• The new WDWMAGIC iOS app is here!
    Stay up to date with the latest Disney news, photos, and discussions right from your iPhone. The app is free to download and gives you quick access to news articles, forums, photo galleries, park hours, weather and Lightning Lane pricing. Learn More
  • Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
    Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.

Trip Report Glad Tidings and Thrill Riding - November/December 2025

Hellllooooo, humans!

We've been back from WDW for a month, so it's time to get this trip report cranked out before I forget all of the details. Let's get down to business!

Who: Me (Katie), my husband Jason, and our 4-Year-Old, Lincoln
image0 (35).jpeg


When: November 29th-December 6th

Where: The Holiday Inn at Disney Springs, followed by All Star Music

A little background on this trip. We live north of Atlanta and drive to WDW - it's about a 7-8 hour drive, depending on traffic. In 2023 and 2024, we got stuck in awful traffic on I-75, between Gainesville and the Florida Turnpike, delaying our arrival by 2+ hours one year. On our way home in 2024, I told J that I wanted to start driving part of the way down the night before checking in to WDW so that we would have less of a drive and hopefully less traffic getting to that area of Florida earlier in the day. We monitored hotel prices in Lake City and Gainesville about 2-2.5 hours north of WDW, throughout the year, and they rarely dipped below $200/night for the decent hotels. I had a hard time coughing up $200+ to stay at a Best Western in Lake City, but I was determined that we were going to make most of the drive the night before we checked in at ASM. About two weeks before our trip, I told J we need to make a decision about where we wanted to stay. On a whim, I decided to check prices of hotels around Orlando, thinking since it was a much bigger city than Lake City, we might find some more affordable options. Lo and behold, the Holiday Inn at Disney Springs had a room for $117. Sold! It still meant we'd be making the 7-8 hour drive all in one go, but we decided it'd be nice to wake up on our check-in day and already be in the bubble. How did we like the Holiday Inn? Stay tuned to find out.
 
Last edited:

k8einwdw

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Tuesday, December 2nd - Magic Kingdom Day - Continued

After lunch, we introduced L to Monster's Inc Laugh Floor. He had loved Turtle Talk with Crush in 2024, so we thought he'd love this one. Unfortunately, he was tired and not in the mood for it. We may try it again when we go back this year. After Monsters Inc we did a little shopping, and L and I both got some pins. I have recently gotten back in to pin trading, and when L saw my cutie pink pin boards I got (from GoPinPro), he had to have a set for himself, so I got him some blue ones. I'm collecting Daisy Duck, Muppets, Duffy, and Winnie the Pooh. L has decided to collect Jack Skellington, Disney Cats, and 101 Dalmatians.

IMG_3673.jpeg


I also got a bunch of the Princess Pastries mystery pin packs on this trip. I managed to get all of them by the end of the trip except Mulan.

IMG_3674.jpeg


After meandering around and doing some shopping, we headed back into Adventureland. L had requested to ride one of his favorites:

IMG_3675.jpeg


As soon as we got off, he requested to ride again. He and Jason rode a second time while I waited in line for a treat I was not going to leave MK without getting - The Santa Surf Shack Float - POG juice with coconut soft serve and a pineapple Christmas tree cake pop.

IMG_3676.jpeg


We sat in the shade and enjoyed our refreshing treat. It had been pretty cold in 2023 and 2024, so we had not been in the mood for Dole Whip. This time around, it was warm enough to enjoy it. L was very tired at this point, so we told him that if he would lay back and relax in his stroller, I would book us some more Lightning Lanes for later. He finally fell asleep, and Jason and I meandered the park for a bit while he took a much-needed nap. We had to get a pic to document our last time seeing the pink 50th Anniversary castle. The pink was fun for the first year, but we've been beyond ready to get our old-school castle back.

IMG_3678.jpeg


As you can see, the rain had restored my hair to its factory settings. 😅

IMG_3680.jpeg


L woke up about an hour later in a much better mood. As promised, I had booked some LLs for us. We had a Winnie the Pooh LL from that morning, but the ride had been down most of the day, so we hadn't used it. It finally came back up, so we rode that one first, followed by Barnstormer and Dumbo again.

IMG_3687.jpeg


Afterward, we headed out of the park, as it was set to close at 6:00 pm ahead of MVMCP.

