Trip Report Disney Deja Vu

UnhealthilyObsessed · May 24, 2015

Day 1: “DISNEY!!!”

Getting to Orlando on November 16th was a very different experience than our January trip. Instead of torrential downpour, we had blue skies. Instead of a canceled flight due to a polar vortex, we had an on-time departure. Instead of pure bedlam at the airport, we were at our gate in minutes. And instead of scrambling to get to Tampa and driving a rental to WDW, we were going to land in honest-to-Walt Orlando and take the Magical Express like we were supposed to!

We grabbed our luggage and headed to the Magical Express line. Um…that was easy! We hopped aboard our Jambo House-bound bus and I braced myself for the waterworks to start. If you’re not familiar with my previous trip report, it’s worth mentioning that when I’m inside the Disney Parks, I’m kind of a blubbering mess. The joy is just too much for me to take. I’m a grown- man with broad shoulders and a beard, but if I hear the right swell of music or see a child having an experience they’ll remember forever, I’m Sally Field. As the bus entered park property and we passed underneath the familiar sign, a feeling came over me. But it wasn’t that mix of euphoria and nostalgia that makes my eyes water. It was another feeling entirely.

We were just here. Like, JUST here.

Oh, no! Did we come back too soon? Is the magic gone? After all, I first went when I was 11. Then I didn’t go again until seven years later. And my last trip (BF’s first) was 15 stinkin’ years after that! Was 10 months just not enough time to be blown away by the fantasy again? Is there such thing as a Walt Disney World Refractory Period? Just as this thought was taking enough shape to put words to, BF said, out loud:

“We were just here. Like, JUST here.”

Well, at least I wasn’t alone. The Magical Express made stops at the value resorts before dropping us off at Jambo. Luckily, even with my sudden irrational fear that we wouldn’t have as much fun this trip, the lobby once again took my breath away. The true test of this trip’s potential still lay ahead, at check-in.

So after the rescheduled trip fiasco that resulted in Arusha View and a staggering upcharge, I asked my TA to please keep checking to see if standard room packages opened up in the weeks leading up to the trip. She finally found something, but I wasn’t going to get my full $1200 back. More like $550. Still, paying $650 to change my trip was a whole lot better than paying $1200. Think of it as the lesser of two evils, like ExtraTERRORestrial. Not great, but turns out it was way better than the alternative.

Now just because I wasn’t paying for a view of the savannas didn’t mean I didn’t want a view of the savannas. Luckily, BF’s Happy Birthday button was waiting for him at the front desk, so I was hoping we’d get upgraded as a sweet little birthday gift. Those hopes seemed dashed when the CM checking us in stressed that ours was a standard view room. Well, crap. All I wanted for this trip was giraffes out my window. Alas, it seemed like it was not to be.

Our room wasn’t ready yet, so we stopped at Mara for a bite. For a food court, they do a pretty amazing job. BF and I split a really good Mediterranean salad and each had the barbecue chicken flatbread, which is pretty much my jam. Just as we finished our refillable mugs of coffee (getting up at 4 in the morning for a 6am flight requires coffee with every meal), we got a text that our room was ready. This was the moment of truth. I trudged with trepidation to our room, unlocked the door, and saw this:

GIRAFFES. OUT. MY. WINDOW!!!

I couldn’t believe it. I still can’t. Here’s my question, though: did we get upgraded? Or did we just get lucky with a standard room that somehow also had a view? After much celebration and cheering, but curiously still no tears, we decided to hit a park. And we went with the sleeper hit of our last WDW vacation: Animal Kingdom. Our bus arrived somewhat quickly, and we were off.

Animal Kingdom was a great choice for several reasons. First of all, it was sunny and warm; perfect conditions for seeing animals. Second, it was totally not crowded, which was great since we couldn’t use any FastPasses. Because of rescheduling, we had to see Fantasmic! later that night, as it wasn’t playing much of the rest of the week. So we made our FP+ selections for DHS later that night. And thirdly, we got to meet this lady:

We rushed past all the construction walls (man, there’s a ton of them, huh?) toward Asia for a date with BF’s favorite attraction at WDW: Expedition Everest. We love going through the full queue to soak in all the details. Even a considerable wait at EE yields nary a dull moment. BF bought me a very nice Expedition Leader t-shirt at the gift shop because he's a sweetie-pants. We hit the Maharaja Jungle Trek next, finally getting to see the fruit bats that weren’t out on our last trip. After being sufficiently creeped out, we met up with our fierce friend Tiger.

She cute. The two main things we missed on our first trip to DAK were Flights of Wonder and Festival of the Lion King, and I was hoping to catch both today. We had a few minutes until the next FOW, so why not another spin on EE? Flights of Wonder was so great. I think I’d be humming a different tune if a gross disgusting bird landed on my arm, but the birds were respectful of my heebie-jeebies and maintained a nice distance. About two-thirds of the way through the show, the host (and hilariously prissy co-host) unveiled their bald eagle, telling the story of how they were once endangered but through the hard work of conservationists were now thriving again in the wild. Looking at this gorgeous animal and hearing a rare tale of environmental triumph gave me the feeling I’d been waiting all day for, and my eyes welled up with tears. Salt has never tasted so sweet.

Our next stop was Festival of the Lion King. Um…holy crap. If FOW produced a teardrop, FOTLK produced a DELUGE. The opening number is so amazing, the audience participation moments are so touching, the beefy shirtless fire jugglers are so fetching…I’m actually not sure what I prefer, this or Finding Nemo: The Musical. Luckily, we don’t have to choose!

It was nearing time to switch to Hollywood Studios, and, as the dining options there are…limited, putting it mildly, we decided to grab a bite at DAK. We were right in front of Yak and Yeti, and though I have heard mixed things on account of Landry's being the scourge of the Internet, BF seemed intrigued by the menu. I checked my app, and it looked as though no ADRs were available. But we thought we’d check anyway. The hostess told us we’d have a table within 10 minutes. Disco! So let this be a lesson: if MDE says there’s no availability at a restaurants, CHECK IN PERSON. We grabbed a couple seats at the bar while we waited for our table, then found the seats so comfortable we canceled the table and elected to eat at the bar.

Yak and Yeti was an unexpected delight! Our apple sake was too sweet for our tastes, but that’s kind of our fault. Ordering apple sake and being surprised that it’s sweet is like watching a super-hero movie and going, “Whoa! An explosion?!? Didn’t see that one coming!”. We split the chicken lettuce wraps, which is a delicious option, and a rare one in WDW for people on low-carb diets. BF loved his sesame chicken entree (“I think I’ll just order something light”…b*tch, please), and my seafood curry stew was adventurous and tasty. Our server was terrific as well, and all in all our experience was fantastic. You’d never know it wasn’t owned by Disney.

Our bus to DHS was kind of a slog. And it was PACKED. We had been awake for far too many hours and were starting to fade, knowing this first night would be a long one. BF tried to catch a few z’s on the bus, while I talked to a real estate agent from Alabama who, if her hair was any higher, would have needed aircraft warning lights on top of her head. We burst through the turnstiles and man: that’s a good-looking park at night. I just love all the lit signage on all the art deco buildings. Even BF, who was less-than-impressed with the park on his first trip there, was dazzled. We were a few minutes late for our Star Tours FastPasses. Luckily, the wait was minimal, and we boldly went where…oops. Wrong franchise.

Next we took a stroll through the Osborne Lights. Gorgeous stuff! I’m usually not a fan of getting into the Christmas spirit before Thanksgiving has even happened, but when in Disney… And though the lights were lovely, I must say: the folks who wrote blog posts recommending spending an hour or more at the lights overshot by about 45 minutes. Once you look in every nook and cranny and watch the synchronized light show, you’re good! That’s it! Move on! And move on we did to Sunset Boulevard for the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. And by we, I mean me. The BF doesn’t do ToT. Once was enough for him. After making friends with some sweet Latina gals (“Oh my god, you love this ride as much as us!”), I met back up with BF to grab a much-needed bottle of water and get in line for our Fantasmic! FastPasses.

Geez. That amphitheater is huge. Like, jaw-droppingly, nearly terrifyingly huge. BF and I both looked to the left of the house at the restricted exit, thinking, man, it sure would be nice to be able to use that exit. Especially knowing the walk we had ahead of us through a sea of literally thousands of people. The only thing keeping us awake was the fact that this attraction was new to both of us, and we’d each be seeing it for the first time. A family behind us were real old-timers. I mean, seriously. Their Fantasmic! game was TIGHT. The dad and kids got seats while the mom got refreshments. Each kid had a toy to keep them occupied during the long wait before the show began. This was not their first rodeo. And if this 8:30 show was the LESS crowded of the shows that night, I would’ve shuddered to be at the 8pm.

The dad quizzed his son about characters they’d be seeing in the show. “I don’t a-member!” protested the adorable kid. BF and I giggled our faces off; we still say “I don’t a-member!” all the time. Kids are so cute; almost cute enough to have one of our own. ALMOST. The show began and the dad hummed along with the great theme music. They love this thing. I was definitely liking it, but a combination of exhaustion and the relaxation from finally sitting made my eyes very, very sleepy. BF and I both nodded off for a few seconds at a time. That said, Fantasmic! was great! The water display screens were ingenious and stunning, and I, predictably, got misty when Mickey emerged victorious. Then came the riverboat with every imaginable character! As my heart and eyes swelled yet again, the kid behind us, of “a-member” fame, cheerfully screamed, “DISNEY!!!” Which cracked us up! As if the previous 20 minutes WEREN”T positively dripping with Disney.

The walk to the exit was not as horrible as we imagined, but we were definitely ready to call it a night. We managed to squeeze in a good half hour or so of hot tub time in at Jambo House before they closed up for the night. Ah; so they’re a little more strict about pool hours at AKL than they are at POR, I suppose. Oh well.

Though it definitely felt like we had just been here, after a day of fun and magic, we realized that wasn’t such a bad thing. We retreated back to our room to bid the animals a good night and rest up for a fun day at Epcot tomorrow.

Next: Around The World in Nine-ish Drinks

sheriffwoody · May 24, 2015

That's awesome that you scored a great view! We had the savannah view at Kidani and I loved it so much. Your first day sounds like a blast.

WDI 1998 · May 25, 2015

Great Trip Report so far. Love your writing style! I cant wait to read the rest.

UnhealthilyObsessed · May 25, 2015

Day 2: Around The World in Nine-ish Drinks

I officially spent enough time at WDW in 2014 to settle into an actual routine, consisting of getting up early and taking our refillable mugs to our resort hotel food court for morning coffee. It’s just so nice to be up and take in some calm before the hustle of the parks begins. I couldn’t resist walking around the pool area of Jambo House and seeing some pink flamingos.

They’re not quite as funny as the John Waters movie would have you believe, but they’re also way less gross. When I got back to the room to present BF with his coffee, he was out on the balcony enjoying the sounds of the Fab Four. No, I’m not talking about The Beatles, I’m talking about The Zeabras.

I still think Abbey Dirt Path is their best work. Then I shooed BF into the shower because I told him he had to be ready by 9:30 and time was a-wasting! Our surprise reservations for the Behind the Seeds tour were at 10:30 and I know my boyfriend: if Marie Antoinette saw how long it takes him to get ready, she’d be all, “Hurry it up, queen.” And who knew how long it would take for an Epcot bus to show up? I didn’t want to leave anything to chance.

Well, of course he took too long. And of course we didn’t get to the bus stop until 9:45. And of course an Epcot-bound bus showed up and was too full to take us, so we had to wait for the next one. So of course we showed up to the Land pavilion a few minutes late. They said they could either get us in, having missed a few minutes, or just put us on the 1pm tour. We opted for the 1pm tour so we spared ourselves the social apocalypse of showing up late and being seen as “those people.” In BF’s defense, we totally would’ve made it on time had we been able to take that first bus. At least that’s what I kept telling myself through gritted teeth.

Now we had time to eat! After an abortive attempt to eat at Electric Umbrella (despite the doors being open, it wasn’t serving for another 20 minutes, which we had to figure out for ourselves as the CM’s kind of ignored us?), we headed to World Showcase for a bite at Kringla Bakeri og Cafe. I had heard fairly magical things about the school bread, and we decided to see for ourselves. Each of us got a sandwich and side salad and dessert. DINING PLAN HACK: the side salads were covered by our plan, even though it doesn’t say anywhere that it would be. We have found that often with starter salads and other side items, the dining plan covers the cost. Which is amazing, because my main complaint about the plan is that I’d rather have a salad or appetizer option be included than a dessert. Even on vacation, I feel gross about having a dessert with every single meal. Note to little children for whom dessert with every meal is their life’s aspiration: it’s not as fun as it sounds.

Our sandwiches were decent if unspectacular. And BF really beefed it when he opted for the berry cream puff and not the school bread. His complaint? It was too creamy. “Excuse me, miss? There seems to be cheese and some type of burger in my cheeseburger! What gives?” We both agreed that my school bread was kind of da bomb.

With a bit of time to kill before our rescheduled tour, we opted to Test some Track. I’m finally getting the hang of how to optimize my car’s features. After our ride, I redesigned my car to an even leaner, meaner driving machine. With sick rims to boot! Then we hit Spaceship Earth to check in with our friends Judi Dench and Data Banks. Unfortunately, we couldn’t play with any of the post-show goodies because we had to race back to The Land lest we miss our reservation again!

Right on time. Nice. Like, Walt-Disney-font-nametag nice.

Behind the Seeds was so much fun! We had a great time walking through the hydroponic gardens and getting a closer peek inside the labs. This is the very stuff that Epcot is all about, and frankly I wish the rest of the park retained this original spirit. I mean, who DOESN’T want to be snapped at by a swarm of hungry alligators, sending you screaming into the air like a woman? Anyone? All in all, BF really seemed to love Behind the Seeds, and I think appreciated the gesture of surprising him with it even though he totally made us late rassum frassum!!! I’m not bitter.

After a spin on Living With the Land to review everything we toured, we headed to The Seas for some Nemo and Turtle Talk and that amazing aquarium. Turtle Talk is officially one of our WDW must-dos, and I absolutely love that giant tank. After all, it’s one of the only times I get to catch up with my friend Squeaky.

By the time we were done with the dolphin show (where they were going to demonstrate some new technology and then immediately changed their minds without mentioning it…what?!?), it was straight-up pouring outside. No stranger to a rainy Epcot, we hopped over to Starbucks and then to Club Cool, a first for both of us!

Okay, guys. What’s the big problem with Beverly? All told, I think it was one of the better soda choices! I’d much have a slightly bitter soda than one that tastes like diabetes in a cup. Ugh…some of those other flavors be nasty. Luckily my girl Bev makes a nice palate cleanser.

Our dinner ADR at San Angel Inn was still a couple hours away, but we elected to hit World Showcase and begin our earnest attempt to drink around the world. We spent our last trip with a non-drinker, so we didn’t hit the booze very hard so no one felt left out. But now it was just BF and me, and we were ready to put it away.

1st Stop: Canada. There’s no bar at Le Cellier?!? We learned that the annoying way, as we were directed back toward a beer cart in the rain. Worse still, the beer cart didn’t open for another 10 minutes or so! We were getting very good at showing up either too early or too late for stuff today. When the cart finally opened though, BF and I ordered two steins full of extremely alcoholic beer. Some might say too alcoholic. Then the rain really started coming down and we drank inside a store. Weird feeling, but well worth repeating.

2nd Stop: England. Surprisingly for a rainy day, Rose & Crown was not packed. We got a seat at the bar and ordered a Scotch egg and crisps to go with our Smithwicks (that we split). Nothing like having some English food as an appetizer for Mexican food.

3rd Stop: France. We shared a flight of champagnes because we were obviously tipsy from Canadian beer and not in our right minds. We befriended a very sweet family who were also on a liquor-soaked mission.

4th Stop: Mexico. What?!? You read that right. Our ADRs were coming up, and we hoofed it over in the other direction to check in at San Angel Inn. I requested a table by the water so we could watch the boats go by from the Three Caballeros ride. Plus it was pretty romantic and cool. While we waited, we went-where else? To La Cava Del Tequila. I’ve heard amazing things about this place, and all of them were correct. I got a cucumber margarita and BF got an avocado margarita, and both were absolutely out of this world. Interesting, delicious, and best of all, strong! Our meal at San Angel Inn was very nice too! I know the place is more known for its theming and ambience than its food, but I wouldn’t shake a stick at the mole I had. Because a) it was really tasty and b) why would anyone shake a stick at anything, really?

5th Stop: Norway. Now that we’ve had some food to soak up the alcohol, it should be easy to get back on the drinky train, right? Yeesh. BF and I split a Carlsberg (not a Norwegian beer; is Norway determined to not have anything purely Norwegian in its pavilion?) as we thought, “Why are we doing this?” Then we thought, “Well, off to the next country to drink some more!”

6th Stop: China. We split slushy plum garbage and it was sickly sweet and very bad.

7th Stop: Germany. We split a Hefeweizen that, though tasty, was just a little too strong for our current state. It was time to switch to wine.

8th Stop: Italy. We ran into the family again! Both parties were visibly more friendly, more chatty, and more inebriated. But not in a disrespectful way. In a fun way! BF and I split a really nice red wine, but we were running out of time. So we split.

9th Stop: America. Nothing says stars and stripes like reluctantly downing a glass of wine that could have easily come from a box. Sutter Land of the free, Sutter Home of the brave.

…and we failed. I thought for sure that Japan and Morocco would stay open throughout IllumiNations. But as the lights were dimming around World Showcase Lagoon and that stirring music began, everyone was closing up shop. Still, 9 out of 11 countries in three or so hours wasn’t too shabby. And the best part? We still had our wits about us. For the most part.

On the way back to AKL, I looked at the weather forecast: tomorrow was not looking good. The plan was for it to be one of our resort days and not use a park ticket. But why waste a pool day on bad weather? We had decisions to make. BF was cool with going to the parks the next day and doing two days in a row at the resort when the weather was better. So I switched Friday’s FP+ at Magic Kingdom and ADR at Biergarten to the next day instead. Little did BF know that meant we now would be at MK three days in a row due to the surprise tickets to MVMCP. I started to get nervous that I’d spring the tickets on him on Thursday and he’d be like, “Seriously? Again?” and not be into it. So I ruined the surprise and gave him the heads up. He was up for it, as MK is his favorite park.

Another dip in the hot tub and it was full steam ahead. Unless we're too hung over, of course.

Next: Day 3: Make A Wish And Dream A Wish And Make That Wish Believe in Your Dreams!

UnhealthilyObsessed · May 26, 2015

Day 3: Make A Wish And Dream A Wish And Make That Wish Believe in Your Dreams!

Despite our best attempts, we woke up without any discernible hangover. So let me get this straight: I can mix beer, tequila, wine, and slushy plum garbage and wake up without a headache? This really IS the place where dreams come true!

With our resort day now a park day due to it being…well, insanely fugly outside, BF and I hopped the bus to MK. We arrived hungry, so naturally I chose to make the biggest blunder of our trip: eat at Cosmic Ray’s. See, last trip’s visit to Pecos Bill’s was so awesome due to the toppings bar, so how could we possibly go wrong by going to the other quick service joint at MK with a toppings bar? Very easily, it turns out. First of all, it was mobbed. If November is a relatively low season for crowds, it sure seemed like every person who has ever even said the word “Orlando” was there. Second, what in the name of all that’s holy is the deal with the ordering stations? This one has chicken and burgers but no hot dogs! This one has salad and burgers, but no soda! This one has onion rings and polenta but no plates! Did the Imagnineers design this place as a dare?!? Once we found seating (in the Sonny Eclipse section, no less!), my anxiety subsided a bit. Plus my pulled pork sandwich was not too shabby, aided by copious amounts of cheesy goop from the toppings bar. A certain blog that shall remain nameless highly recommended this place, but it seemed more like a recommendation from someone who was high.

It straight-up seemed crowded at Magic Kingdom. If this is what it’s like on a crappy November Tuesday, I shudder to think what the crowd levels are like on a hot summer Saturday. We queued up for Little Mermaid, which had a 30 minute wait. The most we ever waited for anything at all in January was 30 minutes. And now it seemed like our best option. I know I’m repeating myself, but reports of November’s low crowds have been greatly exaggerated. That said, the queue for Little Mermaid is super-cool and we were engaged the whole time! Just seeing kids enchanted by the interactivity is worth it for us. Plus, despite its somewhat poor reputation amongst WDW fans, we both really love the ride.

We retreated back to Tomorrowland for one of our very favorites: the TTA Peoplemover. My biggest WDW fanboy fantasy is that they expand it somehow to go through all the lands (dipping underground in front of the castle, of course), with the motifs changing to fit the theme of each land. Can you imagine? The ride would take like an hour and it would be THE BEST. Speaking of the best, we then braced ourselves for the worst! That’s right: we rode Stitch’s Great Escape. Basically the line was short and we’d never done it before, so what was the harm? Plus I’ve got a thing for superlatives. I’m first in line for things I hear are the best, but also the worst. Have you guys seen The Room? Because it’s the worst, it’s also the very, very best.

All that said, Stitch’s Great Escape sucks big time. Truly terrible. Not even Kevin McDonald and the olfactory wizardry of the chili dog burp could save it. Our journey back into the not-terrible began with our Space Mountain FPs. We love this one so much. It’s always a little faster and a little scarier than you remembered it.

With Tomorrowland conquered, we headed through the hub to Adventureland, catching the tail end (no pun intended) of Dream Along With Mickey. Finally, a character show at Disney World about believing in your dreams! Such an unexplored premise here. As we crossed through the crowd, I started singing “Make a wish and dream a wish and make that wish believe in your dreams!” Sadly, no company mucky-muck overheard me and hired me on the spot to write every show, ride, and parade.

Our next FP was for Pirates, one of my favorite attractions in the whole world. Yep, I like it better than Disneyland’s. If that’s heresy, than call me Debbie Heresy. That said, I noticed three things: 1. The Davy Jones projection effect was not working. 2. The ride was stalling A LOT. Either there was an incredible percentage of disabled guests on the ride slowing down the loading and unloading process or something was wrong. And 3. Noticing these things meant I was becoming a Disney person. Yikes. Yet despite my dorkiness, I must say the upcoming refurb is a much-needed one.

We got off Pirates and took a stroll through Liberty Square, noticing that the Liberty Square Ferryboat was about to disembark. As neither of us had ever been on it, we figured we might as well! What a well-spent half hour! We had a lovely, relaxing time taking in the familiar sights of MK but from all-new angles. BTMRR looked particularly craggy and cool. It was also cool to see the show scenes from the other side of the railroad.

We still had time to kill before our BTMRR FP (sometimes I think about what a non-WDW fanatic would think of these posts made almost entirely of abbreviations), and though it was cold and a little rainy, Splash Mountain had a five minute wait, is one of my favorite attractions, and was closed during our last trip. So we gave it the old “How Do You Do?” Well, we loved it so much we went immediately on it again. BF had been on the Disneyland Splash Mountain and loved it, but never MK’s. And I had been, but not in more than 15 years. Well, it’s darn near perfect. Indoor scenes, outdoor scenes, fun drops, great characters, incredibly immersive environments…by the time we get to “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,” it’s practically a religious experience. Only less guilt and more bunnies.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was fun as always, though I wish one of these times the train would make a stop in Tumbleweed so I could get a tiny glass of sarsaparilla. Our three FP+ for the day had concluded, and for the first time, we could now stop at kiosks and keep the magic coming. Our 4th selection of the day was a no-brainer (and sometimes a no-header): The Haunted Mansion. We had some time to kill beforehand, and were feeling a bit peckish, so we grabbed a snack at the corn stand in Liberty Square. Y’know, the corn on the cob with the flavored powders? It ended up being a much better idea on paper than it was in practice. The corn wasn’t very flavorful, and the powders just kind of made everything messy. Plus the CMs at the stand just didn’t conduct themselves at their usual standard. It may sound picky, but once you get accustomed to staff going above and beyond, it’s definitely noticeable when they’re simply doing the bare minimum.

The Haunted Mansion, as usual, was amazing. But as we were going backwards down the hill at the beginning of “Grim Grinning Ghosts,” the ride got stuck for like five minutes! I suppose if you’re going to get stuck anywhere, it’s kind of a fun place to be.

And with that, we bid MK a “See you real soon!” and hopped a Monorail (for the first time this trip!) to Epcot for our ADR at Biergarten. And wouldn’t ya know it? An Epcot-bound Monorail was waiting for us when we pulled into the TTC! AND instead of having to go all the way down one ramp and walking back up the other side like our January trip, we could just walk across the platform lickety-split. Glad they did something about that.

Because getting to Epcot was so efficient, we had some time in the parks before we needed to be at Biergarten. It appeared as though a FIFTH FastPass was in order! In a SECOND park, no less! Very exciting if you’re a nerd like me. We grabbed FPs for Soarin and headed to the exclusive Disney Visa character spot. I became a Disney Visa member before our trip because they offered a deal too good to pass up: a free $200 Disney gift card if I spent $1000 in the first three months. Well, I put the whole trip on the card, earned 2% rewards on it, immediately paid it off, and then got 200 free dollars! How crazy-pants is that? The CM attendant was from my hometown of Buffalo (as is, seemingly, half the people in the park on any given day), so we chatted about chicken wings and beeves on weck until it was our turn to take a free pic with Minnie! Yet another perk!

In the FP queue for Soarin, we met a sweet mother of two taking her kids on it for the first time. It’s little interactions like these that make trips to WDW so special. She and her children were so enthusiastic and excited about the parks, and it’s nice to feel like that shared passion can make you friends no matter where you go. Also, she laughed at my jokes so she’s obviously an amazing person.

By the time we got off Soarin, we were running a teeny bit late for Biergarten. Like, of course we were. Because even when I try to move at a leisurely pace, I MUST FILL EVERY MINUTE OF TIME OR I’M NOT GETTING MY MONEY’S WORTH. I’m working on it.

We waited to be seated at Biergarten for quite a while, but I’m pleased to report it was worth it. We absolutely loved this place. People can knock(wurst) the food all they want, but we thought everything was completely delicious, and those who don’t like the communal seating must be social pariahs. The Brazilian family we sat with was very kind and friendly. BF and I ordered beers the size of our heads and hit the buffet. Out of an obligation to eat a balanced meal, we had a bunch of everything. But if I’m being honest with myself, I could’ve just eaten the pretzel rolls and beer cheese soup and been happy as Augustus Gloop in a chocolate river. Biergarten really chicken danced its way into our hearts. Plus, between this and San Angel Inn, I’ve decided I’m no longer interested in eating at a restaurant if it doesn’t have its own moon.

BF: “That was great!”
Me: “Yeah! I booked it because you loved how it looked from the scenes in Escape From Tomorrow!”
BF: “Oh, really? I don’t even remember that. But it was great!”
Me: *prolonged sigh*

We headed for the exits as Epcot fell to a post IllumiNations hush. We even had to wait as the barges retreated past the drawbridge.

For a day we more or less had to improvise last-minute, it was fantastic. Plus tomorrow promised better weather and two, count them, two! marquis ADRs. Maybe Disney Deja Vu wasn’t anything to be worried about at all.

Next: Day Four: Cinderella, Be Royal! Our Table Guest!

FlaggNL · May 26, 2015

Great start of the TR! Love the pictures! Thanks for the share and off course following along!

sheriffwoody · May 26, 2015

My husband and I are people who don't like the communal tables, but I whole-heartedly admit that we are kind of anti-social. I loved the food at Biergarten too! I read reviews where they say it's just so-so, but I guess it's just a cuisine that's not for everyone. Glad you both enjoyed it!

Mickey2422 · May 26, 2015

Really enjoying your trip report so far. I love how you write

Courtney6682 · May 26, 2015

I love you!!! We'd be great pals in real life.. your sense of humor is just like mine! Can't wait to read more!

BigHero4 · May 26, 2015

Awesome TR! Can't wait for more hilarious details!!

Doc Disney · May 26, 2015

Yes! I loved your last TR! So happy you have another one! Great start so far

PS I'm from Buffalo too!

Longers · May 26, 2015

Great trip report - even though it's taken a while it's been worth the wait!
I was there in Nov too and it was way more busy than normal - it's no longer the quiet time to go. Not much crying so far in this trip report (I remember loads from your last one!)
Unless there is a flood to come all at once?
Following along.

UnhealthilyObsessed · May 26, 2015

Day Four: Cinderella, Be Royal! Our Table Guest!

This was the day I’d been waiting for a for a very long time. ADRs for both Cinderella’s Royal Table for lunch and Be Our Guest for dinner, plus the Festival of Fantasy parade AND the Welcome Show? It’s every little princess’s dream come true! And as the biggest little princess of them all, I was stoked.

BF couldn’t be bothered to get it together in time to catch the Welcome Show, so I grabbed him coffee from Mara and went on my merry way. That’s what’s great about traveling together; we allow each other the freedom to move at our own pace. The bus moved from AKL to MK at a perfectly reasonable pace, but for me, it was CRAWLING. Would I be late to my first Welcome Show? Would my childlike wonder and merriment be stifled? It turned out that no, no, it would not be.

