Trip Report Fairytales Do Come True...

Well friends, we've returned from a magical, rainy, pixie dust filled trip that will NEVER be topped in my book. :) I have so much to share with you that I simply couldn't wait any longer! The first post is a little word-heavy, but I promise the rest of the report will have LOTS of pictures!

Here's my PTR if you'd like to read it!
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/prince-charmings-1st-trip-june-2017.922944/

Here we go! :joyfull:

Tuesday, 6/6

We had a 4pm flight out of Pittsburgh so fortunately didn't have to rush around much the morning that we left. We did some last minute packing and cleaning before loading everything up and heading to drop Tink off at my parents' house. She spent the first 4 days there and the last 4 days with Dylan's mom (and her wiener dog boyfriend :angelic:).

It's never easy leaving this sweet little baby. :( She knew something was up! Fortunately she was a good girl all week and had lots of fun with her grandmas! ;)
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Disney here we come!!!!! :joyfull:
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We were on the road a few minutes after 1pm and it didn't take long for me to take over Dylan's Pandora with the Disney station. :p We arrived at 3pm and parking was a nightmare! We were starting to really cut it close and I was stressing. We went to check our bags and were informed that our flight was delayed until 7:30pm due to weather. It was extremely frustrating to be delayed, but it was a blessing in disguise because we were so short on time. So much for having time to do something on arrival day. :(

We went to TGI Friday's for some snacks. Dylan had pretzels and I had French Onion Soup. I was dreaming about BOG soup. :hungry: It was fine, nothing spectacular! But it filled our tummies and held us over until we got to Orlando.
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After our long delay, we finally boarded our flight and took off right on time at 7:30pm.

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Let me just preface the next part of my report by saying we literally had the BEST flight crew ever! They were so much fun!

The flight attendants went through the typical safety speech but when they were done, one came back over the intercom and said, "I've been asked what to do if you have more than one child. Which one should you put the mask on first? You put it on the one who has the most earning potential OR the one who's going to change your diapers in the years to come. Because that's coming." :hilarious::hilarious::hilarious:

When we started our descent into Orlando, the same flight attendant came back on and sang our landing directions to the tune of "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain." Then, another flight attendant came on and sang a farewell song to the tune of "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah." I wish I would have recorded them so I could remember the words. They were HILARIOUS! I love Southwest. :)

We finally landed at 9:30pm and headed to ME. Dylan stopped for some McDonalds in the food court on the way, lol. My mom bought me a Belle MagicBand for Christmas and I had called the day before to get it activated because it wasn't letting me do it myself. Well, it still wasn't working when I scanned it at the ME counter. :cautious: Fortunately, I had thrown my band for this trip in my carry on so scanned it for the time being.

Being that we landed close to 10pm, I wasn't sure about whether or not ME would get our luggage for us. The CM at the counter said we were fine and they would get it. It made me a little nervous, but we took her word for it.
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We boarded a boring Mears bus at 10:10 and pulled out a few minutes later. The welcome video was broken so we watched Brave instead. :(
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We arrived home at 10:45pm! :joyfull: This is the best I could do, lol.
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We went to the front desk to get my MagicBand fixed which only took a few minutes. I also never received my "room ready" text so had to figure out where we were staying. We were in the Hoops Hotel section! I took these pictures later in the week since it was dark when we arrived. :)
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I had requested a first floor room, thinking it would be nice to not have to walk up and down steps or ride the elevator. It ended up being pretty noisy with all the people walking by. We're both heavy sleepers and even more so because we were always exhausted at the end of the day, so it wasn't a huge deal. But I just thought it was worth mentioning for those of you who are light sleepers or have little ones!

We stopped in the food court for a snack and our mugs, as we were on the dining plan. We ate our snacks in our room and then hopped into bed!

