Trip Report All Grown Up!!!

Well she did it! She graduated in December with Honors, a semester early from the University of Illinois. DD has missed a few of my mini trips to WDW over the last few years because of college. Late in March, during a particularly nasty winter here in Northern Illinois my DD borrowed a line I've used multiple times, I’m going to WDW are you in or out? And that started our fast passed planning for a trip in under a few weeks. It was Just Us travelling, my DD (22) and me (not as young as I use to be) last minute, escape Illinois trip to WDW.

Since there wasn't a plan or savings nor budgeting for this trip we quickly evaluated how we were going to pull off this trip. With DS on the phone we learned that if we were to take advantage of the CM discount we would have the choice of a discount at either the French Quarter or the Coronado, we had wanted to stay at a moderate, specifically POR. It surprised us since normally FQ for guests is the one that isn't discounted as much and often omitted from Dining perks. So FQ it was. Next surprise during that call was we had to have a King Sized Bed, Doubles not available for CM discount. Requesting and guaranteeing a King Bed is normally an up-charge for guests. We had a few of these surprises along the way. So a King room it was for Mom and DD. We also requested the QS dining plan, booked the Memory Maker and made our reservation for DME. Done, just under a two week vacation for Mom and Daughter, the second time we have done this. Last girls trip was in 2007 when she was in high school and her brother was doing a Disney CP stint. Next was airfare. Yep, no notice, we wound up at an airport over an hour away, SouthWest is far more forgiving for last minute travel, we also booked the priority boarding, done and at a more than fair price.

All that was left after a few hours of planning was to shop for what was needed and to arrange for care for Pup as my DH has been working some long hours. Friends lined up, keys handed out, all we had to do was wait…fortunately the anticipation was short-lived.

This report is going to be a compilation of events, since if I try to organize it as well as others do, it just wont happen.

Up next, We're leaving for WDW.

 

[Gabe1]

We made our way to the Backlot Tour one day. We knew we needed to get this one in, pretty certain it is on the chopping block in the near future. We don't do this one as often as we use to since the working studios and the streets have been removed.

But we both wanted to re-experience Catastrophe Cannon. The fire freak'd both of my kids when they were small. We got quite the giggle out a mid-teen girl in our tram needing to be out of the way of the waterfall. It was funny to see how she kept jumping around their row attempting to pick the perfect spot. It was a great sideshow.

The Backlot will be missed as it was but I'm willing to Let It Go if they actually build something in its place.

 

[Zipadeelady]

First trip report I've read that someone has went to Tom Sawyer Island!! We haven't been to the island but it's a must do for our next trip.

 

[Gabe1]

First trip report I've read that someone has went to Tom Sawyer Island!! We haven't been to the island but it's a must do for our next trip.

Somewhere buried in all of my photo's are more of the Island. It is a very big area, lots of of paths, both aspault and bark. We started taking my kids there when they were small during the afternoon parade hours because it has so many trees it is cool like a forest when it is hot out. There are many things for them to explore, they loved the tunnels and the second floor of the Fort. It was great because they were able to blow off excess energy in an appropriate place. That is why I liked Toon over Circus. Toon had so many different areas where kids could climb and explore over the years outside. The Island is a hidden gem that lets you regain your sanity.
Remember to hold on during the raft ride, its departure and landing at the docks are anything but smooth. Don't miss the barrel bridge it is a hoot!

 

[Gabe1]

Some attractions seem to fall into that camp of I love it or hate it. I am in the I love Laugh Floor camp. It is simple, always makes me laugh. Lives up to its attraction name for me. Each show is a little different and quirky. This time as I looked up from my iPhone as the show was to begin. I was unexpectedly entertained before the show actually started, though I struggled not to laugh out loud and succeeded.

 

[Zipadeelady]

Somewhere buried in all of my photo's are more of the Island. It is a very big area, lots of of paths, both aspault and bark. We started taking my kids there when they were small during the afternoon parade hours because it has so many trees it is cool like a forest when it is hot out. There are many things for them to explore, they loved the tunnels and the second floor of the Fort. It was great because they were able to blow off excess energy in an appropriate place. That is why I liked Toon over Circus. Toon had so many different areas where kids could climb and explore over the years outside. The Island is a hidden gem that lets you regain your sanity.
Remember to hold on during the raft ride, its departure and landing at the docks are anything but smooth. Don't miss the barrel bridge it is a hoot!

Thanks again for the good advice! I must say I did glance at a few of the photos but scrolled through most without looking, I'm going in September and I want to be surprised when I see it for the first time. It's hard to believe that this will be my 5th visit and there are still things I haven't done!

 

[mickeysshoes]

This was the first time we did the friends and family. Other times we used the other one too.

Oh great...more fun to look forward to. My other DD is going on the F&F discount with a friend from college in 7 days so I will get a report from her on how it went and what I should be ready for.

