Trip Report **COMPLETED** The 4 M's Go to Disney: a 4th of July Extravaganza

Hello everyone! We are back from the World so I figured I should start my Trip Report

Who?
My Mom (Mary) and I (Megan)

ANDDDD (you are not just stuck with the 2 of us)
My sister Elizabeth (we call her Betta) and my nephew Max

Where?
The Contemporary This was Betta and Max's first stay at the Contemporary - Max's first Deluxe stay

When?
July 4-7, 2019

Why?
We all have off on Fridays so with the 4th being on a Thursday it was a free 4 day weekend!

The title?
Max liked to say that the 4 M's were going to Disney: Max, Mommy (Betta obviously), Megan, Mary My Mom pointed out the 4 M's and he loved it!

T-1 Day July 3, 2019
After work we headed to meet Betta and Max at the hotel we were staying at across the street from the airport. My sister and Max live about an hour away from us so it is much easier for them to stay at a hotel before a trip - especially one where we have to get up pretty early.
We had an incident bringing our suitcases up to the room and my Mom accidentally tripped on this sign so we felt the need to document it

After we got Betta and Max settled into their room we headed to Cracker Barrel to get some dinner with my Dad before he dropped us off for the night.
We could see the airport from our room

July 4, 2019 Day 1
We slept decently well and woke up at 4 am - this particular hotel we stayed in was much better than the usual one we stay in across from the airport so that was nice.

My sister drove us over to the Airport so we did not have to take the hotel shuttle. She parked in a lot I was very unfamiliar with and we ended up having to take a shuttle from there to the airport which took more time than I anticipated. Naturally I was stressed out. This parking lot is cheaper which makes sense but I am spoiled by where we usually park when we are with my Dad
Thankfully check-in and security were fast and we made our way to grab some food for breakfast.

My Mom and I had bagels

Max had some mini donuts and my sister had a breakfast sandwich

Next up: more traveling

 

[Doc Disney]

Day 2 continued
It started to rain again so we headed upstairs, got ready for bed and got ready to watch Happily Ever After from the balcony!
I was telling @sheriffwoody that I think the theme park view is especially worth it at night time. Everything looks so beautiful!

The music for HEA was super clear from our balcony (unlike the 4th of July)

And that's it for the day!

Next up: Day 3/last full day

 

[Swissmiss]

A DLP light fixture for you:

 

[Rista1313]

Mary's tank is totally adorable, did your sister make that one too?

 

[Tuvalu]

Mary's tank is totally adorable, did your sister make that one too?

That Mickey tank is for sale in the Emporium and MouseGear.

 

[Ears to Disney]

What beautiful pictures! We love that Mickey sculpture outside of the contemporary. Max's sand angel's are the best! That form is perfect! Definitely got some practice in from up here in snowy Buffalo! Champagne, cupcakes and HEA from the room...doesn't get any better than that!

 

[Doc Disney]

A DLP light fixture for you:
View attachment 391978

OMG so pretty thanks for sharing !

What beautiful pictures! We love that Mickey sculpture outside of the contemporary. Max's sand angel's are the best! That form is perfect! Definitely got some practice in from up here in snowy Buffalo! Champagne, cupcakes and HEA from the room...doesn't get any better than that!

Thank you!! haha and yes tons of practice in the snow

 

[Doc Disney]

Day 3 July 6, 2019
We got pretty early so that we could get ready and grab some breakfast to go at Contempo Cafe. We were on a mission to Rope Drop Slinky Dog because we could not get a FP for it and it is Max's favorite (well and ours too)
Breakfast to go
Max had a muffin and the rest of us had croissants

The bus times were not listed (the screen was literally off) so we planned on taking an uber. The wait time for the uber seemed excessive (probably because we were needing one with a car seat) but we booked it anyway. Of course a HS bus pulls around the corner so we canceled the uber and hopped on the bus instead.
Made it!

We did indeed rope drop Toy Story Land. I will say I underestimated how much harder it is to rope drop with a stroller

I never noticed until my sister pointed it out that a lot of the animals on the walls are made with springs like slinky dog

I think overall we waited 25 minutes - some of that was just the ride not even being open yet
Max chose my Mom as his ride partner!

Next up: more TSL

 

[Doc Disney]

Day 3 continued

Max had his arms up most of the ride and was screaming so loud - Betta and I were cracking up

After our ride we decided to wait for Alien Swirling Saucers

This line was extra HOT - these little fans we got from Amazon were a lifesaver

I proceeded to do a Max photoshoot in line ...I will share a few of the photos
We have no idea what these hand movements or face are

Next up: more HS

 

[Doc Disney]

Day 3 continued

We watched the Toy Soldiers for a bit

Next up: more HS

 

[NessNewt]

Ooo! 25 minutes for SDD isn't too bad. I'm trying to plan out RD for those in our crew who didn't get FP's. Do you know approximately what time you got to HS? Any other tips?

 

[Doc Disney]

Ooo! 25 minutes for SDD isn't too bad. I'm trying to plan out RD for those in our crew who didn't get FP's. Do you know approximately what time you got to HS? Any other tips?

