Trip Report **Completed** Leave for Disney World on Friday The 13th They Said. It'll Be Fun They Said. A July 2018 Trip Report.

Hello Disney Friends. Welcome to my long overdue trip report!

My daughter @TheMARVELousAllieBrown posted a pre-trip report for this trip.

Here's whatcha need to know:
Who: DD Allie @TheMARVELousAllieBrown, Me Lisa @LisaBelle , DH Paul, my sister Tina @TangledTina, my BIL Mark, my nephew Spence and DS Adam

When: Friday, July 13 -Sunday, July 22, 2018
Where: The Contemporary Resort Garden Wing
Why: Ten Year Anniversary of our last whole family vacation, Allie's high school graduation and Paul & Lisa's 29th anniversary. In the pre-trip we dubbed it our Vacaygraduversary Trip!
How: Road Trip!
I created treat bags for every state that we would drive through. The idea being that as we crossed the state line we would open the bag and enjoy a treat that is representative of that state. For Ohio, naturally I chose Buckeyes candy.

For Kentucky I chose Ale 8 soda. Bourbon would have been the obvious choice, but since not everyone was of legal drinking age I had to go with a soft drink.

For Tennessee it was Goo Goo Clusters

Georgia was Peanut M & Ms

And Florida would be orange juice from the Florida Welcome Center.
Because we were driving, I placed the small bags inside of an insulated cooler bag to keep the chocolate from melting. I made one bag for our car and one bag for Tina's.

Day 1 Friday, July 13, 2018
Tina and her family live about an hour north of us. They planned to leave home around 7, drive toward Cincy and meet us at the Chick-fil-A at our exit around 8. We were hoping to have breakfast and be on the road by 9. We would spend the night in Valdosta, Georgia and arrive at Disney around check in time on Saturday. Sounds like a great plan, right?
Tina has a tendency to run late, so when she hadn't texted by 7:15 to say that they were on the road, I wasn't too concerned. When I still hadn't heard from her by 7:30 I texted to see how things were coming. Instead of a text, I get a call saying, "Maybe you guys should just leave without us." What????!!!!!! And there goes the plan!
Because there was a medical situation they would be taking a short trip to the hospital before they could leave for the trip to Disney. We decided we would wait it out for a bit so when we left they would not be too far behind us. With bellies full of Chick-fil-A, we were finally on the road at about 12 (about 3 hours behind schedule so not too bad). A bumpy start but glad to finally be en route to the happiest place on earth. We crossed the border into Kentucky about 15 minutes later. We opened our first treat and continued on our way. We had just passed Lexington, KY when Tina called to say that they were on their way! We figured that we should be able to meet up somewhere down the road.
We stopped for an early dinner at a Subway in Knoxville, TN. Back in the car to continue our journey, we decided to enjoy our Goo Goo Clusters for dessert. We noticed the car was not getting cooler. We turned the a/c off and back on again. No cool air. We pulled into a parking lot, turned the car off and back on again. Still no cool air. By now the Goo Goo Clusters and M& Ms are starting to melt and it is approaching 5pm on a Friday night. Adam and Allie researched nearby Firestone Auto Repair shops. The closest one said their a/c charger was not charging. We found another one about 15 minutes away. It was July in Tennessee. It was a lovely sunny day and the temperature was well into the nineties! We were melting by the time we arrived at Firestone.

We arrived hopeful and left with our spirits dashed as the problem was not something they could fix and it would have to be repaired at the dealership. On the road again, we were looking forward to nightfall and hopefully cooler temps. We were forced to ride in style with our windows down to avoid heatstroke. This prevented us from hearing the dialogue from our dvd player. To keep up morale Allie had the aux and we jammed out. We were headed further south and although our spirits were high, the temperature was higher. Our unsuccessful Firestone detour allowed Tina's family to close the gap a bit. By now we were only about an hour ahead of them. Fast forward an hour and Tina's a/c also went out as they drove through Knoxville. Lucky for them, their's was an easy fix and Mark was able to re-charge their a/c. Just before sundown we stopped for gas. At this point we decided it was vital to document our misery. Please enjoy this photo at a gas station somewhere between Knoxville and Atlanta.

Paul and Adam smiling through the pain. So proud of our little troopers!
We forged on and eventually were able to meet up with Tina's crew at a truck stop with a Wendy's around 11pm.

