.

And this Friendship Day Celebration banner, which definitely helped to set the mood.

I loved the atmosphere, as the Crystal Palace was bright and airy thanks to the many windows that let a lot of natural light in and I also loved all of the light fixtures, which definitely added a late 1800s-early 1900s feel to the atmosphere. As a result, it definitely had an English and Southern feel to it. After I sat down, I was then greeted by Kip from New Zealand, who was very engaging and an excellent waiter! He poured me some orange juice and since I wanted it, brought me a carafe of coffee with all of the accompaniments.

In addition, he also said that Chef Joyce would be out in a few minutes to escort me around the buffet to determine what I could eat. Next, I then met the tablemates next to me. Their names were Robin and Reilee and they were a Mother and Daughter visiting from North Carolina. We loved meeting each other and while the fantastic waiters, waitresses, and Photopass photographers would gladly take my pictures, Robin and Reilee agreed to take pictures of me just in case and I agreed to do the same for them . After that, I then had the pleasure of meeting Eeyore! I know he can be gloomy at times, but when I met him, he was anything but. He was very excited to meet me and he definitely made my day. He gave me a huge hug and we high fived each other many times, which was awesome!

After meeting Eeyore, I then met Chef Joyce from Southampton, NY. She was very friendly and eager to please! In addition, we hit it off right away as we were both from Long Island, so we had a grand old time conversing about Long Island and our histories there as we scoped the buffet. Speaking of which, there was plenty I was able to eat and what's more? Chef Joyce said she had some other items that I would like coming from the kitchen coming to my table in a few minutes. Once again, Crystal Palace did not disappoint and Kip came out with Turkey Bacon, which worked out perfectly as I made Chef Joyce aware that I do not eat pork due to the fact that I keep somewhat kosher. Also on the plate were gluten and egg free Mickey waffles and a small cup of maple syrup. These items made for an excellent start, as the Turkey Bacon was crispy, moist, sweet, salty, and smokey. Not only did the Mickey waffles look good, but they tasted even better, as they were fluffier than most gluten free waffles I had eaten and had a balanced sweet and slightly salty taste. Since eating these Mickey waffles along with the sweet and rich maple syrup, I have not been able to find a waffle in the grocery store that has compared, except for the Publix Greenwise Gluten-Free Waffles, which come somewhat close to the Mickey Waffles in texture. Anyway, I digress.

Next, I had the pleasure of meeting Tigger! He was very energetic and definitely in the mood to bounce. While Tigger is naturally energetic and always ready to bounce, I explained to him that sometimes, I need a little boost and showed him the coffee that I was drinking in order to wake me up. He loved it and we had a grand old time bouncing around and embracing each other like old friends!



To be continued...

 

[disneywlf]

Not goodbye, but see ya real soon! Magic Kingdom 3/5/2018 Part 2:
After having a Tiggeriffic time (see what I did there) meeting Tigger, I then had a chance to go up to the buffet after tucking into my Turkey Bacon and Gluten and Egg-Free Mickey Waffles. Since I did not mention about the buffet as much in the installment before this one, I must say that all of the various dishes looked delicious and the buffet area was tended to very well, as everything was turned over frequently and kept very clean!
There were plenty of choices available, with a wide variety of different proteins, breads and pastries, fruits and veggies, and even soft serve ice cream if you were so inclined . I gathered two plates, with one plate consisting of Breakfast Potatoes and another plate consisting of Pastrami Lox, Cream Cheese, Tomatoes, and Capers. However, before I had a chance to eat, Winnie the Pooh surprised me by sitting at my table!

I could not be more excited to see the silly old bear and he then gave me a warm and huge hug!


I loved being with Winnie the Pooh and he even admired my breakfast! Since I know honey is his favorite food, I asked him if I could get him some honey? He said yes and rubbed his stomach excitedly. I told him it would be my pleasure to get him some honey and that I would ask Kip if he could get him some honey. After that, we then got this amazing photo!

The character greetings continued and I then had the pleasure of seeing Piglet! He was very sweet and I proudly showed him my plates as he would not need to worry, since I did not have any pork products like bacon or pork sausage on my plate. Piglet was very relieved and we had an amazing time hugging each other!


After Piglet met me, Robin and Reilee asked me if I could take pictures of them with Piglet and I was glad to do so. Then, since Robin and Reilee had to leave, we bid each other farewell and while I will not depict it for privacy reasons, they wished me a good day with their names and a heart written on a napkin, which I am proud to say I still have as a memory . I then went ahead and dug into my next course, which consisted of fluffy on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside red breakfast potatoes spiced with salt and pepper and complimented by sweet caramelized onions, silky in texture and smoky and peppery in flavor Pastrami Lox, mild and slightly tangy cream cheese, savory and sweet tomatoes, and briny capers.

Since all of these items were so delicious, I then got another plate of those same items, enjoying them again. After that, I got some fresh fruits, including red and ripe strawberries, sweet and sour pineapple, and refreshing honeydew and cantaloupe chunks.

While I was eating, all of the characters led the children in a parade around the restaurant, which was definitely cute. I then had the pleasure of chatting with Kip, who proved to be an outstanding waiter thanks to his engaging personality, attentiveness, and efficiency. He chatted about his life in New Zealand and asked me if I met his coworker Ben, who was working the host stand? I told him that I indeed had the pleasure of meeting Ben. Kip stated that they were very good friends and that they just celebrated Ben's 21st birthday at Epcot, enjoying the Flower & Garden Festival. I told them that I also was at the Flower & Garden Festival and enjoyed it very much, especially because I got to see Night Ranger. I asked Kip if they saw Night Ranger or any of the other bands playing and he replied in the negative. However, they still had an amazing time nevertheless! After chatting with Kip, I was then visited by the characters once again and since I got caught up being with the characters, I only got a picture with Pooh again.

By the time I completed my meal at Crystal Palace, it was about 11:30AM. I was there longer than expected, but I did not mind as I had a fantastic time! After I completed my meal, I paid the bill and then headed out, ready to enjoy the rest of the time I had at the Magic Kingdom. All in all, I would definitely dine at Crystal Palace again, as the character interactions were fabulous, the food was delicious, and the service was top-notch from waiter Kip, host Ben, Chef Joyce, and all of the other CMs I met there. It was a Tiggeriffic start to my morning dining at Crystal Palace and I looked forward to enjoying the few hours I had left at the Magic Kingdom before I would return to the real world. Where would I go next? Find out soon!

 

[disneywlf]

Not goodbye, but see ya real soon! Magic Kingdom 3/5/2018 Part 3:
After a Tiggeriffic breakfast at The Crystal Palace, I still had a few hours left until I had to head back to Coronado Springs to prepare for my trip home. Since I had a FP+ at Dumbo from 11:10AM-12:10PM, I headed straight to Fantasyland! Once there, I basically walked right onto the ride and soared to the skies with Dumbo the Flying Elephant! After that, I then enjoyed the music of a band playing in the Storybook Circus section of Fantasyland.

The only other items on my agenda for this day were a 12:10PM-1:10PM FP+ at the Haunted Mansion and a 1:20PM-2:20PM FP+ at Space Mountain. Since I was nearby and did not yet have a chance to ride it, I then proceeded to head over to Under the Sea-Journey of The Little Mermaid. As always, I had to marvel at Ariel's Castle, which is just impressive and one of the reasons that New Fantasyland is one of my favorite lands at the Magic Kingdom and at WDW!

Since the standby wait was about 30-minutes, I had a chance to check out some of the marvelous details in the queue, like the waterfalls from within.

And even the shells embedded within the pavement .

And of course, Scuttle doing his best to retell the story of "The Little Mermaid."

About twenty-five minutes later, I was onboard a clamshell. As always, I enjoyed being a part of the story of "The Little Mermaid," hearing the classic songs, and the vivid animatronics, like Ariel and Ursula. While the ending portion of the attraction is a bit condensed, I still love this attraction and I always look forward to riding it! Next, I headed to Liberty Square to ride the Haunted Mansion, where I would have the opportunity to possibly become the thousandth happy haunt!

I practically walked right on and had a grand old time being spooked silly by the axe-wielding bride as well as all of the ghosts dancing and having a grand old time in the ballroom. Also, who doesn't love the song "Grim, Grinning Ghosts?" Afterwards, I then took this cool photo in front of the famed attraction. I would not mind having this house one day, even though there would be many happy haunts.

Since I had about two hours left at the Magic Kingdom as I wanted to leave with enough time to get back to Coronado Springs, I decided to head over to Tomorrowland, as I had my last FP+ at Space Mountain. How would the rest of my day go? Find out soon!

 

[disneywlf]

Not goodbye, but see ya real soon! Magic Kingdom 3/5/2018 Part 4:
After starting a magical afternoon by soaring to the skies with Dumbo, enjoying a band playing in Storybook Circus, going under the sea with Ariel and friends, and being serenaded by the happy haunts of The Haunted Mansion, I still had about two hours left until I had to leave the Magic Kingdom. In addition, I had one last FP+ at Space Mountain from 1:20PM-2:20PM, so Tomorrowland would be my next stop. I left Liberty Square and then headed to the Central Hub, then crossing over to Tomrrowland.

Since I still had just under half an hour until my FP+, I decided to relax by heading to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover. Along the way, I got a kick out of this Robo-Newz robot!

I got to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover by 2:05PM and was able to walk right on. Once onboard, I enjoyed a relaxing ride and loved looking at the interiors of different attractions and all of Tomorrowland from various perspectives.



After a relaxing ride on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover, it was time to kick things up a notch and ride Space Mountain!

Luckily, I only waited ten minutes, which was far less than the close to two hour standby wait. I then had a grand old time hurtling through the galaxy and blasting through space! Since the time was nearing 3:00PM, I decided to end my day at the Magic Kingdom. As I headed out, I caught Festival of Fantasy, my favorite parade. I was bummed to be leaving the Magic Kingdom, but knew that I would be back and was grateful to have such a magical time!

 

[disneywlf]

Not goodbye, but see ya real soon! Magic Kingdom 3/5/2018 Part 5:
After having the most magical time at the Magic Kingdom, I ended my day at about 3:30PM as I had to head back to the Coronado Springs to have dinner, get my bags from Bell Services, and then get an Uber to the Walmart in Kissimmee on Osceola Parkway, where I would catch a bus back to South Florida. A bus to Coronado Springs arrived at 3:45PM and twenty minutes later, I arrived there. While the temperatures were beginning to cool slightly, but it was fairly warm and I was thirsty, so I decided to head over to the Laguna Bar, located along the enchanting Lago Dorado. There were a few other guests there and I immediately struck up a conversation with the female bartender from Hollywood, FL, who was very engaging. We had a nice chat as the area where she was from is about 40-minutes south of where I live, so we hit it off right away! I ordered a Strawberry Margarita and it hit the spot, as I appreciated its sweet and tart flavor and icy consistency. However, it did not measure up to the margarita I enjoyed two days ago at La Hacienda de San Angel, which may have just been among the best margaritas I have had. This one was made from a mix where as the other was not but still, it was fine .

I then began to feel hungry, so I headed over to the Pepper Market for my last meal at WDW. Once there, I placed my order with Jared, the Manager, the same CM who helped me the night before. The half chicken dinner was calling my name, so I ordered that with sides of french fries and steamed vegetables and a Diet Coke to drink. Once I placed my order, I then sat down in the middle of the dining room and a few minutes later, then picked up my food. Once again, the food at Pepper Market was delicious. The chicken was moist and juicy and the barbecue sauce that enrobed it was sweet and piquant. I also loved the fries, which were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside as well as the steamed vegetables, which were well cooked.

While I was eating, I then had the pleasure of meeting Joe, a CM from Atlanta and before that, the Bronx. He had a very outgoing personality and asked me if he could play his harmonica, as he had done for other guests? I was happy to have him do so and he did an excellent job! We then chatted for a bit about ourselves and New York, as we were both from there, with Joe being from the Bronx and me being from Long Island. I then told him that sadly, I would be heading home. He inquired as to how I would be getting back to Delray Beach and I told him that from Coronado Springs, I would get an Uber to the Walmart on Osceola Parkway, where I would then get the Jet Set Express bus back to the West Palm Beach Service Plaza along the Florida's . From West Palm Beach, I would then take an Uber back to my home in Delray Beach. Joe then added that he uses Uber and Lyft all of the time from his home in Kissimmee as he said it is convenient, relatively cheap, and usually reliable. We continued to converse and then I continued to enjoy my meal. Since I still had a little time to kill, I then went to Panchito's Gifts & Sundries to check out their souvenirs.

They had many different types of souvenirs, including many souvenirs that were Coronado Springs specific. In addition, to tie in with the Latin American theme of Coronado Springs, they also had a lot of "Coco" souvenirs. If you have not seen "Coco," I definitely recommend it thanks to its heartwarming story (it brought back memories with my late Grandma) and vivid animation. It is definitely up there with my favorite Disney-Pixar movies. However, what caught my eye was the light blue Mickey Mouse shirt with 2018 and Walt Disney World written across depicted below.

Loving this shirt, I went ahead and purchased it. While at the register, I also purchased a Mickey-shaped Rice Krispie treat with the ears covered in chocolate for the road (or so I thought). Checkout took no time and at the register, I was assisted by a kind young lady from Liberty University. Once I was done in Panchito's, it was nearly time for me to leave for the Walmart, so I first went to Bell Services, where I claimed my suitcase and my backpack. With all of my belongings in tow, I then summoned an Uber to the Walmart on Osceola Parkway in Kissimmee at 6:11PM according to my iPhone. Five minutes later, Eddy, my driver, showed up in a black 2015-2017 Toyota Camry. Eddy was very polite and professional, opening the door to the front seat for me and loading my bags into the trunk. Once this was done, we began our trip turning out of the Coronado Springs Resort onto Buena Vista Drive eastbound. From there, we then turned right onto World Drive southbound. We traveled half a mile south on World Drive until we approached the interchange for the Osceola Parkway west towards Blizzard Beach Water Park/Disney's Animal Kingdom Resort Area/FL-429/Florida's Turnpike northbound and the Osceola Parkway east towards the Florida's Turnpike/Airport/ESPN Wide World of Sports.

We exited onto the Osceola Parkway eastbound to leave WDW property. About seven minutes after we left Coronado Springs, we were nearing the WDW sign that greets motorists as they enter WDW property, so it became real that I was heading back to the real world . In addition, I knew we were nearing the interchange with Interstate 4 as there were markers above the far right and far left lanes of the road indicating exits west to Tampa, east to Orlando respectively, and the center lane for motorists heading to Kissimmee.

One minute later, we were off of Walt Disney World property and at the interchange for Interstate 4.

As we were driving, I had a pleasant conversation with Eddy. He inquired as to how my trip to Disney was? I told him that it was fantastic! I talked about all of the different things, like what I did and where I ate and he felt that my trip could not have been better! I asked him if he went to WDW a lot and he told me that he does not always go, but goes when he is able, as he does not live too far away in the Orlando suburb of Windermere. In fact, he told me he was planning on taking his daughter to the Magic Kingdom for her sixth birthday. We both agreed that this would make for a wonderful birthday! In addition, throughout our drive, he had the pop music station on and I remember one of the songs playing was "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran. Almost twenty minutes after we left Disney property, we were getting closer to Walmart, as we were already at the Crosslands shopping center.

Five minutes and two miles later, we arrived at the Walmart. I thanked Eddy for an excellent ride and then went to the middle of the parking lot, where the coach buses arrive and depart. Since the temperatures were dropping, I put on my sweatshirt and waited with the many other passengers for the next 50-minutes until our bus would arrive. While I was waiting, I also ate my Mickey-shaped Rice Krispie treat with the ears covered in chocolate, which was delicious thanks to its crunchy and gooey texture from the Rice Krispies and marshmallows as well as the bold dark chocolate on the ears. Time flew by and at 7:20PM, our bus from Jet Set Expressed arrived from its origin on International Drive in Orlando. At that time, we loaded our bags into the bus's luggage hold. Then, a representative from Jet Set Express began the boarding process by inspecting our tickets and checking our names off of a list as we boarded. By 7:31PM, I was took a seat towards the rear of the bus. While it was crowded, the bus was not as crowded as when I came up to WDW and I even had the row to myself. While I was bummed to not be at WDW, I was excited to be seeing my Mom and my dogs again!

A few minutes after I boarded the bus, we left the Walmart and turned left onto the Osceola Parkway, then entering the Florida's Turnpike (FL-91) southbound towards Miami. As we drove down the Turnpike, I listened to music from artists such as Yes, the Scorpions, Iron Maiden, The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, Elton John, George Harrison, Bad Company, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, The Clash, Queen, Kansas, and AC/DC for most of the ride. I remember that we did not stop at the Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce Service Plaza and continued speeding down the Turnpike. Two hours and fourteen minutes later at 9:44PM, I had arrived at the West Palm Beach Service Plaza.

Once I arrived there, I then summoned an Uber to head back to my home and eight minutes later, Maya arrived in a black Volkswagen Jetta. Maya was very friendly and an excellent driver. Once again, the drive further down the Turnpike was easy thanks to light traffic and nearly fifteen minutes later, we were at Exit 81: FL-806 (Atlantic Avenue). We then turned left to head east on Atlantic Avenue (FL-806). Next, we turned left onto Hagen Ranch Road northbound and then turned left into our development. After a great ride with Maya, I arrived at home at 10:15PM, where Mom was excited to greet me and gave me a huge hug! Once inside, we chatted for a bit and I showed her the plush Beast I bought her, which made her over the moon! In addition, I had the pleasure of seeing our dogs, who were all over me thanks to the fact that they wanted me home . I miss Walt Disney World and I hope to return as soon as possible. While this may be the end of the TR, I still hope to do a reflection of some statistics from my trip as well as a day by day overview, so please stay tuned. Thank you again for reading my TR and hope you are having a wonderful night!