I woke up at 3:30am and we still didn't have our luggage. There was a message on the phone that was left at 1am saying our luggage was there.. to call when we needed it and they would bring it to the room. I went back to sleep and called when we got up at 6:30am. I was on hold for 15 minutes and when they answered, was told luggage services didn't open until 7am. :cautious: Then why did you leave me a message saying to call when I wanted it delivered? Our luggage arrived a few minutes after 7am so it ended up being fine.

Next up, Magic Kingdom!!!! :joyfull:

7,183 steps
5.74 miles
 
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blreinsel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I proposed to my wife at EPCOT in front of the Italy pavilion on the bridge that looks like you're in Venice...I have my membership card ;)

We barely got to cover when that monsoon came through. We got off of Expedition Everest and made a B-line to one of the shops...Funny story, my parents were on K-Safari when the rain came.They weren't as dry as we were....

We saw a steady line of people leaving so we hung out and waited until the rain stopped...

I'll have to look into getting my membership card... Wouldn't want anybody to think I'm not legit. ;)

It was insane! I think that's the hardest it rained our entire trip. Being on the safari would be a terrible place to be in a storm like that. :hilarious: We stuck it out for awhile too.. Crowds honestly weren't that bad throughout the day!
 

Billy6

Well-Known Member
I'll have to look into getting my membership card... Wouldn't want anybody to think I'm not legit. ;)

It was insane! I think that's the hardest it rained our entire trip. Being on the safari would be a terrible place to be in a storm like that. :hilarious: We stuck it out for awhile too.. Crowds honestly weren't that bad throughout the day!
Tuesday afternoon was horrible too. I could barely see outside of my villa. It rained most of the remainder of the day. You may have missed the rain on your travels...
 

blreinsel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Tuesday afternoon was horrible too. I could barely see outside of my villa. It rained most of the remainder of the day. You may have missed the rain on your travels...

Yep, we traveled Tuesday so fortunately didn't have to deal with it. Except of course being delayed 3 hours on arrival day. :mad: It rained a bit on departure day, too, but nothing near as bad as we'd seen throughout the week!

Flame Tree is our favorite place to eat in AK. We also love the honey chicken at yak and yeti QS. Thanks so much for the pictures of the tree of life. We have seen it many times and always find some animals we missed. Love your report!

I love Yak and Yeti QS! It's such a good value and sooooo yummy! Definitely gonna have to make it back there soon!

It's amazing how your eyes find a new animal each time you look at the Tree of Life. It's so unique and beautiful! :inlove:

I can remember starting out with our honeymoon in Disney (1977) many trips later celebrated 40th anniversary at Disney in May. May you guys have a happy life together ------many trips to Disney

Awwww how sweet! Congrats on many happy years together! :) Thank you! Lots and LOTS of trips to Disney! ;)

Dylan must be an okay guy if he likes marshmallow sundaes! :D
(The name of the sundae he had was Twin Peaks.......I *may* have had one last week.)

Yes, that was it!!! @Tuvalu to the rescue! :joyfull: Marshmallow is yummy but I wanted alllllll the chocolate that day. :p Just call me Anna!
 

mlegerto

Well-Known Member
Phew...I'm really glad that you two enjoyed Cali. Grill. It was one of our favorites on our honeymoon trip. Unfortunately I think we are skipping it next trip to try Yatchsman instead - hopefully this will be a smart decision! I would have been annoyed with the wine situation. He gave you a suggestion and you have every right to request something different. Next time!

We both ordered #1, which really was too much food for either of us (and I knew that), but I wanted to try each of the things on that platter and it just makes sense to get the most expensive thing on the menu when on the dining plan. :rolleyes:
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Mmmmm, I've promised @prfctlyximprct that I would try Flame Tree on our next visit - somehow I've never been! I think I would go with the platter as well (assuming this menu doesn't change), but split it with hubby! That's a lot of food LOL
 

blreinsel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Phew...I'm really glad that you two enjoyed Cali. Grill. It was one of our favorites on our honeymoon trip. Unfortunately I think we are skipping it next trip to try Yatchsman instead - hopefully this will be a smart decision! I would have been annoyed with the wine situation. He gave you a suggestion and you have every right to request something different. Next time!