Up next: An Epcot Evening
 

k8einwdw

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Tuesday, December 2nd - Epcot

After leaving MK, we hopped on the monorail to the TTC, where we transferred to the Epcot line. We walked in as they were doing the projections on SSE. Every time L saw these particular projections, he would shout "Look! The Epcot Ball looks like a candy cane!"

IMG_3689.jpeg


Our main reason for being at Epcot was a dining reservation, but we had some time to kill, so we decided to take L to Club Cool for his first time. We don't let him have soda (can't say the same for his grandparents 😒), so this was a special treat for him. Things were going well and he was enjoying himself...

IMG_3691.jpeg

IMG_3692.jpeg


Until J decided to prank him with Beverly.

IMG_3695.jpeg


Hey, it's part of the Disney Kid (and Atlanta kid) initiation. He did get J back by "tricking" him into drinking an entire cup of Beverly.

We had a 6:30 dinner reservation at Via Napoli - the waiting area was pretty crowded, but they got us seated not long after our reservation time. They were out of kid's cups, so they gave L a disposable coffee cup with a lid. He thought he was big stuff drinking out of a coffee cup like a grown-up.

IMG_7816.jpeg


For our dinner, I ordered the individual Quattro Formaggi pizza, J got the individual Meat Lover's pizza, and L got the kid's Margherita pizza. And now for your viewing pleasure, I present to you a collection of photos I call "Watch my Four-Year-Old House his Entire Pizza and Some of Mine."

IMG_7818.jpeg

IMG_7820.jpeg

IMG_7822.jpeg

78641469762__20954480-26C9-46FA-B14B-245187E5E2E8.jpeg


After this, he said “My belly is hard as a rock,” and then proceeded to eat some strawberry gelato.

The food at Via Napoli was great as always. Our service was so-so. It'll still be a go-to for us, although I'd like to try something new (or at least new to Lincoln) this year. After dinner, we headed out of the park and took the monorail back to the TTC to get back to our car. We headed back to ASM and took our time getting ready for bed, since the next day was our "rest" day and we had nowhere to be super early.

Up next: A chill morning outside of the parks
 

k8einwdw

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Wednesday, December 3rd - Rest (?) Day

We "slept in" until around 7:30 this morning - after two pre-6:00 am wake-ups in a row, it felt luxurious. We had a 9:30 am breakfast reservation at Boma, and we left our room shortly before 9:00 to head to AKL. We stayed at Jambo House with Jason's parents back in 2017 during the holidays, and one of our favorite parts of that trip was walking in to the lobby to this sight every day.

IMG_3699.jpeg


We checked in for our reservation and were called up within just a few minutes. L and I went up to the buffet first, and I was surprised at some of the options he picked (oatmeal with raisins and dried bananas?). We ended up having to wait a few minutes with another woman for plain scrambled eggs for L. I always go for the scrambled eggs with goat cheese and chives (divine!) and tried to convince L to give them a try, but he was adamant. I don't remember if he even ate his eggs - he rarely touches them at home.

My plate:

IMG_3700.jpeg


L's plate - he mostly ate the waffles, bacon, and fruit that I got him later on in the meal

IMG_7824.jpeg


We all left absolutely stuffed! We stopped in the lobby to grab a couple more pics before heading out. Lincoln was fascinated by the gingerbread animals.

IMG_7830.jpeg

IMG_3701.jpeg


After leaving AKL, we headed over to Winter Summerland for some mini golf. This was L's first time playing mini golf at Disney.

IMG_3702.jpeg


We prefer the Winter course at Christmastime, but decided on the Summer course, since there was no wait, and it's generally less crowded.

IMG_3703.jpeg


L enjoys the idea of mini golf more than he actually enjoys playing. He usually ends up hitting the ball once or twice before eventually picking it up and dropping it in to the hole. He was not happy when it was over, so at least he had fun playing it his way.

IMG_3704.jpeg


I was the big winner this time!

IMG_3705.jpeg


Before our trip, I had promised J that we would make time to let him visit one of the pro shops at the golf courses. He's recently gotten back into golf (after selling his clubs when I was pregnant with L 🤦🏻‍♀️), and while he has no plans to golf on our family vacations, he did want to check out the merch. We went to the pro shop at the Palm, Magnolia, and Oak Trail courses (across from the Poly). L was a big fan of the Mickey golf cart, and J walked away with two hats.

