Trip Report We can sleep when we get home...We're at Disney without the kid!

This trip was originally supposed to happen in the Fall to celebrate our 20th anniversary, but thanks to a deal offered by Southwest for January, we decided to celebrate the 19th instead!! We left our 13 year old special needs daughter with friends and family for 5 days so we could rest and recharge...

Who are we kidding...there's no rest at Disney! As Dennis says, we can sleep when we get home. We're at Disney, let's go!!!

So, here we go..

Day 1


I dropped Grace off to our friends on Saturday afternoon so I would have the rest of the evening for last minute packing and an early bed time. Dennis had to work until 9:00, so once he got home, we packed the last of the necessities and tried to get some sleep.

The alarm went off bright and early at 3:30 AM! Thanks to our organization, we were ready and out the door by 4:30. An uneventful drive and trip through security landed us at Starbucks by 5:30 for a delicious breakfast sandwich and some much-needed caffeine.

Our flight departed right on time at 6:50 and landed 10 minutes earlier than planned. Bonus! We had no wait at all to board the Magical Express bus, but due to the marathon events, the ride was longer than expected. It was fun, though, to see all the runners and their costumes. It must have been a popular event because the crowds were huge!

We arrived at All Star Music at about 10:30 and were surprised to find our room ready….and upgraded!! We were in the closest building with a king bed! We dropped our carry-ons, changed our clothes and were on the bus by 11:00. Quite a change going from Ohio and 15 degrees, to Orlando and 70 degrees! There was a pesky drizzle that we were afraid might dampen our spirits, but who were we kidding?!! We are in the most magical place on earth. Nothing will bring us down. (Except maybe a couple of Brazilian tour groups!) Due to the marathon, and an accident between a bus and a car, our driver had to take an alternate route to Hollywood Studios. The marathon runners were just coming through the park, so that slowed things down a little as well.

Once we were in the park, we realized we were really hungry. What better way to solve that problem than to begin our trip with a yummy grilled vegetable sandwich from Backlot Express? It’s one of our “must-dos”. Dennis had the banana caramel cupcake, but I don’t do anything banana, so I indulged in the chocolate mousse.

With bellies full, we headed to our first fast-pass for Tower of Terror! The standby line was really short as well, so after a quick trip on Rockin Roller Coaster, we took in Tower again. We were off to a great start!

 

[SweetEvangeline]

Love your NATIONAL CHAMPION Buckeye attire. Go Bucks!

O - H -

We love our Buckeyes, and were certain we had packed plenty of scarlet and gray just in case!!

 

[Scott10]

I second the kudos on the Buckeyes gear!!! There is nothing better that going down Main St. USA and giving the ole O-H when seeing something Ohio related and having someone reply with the obligatory I-O!!!

 

[mousefreak]

I second the kudos on the Buckeyes gear!!! There is nothing better that going down Main St. USA and giving the ole O-H when seeing something Ohio related and having someone reply with the obligatory I-O!!!

I O!!! Especially after winning the National Championship.

 

[SweetEvangeline]

I second the kudos on the Buckeyes gear!!! There is nothing better that going down Main St. USA and giving the ole O-H when seeing something Ohio related and having someone reply with the obligatory I-O!!!

We heard a lot of "O-H" and "Go Bucks" this trip. On on of our first trips several years ago we got an "O-H" from Alladin during the parade. It was awesome!!

 

[SweetEvangeline]

Day 3- Jan. 13, 2015
Our alarm went off at the crack of dawn again and we both awoke in a Disney/Buckeyes victory hangover!

But, alas, Pooh and Tigger were waiting for us for an 8:05 pre-opening breakfast. We never want to disappoint Pooh and Tigger, so off we go decked out in our Buckeye gear for the second day in a row! The skies were dark and gloomy and fog was hanging like a curtain over the castle. I wonder if SEC fans had anything to do with the gloomy skies! Such a bummer when you have the chance to take pictures without a crowd of people. Between that and the lovely crane in the background, our much anticipated early morning castle pictures were not what we had hoped for. Oh well….as Dennis always says, we’ll just have to come back!