We rallied after our Wendy's pit stop (which was the longest wait at Wendy's on record) and finally made it to our hotel in Valdosta at 3am. Let me say that a shower and air conditioning have never felt so good!
Due to our late arrival we decided to sleep in a bit and would check out at 11 and grab lunch before hitting the road.

 

[LisaBelle]

Day 8 Continued

Looks like we're leaving just in time! The sky was really getting dark.





Our lunch at Mama Melrose's was part of the Fantasmic dining package, so we had planned to go back to the resort, take a nap and head back to DHS. On the way back to the Contemporary Paul, Adam and Allie decided they'd had enough and didn't want to go back for Fantasmic.

Everyone took a nap. I had set an alarm to get up. Tina and I definitely wanted to go back. Mark was feeling better and wanted to join us. Spence did not want to go back, but Tina didn't want to leave him on his own. Paul said Spence could hang out with him for awhile, but Paul was still really tired from all our early mornings and late nights so he didn't want to have to stay up too late. Paul and I tossed around the idea that since we now had the van back, I could drive separately from Mark and Tina and then if Mark wanted to come back earlier he could bring the car and Tina and I could drive in the van.
When I met up with Tina and Mark I forgot that's what Paul and I discussed and the three of us ended up going in Mark and Tina's car.

Shortly, Mark, Tina and I arrived at HS.



Tina went to the Dockside Diner to grab a drink that she and Mark wanted to try. I think it was the Kahlua and Cream milkshake, but I am not positive on that. Mark and I went to Fairfax Fare. I think he got fajitas and Tina and I each got a salad. My salad had seasoned chicken, roasted corn and tortilla strips with jalapeno ranch dressing. I think Tina got the same salad. We took our food and headed into Fantasmic. We found seats at the top of the reserved section and dug into our food. After a few bites I knew that the Mexican flavors were bothering my stomach. I stopped eating the salad and went to get in line for some popcorn. The line took FOREVER! I was afraid the show was going to start before I got back to my seat, but I got finished just in time.

We did our best to get a few shots of Fantasmic!
My favorites-Belle and the Beast.


Hey there Mickey!



I love this part.





Sorcerer Mickey is triumphant.





Mark was wearing down so he decided to call it quits. He didn't want to spoil our night, so he said we should go do a few more things and he'd wait in the car. Looks like I should have remembered to drive separately .

Up next: Tina and I finish up at HS

 

[LisaBelle]

Overcooked steak is .

So true!

Thanks for all the TSL pics. Love the bottle flipping antics!

Thanks! The bottle flipping drove me insane while it was happening, but it is now a fond memory. The cousins had so much fun with it.

 

[LisaBelle]

Day 8 Continued

Tina and I wanted to see the Star Wars fireworks so we found a decent spot in front of the theater and enjoyed the show.



After the fireworks it was evening EMH. Tina and I weren't quite ready to throw in the towel so we headed over to visit the Muppets.










We wandered around and shopped for a bit and finally decided that it had been a long day and we wanted to get some rest before our last park day ! We took some last photos and headed to the car to meet Mark.





With that Day 8 was in the books and we only had one park day left . I will end this post with a picture of Adam from earlier in the day. I am not sure exactly when it was taken but it definitely summed up how we all felt by the end of this day!



Up next: Our last park day at MK

 

[LisaBelle]

Before I continue with my TR I have a few questions for my more experienced Disney friends.

If someone and her sister were planning a late May trip to Flower and Garden could they expect the food booths to be open during evening EMH at Epcot?

Has anyone done the After Hours event at HS? Would it be worth the money if they couldn't get FP+ for Slinky or should they just try to rope drop Slinky and do the After Hours event at MK where there are more rides and attractions that they care about? (pretty sure I know the answer to this one, but wanted to hear other thoughts).

If these same people booked a dessert party for Happily Ever After should they arrive as early as possible to get the best possible viewing point for the fireworks or are there enough good viewing spots that they can arrive later and still have a good seat? They have never had a good view of the castle projections during HEA as they are vertically challenged and haven't been willing to give up park time to stake out a front row spot for HEA. They are hoping they will get a good view from the dessert party. I know @Zipitidoda has done this as well as some others. Thoughts? Tips?

Thanks!

 

[LisaBelle]

Day 9 MK

Our final park day dawned early and Tina, Paul, Adam, Allie and I walked to MK. Mark and Spence decided to sleep in and meet us later. We really enjoyed being able to walk to MK from the Contemporary.









We entered MK and got in line for some PP pics.













