Trip Report *COMPLETED* Once Upon a Christmas Time...A Very Merry Trip Report

Hello Everyone!

We just returned from yet another WDW visit this past weekend and with the holiday season quickly approaching I wanted to make sure I at least started our report before Christmas knowing that I would easily let this slip into January if I didn't.

Just to refresh your memory, this was the first trip we planned as DVC members having joined the club in March. Something we should have done years ago but better late than never, I guess! For those of you who may want to do some pre-reading, here is a link to the pre-trip report that started early this year and now seems so crazy to think the trip has already come and gone.

With that short preamble...let's start the show!

The Main Characters
My wife, Kelly, and I, along with our two Disney Princesses, Ella (7), and Lennon (5).

MK_MSCONFEC_20160808_7766697622_zpslcr5ylvk.jpeg

Here we are on our summer 2016 visit.

The Script
Once our DVC membership was completely finalized in March and we had access to the booking system we started thinking about our next visit. Kelly and I had spent Christmas in WDW way back in 2009 and we loved how the parks looked and felt decorated for the holidays. We figured this would be a great opportunity for us to head back around Christmas time and give the girls their first taste of a Disney Christmas.

Originally we booked accommodation for December 7-16 at our home resort, Saratoga Springs, and waited for the 7-month window to open to have access to other DVC options. Once the window hit we made our move. Our intention was to try and get the Grand Floridian knowing it would be next to impossible with a backup plan of either the Beach Club or Wilderness Lodge. Both BC and WL were available and we eventually decided on the BC because of the great Boardwalk location.

After we secured a one-bedroom villa at BC we decided to add another day to the trip because...well, why not! The 6th was not available at the time at BC so we ended up booking the additional night at AKL. I would periodically check back to see if the BC was open and one day, to my surprise, a one-bedroom lake view at the GF popped up. I quickly called the member line and made the switch from AKL to the Grand thinking this was likely the only chance we'd ever get to stay there so might as well take advantage.

Now we were all set and all that was left to do was wait out the remaining months and for once look forward to winter!

We planned and planned and planned as the days ticked by. Kelly and I escaped kid free to Denver in November to watch the GOAT, Tom Brady, crush the Broncos...something I have always wanted to do and finally was able to check it off the bucket list.


Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr
Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on FlickrUntitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on FlickrUntitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on FlickrUntitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on FlickrUntitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr

Once we returned it was all Disney, all the time as we were now less than a month away!
 
Click to expand...
Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Final post of 2017, Happy New Year, everyone!

Because we weren't exactly sure where the transportation spot was at the BC yet, we decided to walk into the lobby and ask. It gave me a chance to take a couple quick pictures of the carousel before asking one of the CMs which way we had to head to catch the bus. Every time I walked by it there were new details that you didn't see the last time. Such an impressive piece and it was always crowded by admiring onlookers.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/231nxkW]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/DpmFYR]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

The bus was a short walk out the main door so we made our way over and after a short wait, we loaded up and made the 15 minute ride over to Disney Springs. Even having been there only 15 months earlier, it still seemed like so much had changed and has gotten even better.

As we stepped off the bus the girls had to go to the restroom so we hustled to find one. As we did we ran into @dclfan and Jerome. It was kinda funny, we both looked at each other and knew that we were from the boards. It was great running into another member and having a few moments to chat before we went on our merry ways.

Every visit we try and do something new that we haven't done before. Last year was renting a bike to rip around the Boardwalk and this year Kelly really wanted to try the amphicars near the Boathouse restaurant. Instead of stopping to shop when we first arrived, we figured we'd head straight over to see if we'd be able to jump in a car and hit the water while the sun was still out. Luckily there was no line waiting to ride when we arrived so we paid for our ride and readied ourselves to jump in the car.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/D2pQyH]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Our ride was ready!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/DfZ7hT]IMG_1352 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We met our captain, Matthew (great name), and we all jumped in for a new experience.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21yUQ4R]WDWRESORTSANDMORE_BOATHOUSE_20171207_8139381690 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/ELU6GC]IMG_1355 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

And then we were set to launch
[url=https://flic.kr/p/22UoJXM]WDWRESORTSANDMORE_BOATHOUSE_20171207_8139384545 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

The ride was actually really cool. Pretty neat way to see Disney Springs from a different perspective and it gave us the chance to see our home resort, Saratoga Springs, up close and personal. The resort grounds look really nice. I'm looking forward to staying there some time in the future. Great location to have access to DS for shopping and dining. Captain Matthew was a pretty cool guy as well. He's been working for Disney for many years and was able to share some stories, including how he met his girlfriend while working at DS. Oddly enough as we moved around the water we even saw and waved to her on shore so that was kinda cool.

