Trip Report Disney Land & Sea is the place to be! COMPLETED

belledream · Oct 14, 2015

lostpro9het said:
This is my first time seeing a king bed at Pop! Very neat, we had always gotten the double beds.

Yes, every time I've stayed at Pop, I've seen double beds as well. I read online that most king beds at Pop are handicap-accessible, but not all are. It's not a bookable category, just a request that can be granted if I suppose someone else didn't need it.

SweetEvangeline · Oct 14, 2015

We lucked into a King sized bed at Pop in January as well that was not accessible. We had stayed in an accessible room once before and it was a little awkward.

ScarletBegonias · Oct 14, 2015

Oh no! We are staying at Pop in April, and double beds??? I may to have to request it and HOPE we get a king.

MotherofaPrincessLover · Oct 14, 2015

I also love fountains and waterfalls. Hope to see more pictures of them in your trip report!

belledream · Oct 14, 2015

SweetEvangeline said:
We lucked into a King sized bed at Pop in January as well that was not accessible. We had stayed in an accessible room once before and it was a little awkward.

Yeah, our bathroom was a regular bathroom, so I'm pretty sure they aren't limited to handicap rooms only. Also I requested 60's and lake view and got neither, but got the king bed, so who knows what the method behind the madness is?

ScarletBegonias said:
Oh no! We are staying at Pop in April, and double beds??? I may to have to request it and HOPE we get a king.

Doubles are alright too.

They're fun to jump to and from. HAHA!

MotherofaPrincessLover said:
I also love fountains and waterfalls. Hope to see more pictures of them in your trip report!

Yay! They are so beautiful, it's truly an obsession. There will be much more to come. Never fear!

belledream · Oct 14, 2015

Good morning from Pop Century! We were heading to EPCOT today. But first...

Yay for resort hopping! We stayed at Pop on our first trip together in 2010. Art of Animation didn't exist then, so this is new realm for us.

It was very quiet and peaceful. I guess it was about 7 AM, but I was feeling alive and awake as we came to Generation Gap Bridge. I love exploring new places at Walt Disney World!

We decided to start at the Little Mermaid end and make our way over. On the way, we saw Ariel, Ursula, King Triton, a dinglehopper, and this guy.

SOMEDAY, Little Mermaid rooms will be included in Disney promotions!!! Otherwise we're just going to have to have a bunch of kids so we can justify staying in suites. :happy:

We moved on to the Lion King Section. I didn't know that these rooms had indoor entrances - that was neat to see.

Then we came to the main hub of it all, Finding Nemo. Sweeet.

Surprisingly enough, I found the Cars section to be my favorite, considering I didn't really get into Cars. I truly thought it was the most well-done section of the bunch.

I think it might've been the roads and powerlines?

The detail and references to the movie just really popped theme-wise...and I was a fan.

I was also a fan of this totally cool lighting fixture in the lobby. Disney never ceases to amaze me!

The lobby made me feel like I was bottled in some kind of paint jar. We spent some quality time poring over all the sketches on the wall. After a quick tour of the gift shop and food court, we caught a bus and we were on our way to EPCOT!

ScarletBegonias · Oct 15, 2015

Ohhhh. AoA looks so cool! I would love to stay there, but yep, since there are no discounts, we passed this time.

belledream · Oct 15, 2015

Why hello there, EPCOT! Spaceship Earth, you never cease to amaze me. So gigantic and pristine...

I spent an entire year waiting for this trip, listening to many, many Disney area music loops in attempt to put myself back in the World. But nothing compares to hearing the Future World music play as you walk towards and under the big ball, coming out to see the Fountain of Nations. My favorite fountain in all of WDW.

I spend a lot of time just standing at it's edge, listening to the sounds of the water, breathing in whatever-that-smell-quality-it-has, and just being HAPPY!

Rope drop was dedicated to Test Track, where J left the design powers in my hands. And this is what happened. However absurd it may look, it performed surprisingly well.

We also got our morning dosage of being blinded by the Florida sun as the car takes off outside.

A quick hop across Future World and we found ourselves at The Land pavilion. Love love love the smells of this place.

Soon we were Soarin' across California. Favorite scene: over the water at dusk.

Living with the Land is such a treat for me. It's never crowded, the boat is so comfortable, it gets me excited over things I see at the grocery store, and it has chill-inducing music at the end. A very underrated and lovely ride in my opinion.

From land to sea (a common theme of this trip report!), we found ourselves in an equally-immersive experience at The Seas with Nemo and Friends. With so much to see, both expected and unexpected, this huuuge stingray was my favorite.

