Trip Report Pop & Hop, Snack & Shop, Graduation Celebration - Sept 2016

Figment Forever · Mar 5, 2017

After our journey through Mexico, we walked over to check on Frozen. The APP still had it listed as closed, but Ross wanted to check since we were so close. Nope, it was still down, so we walked over to meet Ana & Elsa.

There was a 20 minute wait posted with a huge line. We skeptically got in line and sure enough, it took about 20 minutes. But I think I understand why. As we got to the end of the line there were 3 different squares (I think they were squares) on the floor and groups were directed to stand on a specific one. It definitely seemed like there were different rooms guests were led into.

Soon enough, we met our Frozen Royalty.

Figment Forever · Mar 5, 2017

Figment Forever · Mar 5, 2017

Just before we meet the royal sisters, the APP showed a wait time for the ride, so we walked across and got in the FP line. We walked all the way up until we could see the boats and then we stopped. Yep – it went down again! We turned around with all the other very grumpy people and left. They gave us a paper FP since we had already scanned ours.

We left WS and went back to Future World. We stopped for a picture and then visited Club Cool to cool down for a minute. We walked though the building and noticed that the EPCOT history wall was nowhere to be found.

We wanted to get our Disney Visa picture. Not to sound greedy, but I wish they would do a special character meet & greet. Let’s see, perhaps Figment?

We walked into the very desolated Innovations. Hope called out for The great Piggy Bank Adventure – we all really liked that one. Sad Innovations. I hope you get some love soon.

We were off to find Nemo…

Then it was time for our FP for Crush.

Our FP for TT was canceled because it was POURING out. So we headed over to a part of abandoned Disney that Julia has been excited to see and unlike the top floor at Imagination, this building was opened.

Figment Forever · Mar 5, 2017

The old Wonders of Life Building, now Wonders of Wine & Food was packed due to the rain. We made our way inside and starting looking around. I know my girl and I know she was itching to sneak behind the curtains and explore. Thankfully, she knew her limitations and stayed in the official boundaries. Lol

After Julia got her fill of what once was… we waked across to a pavilion I wish they would recreate…

Figment Forever · Mar 5, 2017

I have to interrupt my trip report for a funny story.

Friends of ours visited WDW in January and didn't have a FP for the Frozen ride. When they walked by it, they noticed the wait was posted for 30 minutes so they decided to wait it out. My friend has zero patience for long waits so 30 minutes was her limit. Plus she has a son who isn't too into the Frozen sisters - they all just wanted to try the new ride.

So they waited the 30 minutes in line and she said it was moving pretty good. As they seemed to get to the front, she said a CM asked everyone to get their autograph books and cameras ready. Yep - they got in the wrong line!

Needless to say my friend was confused and asked, "What am I waiting for?"

She said the CM looked bewildered and told her she was waiting to meet Ana & Elsa. My friend looked at her son and asked him if he wanted to meet them. "No." was her his answer. So they left the line.

Figment Forever · Mar 5, 2017

I just can’t get into Universe Of Energy. Ross likes it only because it provides a naptime for him. I was hoping that he and Julia would go visit the dinosaurs so Hope and I could go off and do something else… anything else.

However, Hope had a different idea.

“Get a Disney Dollar?” Ross and I looked at each other.

Let me stop here and explain.

A few years ago, one of Hope’s therapists suggested we implement a reward system for her so she could have an incentive to deal with a challenging situation. So we started a “token economy” with her. I used Disney Dollars as the reward and then we had a treasure chest – “Hope’s Store” in my room that she can exchange her Disney Dollar for a treat. The box is filled mostly with items that she likes: stickers & small blind bag toys especially Shopkins (which I find just as bizarre as Tsum-Tsums.)

It has been very successful and I had told her that there were some “Disney Dollar” rides and attractions she could try. I also told her that instead of waiting to spend her dollars in her “store” at home, she could spend them in the gift shops. My Disney Dollar Rides were:

Splash Mountain

Barnstormer

Monster’s Laugh Floor

Test Track

Star Tours

She had already conquered Star Tours but UoE wasn’t on my list because I truly thought the dinosaurs might scare her and the point of the token economy is to challenge but not torture. However, apparently she took upon herself to challenge herself. Lol Ross spoke up quickly and said, “yes – a Disney Dollar ride!”

Sure enough, Hope rode it and I got stuck going along for the ride. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a Disney Dollar for riding it.

We had a FP for Soarin next which was good because Frozen was still down and TT wasn’t back up yet either.

Once again, I was hoping that we would get to ride in the new theater but nope – it would not be today.

After our tour of the world, we toured the land.

Before leaving The Land Pavilion, we stopped at Sunshine Seasons to get some water and Julia couldn’t resist the crème brulee. I was glad when she offered to share with me – even if it was only a bite.