 

[Gabe1]

I love all your reminiscing. I have so many of these same memories. We have pictures of all the "stages" of the Speedway - riding on a lap, driving with someone next to you, driving alone. Tears me up a bit!

Yeah this was a special trip for me and my DD. The last trip I went with her alone was in 2007, we were there for her Sweet 16th Birthday. It was fun too! This was a long trip so it made it that much better.

 

[Gabe1]

We were up at 6am everyday except the last where we were 5am, yep before QS opened for coffee. We opened the parks at rope drop most days. The parks were not overly crowded days ranked at 4-5 and one 6 one day at the MK.

I am not sure that the Magic Band for entry is faster than the 'ole turnstile. In theory yes, but it is a real slow down when someone cannot get the green go ahead, the lines stall. As we stood in the lines to get in you could constantly see the CMs waving their hand above their head for an iPad'd CM. My DD did not have any issues with her MB to gain entry to the parks. Me, I could never get into the MK either as first of the day or MK as a park hop the whole vacation. All other parks were fine.

But the lines were long for a moderate to slower time for the parks and it took a long time to get in. We were at DHS on a 4 day and it took us over 30 minutes to get in. Our plan was like everyone else, head to Toy. By the time we got there and got in line the sign said 55 minutes. And it was.

This is the lines to get in the Studio's on a 4 day.

You can see if you look near the balloon that the line just keeps on going way past bag check. Crazy.
I've seen stuff like this at Christmas and 4th of July but never anything like this at a peaceful time of the year.

 

[Gabe1]

Coming out of Toy and heading to the Backlot Tour we noticed a group of young'ns way too amused with a fountain. Wondering what they had done, it wasn't what they did but more what they found amusing. I know I've walked past this fountain every time I've been in the park but oddly I never paid attention to it.

I have to say as I stopped to see what they were gawking at I was sort of wondering what made Disney decide on that statue. Is there a story behind it or something?

 

[photoflight]

Fill her up!
We knew how, way back when how NOT to dependent on oil!

I hope they don't replace the trains too. Nothing like riding steam at WDW... these are oil burners though, the tenders hold something like 600 gallons of oil. Not sure if they were originally wood, coal, or oil burners when they were built though. One day I'll do the behind our steam trains tour and learn more

 

[photoflight]

I have to say as I stopped to see what they were gawking at I was sort of wondering what made Disney decide on that statue. Is there a story behind it or something?

Here you go: The fountain is of importance to the early history of the Studios and remains an homage not so much to a great film, but rather to the Studios for producing its first film.

 

[Gabe1]

I hope they don't replace the trains too. Nothing like riding steam at WDW... these are oil burners though, the tenders hold something like 600 gallons of oil. Not sure if they were originally wood, coal, or oil burners when they were built though. One day I'll do the behind our steam trains tour and learn more

I really have a soft spot for the trains.

Here you go: The fountain is of importance to the early history of the Studios and remains an homage not so much to a great film, but rather to the Studios for producing its first film.

Thanks. With that I was able to read the rest of the story. Makes sense that they put it there.

 

[lbrad]

Enjoying your TR!!!
Love spending quality time with my DD too
Can't wait to read more

 

[FlaggNL]

First of all congrats on the December graduation (it's a while ago ) our girl has her exams starting in 10 days so we have our fingers crossed here!

Great TR! Nice pictures..... Looking ar all the TR's makes us want the time goes faster and faster can't wait to see the rest of your TR!

 

[Gabe1]

Enjoying your TR!!!
Love spending quality time with my DD too
Can't wait to read more

Thank you. My DD and I have similar personalities so we basically just vacationed by the seat of our pants.

 

[Gabe1]

First of all congrats on the December graduation (it's a while ago ) our girl has her exams starting in 10 days so we have our fingers crossed here!

Great TR! Nice pictures..... Looking ar all the TR's makes us want the time goes faster and faster can't wait to see the rest of your TR!

Thanks. We were really proud of her graduating early and with honors. She is a focused young lady. Good luck to your daughter, finals are so stressful followed up by all that packing.

 

[Gabe1]

This was my DD first trip as a 21+'er So I wondered how this would play out especially at Epcot. My DD is also hypoglycemic so I had no fears of her overdoing it. As it turned out our days at Epcot that we made it to the World Showcase were incredibly hot. We hit the low 90s both days we were back there in the evening. The only day and that was late morning-early afternoon it was our rainy day, till 5pm.

One night we made it back to the French Quarter early in the evening, the 2nd night of our stay. Being up 22 straight hours traveling and touring 2 parks the 1st day 'till midnight and then going back to our resort to unpack followed by being up again this day 6 am had caught up with us. We still toured the parks a good 11 hours so we headed back to the resort.

DD doesn't like adult beverages that she can taste the alcohol in so I picked out a sweet one from Scats at the resort. She had a Hurricane. Fitting since she had experienced two Florida Hurricanes during her trips to WDW in her young life.