And we caught this dolphin demonstration where they would flash a picture or clip of a form of sea life and then also have that picture displayed amongst two others. They would show the dolphin the picture and it would identify which of the three it saw.

Lastly, this little crab was just trying to go about his day and eat his...filet-o-fish...while this yellow guy would boldly swoop in and steal bites. It was very entertaining!

The day was still very young and there was still so much to see! We headed towards World Showcase in search of some sustenance. On the way, we caught a glimpse of Tower of Terror, sneakily blending in with Morocco.

belledream · Oct 15, 2015

The first full day of vacation always seems the sweetest. Could it possibly be because of the view?

We tend to favor starting at Mexico and making our way around the World Showcase. And that's what we did. Mexico is one of my favorites. Am I really indoors? I guess the more-than-comfortable-AC confirms that. We took a quick ride on the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros. After this, J would not stop chanting, "The-tres-caba-lleros!" the entire trip.

We moved on to Norway where we decided that it was time for some nourishment. Oh look, it's Remy...for the record...I really really dislike rodents. It took me a looong time to watch Ratatouille in full and I still had to close my eyes at times.

And what does one get when they visit the fabled Kringla Bakeri og Kafe? Schoolbread! We always said we wanted to try it, but were always too full and never got around to it. So FINALLY, we tried one of the most highly-touted Disney snacks...and I have to say, it was good, not great. I enjoyed it, but I don't think I'd get it again. Is there something wrong with me? I like coconut. I like pudding. Crème. All the fatty stuff. But it just didn't do much for me. Oops.

And we were in China! (How easy was that?!)

Reflections of China is my favorite movie-show-thing in the World Showcase. I need to see this place with my own eyes!

Oom bop bop, oom bop bop. Tiki toki tiki toki oi oi oi! No spellcheck needed.

Germany was my favorite pavilion as a kid. I think the toy shop did it.

Now that I'm a homeowner wifey, Christmas stuff gets me excited no matter what time of year and it makes me want to go all Martha Stewart when I'm here!

Too bad we had zero room in our suitcases for souvenirs, much less anything fragile. Hey, just trying to fit 2 weeks of multiple outfits in 2 carry ons!

Italy is such a feast for the eyes. From the colors, to the little details in stone...Italy would be #1 on my wishlist for a Eurotrip.

Oh World Showcase, you are a gift to us all. :inlove:

belledream · Oct 15, 2015

We sat down for The American Adventure, or as one of us calls its, naptime. Hey, whatever keeps him going and gives us more Disneytime!

Now one little schoolbread is not enough for two monsters to share, so we stopped by one of our favorites, Katsura Grill and got the usual:

Beef Udon and Teriyaki Chicken.

Udon is so good that I would sit outside and eat it in 90 degree weather! No brainer. Equally as good is Japan's shop, Mitsukoshi. My favorite finds: sushi erasers. Is it bad I want to eat them?

When we arrived at Morocco, I noticed these things on the trees. J and I spent a little time trying to figure out if they were real of not. You never know...it's Disney! We came to the conclusion that they were real, but we didn't know what they were. We are great detectives.

The Moroccan museum is always eerily empty and quiet. Such beautiful architecture though! I admire.

At France, we admired the fountain, sat down for Impressions de France, stopped ourselves from getting ice cream, and pretended to be artists at this photo opp:

A favorite view of mine:

At the United Kingdom, we stepped into the Twinings shop to find that they were giving out tea samples. J immediately goes, "FREE STUFF!"

Not ashamed to say I kept the cup...it was so cute and tiny! I have problems.

Canada was kind of deserted. Maybe it's because the waterfall wasn't running? Boooooo. That thing is beautiful.

Nevertheless, we enjoyed some peace and quiet before reversing and heading back to our dinner spot. It was a wildcard choice for the trip, but we had high hopes for it.

ScarletBegonias · Oct 15, 2015

There is a Twinings?! Oh my.. all the things I don't know. I'll be visiting that next time!

belledream · Oct 15, 2015

We were originally planning to make a return to an old favorite in Tokyo Dining, but when we found out Spice Road Table was now accepting the Disney Dining Plan and had entrees, not just small plates now, it seemed like the time to try something new.

I've been eyeballing this place ever since it popped up. Atmosphere is my #1 requirement and the thing I remember most about meals at Disney.

True to the Morocco pavilion itself, the theming was impeccable.

I was particularly interested in the gold tables. Shiny...

We started by sharing a Mint Iced Tea. It was exactly as you'd expect. Minty iced tea.

That view though...

Then the food came. I'm a sucker for presentation and these did not disappoint.