Figment Forever · Mar 5, 2017

We started our journey back over to WS. We had a dinner ADR that we were all excited to try - Via Napoli. We took our time and stopped for a picture. Notice Hope is grasping on to her newest Tsum-Tsum, Maleficent.

Figment Forever · Mar 5, 2017

I also checked the APP and Frozen showed a 180 minute wait – so I was hopeful we would have time to ride it since we still had the FP. But it was cutting it too close so we passed by and promised Hope that we would try again after dinner.

We made it to Italy and checked in sat within 10 minutes and ordered.

Hope got spaghetti & meatballs and ate every morsel!

Ross got a veggie pizza which I thought was a little bare. He said t okay – but nothing great.

Julia got a plain pizza. Julia didn’t like how the cheese was too gooey and a soggy bottom.

I ordered a Grilled Chicken Cesar salad. It was nothing special.

I wanted to love the restaurant, but sadly, none of us enjoyed it very much. Well, Hope probably did because her plate was wiped clean!

The servers were a little odd. They seemed thrown off when I asked them for GF options. I was surprised they didn’t offer a GF pizza option.

Maybe we are just spoiled by NY pizza?

Figment Forever · Mar 5, 2017

However, dessert was yummy.

The Italy Pavilion is beautiful. I never feel like we spend enough time in the countries.

blreinsel · Mar 5, 2017

I've always said the same thing about the Visa M&G. They have the same characters that are at the Character Spot.. why not offer some rare characters that can't be met anywhere else?

joshsprincess921 · Mar 6, 2017

Shopkins. I hate those things. My son loves those blind bag toys and shopkins. The other day he shoved a shopkin in mouth then fell off the couch. I about had a heart attack thinking of that thing getting lodged in his throat, so into the garbage it went! What's funny is I do not buy them, he comes home from my moms house with them stuffed in his pocket. Little sneaky thing takes them from his cousin! But I do like your reward system, I may have to try that!

I love reading about abandoned Disney. I wish the CM had let her sneak up there to have a peak! Sad to hear you guys didn't enjoy Via Napoli. I have a reservation there and I keep going back and forth, back and forth! I've thought about changing it to Biergarten.

Figment Forever · Mar 7, 2017

blgauger said:
I've always said the same thing about the Visa M&G. They have the same characters that are at the Character Spot.. why not offer some rare characters that can't be met anywhere else?

When we were there, the CM's told us that they were moving the meet & greet out of Innovations. Maybe when they move it, they will change it up? I guess we can dream....

Figment Forever · Mar 7, 2017

joshsprincess921 said:
Shopkins. I hate those things. My son loves those blind bag toys and shopkins. The other day he shoved a shopkin in mouth then fell off the couch. I about had a heart attack thinking of that thing getting lodged in his throat, so into the garbage it went! What's funny is I do not buy them, he comes home from my moms house with them stuffed in his pocket. Little sneaky thing takes them from his cousin! But I do like your reward system, I may have to try that!

I love reading about abandoned Disney. I wish the CM had let her sneak up there to have a peak! Sad to hear you guys didn't enjoy Via Napoli. I have a reservation there and I keep going back and forth, back and forth! I've thought about changing it to Biergarten.

I thought we escaped the Shopkins craze - until I had to purchase a set for my niece as a gift. I tried to hide them from Hope but she caught site of them and that was it! As much as I hate them - (they are just too strange), they have really helped Hope with working on classification, so I have to embrace the silver lining. One day she even decided to put them all in alphabetical order (on my living room floor.)

I wish the CM would have let us upstairs for a peek, I was so sad for Julia. I just told her to keep trying.

I think I made a mistake ordering a salad, but I was shocked that they didn't have a GF pizza or a pasta since so many other locations have it. Looking back, I should have just looked at the menu again chosen more wisely.

Figment Forever · Mar 8, 2017

Day 6, September 17th Continued...

We left Italy and walked over to Japan. This is probably the one country we do spend some time in due to Julia’s love of all things Asian.

She found a late love for Pokemon and wanted to pick out a new book. She also bought some type of candy and some rice paper for an art project she was leading for her 4-H group.

I should also mention the Pokemon Go craze was with us – because her i-Pod could connect to Disney Wi-Fi, she was able to play it throughout the trip. Luckily, she was not obsessed with it, she just checked it every now and then as we were walking or waiting in a line.

After Japan, I put my phone on its charger – so I have a void of pics for a while. We did check back on the Frozen ride and you can probably guess, it was down. We completed our journey around World Showcase checking out all the Food & Wine booths, but not buying anything since we were still pretty full from dinner. I promised Ross he would have a chance to eat around the countries on one of our days here.

Figment Forever · Mar 8, 2017

Julia wanted to ride Spaceship Earth so we walked over to the front of the park.