Our waitress at Crystal Palace was fantastic, and the food was delicious as always. Pooh’s french toast from the kids’ section is my favorite. Especially with some strawberry sauce! Yumm!!!

 

[SweetEvangeline]

Day 3 part 2....

It was still early when we left breakfast, so the crowds were still very low. It was a perfect opportunity to hit our favorites like Jungle Cruise and Pirates! Dennis was chosen as “that guy” at the Laugh Floor which made for a magical moment and lots of laughs.

We also participated in another Disney first for us on the carousel. Our daughter is terrified of carousels for some reason, so we’ve never had the pleasure of riding. It reminded me of the scene from “Saving Mr. Banks”!

We had a FP to meet Ana and Elsa, and like every other meet and greet, this one did not disappoint. We tried to get the cast members to allow us to get the two of them together for an “O-H-I-O” picture with us, but didn’t have any luck. Darn it! Elsa was sweet, and asked us to teach Olaf about football since our Buckeyes won, but Ana was a riot. When she spotted our anniversary buttons, she yells “OH MY GOODNESS! Are you love experts??” It was fantastic! I know some people feel funny about meeting characters without any kids, but trust me, it’s the best!

Next we had a FP for our first experience on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. I know there are mixed reviews about this ride, but we both really enjoyed it. The cars are very small and not easy to get into with long legs, and it is rather short, but the special effects are awesome and it is a very smooth ride. We loved that our ride was captured on video in our Memory Maker package.

We also had an opportunity to get some more pictures after the fog lifted near the castle. Some of my favorites (thanks to Memory Maker) of the trip minus the "humidity hair"!

 

[SweetEvangeline]

Day 3 part 3...
After a productive morning, I was craving one of my favorite Magic Kingdom lunches at Casey’s. We shared a chili dog lunch with cotton candy for dessert! Delish! There’s just something about Disney hot dogs and cotton candy that tastes better than others! Not to mention french fries and plastic cheese!

We took a chance to photograph the construction around the hub area after lunch. It's going to be great when it's done.

After a leisurely ride on the People Mover, we headed to Main Street to get a spot to watch the parade. We chatted with a lovely Suffragette cast member while we waited who gave us some great advice on love and marriage and introduced us to another couple she had just met who had been married for 45 years! We chatted for quite a while and shared stories. It was great way to pass the time.

We both loved the new parade! I especially loved it when Jiminy Cricket came up and kissed my hand! The music and the floats are just amazing! I was really bummed that we weren’t going to have time tomorrow to come back and see it again.

 

[SweetEvangeline]

Day 3 part 4...sorry this is so long, but lots of pictures to use !
As we left the park, we were asked to complete a survey about our dining experiences in the park for the day. We were happy to participate even though we had done the same thing when we left Hollywood Studios on Sunday.

We jumped on the Monorail to finish out our day at Epcot.

After a few pictures, we took a spin in our favorite golf ball. We had to listen to the narration in Portuguese in honor of our daughter. On our last trip, she rode with Dennis and he was going to let her push the buttons for the narration and she accidentally chose Portuguese instead of English. We laughed all the way through.
My phone battery was quickly fading and the portable charger we brought along stopped working as well. We stopped in at guest services to ask about nearby charging stations and they graciously took my phone and charger and plugged it in for me and gave us a ticket to pick it up later when it was fully charged. That was a great service! While we were waiting for that, we took a nice relaxing ride through Living with the Land before sharing a turkey sandwich and strawberry shortcake at Sunshine Seasons for dinner. TAgain, we forgot pictures before it was too late! There’s just something about the sights, sounds and smells of that building that screams “Disney” to both of us. Not to mention that we have an unlimited supply of sweet tea and the strawberry shortcake is divine!!
We picked up my phone from guest services and had a quick face-time call with our daughter. She really wasn’t too interested in chatting with us as she was eating dinner. At least we knew she was doing okay and not missing us too terribly. She was more interested in her food!