We got there around 35 minutes before opening so we planned on getting one a bus around an hour before it opened. That was on a pretty low crowd day. Higher crowds I would say around 45 minutes early would work I wish there was a good strategy for when you get there but they run a very tight ship so essentially you just go where the CMs direct you. Once you get into TSL stay to the right because that is where the line starts !

 

[Doc Disney]

Day 3 continued
On the way out of TSL we found Forky! Side note: when I first saw Toy Story 4 I loved it but the more I thought about it the more I didn't really care for it. The story line just did not seem to fit with the rest of the movies. I did, however, love Forky
Max has not seen TS4 but he thinks Forky is "so funny"

Stalker like photo of Bo Peep

We actually changed our Fps around so we could burn them faster to pick up a FP for the evening - when hopefully it was not blazing hot - so we ended up with a FP for the Muppets

It was Max's first time seeing the show - he did not love the 3D but enjoyed the show once he took his glasses off
I was wearing my Salute to all Nations but Mostly America shirt so I had to take a Muppets photo

Then Max wanted to take a picture with snow

We did not tell him to pose like this he just did it I think he watched Moo (that's what he calls me) pose for one too many IG photos

Next up: finishing up HS

 

[Doc Disney]

Day 3 continued
We thought for sure Max would want to see Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy but he did not. I think the heat was getting to him too because he loved the show last time he saw it. He did want to meet Goofy! In these photos the CMs were trying to get Max to pose like Spiderman because of his sandals - only Max has no idea who Spiderman is - the sandals were just on sale

We all agreed it was time to leave the park after this - it was just way too hot!
We did have to run for our bus which is especially fun in the heat

It is worth running for the buses, though. That way you get to go right back to the hotel!
The only thing I asked to do this trip was eat at the Sand Bar at the Contemporary. It is literally my favorite food at the Contemporary. This is the pool bar/restaurant for anyone who is wondering. Before we left for the trip Betta and Max watched a video about the pool and Max also said he wanted to eat there so off we went!

This is Max pointing out how high up our room was

Next up: lunch time

 

[Doc Disney]

Day 3 continued
My Mom and I shared a cheese quesadilla and nachos with chili and cheese

Max had a fruit cup which I forgot to photograph (although you can see it in the background of the nacho picture) and shared the chicken quesadilla with my sister.
It was all so yummy!!!
Grammie and Max got a special treat after lunch ...

Then it was pool time!!!
Prepare for an onslaught of pool photos ...

I spy Max !

The nice thing about where this slide is located is I could take slide pictures from outside the pool with my good camera

Next up: more pool

 

[Doc Disney]

Day 3 continued

In the beginning we were catching Max at the bottom of the slide but by the end he was doing so well with swimming to us at the bottom!

We had an absolute blast in the pool! We were in it for hours. We also hopped over to the quiet pool a few times too!

Next up: random Contemporary

 

[Ears to Disney]

What a great morning in TSL! Love Max's picture poses! The food at The Sandbar looks great and the pool looks like a lot of fun as well. I really have to spend more time at the Contemporary and BLT!

 

[NessNewt]

We got there around 35 minutes before opening so we planned on getting one a bus around an hour before it opened. That was on a pretty low crowd day. Higher crowds I would say around 45 minutes early would work I wish there was a good strategy for when you get there but they run a very tight ship so essentially you just go where the CMs direct you. Once you get into TSL stay to the right because that is where the line starts !

Thank you!

 

[Doc Disney]

What a great morning in TSL! Love Max's picture poses! The food at The Sandbar looks great and the pool looks like a lot of fun as well. I really have to spend more time at the Contemporary and BLT!

You should They are great resorts Well actually I've never stayed at BLT haha

 

[Doc Disney]

Day 3 continued
Oh! I forgot to mention we never actually got our room cleaned the day prior for really no reason. This day we did - and they gave us a cute animal towel

After pool time Betta tried to get Max to lay down for a few minutes so my Mom and I wandered around the hotel
We ended up on the deck area that is between the Contemporary and BLT (before you get on the bridge)

It is very peaceful out there with a great view of Magic Kingdom

Max did not sleep much so we headed back up to the room and got ready to head back to the MK!
We originally had a reservation for Storybook Dining at Artist Point but we canceled it because we weren't sure Max would love those characters and we wanted to go back to the MK since it was such a short trip. I was able to swap it out for Liberty Tree Tavern, though, which was exciting since we missed it on the 4th

We stopped for a PP picture right away. Max is not in it. He literally said "I refuse to take a photo" He really is a good kid and normally would never act up like that but he was cranky since he missed his nap

Next up: MK

 

[Doc Disney]

Day 3 continued
We walked right into parade traffic. Phineas and Ferb were out watching the parade - it was so cute!

Max did not love the Maleficent float - at some point I looked back and he had his head in his shirt

Anyway, we did eventually make our way over to our FP for Buzz. Max and I rode together although you can't see him

Then...Max surprised us all by asking to go on the Peoplemover. He does not love all the dark parts in the ride so I kept my phone out with just the background light on in case he needed it. He kept saying "this isn't bad" like he was trying to convince himself

Next up: more MK