Trip Report *COMPLETED* 6 Parks, F&W Fest, MNSSHP & One HUGEEE Surprise!!!

Hi everyone! We got back from our Disney vacation two days ago and I am still exhausted and unfortunately sick, but I wanted to jump right into the report because if I don’t do it now, it will never get done!

You can find my pre-trip report here, http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/first-trip-in-6-years-with-a-wdw-first-timer.915675/ but here is a quick recap:

Who: My boyfriend, Mark, and yours truly

What: 5-Day Park Hopper Tickets, Food & Wine Festival, One night at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary-Halloween Party, One day at Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure and one HUUUUGE surprise, but I’m not giving anything away just yet!! You’ll have to follow along J

When: September 26th-October 3rd

Where: POP Century

Why: Mark’s first trip to Disney, and my first time back since being an AP 6 years ago!

Now that we have the particulars out of the way, let’s dive on in!

 

[WildcatDen]

Noticed the shoes in one of the pics. Are those Sketchers. I have a black pair and they are the MOST comfortable to walk in. Nice report. Loving the pics!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

I feel like I run into someone every trip I go to at WDW. 2 years ago, the sister of a friend of mine from elementary school recognized me. (kudos to her, cause she only had facebook pics to go from since I didn't have the goatee in 2nd grade)

The trip after that, I ran into my old assistant principal/disciplinarian from high school (spent a lot of time in his office back in the day)

THEN, the trip after that, my sister who I haven't spoken to in 15 years came over to say hello (awkward to say the least)

Oh WOW! Those are quite the run-ins you've had! I generally run into someone I know, or at the very least someone who lives in the town directly next to mine. It's crazy considering how giant that place is that you run into people so unexpectedly. We met up with another group of friends later in the trip, but that was preplanned

 

[Second Star to the Right]

@WildcatDen Thank you, and thank you for following along! Yes, they are Skechers! They are my first pair and I bought them off a recommendation from someone online here, I think. I am very happy to report that my feet did not get a single blister the entire trip! I did switch between 3 pairs of shoes though, but the Skechers were great!!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

After chatting with Mark's friends it was time for our 2nd FP+ of the day at Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. This would be another first for me, which is very exciting!

Caught a quick picture of the Evil Stepsisters on our way

I think the Stand By wait was 60 minutes at that time

It's SO bright!!

We both really enjoyed the ride. It was a fun little coaster, and the part in the mine was very well done. We both wish it was longer though. I can't imagine waiting more than 45 minutes for that.

 

[Second Star to the Right]

After that we saw The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh only had a 15 minute wait, so why not!

We caught these guys going in!

Showing off his awesome bongo technique

From there we walked past the Fairytale Princess Hall and the posted wait said only 15 minutes, so I couldn't resist. Mark had no idea what it was, he thought we were waiting for a ride. When he found out we were waiting for pictures with the princesses I don't think he was overjoyed.

Rapunzel was great, she said she loved my ears and wants me to bring her some next time. I told her we just saw her frying pan recently and she said how they can come in really handy sometimes!

Tiana was excellent as well! We just ended up talking about food, because well, I love food!

I didn't feel rushed at all and that was a really nice experience. However, the wait ended up being closer to 35 or 40 minutes, and if I had known that, I wouldn't have waited. I'm not really one to wait for pictures with characters, especially face characters because I get awkward. But, it was still a fun thing to do one time!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

Well, you live and you learn! Next up was our FP+ for Enchanted Tales with Belle. I had no idea what to expect going into this, but Belle is one of my favorite characters and I knew it was a highly recommended FP+ to get, and with BTMRR down for refurbishment I figured we should give it a try! I was just really hoping it wasn't like the Fairytale Princess Hall. Thankfully, it wasn't! I was so impressed with the animatronics and the technology of it all. It really felt like I was looking at the real Lumiere!

We weren't picked to participate, but we also weren't trying very hard

I took around 10 pictures of Lumiere alone, including a quick video, but I'm only going to post the one here.