Mmmmm, I've promised @prfctlyximprct that I would try Flame Tree on our next visit - somehow I've never been! I think I would go with the platter as well (assuming this menu doesn't change), but split it with hubby! That's a lot of food LOL

I'm anxious to try Yatchsman sometime in the (near) future! So many awesome Disney restaurants that need my reviews. :p

You can definitely split the Flame Tree platter and still be stuffed. :hilarious: So. Much. Food.
 

Tiggerish

Resident Redhead
Premium Member
Phew...I'm really glad that you two enjoyed Cali. Grill. It was one of our favorites on our honeymoon trip. Unfortunately I think we are skipping it next trip to try Yatchsman instead - hopefully this will be a smart decision! I would have been annoyed with the wine situation. He gave you a suggestion and you have every right to request something different. Next time!



Mmmmm, I've promised @prfctlyximprct that I would try Flame Tree on our next visit - somehow I've never been! I think I would go with the platter as well (assuming this menu doesn't change), but split it with hubby! That's a lot of food LOL

I'm anxious to try Yatchsman sometime in the (near) future! So many awesome Disney restaurants that need my reviews. :p

You can definitely split the Flame Tree platter and still be stuffed. :hilarious: So. Much. Food.

Yachtsman doesn't have the grand views that Cali Grill does, but the food and the service are just as good. We've enjoyed many a meal there.
 

blreinsel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Saturday, 6/10 cont.

It was finally time for the most anticipated part of our AK day- PANDORA! :joyfull: Dylan really likes Avatar and I was just excited to see all of the new things Disney has done. The rain was finally starting to let up (a little bit), so we were able to put our umbrellas down once we entered Pandora.

Crossing the bridge!
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We took our time walking around and exploring the many details that make this area so immersive.
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I don't know those people. :p
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The lights are SO neat! :) I love feeling like you're actually walking through the jungle (?). You're truly transported to another world here.
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Theming is obviously something that Disney does well, but they took this to a whole new level. Don't hate me, but after doing Uni/IOA last summer, I thought that they had finally outdone Disney with all of the Harry Potter stuff, particularly Diagon Alley. However, Disney reclaimed their rightful spot at the top with Pandora. :cool:
 

blreinsel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Saturday, 6/10 cont.

*Warning- Flight of Passage spoilers included in this post. Read with caution!

We stumbled upon Pongu Pongu and since there was no line, we couldn't possibly pass up a treat. :p I'd had my eyes on this place so was excited to take a few minutes to try it out!
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I had the Night Blossom and Dylan had the Grog Ale. He said the Grog Ale was very good but was a lot to drink in a short amount of time (we had places to be ;)). I absolutely LOVED the Night Blossom! Oh my gosh. DO NOT leave Pandora without getting one of these! The little boba balls were YUMMY, as was the rest of the drink! It's pretty sweet so was also hard to drink in a short period of time, but it was still so good! :)
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We also got the Pongu Lumpia for a snack... Ummm NEW FAVORITE SNACK ALERT. :joyfull::jawdrop::hungry: Holy man were these good! Warm, pineapple-y goodness. I cannot WAIT to eat these again! :D
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We sat on a wall and enjoyed our snacks and beverages for a few minutes. Pure bliss in Pandora. :p
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Before long, we were on the move again! It was FINALLY time for our Flight of Passage FP+! :D I hadn't read a single thing about either ride prior to our trip because I wanted it to be a total surprise. Best. Decision. Ever. It made the rides that much more exciting!
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We made our way through the queue and were inside the building shortly.
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We were organized into larger groups here and then sent to different bays for "briefing" and to board our banshees! :D
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Once inside the briefing room, you're assigned a number to stand on and you're projected up on the screen to be matched with an Avatar. You watch a short informational video about the Avatar and banshee linking process before being moved into the next room to receive your ride glasses and directions for boarding the ride vehicles. Finally, you're sent into the ride room and board your banshee! :)
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No pictures were allowed past this room so this is all you get. ;)

Thoughts on Flight of Passage... BEST. RIDE. EVER!!!! Dylan and I both gave it 8904758439 stars! :joyfull: I can't even explain to you just how amazing it is. Think Soarin' x100- the sights, the unique smells, the wind and water. You can even feel your banshee breathing throughout the ride. It was absolutely incredible. I've never ridden anything like it- take that Universal. ;)
 

blreinsel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Saturday, 6/10 cont.