IMG_3706.jpeg


Up next: Resort Hopping
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Tuesday, December 2nd - Magic Kingdom - Continued

We headed to It's a Small World next, which made me nostalgic for Lincoln's nursery. Last summer, we transformed his It's a Small World nursery into a truck-themed "big boy room." I was so proud of his nursery, and sad to see it go.

View attachment 903011
View attachment 903012

We had some time to kill before our first Lightning Lane, so we decided to head over to Tomorrowland to ride the Peoplemover.

View attachment 903013
View attachment 903014
View attachment 903015

It started raining while we were on the Peoplemover, and of course we hadn't put the rain cover on the stroller, so we made a mad dash to get it covered up before it got soaked. We saw that Space Mountain was at a 10-minute wait, so J and I decided to take turns riding while the other parent took L on the Tomorrowland Speedway. I took L to ride Speedway first, and J was on and off Space Mountain right about the time we were loading into our car. I headed to Space Mountian next, and got back over to Speedway before the boys had gotten on. J sent me this picture...

View attachment 903016

And about 30 seconds later, he called me to say that their car had stalled on the tracks. I went to find a CM to notify them, but thankfully a nearby CM had noticed them and started walking over. They were able to get them started back up and offered them a LL to ride again, but we were all Speedway-ed out by that point.

Next, we headed to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for our first LL. I love L's face in our ride pic.

View attachment 903017

We headed back to the Storybook Circus area next. I loved these wreaths!

View attachment 903018

We rode Dumbo first, and then Barnstormer (only a 10-minute wait - big improvement from the night before). It was raining HARD at this point, so we all got soaked.

View attachment 903019

We ran into Big Top Souvenirs to try to get out of the deluge. Everyone else had the same idea, so it was PACKED in there. L saw the bakery cases and asked for a treat, so we grabbed him a cupcake and a Goofy's Glacier. J and I split a caramel popcorn. There was no open seating in Big Top Souvenirs, so we decided to make a run for it and go to the open-air covered pavilion in the back of Storybook Circus. They were currently using it for Santa character meets but since there was no one else back there, the CMs let us sit down at one of the tables.

View attachment 903020

One thing you should know about L is that he is terrified of Santa. This started back in 2024 - we had taken him to our local mall to meet Santa, and Lincoln was perfectly happy in line, but as soon as it was our turn and Santa started talking to him, he panicked and hid behind me. So when this Santa got up from his chair and started walking over to talk to Lincoln, I quickly made eye contact with him and shook my head. He backed off, but unfortunately not before L spotted him. He had an absolute meltdown. Thankfully, an absolute angel of a CM on her college program came over and distracted him with stickers and asking about characters, and he eventually calmed down. We put in a cast compliment for her in the app after we left.

Up next: Silly Spooks, Pirates, and Going Down the Bayou
It's a Small World nursery
What a unique idea! Regarding Santa, I don't blame him. When I both my brother and I were about L's age, we wanted NOTHING to do with Santa; and my mother couldn't get her much desired Macy's Santa picture until we were each around 5.
 
Last edited:

k8einwdw

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Wednesday, December 3rd - Rest/Resort Day - Continued

After leaving the pro shop, we headed back to ASM to grab L's stroller and head out for some resort-hopping. We first hopped a bus to Hollywood Studios. L always makes a beeline for the back of the bus - I can't blame him, the seats are always nice and warm.

IMG_3709.jpeg


At Hollywood Studios, we transferred to the Skyliner.

IMG_7836.jpeg


We took the Skyliner to Caribbean Beach, where we hopped off to grab a pick-me-up at Joffrey's before we headed to oiur next destination. J and I both got the Frozen Toffee Flight Latte - yum!

IMG_3711.jpeg


We hopped back on the Skyliner, this time to Epcot. After arriving at the International Gateway, we made the short walk to Beach Club, where L enjoyed playing on the beach for a bit.

IMG_3714.jpeg


After dragging L off the beach, we headed inside to check out the gingerbread carousel - this is always a favorite for us.

IMG_3715.jpeg


We then walked over to Yacht Club, where L enjoyed watching the train for a bit.

IMG_3716.jpeg

IMG_3718.jpeg

IMG_3719.jpeg


L was getting pretty tired at this point, so we spent some time strolling on the boardwalk and popping into the shops to do some pin trading until he finally fell asleep.