My Yellowfin Tuna. This was delicious. Cooked medium inside to follow my trend of eating not-so-cooked fish. The veggies underneath were pretty crisp, which helped balance the soft texture of the fish.

J's Coriander-crusted Rack of Lamb. I thought this was seasoned very well and couldn't help myself from stealing a bunch of zucchini pieces.

For dessert, I chose the Saffron and Lemon Custard, having a very vague idea what it would be. Being the crème brulee fanatic I am, I was happy to see that it seemed to resemble that! I'm still not sure what it was. It wasn't as sweet as crème brulee usually is, but I scraped it to the very end.

J called the Chocolate Pyramid the moment we looked at the menus when planning out ADRs. Almond is one of his favorites and he was not disappointed by that ice cream. He also had to share.

Spice Road Table was a pleasant surprise. I hadn't seen many reviews on the place, and if there were, they were only about the small plates. But our experience was very positive, with attractive dishes, a quiet atmosphere, and gorgeous view. Success!

ScarletBegonias · Oct 15, 2015

We had the BEST experience at Spice Road! I also go the coriander crusted lamb and thought it was amazing!! So glad you enjoyed!

belledream · Oct 15, 2015

It was time for Walk Your Dinner Off Around the World. The views along the way:

Rain clouds rolling in?

We sat down to catch some of the Jewel Dragon Acrobats, but then a drop of rain fell from the sky and they had to cut the performance short. Gosh darnit!

But look for the silver lining in everything, because DOUBLE RAINBOW!

We debated whether or not to catch Ellen's Energy Adventure before it closed for the day, but decided instead to catch sunset over Showcase Lagoon.

It was a good choice.

The sun was going down, the air was cooling off, we were happy and fully fed, life is good.

We ended up back at Future World and caught one of my favorite WDW spectacles: the Fountain of Nations dancing at night. My heart seriously swells with love and feels for this.

We were able to score Test Track with little wait. (Every ride just seems better at night, doesn't it?) Oh and J created this -1 efficiency car which he was so very proud of when our fellow riders made remarks about it during the ride.

We were cutting it close to Illuminations but managed to find a decent spot with 10 minutes to go. I was so prepared to see the best fireworks show in Disney. Everything about it is just perfect. The preshow music. The narrator's voice. Blowing out the torches. The drumroll that seems to correlate with my heartbeat. The lights, the water, the ending that makes it look like daytime again.

And of course, exiting the park to Promise. I danced to this song with my dad at the wedding. It was the only time I truly felt like I was going to cry that day. (Sorry J, haha!)

Goodnight EPCOT! We'll be back!

sheriffwoody · Oct 15, 2015

belledream said:
Spice Road Table was a pleasant surprise

I'm so glad to hear that! Planning to try it in January and try to watch Illuminations from there.

belledream · Oct 16, 2015

sheriffwoody said:
I'm so glad to hear that! Planning to try it in January and try to watch Illuminations from there.

Sounds divine! Enjoy!!

belledream · Oct 16, 2015

There are certain things that I must have when I go to Disney. One of those things is experiencing all four parks before going back to any for a second day. It just doesn't feel complete without it! So knowing that we were heading to Hollywood Studios just gave me that much more excitement, no matter what state it was in.

Wowweee it was weird seeing Hollywood Studios without the Sorcerer's Hat. I was like ten when they put it up so I was pretty used to it. But I must say, the theater does make for a superior sight.

As it neared 9, we were escorted by CMs to Voyage of the Little Mermaid. Just kidding...

J and I counted. We were the 13th and 14th people in line for Toy Story Mania this morning. Top 15, woohoo!

When this baby rolls around, I just want to do the happy dance. Let the competition begin!

I am totally better than J at this game. I school him at the farm animal targets, balloons, plates, pretty much everything except the rings. But that cheap spamming opportunity at the end! ARGHHHH!!!!!!

J was very proud that he held the "Best This Hour" score for probably the next 9 seconds.

We emerged...to do it all over again.

Via FP of course because the line had already swelled.

And this is me being humble...we didn't need a best-of-3 series to see who was better.

.

belledream · Oct 16, 2015

Sunset Boulevard is one of my favorite WDW streets at any time of the day. I love seeing Tower of Terror in the distance and passing by all the unique looking shops that you know I'm going to stop by later.

But mainly Tower of Terror. This ride is the BOMB. I absolutely love the feeling of losing my stomach, of not knowing whether they're going to straight-drop you, or tease you a bit.

Lobby game on point.

When you're on the ride and the elevator doors open and you start moving forward...GOOSEBUMPS! Then you're hit with a little bit of heat and you know it's coming. Silence. Shoot straight up. Get a glimpse of Hollywood Studios...then the rest is history! (Well then we rode it 2 more times but you get the idea).