We spent a few more minutes exploring Pandora before moving on to other things. I was surprised at how few people were in the area. I fully expected it to be shoulder to shoulder and miserable, being that it had just opened a couple of weeks prior.
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I was surprised at the lack of PhotoPass photographers in Pandora. I actively searched for them before we moved on and still only found one. :cautious:
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Festival of the Lion King was high on the priority list.. I love the show and definitely wanted Dylan to experience it so we headed that way. :)
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They did a fantastic job on this area as well. You really do feel like you're in an African market! Or I assume so at least.. I've never actually been to one so I could be wrong. :rolleyes: Either way, it's a really fun area!
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As we approached the theatre, a CM stopped us and asked if we were heading to see Festival of the Lion King. Next thing we know, we're being escorted through the FP+ entrance and are given reserved seating right up front! :joyfull: We were really starting to feel like Disney VIP's.. the next best thing to being Disney celebrities like @Tuvalu. ;)
 

prfctlyximprct

Well-Known Member
Ah your crème brulee flavor sounds amazing! I FREAKING love crème brulee! It's my favorite Disney dessert, I never get it in the real world which is kind of strange... LOL

I love that you loved Pandora and Flight of Passage. I am a big ole cheater and watched the ride videos on YouTube and was honestly blown away by what I saw. It reminded me of the Harry Potter attractions at Universal for a reason I can't seem to pinpoint, did it seem that way in real life? I cannot wait to ride for real!

Also virtually rode the Guardians Tower.. but that's another story!

@mlegerto you better get the platter! It's so worth it!

I need to try Ghirardelli once and for all! I will not have you and @Doc Disney rubbing these ice cream photos in my face anymore!!! :p
 

blreinsel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Ah your crème brulee flavor sounds amazing! I FREAKING love crème brulee! It's my favorite Disney dessert, I never get it in the real world which is kind of strange... LOL

I love that you loved Pandora and Flight of Passage. I am a big ole cheater and watched the ride videos on YouTube and was honestly blown away by what I saw. It reminded me of the Harry Potter attractions at Universal for a reason I can't seem to pinpoint, did it seem that way in real life? I cannot wait to ride for real!

Also virtually rode the Guardians Tower.. but that's another story!

@mlegerto you better get the platter! It's so worth it!

I need to try Ghirardelli once and for all! I will not have you and @Doc Disney rubbing these ice cream photos in my face anymore!!! :p

It was really good! Though as with all Disney desserts, I only wish I'd left more room in my stomach to enjoy it. :p

I'd say Flight of Passage is somewhat similar to the HP rides, but your ride vehicle doesn't move from it's spot (if that makes sense). The HP rides take you through the building while incorporating the screens, whereas FOP relied more on the screen and just moves you around in basically the same spot like Soarin'. The thing with the HP rides is that they're the same as every other ride in Uni/IOA.. so I think I appreciated FOP a lot more because it's the only ride like that in the entire park. It was so amazing.. I can't wait to ride it again! :D

The Ghirardelli ice cream is even better than it looks. :hungry: Worth every single penny! Lol

Those drinks look amazing! Will definitely have to add it to our list.

You HAVE to! I bet they're even more refreshing on a rain-free day. :p
 

DonnaOnTheRocks

Well-Known Member
Wednesday, 6/7

After our luggage was delivered, we got around and ready for our first park day at Magic Kingdom! I remember being SO excited to finally get to share my happy place with Dylan and hoping that he would love it at least enough to want to come back. :p

We left the room at 8am and headed to the bus stop. There was a huge line for Magic Kingdom, but fortunately 3 buses pulled up and we made it to MK by 8:30am! We breezed through security in a matter of minutes and were soon scanning our bands to enter the park! Dylan stopped at the bathroom before we headed inside to FINALLY see my castle. :inlove: We made our way down Main Street and found a spot right by the statue to watch the new welcome show.