We ended our evening by taking a stroll around the world with a quick stop at Karamel Kuche for a delicious snack of a caramel s'more and a chocolate caramel pineapple spear. We forgot to take pictures, but they were delicious! By this time, my legs and feet were telling me to take a break, so we hopped on the Friendship boat back to Canada and made our way for the exit. We made one last stop at Spaceship Earth for a trip in English this time before we made our way to the busses. I wish Memory Maker would include the pictures from SE, though.

It was another fantastic day and a perfect way to celebrate the Buckeyes’ National Championship win! We heard lots of “Go Bucks” and “O-H” along the way, which we always answered with a hearty “I-O”!!!! Stay tuned for our final day…

 

[mrdrift]

What a wonderful break feast with the character interaction. I would also say what an incredible afternoon at Magic kingdom, it sure doesn't seem very busy which is always good. The parade pictures turned out very nice. Talking a stroll around the World at Epcot is always a fun way to end the day. Following along.

 

[SweetEvangeline]

What a wonderful break feast with the character interaction. I would also say what an incredible afternoon at Magic kingdom, it sure doesn't seem very busy which is always good. The parade pictures turned out very nice. Talking a stroll around the World at Epcot is always a fun way to end the day. Following along.

We were very lucky with the crowd situation the entire week! Early January is a great time time to visit if you don't mind cooler, humid weather and not as much sunshine.
Thanks for following!

 

[acrab3t]

I am loving your TR! Can't wait to hear more. You guys are just like me and my DH. Waking up at 6am for full Disney day is the way to go! Sleep is so underrated. Who can sleep when there is so much fun to be had?

 

[SweetEvangeline]

I am loving your TR! Can't wait to hear more. You guys are just like me and my DH. Waking up at 6am for full Disney day is the way to go! Sleep is so underrated. Who can sleep when there is so much fun to be had?

I'm still feeling the effects, a week later, but it was totally worth it! Can't wait to do it again!
Thanks for following along!

 

[Sudcaro- Sudcaro]

You two look really cute!
Happy anniversary!

 

[SweetEvangeline]

Thanks!

 

[SweetEvangeline]

Day 4 Jan. 14… Our last full day

After another long, fun-filled day yesterday, we were up at the crack of dawn so we could catch the opening show at Magic Kingdom. We had a really nice conversation with a woman and her adult son who were enjoying Disney together. It always seems that we can find someone interesting to talk with anywhere we go at Disney! I have to admit, I always tear up a bit when that show starts…especially on our last day!

We had missed Space Mountain earlier in the week, so that is where we headed first. It is a once-per-trip ride for me, but Dennis got right back on with no wait at all.

We hadn’t eaten much for breakfast so we headed for Gaston’s Tavern for one of these beauties…

After our sugar rush, we took a nice ride with our ghost host and used our second FP+ for Mine Train.

 

[SweetEvangeline]

Day 4, part 2

We also had a FP for Tales with Belle so we took that in and did another first with a ride on The Barnstormer. We absolutely love the Big Top Treats tent so we spent lots of time wandering and taking in the sights and smells.

Since we didn't buy a sweet treat there, we headed for our must-do at Magic Kingdom. No trip would be complete without this...

We had lunch reservations for Be Our Guest and tried to check in early…no luck! In the end, it was a huge blessing that we didn’t because our most magical moment of the trip happened while we were wasting some time waiting for lunch!!
We decided to take a spin on Pooh while we waited for our reservation time. The area was very empty for the most part so there was no wait. As we approached the ride, Pooh and Tigger were coming out for their meet and greet. Tigger crossed the sidewalk to head to his area, but Pooh made a sharp left and headed to Storybook Treats. Dennis and I both chuckled and thought it was cute to see him standing at the window ordering a snack. As I approached the ride, Pooh turned and headed my way with a cup of ice cream in his cute little paws. We laughed again at the sight of Pooh bearing a cup of soft serve. Just at that moment, Pooh spotted me and walked directly to me and handed me that little cup of sweet goodness. With a giggle and a quick hug, he was gone and I was left to enjoy the treat. What an amazing way to make me feel like a kid again. Thankfully, Dennis had kind of hung back and saw the whole thing unfold so he was able to grab some good pictures. The photopass photographer caught a few, too. I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story. I smile every time I see them!