I love this one of him and Belle

Belle dancing with her Beast. This was SO adorable. The little girl couldn't stop smiling, she was so cute!!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

When we emerged we saw it was time for the afternoon clouds/rain to roll in. We could hear thunder in the distance and it was just sprinkling, but out came the ponchos on everyone from left to right. We left ours at the hotel, and we really didn't need them so we were good to go!

The masses all trying to stay dry under the castle. C'mon guys, it's just a little water!

I can't be THAT close to the castle and NOT take a picture!

Oh, and thank you to Sarah & Tom Bricker for recommending the Frogg Togg's Chilly Pads! They were a lifesaver this trip. It was in the mid 90s every day we were there!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

We decided to peruse some of the MSUSA shops since we didn't really do that earlier in the day. Our goal was to get one souvenir from each park that we could use or display in the house. I was actually surprised at the lack of items to choose from. There are a ton of kitchenware items, but they are generalized and not park-specific. I also just realized I didn't take any pictures of the souvenirs we did get, so I might have to add them in at the end

These next two pictures are some of my favorite views in the world right here:

After that it was time for a Dole Whip...confession time...I have never had a Dole Whip before. I'm not sure how that's happened since I've been to Disney over a dozen times, but it's the truth. I figured this trip would be a good one to fix that mistake. Plus, I had to see what all the fuss was about. It was very good, but I definitely enjoy the ones with the coconut rum more!

When we ordered our two Dole Whips we didn't want to use them as a snack credit because we were saving those for F&W Fest, and so far all of the CM's had asked if we wanted to use a snack credit for anything we had bought at that point. When I got the receipt I realized the CM had charged me for the 2 snack credits. Typically, I would just let it go, but I figured we weren't in a rush and I really did want to use them for the F&W Fest so I would just ask if they could reverse it. She had NO idea how to do that, and she had to call someone over which took a bit of time, and because of that they ended up crediting us the snack credits back AND they didn't charge us for them. WOO HOO! Free Dole Whips! Throughout our trip we had some really excellent CM experiences, and this was one of them. Our barista at Main Street Bakery that morning was also pretty great. She asked if we wanted light ice so we could maximize our coffee intake Yes, please!

At that point, it was time for the Festival Fantasy Parade, but it kept getting delayed again and again due to the weather. We decided we didn't want to wait in case it got canceled, so I made a FP+ for Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. I hadn't ever seen that show either, and it was so cute. The comedians and people we had in the audience were awesome! I would have absolutely watched that again if we had time.

Once that was over, we headed back toward MSUSA because Mark had mentioned wanting to get a haircut on MSUSA at the Harmony Barber Shop. How can you say no to that. especially since this is his first WDW trip?? We didn't make a reservation and just figured if they could squeeze him in, great! If not, no big deal.

As we approached the barber shop, we caught a glimpse of the last float from the parade...clearly it didn't get canceled. Oh well, you can't win them all!

By this point, he should have known I would take pictures of him like a parent would

Diane did a great job, especially considering that Mark is incredibly particular when it comes to his hair. Kudos to you, Diane!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

After Mark's haircut it was time for us to head back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner. I was very excited for our first Table Service option at The Yachtsman. Mark loves a good steak and a I had some awesome reviews so I thought it would be fun to have a nice dinner on our first night there.

Seriously love the Fall decorations

By the time the bus left MK and got us back to POP we had about 20 minutes to freshen up in order to give us an hour to get us to The Yachtsman, and I knew that might be cutting it close.

When we got back to the room I found this waiting in our window. Mousekeeping had come! I guess they liked my ears!

Luckily, when we got to the bus stop, the Epcot bus had just pulled up so on we went!

We were doing good for time so I had to take a few quick pictures!

We then hoofed it over to the International Gateway. I wish I had brought the chilly pads with us, because the speed walking definitely worked up a bit of a sweat on both of us

What an awesome view!