IMG_3720.jpeg


Up next: Wrapping up our resort day
 

k8einwdw

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
What a unique idea! Regarding Santa, I don't blame him. When I both my brother and I were about L's age, he wanted NOTHING to do with Santa; and my mother couldn't get her much desired Macy's Santa picture until we were each around 5.
He’ll be five this Christmas, so hopefully he’ll grow out of his fear soon!🤞🏼
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Tuesday, December 2nd - Magic Kingdom Day - Continued

Once the rain had let up, we headed over to Haunted Mansion for our LL.

View attachment 903877
View attachment 903878

Then, over to POTC, which was practically a walk-on.

View attachment 903879
View attachment 903880

J and L enjoyed a sword fight in the gift shop, but we knew better than to let a 4-year-old bring a sword home with us.

View attachment 903881

Then, we hoofed it over to Tiana's Bayou Adventure for our next LL. I rode this one alone in 2024, since L was not tall enough to ride yet and J is not a fan of water rides. This time around, all three of us rode.

View attachment 903882
View attachment 903883

We were assigned the first two rows, and I was nervous about how L would react to the BIG splash at the end, but he loved it! He's already asked me multiple times since we've been home if we can ride it again when we go back this year.

View attachment 903884

It was nearing 1:00 at this point and we were all starving, so we decided to mobile order some lunch. Pecos Bill was the closest option, but we had just eaten there the previous night. We considered Columbia Harbor House, but I don't eat seafood (and I'm allergic to shellfish), so my options would have been chicken tenders or chicken tenders. So, we ended up walking allllll the way to the other side of the park for Cosmic Ray's. L got the kid's Mac and Cheese, J got the Truffle French Onion Burger, and I got the Chicken Sandwich. J's meal was the best of the three. Cosmic Ray's previously had a spicy chicken sandwich that was delicious, but they had changed it since our last trip, and this one was just okay. We, of course, sat near the main draw of Cosmic Ray's.

View attachment 903885

I need Disney to release a Sonny Eclipse album. I've heard every song a hundred times, and they never get old.

Up Next: Closing out our day at MK
Tuesday, December 2nd - Magic Kingdom Day - Continued

Once the rain had let up, we headed over to Haunted Mansion for our LL.

View attachment 903877
View attachment 903878

Then, over to POTC, which was practically a walk-on.

View attachment 903879
View attachment 903880

J and L enjoyed a sword fight in the gift shop, but we knew better than to let a 4-year-old bring a sword home with us.

View attachment 903881

Then, we hoofed it over to Tiana's Bayou Adventure for our next LL. I rode this one alone in 2024, since L was not tall enough to ride yet and J is not a fan of water rides. This time around, all three of us rode.

View attachment 903882
View attachment 903883

We were assigned the first two rows, and I was nervous about how L would react to the BIG splash at the end, but he loved it! He's already asked me multiple times since we've been home if we can ride it again when we go back this year.

View attachment 903884

It was nearing 1:00 at this point and we were all starving, so we decided to mobile order some lunch. Pecos Bill was the closest option, but we had just eaten there the previous night. We considered Columbia Harbor House, but I don't eat seafood (and I'm allergic to shellfish), so my options would have been chicken tenders or chicken tenders. So, we ended up walking allllll the way to the other side of the park for Cosmic Ray's. L got the kid's Mac and Cheese, J got the Truffle French Onion Burger, and I got the Chicken Sandwich. J's meal was the best of the three. Cosmic Ray's previously had a spicy chicken sandwich that was delicious, but they had changed it since our last trip, and this one was just okay. We, of course, sat near the main draw of Cosmic Ray's.

View attachment 903885

I need Disney to release a Sonny Eclipse album. I've heard every song a hundred times, and they never get old.

Up Next: Closing out our day at MK
I would also absolutely love a Sonny Eclipse album!!
 

k8einwdw

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Wednesday, December 3rd - Resort Day - Continued

Since L was happily napping in the stroller, we decided to hop back on the Skyliner at the International Gateway to head to Riviera. L woke up right about the time we got there, and informed me that he needed to go to the bathroom NOW. The bathroom closest to the Skyliner station required Magic Band access (??), so we had to run inside to use the bathrooms closest to the lobby. Crisis averted, we did some pin-trading and browsing in the gift shop before heading out. Normally, I would have stopped for an almond cold brew from La Petit Cafe (one of my favorite coffees on property), but we decided against it since we had just had coffee a couple hours prior.