All in all the ride lasted about 20 or so minutes and we all really enjoyed ourselves. A new experience to check off the list and I think we'd recommend it to anyone who wanted to try something a little unique while at Disney. Of course we had to take a quick car selfie before heading back to dry land.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/HHZCaM]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Captain Matthew got us back safe and sound and I think he gained a few new admirers during the journey.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/HXK7Sn]IMG_1362 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

From there we went off to hit some stores before dinner. Stops included Anthro, Uniqlo, Under Armour, and of course, the World of Disney. We were heading towards the Days of Christmas store but before we started shopping for new Christmas ornaments, we took a stroll through the Christmas Tree Trail, another new experience for us. Not that I should be surprised but the trees that detailed different movies and characters were absolutely terrific. Disney does almost everything better than most but somehow they take Christmas to another level. Here are a few samples. We took tons of pics but I think you get the idea!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/22RS7AG]IMG_1371 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/22RS3td]IMG_1376 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/21PSPXb]IMG_1377 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/Exh48Q]Disney World - 2017 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

You'll notice the girls snacking on popcorn in some of those pictures. Popcorn was by far the snack of choice during the trip and this was the first taste. I can't count the amount of times I made stops at popcorn stands throughout the trip but man it was good!

After we made our way through the trail we had enough time to tour the Christmas store before finding our way back to Chef Art Smith's for dinner. So many terrific Christmas items available at that store but we decided to leave empty handed and promised to return before we went back home to Edmonton to grab a few things.

We left the store and walked back towards Chef Art Smith's to check in. This was a new dining experience for us and having read good things about it leading up to the trip, Kelly and I were looking forward to it. Nothing wrong with some homestyle comfort food!

The sun had just set as we arrived and we were sat outside on the covered patio. Cool setting though it was getting a bit chilly. Wasn't too bad though. I was really digging the atmosphere of the restauant
[url=https://flic.kr/p/ExCoQL]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/22EGPwK]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We spent a lot of time before the trip studying menus so we had a good idea what we wanted to order. Nothing exciting drink wise, pop for most of us, but Kelly ordered a Moonshine Mash which was quite tasty. For our meals, Kelly had the Fried Chicken and Donuts, I had the Fried Chicken and the kids both had fried chicken tenders. Took a little while for the food to arrive but when it did show up it was worth the wait.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/HJaBRk]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/D2oSqk]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/22BXBnU]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

The food was darn good. The chicken was juicy but the skin was really crispy which I like. The homemade hot sauce n the table was a great added touch. Both Kelly and I raved about the gravy. The gravy there, and in the States in general, is much different that what we typically have here in Canada. We devoured the meal. I was full but knowing we get dessert with the dining plan and seeing the chocolate cake on the menu, I just couldn't resist. I'm glad I didn't...my waist band likely thought otherwise.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21A6Qgf]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

After a satisfying meal we went to pay the bill with our dining plan but encountered an issue. Because we had two different dinning plans on two different reservations, the system only recognized our first reservation which had all dining credits used up. Even with phone calls to the resort to clarify the issue the system still wouldn't accept our other dining plan so we ended up paying for the meal after being told we could simply bring the receipt back to the hotel to be reimbursed and have the dining credits applied. Ok, no big deal, though it did take quite sometime to sort out. When we finally got out of the restaurant they had taken off the kids meals and only charged us for our meals which was nice of them to do. By that time we had decided instead of doing more shopping that we might as well head back and get some rest for our first park day. It was after 8 so everyone was fine with that.

We walked back slowly to the bus stop to check out where we'd have to stop when we returned to DS later in the trip. We got to the bus stop just as our bus pulled out so instead of waiting we hopped on the bus to the Boardwalk resort and were on our way shortly. Nice to get the chance to see other resorts decorated for the holidays. Boardwalk looked (and smelled) terrific. The walk around the lake at night was the perfect way to cap off a busy day.

We made our way down the tastefully decorated path back to the BC lobby and headed back towards the Villas for a little shuteye.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/DfYRQ6]IMG_1384 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We had a great day but we couldn't wait to get to bed and get ready for a visit to the Magic Kingdom in the morning!
 
Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Our first park day was finally upon us. Magic Kingdom was offering EMH from 8-9 am and Kelly and I were anxious to get in and get going, as were the kids, so we were up early to try and get there for 8. We let the girls sleep on the pullout couch in the living room as the two of us got ready.