Oh how I've missed you!!! :joyfull::inlove:
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We talked for a few minutes about our plan of attack for the morning while we waited for the show to start. Soon, Mickey and friends made their appearance on the stage and all I could do was :D:D:D
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The new show is cute, but it doesn't even come close to the magic I felt while watching the old show. :( I really think this was a major downgrade.
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After the show, we waited a few minutes for the crowds to disperse. I certainly wasn't going to complain about the extra few minutes to stare at the castle. :inlove:

We walked a little ways back down Main Street and got in line for pictures. We waited for the few families in front of us and then it was our turn! I chatted with the photographer and then walked (backwards) to stand beside Dylan, all while still talking. I reached to put my arm around him and when I turned to see where he was, I found him down on one knee holding the most beautiful ring I could have ever asked for, grinning ear to ear. :inlove::inlove::inlove: I know this sounds cheesy, but in that moment, all I could see was him (through my tears, of course :rolleyes:). People were cheering and clapping all around us and I'm just standing there speechless and crying. :p
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I was a little bummed that the photographer didn't start taking pictures until Dylan had started standing back up (I have one of him half kneeling but it's awkward, lol). :( But it was the most perfect proposal that I ever could have asked for and I'll always have the memories in my mind! :inlove: I still can't find the words to describe how I feel. He has truly made all of my dreams come true and I just can't believe that I get to spend the rest of my life with him! :inlove:

**Funny story- the photographer had an accent.. we aren't sure what country he was from. But as Dylan was on one knee, all we could hear was him in the background screaming, "She say yes!? SHE SAY YES!!!!!!!" :hilarious::hilarious::hilarious: We say it to each other all the time now and crack up every time. That fun memory makes up for him not taking pictures of Dylan proposing. :p

People all around us were yelling congratulations and shaking Dylan's hand, making the moment that much more special. It was so perfect. I can't even describe it. I never imagined that my dream proposal would actually become a reality. I am so lucky. :inlove:

In hindsight, the signs that he was going to propose were there. He was very quiet, acting nervous, asking A LOT of questions... lol. He later told me that he had gone to the bathroom after we went through security so he could put the ring back in his pocket since he had moved it to his bag before going through the metal detectors. However, I NEVER saw it coming. I had convinced myself that he wasn't going to do it on our trip. I assumed he would wait until after we moved and were in the park on some random day trip. It turns out that he had asked my dad permission awhile ago and had been consulting with my mom to make sure everything went smoothly. He even showed my best friend a picture of my ring on TWO occasions when I was in the same room.. And I still had no idea. :p

It was perfect. Completely and utterly perfect. :inlove:

Such an AMAZING proposal!!!:inlove::inlove::inlove: And he was smart enough to do it early in the day! My (now) husband carried my ring around Epcot in his backpack all day and would get all weird if I offered to carry it :hilarious:. Still catching up and loving your report!
 

blreinsel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'm SO late to this party! Loving it so far and can't wait to catch up!
Such an AMAZING proposal!!!:inlove::inlove::inlove: And he was smart enough to do it early in the day! My (now) husband carried my ring around Epcot in his backpack all day and would get all weird if I offered to carry it :hilarious:. Still catching up and loving your report!

Yay glad you're here! :) I'm so behind on everybody else's reports because I've been so focused on writing my own (and this other minor detail called moving to FL :rolleyes:).

The proposal was perfectly planned.. he did such a good job with the whole thing! :inlove: Dylan would have been the same way. His nerves are so apparent to me now, though at the time I didn't think anything of it, LOL! I'm also glad that he chose to do it first thing in the morning because the humidity hadn't turned me into a complete melted hot mess yet. :hilarious:
 

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