From Riviera, we took the bus to Magic Kingdom, and walked over to the Contemporary. We're normally not crazy about their gingerbread display, but I really liked this year's design!

IMG_3726.jpeg


We then monorailed over to the Poly. It was just after 5:00 at this point, and we were all starving since we had skipped lunch. We decided to mobile order dinner from Captain Cooks, and popped into Bou-Tiki while we waited for our food to be ready. L insisted that I take his picture with this display.

IMG_3728.jpeg


I've always loved Poly's holiday (Poly-day?) decorations.

IMG_3729.jpeg


For dinner, J and I both got our beloved BBQ Pork Nachos. All of my toppings were on one side of the chips (?), but they were delish nonetheless. L had the kid's cheeseburger meal. If you haven't clocked it by now, L is a big burger guy. I don't think he ate a single chicken nugget on this trip.

IMG_3730.jpeg


We decided to skip visiting Grand Flo since they did not have the lobby gingerbread house this year. Instead, we took the monorail back to MK and then hopped on a boat to Wilderness Lodge. My aunt and uncle (who we had met up with earlier in the trip) had moved over to Wilderness Lodge, and I texted to see if they were around. We found out that they had the flu (!), so we didn't end up seeing them the rest of the trip. Thankfully, no one else ended up getting sick. Terrible lighting in these pics, but Wilderness Lodge will always be my favorite resort during the holidays. The resort already has a cozy, rustic feel to it, and the holiday decorations just make it even better.

IMG_3733.jpeg

IMG_3734.jpeg


After this, we took a bus to Hollywood Studios and then hopped on a bus to get back to ASM. As much as we love having our car with us on property, it's always fun to have a day to utilize the different forms of Disney transportatio- we had used the buses, Skyliner, monorail, and boat this day!

Up next: Epcot Day
 

k8einwdw

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thursday, December 4th - Epcot Day

We were up and at 'em by 6:30 this morning, heading out of the room shortly after 7:30. Since our last trip, L had grown enough to meet the height limits for both Test Track and Soarin', so we adjusted our Rope Drop/LL strategy so that he could do both. We rope-dropped Soarin', which was an easy walk-on. We were in the middle, bottom row. J and I usually prefer the top row, but it seemed that the CM was putting the parties with littler kids in the bottom row, which I totally get. That top row is pretty high up. I'm happy to report that L really enjoyed Soarin!

Next, we headed over to LWTL, which was a very short wait this early in the morning.

IMG_3735.jpeg

IMG_3737.jpeg


We asked L if he wanted to do Figment or the Seas next, and he chose Figment.

Hello, we’ve been trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty.

IMG_3738.jpeg


Afterward, he enjoyed some time in the ImageWorks play area.

IMG_3739.jpeg

IMG_7841.jpeg


We still had some time to get to our first LL, so we popped in to the Seas pavilion to visit with some undersea friends.

IMG_3740.jpeg

IMG_3742.jpeg

IMG_3743.jpeg


Our first LL was for SSE 9:30-10:30, and we made it in shortly after 10:00. \

Thanks guys.

IMG_3744.jpeg


Fashion Icon.

IMG_3745.jpeg


Up next: More Epcot Fun
 

Minnie1986

Well-Known Member
Wednesday, December 3rd - Resort Day - Continued

Since L was happily napping in the stroller, we decided to hop back on the Skyliner at the International Gateway to head to Riviera. L woke up right about the time we got there, and informed me that he needed to go to the bathroom NOW. The bathroom closest to the Skyliner station required Magic Band access (??), so we had to run inside to use the bathrooms closest to the lobby. Crisis averted, we did some pin-trading and browsing in the gift shop before heading out. Normally, I would have stopped for an almond cold brew from La Petit Cafe (one of my favorite coffees on property), but we decided against it since we had just had coffee a couple hours prior.

From Riviera, we took the bus to Magic Kingdom, and walked over to the Contemporary. We're normally not crazy about their gingerbread display, but I really liked this year's design!