When I was good to go I woke up Ella and Lenny to get them fed before we left. With Ella's diabetes, we typically like to test her glucose levels and give insulin about 30 minutes before she eats breakfast each morning. Typically this is not a problem at home as there is usually no rush but with all of us wanting to get to the park we did have them up earlier than normal just to make sure Ella was all set.

I ran down to fill up my resort mug with coffee and got back to make the girls breakfast. I will say it was pretty nice re-living my childhood a bit with a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. They stopped selling this cereal in Canada decades ago so it was kinda fun to eat it again. Though I do admit I miss the old days when they were actually pebble shaped as opposed to the flakes they come in now. At any rate, I overlooked the shape of the cereal and we all enjoyed a quick breakfast before hoofing it over to the bus stop.

There was already a decent line up of people with the same idea as us. The bus arrived right around 8 so we didn't make it to the park until about 815. Even a few minutes behind schedule we were very excited to be walking through the gates again. There weren't many folks lingering in the entrance so we took advantage of that with a picture stop.
MK_ENTR_20171208_406981227652 by Matt Mandrusiak, on FlickrMK_ENTR_20171208_406981227659 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr

Once inside we made a quick stop at City Hall to line up a guest assistance pass for Ella. We were in and out within a few minutes and it was time for that first stroll down Main Street. Main Street is always amazing but at this time of the year, it was even better. We didn't stop for pictures, much to Kelly's dismay, and went straight through the castle towards Fantasyland. Lennon was dying to ride the Mine Trai so the plan was to get a return time using Ella's pass and hit up some of the other rides.

Kelly asked the attendants for a time to come back and instead of lining one up for us he simply sent us through the FastPass line right away. Not a bad way to kick off the day! Our first ride was exactly what the girls wanted. The growth from the last trip to this trip was obvious right away. I wasn't surprised that Ella put her hands up during the ride but I was shocked Lennon did the same! She loved it.

From there it was over to Winnie the Pooh, then to Dumbo, the Barn Stormer and Ariel's Under Sea Adventure. As I said earlier, Disney is all about details but one I never noticed until Ella pointed it out was the peanuts embedded in the ground near Dumbo. I thought that was really cool and had to take a picture.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/HXLXyD]IMG_1385 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Just a little excited for one of their favourites...Dumbo
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21yXeLM]IMG_1388 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/21yXe1P]IMG_1389 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/22RTZa5]IMG_1401 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/22RTYGS]IMG_1402 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/22RTXqy]IMG_1403 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

After Ariel we made our way back towards the Castle with a few stops along the way. The carousel was up next along with some galavanting with Princesses.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/ELVMKS]MK_BEOURGUESTBRIDGEICONNC_20171208_406982519257 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/22RTVju]IMG_1406 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/22RTTtq]

Not quite as appetizing as the one in the Beach Club lobby but I don't think that one could support much weight anyways
IMG_1409 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/21yX1rF]IMG_1410 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

From there we jumped in line to meet Cinderella and the girls first ever visit with Elena
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21yWZTX]IMG_1411 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/21yWZ6z]IMG_1412 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/ELVgcC]IMG_1418 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/21yWSiB]IMG_1420 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/21PVs1u]IMG_1423 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/21PVpAj]IMG_1426 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

A busy start to our morning only got better as we said goodbye to Cinderella and Elena and luckily stumbled upon a pretty short line for Cindy's stepsisters! Great interactions with these characters. Really played it up and goofed around with the girls.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/22UsepF]MK_CINDERELLAFNTNCHAR_20171208_406983331645 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/ELVcMG]IMG_1435 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

It was still relatively early in the morning and we hadn't even gotten to our first FastPass but it felt like we were getting a lot done and having a blast already. The park was closing early on this day for one of the Christmas Parties so we wanted to try and get as much done as possible before calling it a day at MK.
 
sheriffwoody

sheriffwoody

Well-Known Member
Just started reading! Love the trip so far. I'm with everyone else on the Grand Floridian room.... WOW!!! What an awesome start to the trip.

Sounds like your first morning at MK was super productive. Looking forward to the rest!
 
PineapplePrincess

PineapplePrincess

Well-Known Member
Loving your report! It's so nice to see some sunny pictures while sitting here in frozen Michigan. The girls are sooo cute and Kelly looks especially pretty in the rose gold ears. I'm kicking myself for not getting them during our trip last August!
 
Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
sheriffwoody said:
Just started reading! Love the trip so far. I'm with everyone else on the Grand Floridian room.... WOW!!! What an awesome start to the trip.

Sounds like your first morning at MK was super productive. Looking forward to the rest!
Click to expand...

Thanks for reading! As Kelly and I look back on the trip now that it's come and gone in the blink of an eye, we know we ended up doing a ton of stuff but even so, we likely could have used one more day to get through a few things we still wanted to do. Always next time I guess!