Up next: More Main Street and our first attraction of the day.

 

[LisaBelle]

Day 9 Continued

We headed up Main Street toward the Castle.







I will never get tired of seeing this beautiful sight.







Today we wanted to ride attractions we hadn't yet been able to experience and revisit our favorites. Our first attraction was a Flight over London in a magical pirate ship! This ride is a true classic and I always enjoy it.





Then we battled Zurg!







Up next: Adventureland

 

[LisaBelle]

Day 9 Continued

We were ready for a cruise on the rivers of the world, so we headed to Adventureland. We passed this beauty on the way.







Pose for us Adam!





It was only 9:15 and it was getting hot. Adam and Allie took advantage of the misters.

 

[Rista1313]

Before I continue with my TR I have a few questions for my more experienced Disney friends.

If someone and her sister were planning a late May trip to Flower and Garden could they expect the food booths to be open during evening EMH at Epcot?

Has anyone done the After Hours event at HS? Would it be worth the money if they couldn't get FP+ for Slinky or should they just try to rope drop Slinky and do the After Hours event at MK where there are more rides and attractions that they care about? (pretty sure I know the answer to this one, but wanted to hear other thoughts).

If these same people booked a dessert party for Happily Ever After should they arrive as early as possible to get the best possible viewing point for the fireworks or are there enough good viewing spots that they can arrive later and still have a good seat? They have never had a good view of the castle projections during HEA as they are vertically challenged and haven't been willing to give up park time to stake out a front row spot for HEA. They are hoping they will get a good view from the dessert party. I know @Zipitidoda has done this as well as some others. Thoughts? Tips?

Thanks!

I can speak for the dessert party... now, it depends on which party they book, the Terrace party, or the garden... the Terrace (seated) they would want to get there early to get a seat near the rail, but the garden is nice and open and it's not necessary!

 

[LisaBelle]

I can speak for the dessert party... now, it depends on which party they book, the Terrace party, or the garden... the Terrace (seated) they would want to get there early to get a seat near the rail, but the garden is nice and open and it's not necessary!

Thanks @Rista1313! That's very helpful.

 

[Megbutnotmegan]

I can speak for the dessert party... now, it depends on which party they book, the Terrace party, or the garden... the Terrace (seated) they would want to get there early to get a seat near the rail, but the garden is nice and open and it's not necessary!

I will agree having done the garden viewing dessert party 4 times, including on NYE, that there isn’t a bad view in the garden. There was only once that we had to stand and even then we had a good view just standing instead of sitting on the “grass.”

 

[LisaBelle]

I will agree having done the garden viewing dessert party 4 times, including on NYE, that there isn’t a bad view in the garden. There was only once that we had to stand and even then we had a good view just standing instead of sitting on the “grass.”

Thanks @Megbutnotmegan! That's good to hear.

 

[Tuvalu]

Before I continue with my TR I have a few questions for my more experienced Disney friends.

If someone and her sister were planning a late May trip to Flower and Garden could they expect the food booths to be open during evening EMH at Epcot?

Has anyone done the After Hours event at HS? Would it be worth the money if they couldn't get FP+ for Slinky or should they just try to rope drop Slinky and do the After Hours event at MK where there are more rides and attractions that they care about? (pretty sure I know the answer to this one, but wanted to hear other thoughts).

If these same people booked a dessert party for Happily Ever After should they arrive as early as possible to get the best possible viewing point for the fireworks or are there enough good viewing spots that they can arrive later and still have a good seat? They have never had a good view of the castle projections during HEA as they are vertically challenged and haven't been willing to give up park time to stake out a front row spot for HEA. They are hoping they will get a good view from the dessert party. I know @Zipitidoda has done this as well as some others. Thoughts? Tips?

Thanks!

1. The food booths are not open during EMH at Epcot.

2. Rope drop Slinky. After Hours at MK is a better value.

3. Do the garden view for HEA dessert party. We ate dessert first and wandered down to the garden about 15 minutes prior to showtime. There was lots of space to stretch out. Perfect view of castle projections and fireworks....highly recommend.

 

[Zipadeelady]

Before I continue with my TR I have a few questions for my more experienced Disney friends.

If someone and her sister were planning a late May trip to Flower and Garden could they expect the food booths to be open during evening EMH at Epcot?

Has anyone done the After Hours event at HS? Would it be worth the money if they couldn't get FP+ for Slinky or should they just try to rope drop Slinky and do the After Hours event at MK where there are more rides and attractions that they care about? (pretty sure I know the answer to this one, but wanted to hear other thoughts).