View attachment 905216

We then monorailed over to the Poly. It was just after 5:00 at this point, and we were all starving since we had skipped lunch. We decided to mobile order dinner from Captain Cooks, and popped into Bou-Tiki while we waited for our food to be ready. L insisted that I take his picture with this display.

View attachment 905217

I've always loved Poly's holiday (Poly-day?) decorations.

View attachment 905218

For dinner, J and I both got our beloved BBQ Pork Nachos. All of my toppings were on one side of the chips (?), but they were delish nonetheless. L had the kid's cheeseburger meal. If you haven't clocked it by now, L is a big burger guy. I don't think he ate a single chicken nugget on this trip.

View attachment 905219

We decided to skip visiting Grand Flo since they did not have the lobby gingerbread house this year. Instead, we took the monorail back to MK and then hopped on a boat to Wilderness Lodge. My aunt and uncle (who we had met up with earlier in the trip) had moved over to Wilderness Lodge, and I texted to see if they were around. We found out that they had the flu (!), so we didn't end up seeing them the rest of the trip. Thankfully, no one else ended up getting sick. Terrible lighting in these pics, but Wilderness Lodge will always be my favorite resort during the holidays. The resort already has a cozy, rustic feel to it, and the holiday decorations just make it even better.

View attachment 905220
View attachment 905221

After this, we took a bus to Hollywood Studios and then hopped on a bus to get back to ASM. As much as we love having our car with us on property, it's always fun to have a day to utilize the different forms of Disney transportatio- we had used the buses, Skyliner, monorail, and boat this day!

Up next: Epcot Day
our beloved BBQ Pork Nachos
S still talks about those nachos; they were really good!
 

k8einwdw

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thursday, December 4th - Epcot Day - Continued

After SSE, it was time for L's most anticipated ride of the day - his first time on Test Track. We had shown him POV videos of all of the rides he had grown into since our last trip, and he was most excited for this one. Unsurprisingly, he loved it!

C4C8C228-34C5-46CB-9CE0-D805C6753433.jpeg


Then, it was time to split up. J and I both had a LL for GOTG - technically L was just tall enough to ride, but we weren't quite comfortable with that yet. J rode first, while I took L through the Journey of Water.

IMG_3746.jpeg

IMG_3747.jpeg

IMG_3749.jpeg


It was about 11:30 at this point, and I wanted L to eat lunch before we got into World Showcase, and J and I tend to graze throughout the pavilions rather than eating one solid meal. I mobile ordered him some lunch from Connections - a PB&J kids meal with fries and a cutie.

IMG_3751.jpeg


Shortly after we sat down, J was off of GOTG, and it was my turn. Up to this point, I had gotten "September," "Disco Inferno," "Conga," "I Ran," and that weird holiday song they did a few years ago. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "One Way or Another" continue to evade me - I got "I Ran" again. I'm of the camp that "September" is the superior song on GOTG, but I'd like to get all of them at least once.

IMG_3752.jpeg


It was past noon and neither adult in our party had had any coffee yet, so it's a miracle we were still functioning. We grabbed Joffrey's from the kiosk near GOTG - I got the holiday cookie latte and finally felt like a human again.

IMG_3753.jpeg


Now that we were caffeinated, it was time to head in to the World Showcase. We stopped first at the Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen, where J and I split the Tostada de Carne. This was tasty, albeit a little small for $8.

IMG_3754.jpeg


Afterward, we headed in to the Mexico pavilion to ride Gran Fiesta Tour- since this one doesn't have Lightning Lane, I feel like it's a pretty good indicator of how crowded the park is. In 2024, the queue snaked through several switchbacks where we got to enjoy a lovely view of everyone eating lunch at San Angel Inn (that has to be so awkward for the people eating there). This time, we only had to wait about 5 minutes.

IMG_3755.jpeg


Up next: More World Showcase
 

k8einwdw

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The pictures of L at Journey of Water are so cute! I will wander through there several times when I'm in Epcot, just to watch everyone having so much fun with water
hair wave GIF
I know people have big feelings about this area (and I'll always miss old Epcot), but the kids love it, and it harkens back to the edu-tainment aspect of original Epcot while also including characters that the kids know and love. It's a must-do for our family anytime we're there.
 

k8einwdw

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thursday, December 4th - Epcot Day - Continued

After leaving the Mexico pavilion, we popped in to Norway to use the restrooms and check the wait time for Frozen Ever After, since we had not gotten a LL. It was unsurprisingly over an hour wait, so we passed. In China, we browsed through the shops. In Germany, J got a beer - while he was in line, L and I headed into Karamell Kuche. I got one of the delicious caramel gingerbread sandwich cookies for J and I to split later, and I told L he could pick one treat for himself. He chose...a caramel apple.

