Vacation Rationale:
My friend Katie and I are both teachers and we've known each other since we were babies. We go to Disney World every August because as kids we said we would when we started our careers. Now our dreams come true every August! It definitely helps us find the kid in ourselves before going back to teach each year.
The Trip Report:
This year we wanted to stay at the Yacht Club, having stayed at the Boardwalk last year - we really enjoy the convenience and location of the EPCOT resorts. When we checked in they had us down for a King room, but we prefer 2 queens. Georgette at the front desk was super friendly and helpful in changing that. We requested a room close to the lobby as well and even arriving at 9:30am the room was ready! In addition, it was a corner room which was larger than a standard room. It was very comfortable and the decor was spot-on. This hotel and the Boardwalk have our favorite rooms when comparing to the other rooms we've stayed at (Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Port Orleans, All Star Sports & Music.)
Day 1: Yacht Club Relaxation
The first day was spent at the hotel, enjoying the surroundings and relaxing at the best pool on property: Stormalong Bay. We checked out the Crew's Cup bar which was very cozy and a great place to have a delicious Manhattan before our dinner at Captain's Grille. Katie had the short rib & corn risotto and I had the crab cakes. Both entrees were so delicious and incredibly tasty. We also had the mussel appetizer which was also phenomenal. The chocolate cake definitely beat the s'mores dessert.
Day 2: A Magical Day at MK & Frozen Fireworks
Our second day jump started our park days. We started with an 8:05 reservation at Crystal Palace for breakfast. We had so much fun with this experience! We were the first people let into the park that morning. We rushed up Main Street and nabbed pictures with the castle without the usual onslaught of people surrounding it. Breakfast itself was really delicious as well - specially the breakfast lasagna, the puffed french toast, and the hash.
We had Fastpass+ for Anna & Elsa, Mine Train, and Peter Pan's Flight, which saved us SO much time. Anna & Elsa were great! And the Mine Train, as short as it is, is really fun! The ride broke-down just as we were the next group to ride. After about 20 minutes, they took a train off and the ride continued. I was impressed with the detail and smoothness of the ride.
We went to City Hall to find out when Peter Pan would be in the park and ran into Claire. We spoke to her at length about her job with the Disney Company and about our jobs as teachers and to reward us as educators, Claire gave us 3 priority seating tickets to any rides we wanted. Naturally we went to the Mine Train, Splash Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean. She made our day so especially magical!
After the Magic Kingdom we ran to Downtown Disney for some coffee and shopping before heading to Hollywood Studios to grab a turkey leg and see the Frozen Fireworks. We both agreed these were the best fireworks we've seen on property (which is saying something because we both love Wishes, Illuminations, and Fantasmic.) The pre-show band (Men of the North) were fantastic and the snow over the crowd at the end was the perfect touch - it's just like the snow used at Osborne Festival of Lights. We loved the whole thing!
Day 3: Animal Kingdom & Studios | California Grill
We wanted to do Kilimanjaro Safaris and see the Nemo musical. I'm a theatre teacher and I think the Nemo show is so well done and inventive - the performers are incredibly talented and the music is great. They need a CD for that show.
We headed back to the Boardwalk for lunch at the Bakery. The lobster roll is an amazing deal for counter service credits and the desserts are always top-notch. After lunch we had late-day Fastpass+ for Tower of Terror & Toy Story Midway Mania. I rode Rockin' Roller Coaster solo; Katie doesn't like the upside-down roller coasters. We also discovered the area behind animation courtyard, where inside you can meet Sorcerer Mickey, Wreck-It Ralph (which was such a cool costume!), Minnie, and Mr. Incredible with Frozone. Such interesting and rare characters!
We got all gussied up for California Grill - a favorite restaurant and totally worth the 2 dining credits. The view, as always was spectacular. We were at our table for 2.5 hours watching the sunset and eating all we could. We got an heirloom tomato BLT flatbread and the Goat Cheese Ravioli for appetizers. Katie got the filet mignon and I got the Spanish seafood rice with lobster, scallops, Gulf Shrimp, clams, and mussels. All the food was of the highest quality you could possibly expect from California Grill. Simply amazing. The service, however, was not that great. Our server seemed bored and preoccupied. She kept yawning at our table and rushing us along. Definitely not the best waitress we've ever had, which made us sad.
After dinner we watched Wishes from atop the Contemporary and headed to the Magic Kingdom for a quick ride or two. We did the Haunted Mansion (which was especially terrifying because nobody else was on with us.) Have you heard the gargoyle whispers in the stretching room after everybody exits? They are terrifying. I actually screamed when exiting the ride because a cast member was standing in a corridor and scared the crap out of us! It was great! And then we were the last flight on Peter Pan's flight for the night! It was cool being the very last ride of the day.