I can never get good pics on this ride. We were sad to see the ending cartoon wasn’t working. We just got a cartoon image instead of our photo.

Test Track was running so we headed that way to use our replaced FP. Hope had ridden this ride once on a prior trip and NEVER since. Lol I asked if she was going to ride it to earn a Disney Dollar and she said yes. I was skeptical but hopeful. We got on line and walked to stand on the circle, so far, so good.

We entered the design room and she was still okay.

She liked watching Ross & Julia design their cars.

Finally, we waited on the line to board our vehicle. Would she get on?

Figment Forever · Mar 8, 2017

She did!

She LOVED it!

(Of course, for some reason I can't upload the Photo Pass Pic!!!)

I almost didn’t believe it. It was hysterical, Throughout the ride, she was screaming “Get a Disney Dollar!” We were all laughing and the single riders who came along for the ride with us must have thought we were all crazy.

We took a little time at the end of the ride to play the games. Julia said she always wanted to try them out but we never stop, so I promised we would.

We walked over to Mission Space. I had gotten a FP for it while we were waiting in line for TT. I am still iffy with this ride since I got sick from it a couple of years back. I have and will NEVER do the orange mission again! The only saving part of the ride for me is Gary Sinise. Lol

I was about to tell Ross & Julia to go and Hope and I would wait at the exit, when Ross asked Hope if she wanted to ride for a Disney Dollar. I almost fell down when she said yes! Again I was skeptical and again I was wrong. She loved it!

The power of a Disney Dollar and Tsum-Tsums! (By the way, once she does the ride and likes it, no more DD are earned.) The only ride she did not want to ride was Splash Mountain.

We had a return time for Soarin so we walked over to The Land. Hope had wanted to meet Baymax and Joy (I think it was Joy), but the lines were over 40 minutes so we passed.

Again, I hoped to go into the new theatre, but alas no – not this time either.

It was coming upon 10Pm and that’s when the park was closing so we headed to the busses. We had passed on Illuminations – not a favorite of ours.

Soon, we were back at POR. We stopped at the food court to fill up our mugs. We were all exhausted tonight!

Up next: Who turned on the lights?

blreinsel · Mar 8, 2017

I'm cracking up at Hope (again!) The Disney Dollars are clearly extremely effective with her and it's awesome to hear that she actually enjoyed the rides once she gave them a try! My nephew decided to try Space Mountain when we took him a few years back (I believe he turned 5 on that trip) and he hated it! I felt so bad because he was so brave and tried to not let us see how scared he was when we got off.

Anyway.. keeping Disney Dollars in mind for my someday ~~Disney addicts~~ kids.

Courtney6682 · Mar 8, 2017

Figment Forever said:
She did!

View attachment 192944

She LOVED it!

Good for her!! That's such a cute, funny story!!!

fractal · Mar 8, 2017

Figment Forever said:
She did!

View attachment 192944

She LOVED it!

(Of course, for some reason I can't upload the Photo Pass Pic!!!)

I almost didn’t believe it. It was hysterical, Throughout the ride, she was screaming “Get a Disney Dollar!” We were all laughing and the single riders who came along for the ride with us must have thought we were all crazy.

We took a little time at the end of the ride to play the games. Julia said she always wanted to try them out but we never stop, so I promised we would.

View attachment 192945 View attachment 192946

We walked over to Mission Space. I had gotten a FP for it while we were waiting in line for TT. I am still iffy with this ride since I got sick from it a couple of years back. I have and will NEVER do the orange mission again! The only saving part of the ride for me is Gary Sinise. Lol

View attachment 192950

I was about to tell Ross & Julia to go and Hope and I would wait at the exit, when Ross asked Hope if she wanted to ride for a Disney Dollar. I almost fell down when she said yes! Again I was skeptical and again I was wrong. She loved it!

View attachment 192947 View attachment 192948

The power of a Disney Dollar and Tsum-Tsums! (By the way, once she does the ride and likes it, no more DD are earned.) The only ride she did not want to ride was Splash Mountain.

We had a return time for Soarin so we walked over to The Land. Hope had wanted to meet Baymax and Joy (I think it was Joy), but the lines were over 40 minutes so we passed.

Again, I hoped to go into the new theatre, but alas no – not this time either.

It was coming upon 10Pm and that’s when the park was closing so we headed to the busses. We had passed on Illuminations – not a favorite of ours.

Soon, we were back at POR. We stopped at the food court to fill up our mugs. We were all exhausted tonight!

View attachment 192951 View attachment 192952 View attachment 192953

Up next: Who turned on the lights?

That's getting the most out of your Disney day!

MinnieM123 · Mar 9, 2017

I think Hope is amazing! :happy:

Trip Report Pop & Hop, Snack & Shop, Graduation Celebration - Sept 2016

Figment Forever

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