If these same people booked a dessert party for Happily Ever After should they arrive as early as possible to get the best possible viewing point for the fireworks or are there enough good viewing spots that they can arrive later and still have a good seat? They have never had a good view of the castle projections during HEA as they are vertically challenged and haven't been willing to give up park time to stake out a front row spot for HEA. They are hoping they will get a good view from the dessert party. I know @Zipitidoda has done this as well as some others. Thoughts? Tips?

Thanks!

There is no reason to go early to the desert parties, there is plenty of space in the garden. Enjoy the park as long as you can .

I haven't been to an After Hours Event but I personally think they would be worth it. They are a bit expensive but from what I've read there is virtually no wait for rides and the crowds seem pretty minimal. If you do it please let us know all about it!!!

 

[LisaBelle]

1. The food booths are not open during EMH at Epcot.

2. Rope drop Slinky. After Hours at MK is a better value.

3. Do the garden view for HEA dessert party. We ate dessert first and wandered down to the garden about 15 minutes prior to showtime. There was lots of space to stretch out. Perfect view of castle projections and fireworks....highly recommend.

1. I may or may not have been hoping to have as many hours as possible in which to stuff myself with delicious food!
2. Good to know.
3. Yay!

Thanks @ Tuvalu!

 

[LisaBelle]

There is no reason to go early to the desert parties, there is plenty of space in the garden. Enjoy the park as long as you can .

I haven't been to an After Hours Event but I personally think they would be worth it. They are a bit expensive but from what I've read there is virtually no wait for rides and the crowds seem pretty minimal. If you do it please let us know all about it!!!

So glad to hear this about the dessert parties.
After Hours sounds like so much fun! Of course I will let you know all about it.

 

[TheMouseFan]

Before I continue with my TR I have a few questions for my more experienced Disney friends.

If someone and her sister were planning a late May trip to Flower and Garden could they expect the food booths to be open during evening EMH at Epcot?

Has anyone done the After Hours event at HS? Would it be worth the money if they couldn't get FP+ for Slinky or should they just try to rope drop Slinky and do the After Hours event at MK where there are more rides and attractions that they care about? (pretty sure I know the answer to this one, but wanted to hear other thoughts).

If these same people booked a dessert party for Happily Ever After should they arrive as early as possible to get the best possible viewing point for the fireworks or are there enough good viewing spots that they can arrive later and still have a good seat? They have never had a good view of the castle projections during HEA as they are vertically challenged and haven't been willing to give up park time to stake out a front row spot for HEA. They are hoping they will get a good view from the dessert party. I know @Zipitidoda has done this as well as some others. Thoughts? Tips?

Thanks!

It looks like all of your questions have been answered, but I would like to agree with everyone about the garden view dessert party. We absolutely loved it and had tons of room with a great view! I would also like to suggest that you may have more fun if you included a third individual who happens to live right up I75 from you!!

 

[LisaBelle]

It looks like all of your questions have been answered, but I would like to agree with everyone about the garden view dessert party. We absolutely loved it and had tons of room with a great view! I would also like to suggest that you may have more fun if you included a third individual who happens to live right up I75 from you!!

If you happen to have a “work trip” in Orlando at the end of May we’d love to have you join us!

 

[TheMouseFan]

If you happen to have a “work trip” in Orlando at the end of May we’d love to have you join us!

I wish! Unfortunately, the other doctor at my practice is on maternity leave until June and the kids have so many sports and end of year events that there is no way I could get away in May! Maybe some day!!

 

[LisaBelle]

I wish! Unfortunately, the other doctor at my practice is on maternity leave until June and the kids have so many sports and end of year events that there is no way I could get away in May! Maybe some day!!

Boo! That would have been a fun meet up!

 

[Songbird76]

I love your pics with Olaf! What a great memory for your family!!

So glad you got to meet Brittney, and it's too bad the boys didn't meet Dylan. My DS (11) just had his first golf lesson yesterday. We don't play, but his physical therapist thought it would be good for him to have a sport to practice motor skills and balance, as well as work on his overal fitness. But he needs something he plays with other kids, but not a team sport. Golf meets all the requirements and the golf teacher said golf is great for people with special needs, so golf it is! I wish he had someone to play with while we're at WDW this summer. It's so great that your boys got to play together...special time for just the cousins.