I love that the photographer caught Dennis taking pictures in this one!

 

[SweetEvangeline]

Day 4...part 3

Even though my belly wasn’t really ready for lunch at this point, our reservation was ready and I couldn’t wait to get inside that beautiful castle and enjoy this…

As sad as we were to leave Magic Kingdom for the last time this trip, the events of the morning left us full of joy. This, my friends, is why Disney has captured our hearts and invites us back over and over again!

 

[SweetEvangeline]

Day 4, part 4
We hopped on the monorail to finish out our final day at Epcot. The temperature wasn’t really increasing the way we had hoped it would, and we didn’t want to take time to go back to the room to get our jackets, so of course the best solution…buy new!! We made as stop at Mousegear and managed to find just what we needed! Now, I not only had my new, much-coveted Vera Bradley hipster, but was also sporting a fancy new fleece jacket! I guess the 60 pans of maple-cinnamon rolls that I baked and sold at Christmas finally paid off!

We spent the rest of the afternoon roaming and taking in the countries. There were so many aspects of each pavilion that we had never explored when our daughter was with us simply because we knew she wouldn’t be interested. We watched part of the show in China and took our time in the gift shop. That was really fun as it brought back so many memories of our trip to China to adopt our daughter in 2002. We also watched the pearl-picking in Japan, checked out the bakery in France and even stayed to watch the movie in the French Pavilion.

We made to the American Pavilion just in time to catch the last performance of the day. What a treat!

We had dinner reservations at Chefs De France. We purposely made these reservations a little earlier so we would have plenty of time to enjoy our last dinner and still have plenty of time to find a spot to watch Illuminations. We didn’t have to wait too long to get in, but my goodness do they pack the tables in there, or what?! We were really hoping for a nice, romantic table for two near the windows, but ended up sardined in between a large table and a post. Not the ideal setting but , oh well. I wouldn’t say this restaurant would be first on my list to return to, but the meal was good. Not great, but good. Dennis, however, could have stayed in there forever listening to our waitress talk to us. He was completely enthralled with her accent. I guess I should have paid more attention in French class in high school, huh?! I now realize we didn’t take any pictures of our meal that night. Oh well. I had the steak and Dennis had the french onion soup and chicken. That soup was divine!! We traded veggies as Dennis won’t touch broccoli with a 10 foot pole and it’s one of my absolute favorites! I would definitely go back for that and more of the bread! He had the crème brulee which he said was delicious and I had the strawberry cake with raspberry sorbet. It was delicious as well!
We roamed a little more before we found what we thought would be a good spot to watch Illuminations. It turned out to not be such a great spot after all, but we made the best of it. If people would just follow the rules and not try to stand on the top of the brick planter boxes, we might have been able to see more of the show. Grrrr…..
As much as we hated to do it, we had to make the long, slow journey back to the bus and say goodbye to our wonderful trip. We had reservations for breakfast the next morning but decided to cancel those reservations and spend our last morning sleeping in and taking our time to pack up instead of rushing around. We enjoyed our last breakfast in the food court and watched the last of the must-do's on TV. Soon it was time to board the "tragical" express and come home to cold and snow.

This vacation was just what we needed to focus on each other and remember why we got married 19 years ago. Everyone should be lucky enough to be married to their best friend. We made many memories in these 4 days that I will treasure forever.

We look forward to our next trip which, if we play our cards right, just might be a Disney cruise. We had originally thought we would try to do that trip alone as well, but I think we have both decided that Grace needs to join us. Raising a special needs teenager isn’t easy, and we loved our time together without her, but we both missed her terribly and can’t wait to explore Disney again with her.
Until next time, Disney friends! Thanks for following along.

 

[Sudcaro- Sudcaro]

Wow, how lucky you were to get a treat from Pooh! Now I'm jealous. And I'm not even a big Pooh fan, lol.

 

[SweetEvangeline]

Wow, how lucky you were to get a treat from Pooh! Now I'm jealous. And I'm not even a big Pooh fan, lol.

That's funny because I wasn't a huge Pooh fan either but I am now! LOL