Me, here I go down memory lane, I had a Whiskey Sour. I have a thing for them and few make them well, Disney does. I only have a few a year but they bring me back to a time of yesteryear. When my kids were kids we did 2 week trips generally in the fall to the World. Most parks closed up around 7pm at night in the off season so we always had resort time. This was good while the kids were little. We stayed at then Port Orleans shortly after it had opened. My DS was pushing 5 years old and my DD was a newborn 2 month old babe who had her days and nights mixed up from birth. After her first night sleeping in one of those big old stainless steel full sized cribs in our room we woke in the morning and she was still sleeping, all through night, a good 10 hours. We were scared.We asked DS to go poke his little sister as neither of us wanted to be the one to see if she was still breathing. He happily went over and poked her and she smiled at him. *Phew.* Touring the parks and in and out of the strollers righted her sleep pattern and also had her sleeping through the night. Amen. That night as my DD drifted off to sleep early in the evening we were trapped in our resort room and my DH went down to Scats and got us a few Whiskey Sours and we took our chairs out on the Walk Way and enjoyed the evening and peace and quiet of sleeping children. Well I was back at the formerly named Port Orleans with that little baby of mine All Grown Up.
I ordered a Whiskey Sour in her honor. Slurp.

The only other adult beverage my DD and I had touring the parks was from Prime Time. This was our rainy day. I made reservations on the fly and we sat at the bar (new to us) and ordered a beverage she wanted to try for a long time. Dad's Electric Lemonade. I highly recommend this drink. My first experience was this was on my trip with my DD for 16th Birthday combined with going to WDW to visit my then 20 year old DS who I had not seen in 3 1/2 months, then doing his Disney College Program. That trip we were on the Dining Plan and that was our first TS credit of the trip. The weeks leading up to that trip my Mom and I were having an Ugly Battle with my DS who lives in a different state (long planning WDW story) and I ordered a Dad's Lemonade to unwind after to travelling to our WDW escape and we wouldn't be getting to see my DS until after the Osborne Lights show where he'd be meeting us. I fell in deep love with Dad's Electric Lemonade and later my DS got me the recipe for it. So it was fitting that once again my DD and I are sitting solo at Prime Time only this time both of us sipping our adult Lemonade.

We ordered another to go and then walked down the street and purchased two travel sippy cups, they were cheap too and we had adult beverages to go in the rain and onto our next stop AK when the rain stopped at AK.

And as a conclusion to the that yesteryear story my DS managed to find us in that Sea of Guests back in the Osborne lights. He was still in his Red Warm-up pants that looked Orange with the Christmas Lights and had just pulled on a different shirt that would have ID'd him as a CM. How he found us I am not sure. He stood very near us as we were watching the end of the show when my cell started to vibrate. He had some fun teasing us, asking where we were, what we were wearing, what he was wearing all the while he was behind us leaning on a facade building wall. Ultimately he said turn around and there he was 3 feet behind us. Awe, he missed us too and was happy to see us. And it demonstrates how oblivious everyone becomes to others at WDW and how captivating Osborne Lights are that I never saw my own kid slip into the crowd around us.

 

[donaldtoo]

Great report, Gabe! Love it!
Love the reminiscing, too!

Two, things...
- I think we may have gotten our wires crossed...DD and SIL didn't stay at POFQ, they stayed in a Royal Room at the POR Mansions.
- In regards to Club Cool, the old version was known as Ice Station Cool. I think that's what you're referring to.
Also...WHERE THE H**L IS MY BELOVED BEVERLY...?!?!?!?!?!

 

[Gabe1]

Great report, Gabe! Love it!
Love the reminiscing, too!

Two, things...
- I think we may have gotten our wires crossed...DD and SIL didn't stay at POFQ, they stayed in a Royal Room at the POR Mansions.
- In regards to Club Cool, the old version was known as Ice Station Cool. I think that's what you're referring to.
Also...WHERE THE H**L IS MY BELOVED BEVERLY...?!?!?!?!?!

Thanks.

Yeah, we spent most of our resort time at POR. Food is so much better. But we did see the 'eared' couple at POR and in the parks.

Both sets of soda dispensers were out of Beverly.

Yep, Disney has a habit of changing names of these things. Just look at the various name changes to Epcot.

 

[donaldtoo]

Thanks.

Yeah, we spent most of our resort time at POR. Food is so much better. But we did see the 'eared' couple at POR and in the parks
Both sets of soda dispensers were out of Beverly.

Yep, Disney has a habit of changing names of these things. Just look at the various name changes to Epcot.

Ahhh...OK.
I actually thought that might be the case 'cause of y'all's close family connection to POR over the years.
I honestly wish I would have made the connection sooner so, maybe, y'all could have met, if only for a moment.
Y'all would really love them and I'm sure they would have loved y'all.