Trip Report Completed: 24 Disney Hours! May 2015 Trip Report

Hi Everyone!
I've read so many trip reports here which has inspired me to write my own after many trips.
Hope y'all will follow along!


Who:
My sister, Alyssa (25), and me, Sam (27)
Here we are last December...our first visit to see the Osbourne Lights
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When:
May 21-May 27th
We were originally planning just to go Thursday the 21st - Monday, but airfare was crazy for Memorial Day, so we were able to add two more days to the vacation and still come out ahead!

Where:
Port Orleans French Quarter


On our last trip in December 2014, we were both sad as we were on our final day, not knowing when we’d return. Then it hit me; we have to do the 24-hour day if it was happening in 2015! We had always wanted to do it but hadn't been able to make it happen, but this year – it was set, if it were to happen, we’d be there!

Imagine my excitement when I get a call from work saying I’d be traveling to Boston to co-produce Disney’s announcement of the COOLEST SUMMER EVER, kicking off with the Magic Kingdom staying open for 24 hours on May 22nd! (I'm a meteorologist/producer for Good Morning America and Disney was announcing the Coolest Summer Ever on our show! I'm also the Disney go-to person for the show, and love to take full advantage of all of the benefits working for The Walt Disney Company:happy:)

I immediately called my sister BEYOND excited that we FOR SURE have a trip to plan!!

In Boston for the announcement with OLAF!
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So here we are, May 21st, Disney bound!!

Alyssa was able to get crazy cheap airfare out of Philly, so she left from there, meanwhile I work in NYC and grabbed a great deal out of LaGuardia. Luckily our flights both left at the same time, and we met in MCO!


Magicbands+Disney Alex & Ani ready!
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We headed to DME and unfortunately had to wait FOREVER! But we eventually made it! By this point it was around 8:30, we both had long days (I start work at 4am) and had to be up early for the kickoff to the 24 hour day…but we couldn’t just go to bed, we were in DISNEY WORLD! SO off to Magic Kingdom we went:)

SO HAPPY TO BE IN FLORIDA, PALM TREES!
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Alyssa recreating a picture from last trip when we weren’t paying attention and got off the bus at FQ instead of Riverside hah!
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I had booked FP+ in advance, in case we decided we wanted to go Thursday night, so we got there in time for the Wishes FP. I really liked the FP area, we could see great, and it didn’t feel that crowded.
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Wishes is my favorite thing in the world, I could watch it every single night and get goosebumps.

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After Wishes, we made our way to Princess Fairytale Hall for our FP with Rapunzel and Cinderella. Cinderella will always be my all time favorite, but I love Rapunzel SO much. She is always so fun!
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Rapunzel commented on our ears- she said she wants to make ears for Pascal! But since he is smaller than her foot, they would have to be really tiny! And has to change colors just like him :D

Cinderella was scared of Alyssa’s Maleficent ears ha
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It was getting late, and we had an early morning and long day ahead, so decided to head back, unpack and get to bed.
 

samantha788

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
After Nemo we went over to the Disney Visa meet and greet. I don’t know why we’ve never done this before either. Mickey and goofy were SO MUCH FUN! We we’re there for so long, and zero to hero was the song playing so we all were dancing. It was the best experience! The photopass and character attendant were really great and made the experience even better.

we all look like zombies with our arms straight out haha
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I love that it looks like Goofy ate Alyssa's head :D
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Next we went to Spaceship Earth...we're never serious :)
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Then we made our way back to the world showcase - we were dying to go to La Cava Del Tequila…there are so many choices!! I was set on the avocado margarita though and Alyssa got a regular one.
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samantha788

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
After our stroll through the world we stopped to meet Alyssa's favorite - Tigger :)

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We wanted to try spice road table, so I had made a reservation here for 8:10 giving us plenty of time to wait for a decent table to watch illuminations.

We got there on time and when I checked in I said we were in no rush, we’d be happy to wait for a table closer to the water. They said nothing is going to open up over the next hour so we took our table in the back. Between 8:45 and 9, several table were open near the water, they would seat people back by us and the people would ask to move, and they’d move them right to the water. It was frustrating; we would have loved to wait until 8:45 for a table. There was no rush from us, just wanted to experience illuminations on the water like that. We split sangria and hummus. Not impressed with the service either. We won’t be back any time soon.

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Once illuminations started we couldn’t see anything, so we left the restaurant and watched and walked as we headed out the international gateway. We walked over to the beach club to catch a bus to MK from there.
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Magic Kingdom had extra magic hours until 3am that night, we weren’t originally going to go since we were just there all night the day before, but we couldn’t resist! Got there just in time for WISHES!

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We covered A LOT of ground again this night and it was not crowded at all :)
First up was Carousel of Progress, then Dumbo, Barnstormer, Journey of the Little Mermaid
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samantha788

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We walked around New Fantasyland before going to visit Anna and Elsa again
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Elsa asked us about being sisters and eating chocolate

Anna also commented on us being sisters and wanted a sister hug. I wish we took notes because we both remember commenting that this was the best interaction we had with them, but couldn’t remember everything!

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samantha788

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Then we went next door to see Cinderella and Rapunzel!

I think Cinderella was talking about us being sisters too and started talking about her stepsisters.

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Rapunzel also commented on our matching outfits and thought Pascal would look really cute in a pair of black shorts.:D
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This also became my favorite picture of the trip. I love her!:happy:
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Then 3:00 came, again, and we had to leave:(
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Tomorrow is Hollywood Studios!
 

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sheriffwoody

Well-Known Member
Loving your report! Looks like a wonderful time. I was planning on trying Spice Road with my friends in January, but I think we might choose something else now :/
 

samantha788

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Great report and terrific pics!
Thanks so much!
Wow! A more than great TR!! Love all the pics!! Thanks for sharing and off course following along!!
Thank you so much! :)

Loving your report! Looks like a wonderful time. I was planning on trying Spice Road with my friends in January, but I think we might choose something else now :/
Thank you! I so badly wanted to like Spice Road - and the drinks and food we had were good, but we were really put off by the service, and annoyed that people coming in minutes before illuminations got to sit by the water when we asked to wait. But oh well, would be curious to hear everyone else's experiences there around illuminations time.
 

samantha788

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
SUNDAY- MAY 24th

We decided we’d do Hollywood Studios this day so we could check out Star Wars Weekends. Neither of us are big fans, but still wanted to see what it was all about!

We started our morning with a FP for Toy Story Mania, we love it, and are so competitive. I won ;)
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Then passed Darth Vader as we headed to see Cinderella’s Carriage!

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I loved the live action film and was so excited to see that the carriage was still out!
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Next up was our FP for Frozen sing-a-long, if you can’t tell…we both really love Frozen. And both loved this show the first time we saw it in December. Was so excited to see it again!

I loved how there was a family with 4 boys in front of us, and the parents were the ones singing along. And the little girl next to us had every Elsa move down hah!
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samantha788

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Just started reading and I'm all caught up! Loving this report so far, looks like such a blast! Following along! :happy:
Thank you for reading!!

Great pictures of the Frozen sing-a-long!
Thank you! I love them too, couldn't post just one or two :)

Great Trip Report! We were at Epcot on the same day as you.
exciting! Thank you for reading!

Such great pictures! What kind of camera are you using?
Thank you so much! I have a Nikon D3200 and switch between two different lenses :)
 

samantha788

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
After riding TOT, we were out of FP and Hollywood Studios was crazy packed, we were tired anyway so decided to head back to the hotel and relax for a while.

When we checked in Thursday, they told us about the Riverside Fair they were doing Sunday – I wanted to check it out thinking it started at 2 like we had read. Alyssa stayed in the room and said if there was anything cool, she’ll come over.

So I walked from French Quarter to Riverside, didn’t see anything but a pool cookout, then came across a sign saying everything would start until 5! :banghead:

But I did text Alyssa because I saw her FAVORITE animals ever in the river…otters!
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I took a slow walk back to French Quarter taking in all the sights between the Port Orleans resorts – we really love these two resorts, would be happy staying at either every time!
I stayed at Riverside in an Alligator Bayou room last October for a last minute weekend trip with a friend and we fell in love with the resort. Then Alyssa and I stayed in a Royal Room last December and loved that side of the resort too. Neither time did I feel there was any issues with the transportation despite the size of the resort.
But we really loved French Quarter for the small size - it was so nice to only have one bus stop, and only be a two minute walk away from the main building.

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Alyssa and I decided to nap for a little then we'd go to the Riverside Fair activities once they actually started.
Next thing I know, she let me sleep and I slept right through the Riverside Fair :banghead: I woke up at 8, sad.
I never sleep through my alarm, I don't know how I managed to do it so many times on this trip! haha
 

samantha788

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We quickly jumped up though because we needed to make it back to Hollywood Studios for the Star Wars Fireworks! They were really really cool!

We purposely stood more than halfway back on Hollywood Blvd, so couldn't really see any of the stage aspects of the show, but we were okay with that. The view of the fireworks was incredible from here! Plus made for a quick exit so we could go back to MK ;)
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