Day 4: Around the world in 14 hours!
Thursday was spent in Epcot, where we ate breakfast in France, lunch in Japan, dinner in Mexico, and after-hour drinks in Italy. It was a beautifully wonderful day.
Breakfast at the bakery in the France pavilion is a great use of a dining snack credit. We filled our mugs up at the resort and got the most delicious breakfast pastries sandwiches. It wasn't crowded which is nice, and the smells are heavenly when baking the bread in the morning.
We did our usual favorites: Test Track, Living with the Land, and Soarin'. But the coolest part was having access to Seimens VIP lounge inside Spaceship Earth. Katie teaches the daughter of a Seimens employee, so we were able to help ourselves to hot & cold beverages, fun & interactive displays, and backdoor access to Spaceship Earth! It was very cool!
Dinner at San Angel Inn is always a favorite. It's such great atmosphere and the Traditional Mexican Dinner is a great value for the dining plan! The sunset when emerging from the Aztec Temple was simply stunning! Illuminations was a delight as always, and then we headed to the After-Hours Wind Down at Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar in Italy. The event was awesome! We were nervous because we heard mixed reviews, but we loved it! We got there early enough to get a couch table - there are only 4 of them in an alcove with a fireplace. We were seated by two older couples and a younger couple. They were all very friendly and we all talked, relaxed, and got slightly hammered together. At one point one of the older couples made a toast to Robin Williams which was nice and fitting being in Disney World. I got the Piemont Flight and Katie got the Elegant Reds Flight. Both had plenty of food and a decent helping of wine. At the end of the event, we ordered Bellinis to-go and took the long route around World Showcase to the International Gateway. It was so peaceful and quiet walking around each country - it felt very private and VIP. Staying at the Yacht Club was a very convenient walk home, too. It is a great event and one that we'd highly recommend!
Day 5: Back at the Magic Kingdom & 1900 Park Fare
The Magic Kingdom is our favorite, so we usually dedicate 2 whole days there each trip. We took our time getting there, grabbed coffees at Starbucks on Main Street (so convenient!), and headed to our Fastpass+ for Thunder Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and Festival of Fantasy Parade. Unfortunately, it was drizzling during parade time, so they cancelled the FOF parade and sent the Rainy Day Cavalcade out. I had never seen it, so it was interesting to see, but we were disappointed not being able to see FOF.
We made our way to the Grand Floridian for an early dinner at 1900 Park Fare, which was delicious and very entertaining. The step-sisters and Lady Tremaine make that dinner awesome. And the strawberry soup, we can't forget about that! That's one of my favorite food items on property. I hadn't been to 1900 Park Fare in about 5 years, but it's still a great character buffet option in my opinion.
Nighttime in the Magic Kingdom is a magical time! We went on a few rides, got a Dole Whip, and watched Wishes from right in the middle of the hub. Other than some rude people, it was magical as always. We love the Jungle Cruise and Splash Mountain at night. They are both such different rides in the evening. We once again were the last riders on a ride - this time at Splash Mountain. On our way back from SM, we caught the second viewing of Spectro-Magic and barely anyone was around, so we got all the performers to talk directly to us and interact with us. It felt like a private viewing of the parade - it was so cool! By the time the parade ended in Frontierland, we walked to the castle and waited for the Kiss Goodnight. We sat in front of the castle and relished in our last night at Disney World for a year.
Day 6: Spa Treatments & Last Minute EPCOT Run
Our last day we like to spend getting a little pampered and hang out by the pool. We like Senses at Saratoga, but this time we opted to stay at Yacht Club and get our massages at Ship Shape after some morning pool time. The facilities at Ship Shape aren't as full as Senses, but they were still nice. The massage was fantastic - even better than ones we've received at Senses!
After the massages we headed to France in Epcot for lunch because we enjoyed breakfast there so much. The sandwiches were delicious & filling, while the Eclairs were simply outstanding. After lunch we went drinking at our favorite spots: Cava del Tequila and Rose & Crown Pub.
Before getting on the Magical Express we went swimming in Stormalong Bay for an hour, showered at the gym showers, and grabbed Ice Cream sandwiches from Beaches & Cream as our last snack credits to eat on the bus back to the airport.
As we headed to the airport, we already planned the first day of next year's trip. So until that review, I'll see you on the boards! I hope enjoyed the Trip Review & pictures. I'll have a video blog of the trip sometime soon - hopefully this week!
Have a magical day,
Shaun
My friend Katie and I are both teachers and we've known each other since we were babies. We go to Disney World every August because as kids we said we would when we started our careers. Now our dreams come true every August! It definitely helps us find the kid in ourselves before going back to teach each year.
The Trip Report:
This year we wanted to stay at the Yacht Club, having stayed at the Boardwalk last year - we really enjoy the convenience and location of the EPCOT resorts. When we checked in they had us down for a King room, but we prefer 2 queens. Georgette at the front desk was super friendly and helpful in changing that. We requested a room close to the lobby as well and even arriving at 9:30am the room was ready! In addition, it was a corner room which was larger than a standard room. It was very comfortable and the decor was spot-on. This hotel and the Boardwalk have our favorite rooms when comparing to the other rooms we've stayed at (Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Port Orleans, All Star Sports & Music.)
Day 1: Yacht Club Relaxation
The first day was spent at the hotel, enjoying the surroundings and relaxing at the best pool on property: Stormalong Bay. We checked out the Crew's Cup bar which was very cozy and a great place to have a delicious Manhattan before our dinner at Captain's Grille. Katie had the short rib & corn risotto and I had the crab cakes. Both entrees were so delicious and incredibly tasty. We also had the mussel appetizer which was also phenomenal. The chocolate cake definitely beat the s'mores dessert.
Day 2: A Magical Day at MK & Frozen Fireworks
Our second day jump started our park days. We started with an 8:05 reservation at Crystal Palace for breakfast. We had so much fun with this experience! We were the first people let into the park that morning. We rushed up Main Street and nabbed pictures with the castle without the usual onslaught of people surrounding it. Breakfast itself was really delicious as well - specially the breakfast lasagna, the puffed french toast, and the hash.
We had Fastpass+ for Anna & Elsa, Mine Train, and Peter Pan's Flight, which saved us SO much time. Anna & Elsa were great! And the Mine Train, as short as it is, is really fun! The ride broke-down just as we were the next group to ride. After about 20 minutes, they took a train off and the ride continued. I was impressed with the detail and smoothness of the ride.
We went to City Hall to find out when Peter Pan would be in the park and ran into Claire. We spoke to her at length about her job with the Disney Company and about our jobs as teachers and to reward us as educators, Claire gave us 3 priority seating tickets to any rides we wanted. Naturally we went to the Mine Train, Splash Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean. She made our day so especially magical!
After the Magic Kingdom we ran to Downtown Disney for some coffee and shopping before heading to Hollywood Studios to grab a turkey leg and see the Frozen Fireworks. We both agreed these were the best fireworks we've seen on property (which is saying something because we both love Wishes, Illuminations, and Fantasmic.) The pre-show band (Men of the North) were fantastic and the snow over the crowd at the end was the perfect touch - it's just like the snow used at Osborne Festival of Lights. We loved the whole thing!
Day 3: Animal Kingdom & Studios | California Grill
We wanted to do Kilimanjaro Safaris and see the Nemo musical. I'm a theatre teacher and I think the Nemo show is so well done and inventive - the performers are incredibly talented and the music is great. They need a CD for that show.
We headed back to the Boardwalk for lunch at the Bakery. The lobster roll is an amazing deal for counter service credits and the desserts are always top-notch. After lunch we had late-day Fastpass+ for Tower of Terror & Toy Story Midway Mania. I rode Rockin' Roller Coaster solo; Katie doesn't like the upside-down roller coasters. We also discovered the area behind animation courtyard, where inside you can meet Sorcerer Mickey, Wreck-It Ralph (which was such a cool costume!), Minnie, and Mr. Incredible with Frozone. Such interesting and rare characters!
We got all gussied up for California Grill - a favorite restaurant and totally worth the 2 dining credits. The view, as always was spectacular. We were at our table for 2.5 hours watching the sunset and eating all we could. We got an heirloom tomato BLT flatbread and the Goat Cheese Ravioli for appetizers. Katie got the filet mignon and I got the Spanish seafood rice with lobster, scallops, Gulf Shrimp, clams, and mussels. All the food was of the highest quality you could possibly expect from California Grill. Simply amazing. The service, however, was not that great. Our server seemed bored and preoccupied. She kept yawning at our table and rushing us along. Definitely not the best waitress we've ever had, which made us sad.
After dinner we watched Wishes from atop the Contemporary and headed to the Magic Kingdom for a quick ride or two. We did the Haunted Mansion (which was especially terrifying because nobody else was on with us.) Have you heard the gargoyle whispers in the stretching room after everybody exits? They are terrifying. I actually screamed when exiting the ride because a cast member was standing in a corridor and scared the crap out of us! It was great! And then we were the last flight on Peter Pan's flight for the night! It was cool being the very last ride of the day.
Day 4: Around the world in 14 hours!
Thursday was spent in Epcot, where we ate breakfast in France, lunch in Japan, dinner in Mexico, and after-hour drinks in Italy. It was a beautifully wonderful day.
Breakfast at the bakery in the France pavilion is a great use of a dining snack credit. We filled our mugs up at the resort and got the most delicious breakfast pastries sandwiches. It wasn't crowded which is nice, and the smells are heavenly when baking the bread in the morning.
We did our usual favorites: Test Track, Living with the Land, and Soarin'. But the coolest part was having access to Seimens VIP lounge inside Spaceship Earth. Katie teaches the daughter of a Seimens employee, so we were able to help ourselves to hot & cold beverages, fun & interactive displays, and backdoor access to Spaceship Earth! It was very cool!
Dinner at San Angel Inn is always a favorite. It's such great atmosphere and the Traditional Mexican Dinner is a great value for the dining plan! The sunset when emerging from the Aztec Temple was simply stunning! Illuminations was a delight as always, and then we headed to the After-Hours Wind Down at Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar in Italy. The event was awesome! We were nervous because we heard mixed reviews, but we loved it! We got there early enough to get a couch table - there are only 4 of them in an alcove with a fireplace. We were seated by two older couples and a younger couple. They were all very friendly and we all talked, relaxed, and got slightly hammered together. At one point one of the older couples made a toast to Robin Williams which was nice and fitting being in Disney World. I got the Piemont Flight and Katie got the Elegant Reds Flight. Both had plenty of food and a decent helping of wine. At the end of the event, we ordered Bellinis to-go and took the long route around World Showcase to the International Gateway. It was so peaceful and quiet walking around each country - it felt very private and VIP. Staying at the Yacht Club was a very convenient walk home, too. It is a great event and one that we'd highly recommend!
Day 5: Back at the Magic Kingdom & 1900 Park Fare
The Magic Kingdom is our favorite, so we usually dedicate 2 whole days there each trip. We took our time getting there, grabbed coffees at Starbucks on Main Street (so convenient!), and headed to our Fastpass+ for Thunder Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and Festival of Fantasy Parade. Unfortunately, it was drizzling during parade time, so they cancelled the FOF parade and sent the Rainy Day Cavalcade out. I had never seen it, so it was interesting to see, but we were disappointed not being able to see FOF.
We made our way to the Grand Floridian for an early dinner at 1900 Park Fare, which was delicious and very entertaining. The step-sisters and Lady Tremaine make that dinner awesome. And the strawberry soup, we can't forget about that! That's one of my favorite food items on property. I hadn't been to 1900 Park Fare in about 5 years, but it's still a great character buffet option in my opinion.
Nighttime in the Magic Kingdom is a magical time! We went on a few rides, got a Dole Whip, and watched Wishes from right in the middle of the hub. Other than some rude people, it was magical as always. We love the Jungle Cruise and Splash Mountain at night. They are both such different rides in the evening. We once again were the last riders on a ride - this time at Splash Mountain. On our way back from SM, we caught the second viewing of Spectro-Magic and barely anyone was around, so we got all the performers to talk directly to us and interact with us. It felt like a private viewing of the parade - it was so cool! By the time the parade ended in Frontierland, we walked to the castle and waited for the Kiss Goodnight. We sat in front of the castle and relished in our last night at Disney World for a year.
Day 6: Spa Treatments & Last Minute EPCOT Run
Our last day we like to spend getting a little pampered and hang out by the pool. We like Senses at Saratoga, but this time we opted to stay at Yacht Club and get our massages at Ship Shape after some morning pool time. The facilities at Ship Shape aren't as full as Senses, but they were still nice. The massage was fantastic - even better than ones we've received at Senses!
After the massages we headed to France in Epcot for lunch because we enjoyed breakfast there so much. The sandwiches were delicious & filling, while the Eclairs were simply outstanding. After lunch we went drinking at our favorite spots: Cava del Tequila and Rose & Crown Pub.
Before getting on the Magical Express we went swimming in Stormalong Bay for an hour, showered at the gym showers, and grabbed Ice Cream sandwiches from Beaches & Cream as our last snack credits to eat on the bus back to the airport.
As we headed to the airport, we already planned the first day of next year's trip. So until that review, I'll see you on the boards! I hope enjoyed the Trip Review & pictures. I'll have a video blog of the trip sometime soon - hopefully this week!
Have a magical day,
Shaun