We decided to visit Starring Rolls for breakfast. We've never had one of their cupcakes before, and according to the internet, they are ginormous and delicious, so of course we had to try one. Our choice? Red Velvet.

My personal favorite, or addiction. Whatever you want to call it. J is usually not a cream cheese frosting fan, but red velvet can change most people's opinions.

We went to the Frozen Sing Along Celebration which we were fortunate enough to catch at the tailend of Frozen Summer Fun last year. When it starts to snow...*happy*

From there, we journeyed along the Streets of America, getting in shape for the last Osborne Spectacle of Lights. I've only seen this once that I can remember, and we were planning on making it a part of our trip next year. But alas, it was not meant to be.

Hollywood Studios is not our favorite park for quick service (an uncommon opinion I'm sure) so we spent a good amount of time before arriving making sure we knew we'd try our best to get something we'd enjoy. Paying out of pocket here.

Studio Catering Co.: Pulled Beef Brisket Sandwich (J) and Spicy Chipotle Ranch Chicken (me). Both were definitely edible, and dare I say we enjoyed it. Then again, we eat most things and it's not a culinary masterpiece, but I didn't feel ill or like I wanted anything else when I was done. Nice.

I heard from a little birdie there's this movie franchise called Star Wars that everyone seems to have seen but me.

We popped into Tatooine Traders where J was like OOH and AHH and I just followed him around not knowing what was going on. (He later explained the basis of the storylines to me and I was like uh HELLO? Spoiler alert?! And he was like...what, are you planning to watch now?) Maybe I should...especially with the new land coming up.

Muppets 3D Vision is J's favorite. He is especially hysterical during the scene with Dr. Honeydew and Beaker.

Hey, look! Look at that guy in the Goofy mask!
Um...that's not a mask.
Oh! Sorry, Lady!

A Salute to All Nations But Mostly America.

Golden.

belledream · Oct 16, 2015

From there, we headed on over to Lights, Motors, Action. I do enjoy this show, though it's always sooo hot when we go there.

Once we sat down, we got our first glimpse of the Earful Tower.

Fast cars...loud noises...fire...pretty epic stuff! I also felt a newfound appreciation for the detail of the set itself.

Hello pretty fountain! I love how the coins and the blue seem to sparkle together.

We had managed to grab a FP for Rock N Rollercoaster so we headed over to get our fix in. Not the best ride in my opinion, but love that takeoff.

This put us in great position to catch my favorite show at Hollywood Studios, Beauty and the Beast! I always enjoy the music, the costumes, the dancing, and identifying which extras are which.

And of course, my favorite scene.

Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the Beast! Goosebumps every time! J always laughs at me when we watch this show because I must look completely transfixed.

Then it was onto the movies! This was probably the longest line we stood in at Disney. Probably took us a solid 25 minutes.

And since when did they start the prerecorded narration of the ride? I found that kind of awkward, with the real CM jutting in every once in a while. No likey.

Afterwards, we hung around the shops for a bit. I took a picture of the ceiling of this shop because I found it cool. I'm so weird sometimes...

We caught a showing of Indiana Jones, then decided to wind down the afternoon in front of Echo Lake.

One of those quiet, peaceful moments in the day.

belledream · Oct 16, 2015

So the afternoon was over...you know what that means. We're gettin' hungry! But we had some time to kill. So...we went shopping!

I just really admired this building. Disney details that are often overlooked!

This was super cute. I don't think I've seen anything like it before, and it just dawned on me then how underrepresented these three ladies are! What's up with all the Tinkerbell? These three have got good chemistry, style and color, diverse personalities, and witty banter. Also, we just recently watched Sleeping Beauty and the scene where they were hiding in this cup-thing gave me one of those "OMG-I-remember-that!" moments.

Anyways, other finds: True Love at the Christmas shop (of course!)

Dug & Russell!!! These two are the cutest.

We thought this sign at the Muppets store was hilarious:

And this baby shop is so adorable. I want to decorate now!!

Enough with this...we were starving and it was time to eat!

Oh Mama Melrose, I used to come to you every year with my family and then I wrote you off because I thought I could cook Italian and didn't want to come here anymore. But then, last year, as we walked by you, we smelled something absolutely delicious that made our mouths water and we are here! Please feed me!

It's been a really long time. I could not stop staring at all the lights and objects around us.

A random loaf of bread.

And pizza on the wall. Alrighty then, let's get this thing started!

Trip Report Disney Land & Sea is the place to be! *COMPLETED*

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Trip Report Disney Land & Sea is the place to be! COMPLETED