Couldn't help but notice the netting and new signs around the water

Mark was getting nervous we were going to be late, but how could I not stop for these pictures?? It was gorgeous out that night!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

I swear, we did make it and there will be food pictures! haha It's just so pretty!

We made it to our reservation with 5 minutes to spare! We checked in and were then told to have a seat and a table would be ready for us in 10 minutes. See, no need to rush!

The fresh roasted garlic and butter was SO good with the fresh onion rolls. I could have made a meal from just that!

I ordered the 10 oz. Black Angus Filet Mignon while Mark ordered the 18 oz. Kansas City Strip Steak

We were both pretty hungry since we ate lunch early that day, so we decided on the shrimp cocktail as well

The shrimp were very good. Cooked perfectly. Not sure I would classify them as JUMBO though.

ANDDDD I had to get a glass of wine. It was a very smooth red, and I tend to prefer white wines

 

[Second Star to the Right]

On to the main course!
Here is my 10 oz. filet with mashed potatoes. Is anyone else hungry all of a sudden??

Mark's strip steak

Ooooh ambiance

WARNING! Keep scrolling if you like your steak cooked wrong, I mean...well-done.

Clearly, Mark and I both HATED our meals. Yea, right. My steak was cooked absolutely perfect for me, I like it basically mooing. Mark said his was also cooked perfectly. What I was most pleased about was the fact that the mashed potatoes were seasoned perfectly. I almost always have to add salt and/or pepper, but I didn't have to touch these. Kudos to you, chef! And yes, I left that tiny portion of mashed potatoes left on my plate. That was my way of justifying having room for dessert.

Speaking of, onto dessert!

Mark ordered the classic Crème Brulee

And I had been eyeing the chocolate peanut cake since I made the reservation 180 days ago

It totally lived up to what I had been hoping. The chocolate layer was more like a fudgy brownie so the salted caramel gelato was a very nice touch to balance that richness out.

In terms of food, this was one of my favorite meals on the trip. The view was nice as we had a seat by the window, but it's nothing spectacular, which doesn't bother me. As long as the food is good, I am one happy camper!

 

[DimpledDevil18]

I am really enjoying your trip report! I think I may have an idea of what the surprise is, but I'll keep reading to see if I'm right!

I just came back from Disney in August and it was my first time in 8 years, so I know how you feel experiencing so many new things for the first time.

It's funny, on this trip my Mom bumped into someone she knew from work at the Magic Kingdom and my brother saw someone he worked with while getting onto Under the Sea. It's so crazy bumping into people you know down there!

We bought similar cooling towels for our trip and I honestly don't know how we lived without them. They were a God send when it came to the heat!

I think you've sold me on the Yachtsman for the next time I'm having a special occasion dinner at Disney. That steak looks amazing!

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

That dinner looks amazing! And that carrot cake on the menu is calling my name. So enjoying your report!

 

[prfctlyximprct]

Loving your report, your food pics, and your love of all things Disney! Yachtsman... oh my goodness! I like my steak nice and pink, so those pics have got me drooling! Here's hoping your surprise is what I think it is

 

[Second Star to the Right]

I am really enjoying your trip report! I think I may have an idea of what the surprise is, but I'll keep reading to see if I'm right!

I just came back from Disney in August and it was my first time in 8 years, so I know how you feel experiencing so many new things for the first time.

It's funny, on this trip my Mom bumped into someone she knew from work at the Magic Kingdom and my brother saw someone he worked with while getting onto Under the Sea. It's so crazy bumping into people you know down there!

We bought similar cooling towels for our trip and I honestly don't know how we lived without them. They were a God send when it came to the heat!

I think you've sold me on the Yachtsman for the next time I'm having a special occasion dinner at Disney. That steak looks amazing!

Thank you! Wasn't it nice to be able to experience so many new things at Disney? We got to experience everything in the new Fantasyland area, and Frozen Ever After, the new Soarin' and the new Disney Springs. It was almost a bit overwhelming!

We would have been miserable without the cooling pads. It was no where near this hot when we were in Orlando at the exact same time last year.

You should definitely hit up the Yachtsman if you like steak. Mine was SO good. I was torn between The Yachtsman and Le Cellier, but I had read someone's review about the two and he said "You go to the Le Cellier for the ambiance, you go to The Yachtsman for the steak" and that is what sold me!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

That dinner looks amazing! And that carrot cake on the menu is calling my name. So enjoying your report!

Thank you for following along!!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

Loving your report, your food pics, and your love of all things Disney! Yachtsman... oh my goodness! I like my steak nice and pink, so those pics have got me drooling! Here's hoping your surprise is what I think it is

Thanks for following along! And honestly, I made myself hungry just posting those yesterday!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

Now, where did I leave off?? Oh yes, we were delightfully full from our dinner and deciding what to do next. We finished our meal with 20 minutes to spare before Illuminations and I knew this might be one of the only opportunities to see it on the trip, so we figured why not. Epcot was open late that night so we could walk around for a bit and enjoy our first night before heading back to the hotel. I knew we wouldn't have great "seats" for Illuminations since most everyone else would have already claimed the good spots, but that was okay it's still a great show to see from any angle.

This was our view. Not ideal with the island in the middle, but not a big deal! I wouldn't be taking any professional-level pictures anyways.

 

[Second Star to the Right]

After Illuminations we wandered around the different spots around the World Showcase. I had never really explored behind Morocco before, so that was our first stop. Mark and I were really impressed and after we saw all of the countries, we thought Morocco was done the best out of all of them.
It felt like it just kept going and going! It was a nice blend of shops and places to eat.

Next stop, Japan:

We found this fun water-art pad in the gift shop and Mark drew this for me

After Japan we noticed the next American Adventure showing was about to start. I have never seen that show (to my recollection) and it was something I added to my "must-do" list for this trip, so the timing was perfect. I always seemed to have just missed the show any time I tried to catch it before.

Mark might have laughed at me a bit for getting teary-eyed, but I was doing so well until I saw the video of JFK Jr. saluting his father's casket That gets me every.single.time.

I was very impressed with the show, and (not to get too deep or political) pleasantly surprised that they didn't just skip over the slavery and racism and almost complete eradication of Native Americans in our country's history.

The only downfall was sitting in a dark theater at 10:30 p.m. after running around all day got me verrrry sleepy!

 

[Second Star to the Right]

After the show we really just wandered in and out of the different countries for a bit, checking out the different shops, keeping an eye out for a fun Epcot souvenir.

Here is my biggest complaint about the World Showcase....Italy. I find the Italy section to be incredibly lame. It's like people think Italians only eat! (Mark and I are both Italian and we can say that that's only MOSTLY true ) But this area could have been done so much better. Even the shops are rather lame in our opinion.

Gotta get a picture of this guy! We stopped to see if we could get on Frozen Ever After last minute, but at 10:45 it was still a 45 minute wait, and the park closed at 11:00. I know that's not a bad wait time for FEA, but we did have a FP+ for it later in the week, so I wasn't concerned about trying to ride it at that time.

This ends Day 1 for us. We left the park at 11:30, so we didn't exactly close it down, but we were there after it was technically closed and we opened MK, so I would say it was a productive day!

We got over the bus stops and saw POP's bus wait was out of control. It was looped 4 times and was spilling out into the next bus stop area . Luckily, the Art of Animation bus stop was right next to it and that wasn't nearly as long so we ditched the POP line and headed into AoA. In the time we were waiting, 3 buses from AoA came to pick people up compared to 1 POP bus. It would have taken 5 POP buses completely filled with people to get us on with how long the line was, so I'm glad we switched over. During the trip we would end up using the AoA buses on the way home far more than POP!

Overall, this would end up being one of the best days of the vacation. The weather wasn't unbearably hot, it only sprinkled during a little bit of the day, the wait times weren't outrageous, we hit up two parks and had two awesome meals! Great start to our trip! But we were both exhausted and ready for bed. Adrenaline and Starbucks definitely kept us moving that day!