I arrived just in time, and as the show started, I realized I was going to have to hide my face from everyone around me, due to my Angela Chase ugly-crying. It was all just so sweet and fun and nostalgic and magical, though the family who got to ride the train with all the characters made me so jealous, I briefly considered Single White Female-ing them. What an amazing way to start a day in the Magic Kingdom.

My first Welcome Show gave way to my first rope drop, as I elected to head into Fantasyland for Peter Pan’s Flight. I had FPs for it later, but I love it so much I wanted to be able to ride it more than once. Had BF been here, we’d have made a mad dash for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, but there was no way he’d be cool with me doing it for the first time without him. And vice versa! Well, I ended up being the SIXTH guest on Peter Pan’s Flight. How awesome is that? The knowledge that I was a hardcore rope drop pimp made the jaunt to Neverland that much more satisfying. Almost as satisfying as getting off the ride to find there was already a 25 minute wait for it, with dozens of rope drop non-pimps now snaking around the queue.

My next stop was it’s a small world, because I figured BF wouldn’t be interested and I straight-up love it. Did I mention I was wearing my mouse ears? Yeah. It was that kind of day.

To my absolute shock, BF texted me to inform me he was in the park! He got it together way sooner than I thought he would. Looks like the best way to light a fire under his butt is to do the opposite of nagging. Another pro tip for those playing at home.

We met in front of our 1st FP destination: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Oh, man, we were so stoked! They were mere weeks away from opening on our last trip, and watching them test the cars on the track made us giddy with anticipation for our next trip, and probably helped seal the deal that we’d be returning the same year like insane Disney monsters.

My review: what a joy! I think my expectations were tempered by the underwhelming reviews, but I loved this ride. The swinging car system was really cool, the audio-animatronics were incredible, the shadows of the dwarfs singing “Heigh Ho” on the hill,the end scene that looks so happy but ends so ominously…I was just blown away by its attention to detail and affection for the source material. I feel like a lot of the attraction’s critics are holding it to unrealistic standards. It’s not going to be some high-adrenaline thrill ride…it’s in New Fantasyland! Yes, it seems like kind of a short ride…so get a FastPass! Most rides seem really short once you’ve waited an hour and a half! Once the buzz subsides and the wait times become more manageable, I think people will come around to 7DMT. Our next goal was to somehow be able to do it at night. It seemed unlikely, as we had just used our only available FP. Maybe during MVMCP…

Our next stop was Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. This one is a real take-it-or-leave-it for me, so I cannot for the life of me explain why we went there after 7DMT, especially since we had to go back to Fantasyland for our CRT ADR. And yet, that’s what we did. If you traced our footsteps throughout our day in MK, it would probably look like the drunken stumbling of two vagrants in an absolute stupor.

It was CRT time! OMG! OMG! This is one of those things that I can’t believe BF wanted to do. For the most part, I try to keep my Disney fandom close to the chest, for fear of terrifying people. Because let’s face it: we are terrifying. But on our January trip, as we passed underneath Cinderella’s Castle, BF looked up at the windows and asked, “What’s in there?” I explained that it was Cinderella’s Royal Table, to which he responded, “Ooh! We have to eat there!” Um…done and DONE. Because OF COURSE I wanted to eat there too, but admitting this to BF felt akin to telling him I wanted to dress up as Cinderella. Which I don’t. As far as you know.

The CM that we checked in with was from Dunkirk, New York, my mother’s hometown! This was a sign that this meal was meant to be. I told him about our geographical connection, to which he responded, “That’s nice.” I mean, I get that he was busy, but geez. Dunkirk has like eight people. You like, definitely knew my grandma. How are you not excited?!? My grandma was awesome!!!

Nothing builds up an appetite like waiting in a line to get your picture taken when you think you’re about to eat. That said, it was amazing to see so many little kids absolutely lose it for the chance to meet Cinderella. Especially when those little kids were us.

The restaurant itself was just gorgeous. We were elegantly escorted to our table and I immediately noticed that we were the ONLY guests in the restaurant without children. Not one other table was childless. I had two options: shave my beard, throw on a baseball cap with a propeller on top, and pretend to be BF’s nephew, or just be fine with it. I chose the latter.

Our appetizer plate was delicious, though I must admit I had forgotten all about it until writing this trip report. So I guess it was good but not memorable? My chicken, however, was the bomb. Perfectly cooked and seasoned, hot and delicious. Was it worth the cost of the meal? Probs not. Was the total experience worth the cost of the meal? Hells to the yes!

A few months after we first booked the trip, BF offhandedly asked “So what do I owe you?” I was wondering when this would come up. I knew he’d be VERY resistant to me paying for the whole trip, but it was really what I wanted, and unbeknownst to him, the whole trip was already paid for. So I answered, “Um…you owe me the tips from our table service meals, maybe get me a t-shirt, and take me to a meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table. I’ve got everything else.” And here we were! And luckily, he seemed to be enjoying himself too. Particularly when dessert came out.

Now THAT’S some Imagineering.

With lunch behind us, we decided to stay in the area and stop into Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for shiny dresses and glitter updos. Just kidding. As far as you know. No, it was time for my second spin on Peter Pan’s Flight, this time with BF in tow. Always just a little more magical with him sitting next to me.

From there, another BF surprise: he really wanted to see the Festival of Fantasy parade! I thought this was another one of those things he’d roll his eyes at, but when he caught the tail end of it as we got off Splash Mountain the day before, he said, “That looks amazing. I’d like to see the whole thing.” Well, this was our chance. We grabbed Starbucks on Main Street (an essential part of any commando touring plan) and headed to the second floor of the train station, where we got a viewing spot at the railing with only a few minutes until showtime! What an amazing parade, and what an incredible view! The area eventually got pretty crowded, but never unbearably. So if you’re ever in a pinch and need a place to view a parade with short notice, check out the train station. So many killer floats. But also fiery steampunk awesomeness.

And these two obscure characters. Anyone know their names?

After the parade, BF and I decided to be bold and crazy and do something we’ve never done before: a mid-day WDW nap. We are NUTS, y’all! Being right by the exit made our decision easy. We rode our bus back to AKL with a family from Buffalo (again!) whose flight back home was canceled days ago because of the insane storm they got. ‘Member that? 90 inches? People opening their doors to walls of snow? They’d been stranded at WDW for days. I suppose there’s worse places to be stranded, huh? Haiti, Afghanistan, Six Flags… All kidding aside, the father said, “Man, I gotta say I’m pretty sick of Mickey Mouse.” Fair enough. I elected not to tell him that my parents happened to live just a mile north of the storm and got only 4 inches. That would’ve been cruel.

Only a few things can come between my BF and I and sleep. Alcohol is one of those things. We tried desperately to just get back to our roomand rest, but the siren song of Victoria Falls was simply too much to resist. I have heard many things about mixed drinks at WDW, and they all range between terrible and abhorrent, but we had good luck with margaritas at La Cava Del Tequila and thought maybe lightning could strike twice if we ordered the Mount Kilimaritas. It did. These cocktails were delicious. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.

Then we napped.

Then we got up! It’s a wonder we were able to sleep at all, as our most-awaited activity on this trip lay ahead of us: dinner at Be Our Guest! I had a grey stuff-eating grin on my face on the bus to MK, the anticipation swelling as we rode Space Mountain for our last FP.

At last we arrived and the magic began. From start to finish, this was an utterly sublime experience. When the hostess lead us to our table in the main ballroom and I took in the sights, I was utterly overcome. Photos don’t begin to do it justice. It feels exactly like you’re in the movie, and as it’s my favorite Disney movie, I’m pretty sure you know what happened next. ALL OF THE TEARS. Enough salt for everyone’s steak all night, at every restaurant in the park where steak is sold. I tried to keep it together for BF, but physically wiping water from my face is always a telltale sign, if a subtle one.

If you guessed our waitress was from Buffalo, you guessed right, because every other person in Orlando is a Buffalonian. And she was an absolute delight! Any complaints I had about CM rudeness this trip melted away with this gal. When you go, ask to sit in Chris’s section. She’s the best! We ordered a charcuterie plate and a bottle of Enchantee, a rose made just for BOG! The plate was yummy and the wine was lovely and crisp. We were off to a good start.

On Chris’s recommendation, I ordered the “cast member special,” which is the NY strip on the menu, but with mac and cheese instead of truffle fries. BF ordered it with the fries, so we had the best of both! Not only was the NY strip the best food I’ve ever had in a theme park, it was also one of the best steaks I’ve ever had in my life. Did my tear salt give it that extra zip? Who can say?

We both were really enjoying our meals, both the mac and cheese and truffle fries being delicious options. And when we were done, rather than be rushed to order dessert and scram, Chris encouraged us to just take our time and enjoy our wine. So we did! We eventually got around to ordering coffees and selecting desserts. I asked Chris about the taste of the grey stuff, but what she told me seemed dubious. So I picked up my bread and butter plate and asked it. And it did not answer me because it was an inanimate plate. Fair. I went with the grey stuff anyway and it was…

…very tasty!

After dinner we walked around the restaurant and squealed with delight at every indelible detail. If only we had taken pictures…

A very regal pic with The Beast later, and our fairytale fantasy come true had come to a close. I can’t get back here soon enough. By the time we emerged from his castle, the park had long been closed, and we leisurely strolled to our bus to head to AKL. We were greeted in our room with a gift basket from DF, our Disney-obsessed friend we took our January trip with! Stuffed with goodies and a great Mickey Mouse coffee mug and Mickey ear Christmas ornaments with our names on them, it was the sweetest gesture and a great way to feel his presence with us on this trip. A perfect end to a perfect day.

And yes, I cried again. A-doy.

Next: Day Five: When You Wish Upon A Carb…

littleroo · May 26, 2015

Great trip report!! Great writing!!! Love your take on life and Disney!

stevehousse · May 27, 2015

Great report. We usually go to wdw either beginning of May or middle of November for low crowds. I remember people saying that Nov this past year was way more crowded than it had ever been. Glad you guys are having fun!

FlaggNL · May 27, 2015

Wow that desert! Looks marvelous! Was the taste as good as the look? Thanks for sharing!!

BigHero4 · May 27, 2015

awesome TR as usual... more please!

TTiiMM · May 27, 2015

I was at WDW from 11/11/14 through 11/18/14. I hadn't been for about ten years. I thought November would be the best due to warm-ish weather and low crowds. The weather was good but I was really surprised at the crowd levels. I guess there really isn't much of an "off season" any longer.

UnhealthilyObsessed · May 27, 2015

Day Five: When You Wish Upon A Carb…

After the occasionally breakneck pace of the last few days, I was really looking forward to a much-needed chillax. I made my daily stop to Mara, but instead of merely refilling our coffee mugs, I also brought back breakfast.

When you wish upon a carb…

Instead of cramming into a bus and frantically hopping from ride to ride, we sipped coffee and had breakfast on our balcony. So boring. Nothing inspiring or amazing happened to us at all.

Are you done weeping for us? Good.

It was a nice sunny day, if a tad chilly. But we braved the pool nonetheless. After all, a couple of Mount Kilimaritas have an uncanny ability to warm you right up. We hot tubbed for a bit, chatting with a DVC owner at Jambo House (stop putting ideas in my head!) and occasionally cooling off (freezing off?) in the pool. It was so relaxing and fun; why do we spend a fortune on park tickets again?!?

Soon enough, it was ADR time! Our first table service meal at AKL this trip, Sanaa, was upon us. We ate at Boma on our last trip and it’s part of what made us fall in love with the resort in the first place. Plus we got to visit Kidani Village! Our walk across the parking lot reminded me of Lord of the Rings in that a great treasure lay ahead of us and it was absolutely endless. We hit the Kidani lobby, which is really more a lobbyette. Lobblet? I’m saying this joint was teensy.

Sanaa was glorious. And nearly a ghost town at lunch. So let me say this: some of you should go to Sanaa! I’m not saying all of you, because if all of you come, it’ll be hard to get an ADR, and it’s already hard enough to get them elsewhere, so cool your jets, you guys; why are you all trying to crowd me and ruin my trip? So please: a medium amount of you have to check out Sanaa because you’re missing out on something wonderful. Obviously, we started with the bread service because we’re human beings with blood in our veins, and also we were fully invested in wishing upon carbs today. The bread service and all of the accompaniments were incredible. We were two bites in when BF suggested that tomorrow we come back and just do cocktails and bread service. Uh…yes, please! I got the beef short ribs and chicken vindaloo as my entree; everything was fantastic. The dessert trio was a treat as well, because the only thing better than dessert is three desserts.

And there’s no better way to end a delicious meal than to stroll out on a savanna and look at all the gorgeous animals. So relaxing, so beautiful, can’t get enough. We could also see our hotel room from there! Man, we could save like 10 minutes by cutting through the savannas to get back…do you think if I stripped down and pranced across, I could pass as a gazelle? No? Well, who asked you?

It was time to turn down the volume on our day, from a booming 4 to a brisk 2.5. That’s right; it was nap time. With Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only a few hours away, visions of sugarplums were dancing in our heads. If sugarplums had mouse ears.

I got up first (please try to contain your disbelief) and decided to explore Jambo House. I hit the lobby and couldn’t believe it. Santa had come!

The Jambo House lobby had been decorated for Christmas while we slept! The tree looked spectacular, and I felt really lucky to have seen it both in both regular and Extra Tasty Christmassy flavors on this trip. After getting photos on every floor from every conceivable angle (hello, faux suspension bridge!), I headed outdoors to the savannas. And wouldn’t you know it: I made it just in time for the marshmallow campfire! Some people might find a grown man with no children asking for multiple marshmallows to roast a little creepy; those people have a great point. That didn’t stop me.

My belly full of naan, chocolate mousse, and marshmallows (a North African S’more?), I returned to the room to see BF gearing up for MVMCP! Not having to harass him into getting ready on time is the gift that keeps on giving.

On the bus to MK, we were treated to a five year-old girl scream-singing “Let It Go” IN ITS ENTIRETY (thanks for your positive reinforcement, that monstrous girl’s parents!) which, combined with BF having just woken up, made for a pretty cranky travel companion. This was further compounded by the fact that we arrived for MVMCP right at 7, just as the huddled masses stampeded for the exits at closing time. I tried cutting through to Tomorrowland at Casey’s Corner when BF screamed “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!? HAVEN’T WE BEEN TO TOMORROWLAND ENOUGH?!?” Well excuse me, Cranky McNasterson. At least he waited until Day 5 to have a case of the Day 3s. We crossed below the hub to the Adventureland side, and once we left Main Street, USA, it. Was. Empty. Like, a movie theatre showing John Carter empty. It was crazy.

We walked right onto Pirates (Davy Jones effect still not happening!) and made our way to Sunshine Tree Terrace for hot chocolate and cookies. Yum! For free refreshments, I was expecting stale cookies and ice cold hot chocolate. No, madam! The apple cinnamon-flavored cookies were warm and delicious, and the hot chocolate was a toasty delight. We hit two of my favorite MK nighttime jams, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and got the hell outta there before the 1st parade started. According to most WDW/MVMCP strategists, the second parade is less crowded. So we chose to eat during parade #1 and catch parade #2. Pecos Bill’s, baby! It was the perfect place to eat and pass the time as the parade slowly made its way through Frontierland. And the toppings bar there will never not be my jam. That cheese sauce is so freakin’ good, I briefly flirted with the idea of dipping my chocolate cake into it. I deserve some type of medal for my restraint.

With the streets of Frontierland free again, we headed through Liberty Square to Haunted Mansion and onto Fantasyland. where we took a spin on the Winnie the Pooh before finding a seat by the entrance to New Fantasyland to watch the fireworks. Watching Wishes from Main Street or the Hub is lovely, but watching in Fantasyland feels like the fireworks ARE HAPPENING ON YOUR HEAD. We love it, and though it was absolute bedlam all around us with high traffic and screaming children and strollers galore, we just sat on that little wall and gawked at the beautiful display.

Our new goal at the party was to somehow ride standby for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train without waiting a billion years. I thought our best bet was to position ourselves in Liberty Square for the 2nd parade and then SPRINT to 7DMT as soon as the parade was over. So that’s exactly what we did.

First of all, that BF was up for not one, but TWO parades on this trip was borderline miraculous. And what a parade it was! Disney and Christmas are two of my favorite things, so put them together and you have one insanely giddy little idiot. I’m a sucker for Dismas. Christney? Take your pick. Every float and every character was perfectly placed, with Clarabelle letting us HAVE IT:

The insanely impressive toy soldiers:

These obscure characters showed up again towards the end? Did they have a cameo in one of the Silly Symphonies or something?

And Santa! I know him! I know him!

I’m surprised that shot of Santa isn’t shakier, because a split second later I was on a mad dash to queue up for 7DMT. Lo and behold, the posted time was 30 minutes, and we ended up only waiting 20! The interactive queue was so worth waiting in line for (20 minutes, not 60; hell, not 40)! I loved all the different games and functions. In fact, our line was moving too fast to fully explore it all, not that I’m complaining. 7DMT is up there with Splash, BTMRR, and the TTA as an essential nightime MK ride. Every twist, turn and swing is just a little bit more magical in those moody evening lights.

Despite the fun we had, a little of the poison apple must’ve rubbed off on us, because we were Snow White sleepy. We tried to beat the crowd by leaving about 20 minutes before the party ended. No hot tub for us tonight, as the pool area’s hours are enforced much more stringently than we experienced at POR. But that was fine, as we’d have them all to ourselves during our resort day tomorrow.

Unless we never wake up. I mean, how can you be awoken by true love’s kiss if you’re both asleep?

Next: Day Six: The Case For A Park-Free WDW Trip

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