PineapplePrincess said:
Loving your report! It's so nice to see some sunny pictures while sitting here in frozen Michigan. The girls are sooo cute and Kelly looks especially pretty in the rose gold ears. I'm kicking myself for not getting them during our trip last August!
Click to expand...

Sounds like parts of the Eastern States are going through some crazy cold spells right now. It was super cold here in Edmonton between Christmas and New Years but the weather has been balmy the last few days. Still, nice to look at the pics as I go through the report and remember I was wearing shorts not that long ago!

Kelly was determined to get those ears this trip. We kept reading how they were selling out all over the place so we weren't sure if they would be available to her but there was definitely no shortage while we were there. She has them sitting on our nightstand waiting to be packed for another visit.
 
Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Even though it was a little after 10 I guess it was more than suitable for a popcorn break before ripping through more of the park. We left the Stepsisters and made our way back towards the hub in front of the castle to grab a snack then figure out what was next. Our first FP+ was approaching so I guess it was back towards the Mine Train to jump back on for the second time this morning.

Lennon was most pleased...
Disney World - 2017 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr

We made it to Mine Train, scanned our bands and off we went.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/JgDzpe]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/JidhVa]MK_MINETRAIN_20171208_8139630400 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21SDvtM]MK_MINETRAIN_20171208_8139624912 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We would make our way back to Fantasyland a little later but now we were off to Frontierland to hop on the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness! Lennon seemed a little apprehensive at first but she was already proving that she was going to be a lot braver than she was in 2016.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21R8EHp]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/228EkEA]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Even with a little hesitation, before the ride was over her arms were up in the air and she was digging it! I hoped they'd keep this brave streak going as I wanted to ride Splash before heading back for our Peter Pan FP+. The line for Splash was only 10 minutes but alas, other than me nobody was ready to take the dive. What a drag.

Oh well, back to Fantasyland we went for Peter Pan and Small World. Pan continues to remain one of my all time favourites even though the lines are always packed and the ride itself is rather short. Great show scenes. Always a classic to fly around London and Neverland in the ship. Small World was a nice way to get off our feet but still not anywhere near as good as the Disneyland version. Nevertheless, the kids names were flashed up on the screens exiting the ride so that made them pretty happy.

After a paced morning it was time to sit down and grab a bite. It was shortly after 12, the park was really filling up and we made our way to Pinocchio's Village Haus for a quick lunch.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/23aByq9]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

The line was decent inside but moved quickly. Kelly and I both ordered the chicken caesar salad and the girls ordered the kids pepperoni flatbread. Figured this would be a good time to eat something green as that would not be the plan for much of the trip.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/23aBzTQ]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We found seats at a table outside which was great as it was beautiful at this point and we were thankful that we decided to eat when we did as the line was now stretching back into Fantasyland just to enter the building. I must admit, the salad was very good. Quite refreshing and very tasty. Still leaving room for some tasty treats a little later on.

After lunch we made the trek towards Aventureland. Pirates has become a massive favourite for Ella so that's were we decided to start. We jumped in standby, which was posted at 30 minutes, and made our way through the dungeon to get to the boat. It was a decent wait but only about 20 minutes before we loaded on and made our way into the Caribbean. As soon as we boarded the girls we already freaking about the drop ahead. Lennon was clutching me tightly but there was no turning back now.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/22abWvw]MK_PIRATESRIDE_20171208_8139707184 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
Always a fun ride! I like that you now get your photo taken before the drop. The height of terror for our kids!

After Pirates we were ready for our first taste of the Jingle Cruise. Have never been on the holiday version of this ride but I quite liked it. The skipper had some great Christmas jokes mixed in the regular schtick. Good stuff.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/JgEFNz]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/228EU3S]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/21R7LSv]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/D2FpgX]Disney World - 2017 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Being so close there was no way I was going to pass up the chance to grab my favourite treat...a Dole Whip! I've seen many photos of the new upside down cake version so I had to try it for myself. Kelly went with the just the ice cream. We both were very satisfied!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21R8D3F]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

It was mid afternoon and the kids seemed ready for a break. The park was getting busier as guests were arriving for the Christmas party so we decided to head back to the hotel to relax for a little bit before our dinner reservations at Whispering Canyon.

There was a stage show going on as we arrived and we stopped to watch that for a few minutes before making our way out.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Dg1bJr]IMG_1438 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Main Street was pretty busy but man did it look great with the Christmas decorations.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Dg1rCp]IMG_1440 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/ELVav7]IMG_1441 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Not a bad first park day at all...
 
Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We left Mk and took the bus back to the Beach Club. Back home we had decorated for Christmas in about mid-November knowing we would be gone for a good chunk of December and since Kelly loves the house around Christmas time, we hauled things out a little early. Kelly made sure our room had a little Christmas get up while we were there as well, not leaving all the decorating fun to the parks and resorts!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21CBQTg]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Ok maybe not as spectacular as Main Street but still a nice touch!

We arrived back around 330 or so and had 5pm reservations at Whispering Canyon. We had a little time to relax for a bit, I did so with an ice cold Blue Moon, and Ella found a quiet spot to work on some of the homework she had brought with her.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/22VxbrG]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We decided it would be easiest to leave the stroller behind for the night and grab an Uber to head to the Wilderness Lodge. It gave us a little more time to hang out before heading for dinner. We called for our car around 430 and before we knew it we were on our way to what I feel is the best resort in WDW. I would gladly stay at WL every time we visit WDW but it is nice to experience some of the other options around the World.

We arrived about 15 minutes early for the reservation. As we walked into the lobby we were blown away by how amazing it looked. It's always a gorgeous lobby but the massive tree, roaring fire and woodsy decorations just solidified that WL is easily my favourite place. With the restaurant not opening until 5 we checked in and took the few extra minutes to look around the lobby and get some pictures.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21TBP67]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/21CBRTn]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

and lucky for us a PhotoPass photog was hanging around. Nice chance for a family picture in front of the tree.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/HXLZyv]WDWRESORTSANDMORE_LOBBY_20171208_406997463214 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Shortly after our beeper for dinner started to buzz and we made our way back to be seated.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/J2tWNk]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We were greeter by our server, Ginger Snap, and directed to our table. Kelly was super excited about eating here simply because of the atmosphere and the fun and games the servers play throughout the meal. Ginger was exactly the type of person we wanted in a server. She jumped on the kids pretty quick and set the tone for what was a very fun meal. It did make things even easier for her that Ella noticed the jail cell close to our table and was quick to point it out.

The girls avoided hard time for now and it gave us a chance to look at the menu. Kelly and I both ordered bottomless milkshakes. Caramel for me and strawberry for her.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/22Y94jc]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We ordered our food but as we waited of course the girls "acted out" and Ginger had no choice but discipline them both.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/22Y94FV]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/J2tVV8]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Luckily the food arrived so they were released for time served and made to promise to eat all their food. Kelly and I ordered the all-you-can-eat skillet, Ella had had grilled fish and Lennon went with Mac and Cheese. The food was delish! Everything was excellent. I really enjoyed the ribs and the chicken. Kelly loved the pulled pork and the sausage. Since she's not much for cooked veggies I devoured the beans. Admittedly we did get a second helping and probably coulda asked for more but wanted to save room for dessert.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21Hpnoa]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/21Hpn42]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/EVo2oy]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Of course we had to ask for ketchup which, if you've been to Whispering Canyon before, is a pretty big to-do. Thankfully the 30 some bottles we had on the table didn't sit for long as we made a delivery to a nearby table when they yelled out for ketchup. The girls were having a blast and it got even better when they joined in on the pony rides around the restaurant before dessert.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/DpmBNr]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

as they burned calories, I kept piling them on with the warm caramel apple pie. Amazing
[url=https://flic.kr/p/EVo27m]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Finally we decided to tap out and the discussion turned to what to do with the rest of the night. Kelly and I wanted to go to a few other resorts to look at decorations but the girls had different ideas. They were all in on a quick trip to Epcot for a few rides before calling it a night. After some debate we caved, as we always do, to what they wanted but we lingered around the lobby for a few more photos before jumping a bus to Epcot. Ella wanted to get in on the photo act so she commandeered the camera for a few shots. Not bad...
[url=https://flic.kr/p/ELV4Zh]IMG_1460 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL][url=https://flic.kr/p/ELV47f]IMG_1462 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

After a quick look around the gift shop we walked to the bus stop and jumped on to head to Epcot before heading home for the night.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/21Hpnbr]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We were really only here for two quick rides...Nemo (for some reason) and Soarin'. While the girls killed some time around Nemo, I made a quick trip to Soarin' to get a return time using Ella's pass before meeting up with the others.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/21CJW1B]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

After our journey in the big blue world we went back to Soarin' to get ready for our flight. This is always one of my top rides and the girls are big fans as well. Pretty good way to end the first day in the parks.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/JiN3sV]Untitled by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

It was after 8, closer to 9, by the time we were finished so it was time to head home and grab some shuteye. After all, we had a visit to Pandora in store for us in the morning!
 

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