IMG_3756.jpeg


He mostly ate the caramel off of the apple (anyone surprised?), but J and I helped with the apple part. I miss when the CMs were allowed to cut the caramel apples for you, they're tough to eat whole. We skipped past Italy, as we generally don't care for their shops. In the American pavilion, we got the pretzel bites and beer cheese from Block & Hans. I didn't get a picture, but we all really enjoyed them!

Japan is always a favorite for us - we enjoyed watching the Matsuriza drummers, and we love walking through Mitsukoshi. I tried to convince J to get the sushi tree from the Shi Wasu Holiday Kitchen, but he wasn't feeling it this year. By the time we got to Morocco, it was clear that L was due for a nap. He has mostly dropped his afternoon nap at home, but the days at Disney are soooo long that it really helps if he has a nap. J and I took turns strolling him around until he finally sacked out.

IMG_3759.jpeg


In France, I was in the mood for a sweet treat. We checked the line for Les Halles, and it was madness as usual, so I settled on L'Artisan de Glaces, where I got the brioche ice cream sandwich with White Chocolate Coconut ice cream and caramel sauce. It was delicious! The science behind how the bun stays warm and the ice cream stays cold is a mystery to me.

IMG_3757.jpeg

IMG_3758.jpeg


After France, we strolled through the UK pavilion, stopping in the shops along the way. In Canada, J got some Maple Popcorn from the popcorn cart, and he and I enjoyed some people watching on one of the benches up by the Trading Post. We remarked on some of the t-shirts we saw. I had seen an Instagram Reel recently where someone pointed out that a lot of married couples wear t-shirts where the wife's says something the lines of "I'm His Princess," or "Best Day Ever," and the husband's says "My Stupid Wife Made me Pay for this Vacation and Wear this Dumb T-Shirt." So of course, I had been noticing those shirts throughout the trip. We saw one while we were people-watching that said "My Favorite Disney Villain is my Wife." Maybe the humor is lost on me, my spouse and I actually enjoy each other's company. 🤷🏻‍♀️

L woke up around the time we were leaving the World Showcase, and he had had an accident while he was asleep. 🤦🏻‍♀️ 100% our fault for not making him use the restroom closer to his nap. I got him changed while J wiped down the stroller and laid a blanket down so L wouldn't have to sit on a damp stroller. Don't worry, I scrubbed the stroller down with plenty of soap and hot water when we got back to the room that night. We had some time to kill before dinner, so we took L to the playground behind Creations to get some energy out. L kept trying to play with this one group of kids that was playing Frozen, but the ringleader (Elsa, of course) said he was too little to play with them. 😒 Thankfully, he found another boy about his age to play with, and they played "Jail," as seen here.

IMG_4293.jpeg


We had a 6:30 reservation at Biergarten, so we started walking back that way around 6:00. It took a while for us to be seated after we checked in, but thankfully we got a table for just the three of us. Do they still combine smaller parties at Biergarten? I know they used to pre-COVID, but this was our first time here since 2018. L promptly picked up the beer menu and pretended to drink it. He told us it was hot chocolate. The grandparents got a kick out of this one.

IMG_7852.jpeg


Then, it was time to head to the buffet.

L's Plate - he ate mostly chicken "schnitzel" and applesauce. For some reason, he wasn't a fan of the macaroni and cheese.

IMG_3762.jpeg


My plate:

IMG_3763.jpeg


J's plate:

78658488307__18701970-9F55-426F-BBF6-A2A4421CA88C.jpeg


J and I both loved the beer cheese soup and the pork schnitzel with the delicious gravy. L's favorite part of the meal was the entertainment - he was transfixed the entire time the musicians were playing. He told us afterwards that the alphorns were his favorite part.

IMG_3765.jpeg


Overall, Beirgarten was one of our favorite meals of the trip! The food was great, we enjoyed the entertainment, and our server was wonderful as well!

Up next: Finishing out our night at Epcot
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom