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

belledream · Oct 16, 2015

Thank you very much, Fantasmic! Dining Package for our delicious appetizers.
Crispy Calamari (J) - I don't think I've ever had bad calamari, so I'm not sure you can mess this up, but you can definitely enhance it with those three sauces on the side! Can't remember what they were but they were spicy, oily, and pesto-y.

Oak-Fired Mussels (me) - Ooh man these were one of the highlights of the trip for me. I don't eat mussels often, so when I do, it's a treat. Actually, this is a great opportunity for storytime. I first ate mussels at Tony's when I was like 12. I thought the shells were cute so I told my dad I wanted to keep them. For some unknown reason, he agreed and wrapped them in a napkin and put them in our bag. And then we forgot about them. Lol...

Main Courses:
Charred Strip Steak (J) - I was originally going to order this but J our annual guess-how-many-coins-we-saved bet so he got it. It wasn't as good as he expected it to be, but hey, he's a guy and it's a steak so he's fine.

Shrimp Campanelle (me) - I usually don't order pasta at restaurants but I was really feeling it today! Maybe it's because I was starving and wanted to stuff my face. Sometimes, white sauces are a little too much for me, but this was perfect. And shrimp over chicken definitely made it more sophisticated for me. Would recommend to pasta lovers!

For dessert, our waiter brought out a preselected trio of desserts. I guess it's the Dessert Sampler on the menu (Miniature versions of Mama’s favorite Desserts Amarettini Cheesecake, Tiramisu, and Cannoli Cake).

I didn't know that's what they did and none of them were exceptional, but they all provided a little something sweet after a heavy meal.

I enjoyed Mama's. I don't know if we'd come back any time soon, not with J's love for Sci-Fi and mine for 50's. We should probably try Brown Derby next, but not on the dining plan.

We left Mama's to start our evening walk-off of dinner.

Ended up at One Man's Dream. I thought it would be closed when we got here, but it was still open.

Keep it. DO THE RIGHT THING!

Apparently it rained for the 15 minutes we were in there, but we never got wet.

You know what this is...a few nighttime rides of Tower of Terror?

It simply cannot be missed!

belledream · Oct 16, 2015

Sunset Boulevard came to life at night. We just walked around and took in all the sights and sounds.

I oogled at these window displays. So classy...can I dress like this every day!?

It just never seems repetitive to us. Even if we've looked in these shops twice already today, I'm surrounded by Disney joy and that's all I really need!

Our wanderings took us all the way to the beginning of Hollywood Boulevard, where we realized we never really paid much attention to that gas station-looking place over there. Oh it's a stroller rental center. So Disney to not just designate a random building as a stroller rental center and not dress it up to fit in seamlessly with the theme.

Hey look, it's us! Actually we did take a What Disney Character Are You Quiz earlier this year and out of all the characters they had, J got Mickey and I got Minnie. That meant so much to me...*happy tears*

We got to Fantasmic! with little wait and issue and got pretty decent seats. For the last few years, we've just shown up pretty last minute, not really caring where we sat...as long as we were close to the exit.

I don't give the same amount of love to Fantasmic as J or probably most others do. I often chalk it up to "a lot of fuzzy video clips being shown on water" but every time I watch it, I am reminded that it is still a spectacle for the eyes.

J thought this was really scary haha. Like I said earlier, we recently watched Sleeping Beauty (which he had never seen before and therefore never understood why I freak out once in a while and run up the stairs screaming because I hear Maleficent saying "AU RO RA" behind me...AHHHH!) I think he sees now why Maleficent is so intimidating to me.

With that, our time at Hollywood Studios had come to an end. It was a good day. We always feel relaxed while we're here, and it's also home to two of our favorites (Toy Story and Tower of Terror). Can't wait to see what's in store for the future of this park!

We headed back to Pop Century and decided to go for a swim. It was "early" for us...like 10 PM. So we went off to the Hippy Dippy Pool and tested out our new waterproof camera which would become our staple for the cruise later on!

I mean, it was dark out okay? :hilarious:

Anyways, a little bit of pool felt good on our hard-working bodies. Then it was off to sleep because a brand new day was right ahead of us!

Cetta · Oct 16, 2015

I just recently watched the first three Star Wars (Episode 4, 5, & 6) with my husband. They are actually really good movies!!! Now I know what he is talking about and the characters that I see all over the place. It is worth your time...trust me! I didn't really want to watch them but after starting them...I couldn't wait to see more haha We just borrowed Episodes 1, 2, & 3 from my step dad and I look forward to learning more...I mean it is a part of Disney now so....

belledream · Oct 16, 2015

Cetta said:
I just recently watched the first three Star Wars (Episode 4, 5, & 6) with my husband. They are actually really good movies!!! Now I know what he is talking about and the characters that I see all over the place. It is worth your time...trust me! I didn't really want to watch them but after starting them...I couldn't wait to see more haha We just borrowed Episodes 1, 2, & 3 from my step dad and I look forward to learning more...I mean it is a part of Disney now so....

Thanks for this! I do think it would be worth my time. Especially because it's now a part of Disney like you said!

steffib · Oct 17, 2015

following along! we are getting married next March and then heading from our home in the UK for our disneymoon! taking our 2 kids with us so won't be able to do all the stuff you've done -shopping is a no no with a 5 and 3 year old! but loving your trip report!

belledream · Oct 17, 2015

steffib said:
following along! we are getting married next March and then heading from our home in the UK for our disneymoon! taking our 3 kids with us so won't be able to do all the stuff you've done -shopping is a no no with a 5 and 3 year old! but loving your trip report!

Congratulations! And wowee, that's a big trip and sounds like a wonderful time.

This entire trip we kept discussing what it would be like when we bring our future offspring to Disney and it made us so excited. We can't wait! There's so much good in both traveling styles.

DisneyMorgan · Oct 17, 2015

Loving this so far!!! and congrats newlyweds!

Also your picture of the pizza on the wall at Mama Melrose, I sat right by that on our trip!!! I took pics of it too!!! It just made me so excited lol

belledream · Oct 17, 2015

MorganInWonderland said:
Loving this so far!!! and congrats newlyweds!

Also your picture of the pizza on the wall at Mama Melrose, I sat right by that on our trip!!! I took pics of it too!!! It just made me so excited lol

Thanks so much! And that's so funny! Glad there's other Disney detail lovers that share my enthusiasm!

ScarletBegonias · Oct 19, 2015

Looks like a great day at DHS!

belledream · Oct 19, 2015

It was an early morning for us, as we set off to arrive at Animal Kingdom for 8 AM Extra Magic Hours. Even though the sun was barely up, we caught a glimpse of a few other things that were up.

As soon as the world started to wake up, we found ourselves at Animal Kingdom, ready to experience the last of the four parks this trip!

And of course, the friends you meet along the way!

I really enjoy wandering through the Oasis. It's usually very nice and cool, and the ambient sounds of the water and the music loop just play together in perfect harmony.

Oh, and perfectly-themed-lampposts. This is a thing.

One of those "I'm not in Central Florida" moments where I just stopped and stared for a good few minutes.

We made our way to Africa and we were greeted by...THE SUN!

This kind of photography is not even fair. :hilarious:

The little details in and around the shops!!! My heart seriously bursts with affection for this kind of commitment and execution to DOING-THINGS-RIGHT.

Well if you haven't guessed yet, our first stop would be a bright and early Kilimanjaro Safari ride, where we would encounter some of our most amazing sights yet!

belledream · Oct 19, 2015

Oh, the anticipation when you board the vehicle and it takes off into the mud and dirt and soon to be water. We did just that, and immediately saw a few Bongos. This one started following us as we drove away.

J's favorite dinnertime fact: did you know rhinos can run up to 40 mph?

Some hippos in the water, but we all know we're here to see those pelicans.

We crossed some questionable bridges to get to get to the most beautiful view on the reserve.

I feel like a lion hiding in the tall grasses getting ready to pounce...

The lone earlybird-ropedrop-riser elephant...

We almost missed this cheetah, and I'm so glad we didn't. Look at that cute face! He got up and started walking after this.

We arrived at 'Pride Rock' and thought there were no lions to be seen. Yet when we turned the corner, a male lion was indeed standing as on Pride Rock and he started roaring. Well, it was either roaring or coughing up a hairball. Either way, it was so cool and hopefully you can spot him below.

Equally as spaz-worthy, were these surprisingly adorable warthog babies! Awwww!

Rounding out our first safari, we came across a bunch of Oryx, those animals that can go weeks without water and be just fine.

No two safaris are ever the same, so we would definitely be back for Round 2. It was a great start to our morning at Animal Kingdom and there was so much we had to see and do!

belledream · Oct 19, 2015

Conveniently, we stepped of the safari to move right on to the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. Sometimes, I enjoy this more than the safari because I can really take my time.

Look, he's eating a salad!

The aviary is pretty cool. I'm guessing it's partially because there are no tanks or gates and you really just get to *be* in the habitat alongside the birds.

I spy with my little eye...

My true favorite of Pangani are the gorillas. Ever since I was little, I had this fascination with gorillas that always led to my family having to wait for upwards of an hour for me to be done. They're just so cool! I like the way they walk all slow and boss-like.

It was time for our breakfast...and we already knew what we were getting.

Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Pretzel. Sweet and spicy, crunchy and soft. Mmmm!

As we headed on over to Asia, we caught our first real glimpse of the Tree of Life. My eyes always search hungrily to something I've never seen before.

These dudes are always a treat. They have boundless energy and mad skill, plus around-the-clock showtimes!

And it was time for Expedition Everest. First World Problem: we wanted to look and take pictures of all the artifacts in the queue, but the line moved too fast!

As we made our ascent, I couldn't help but capture the view. I'm big on aerial views at the World! After that, we flew backwards and upwards, a Yeti almost swiped at my head, and then my stomach dropped and I enjoyed it twice more after that.

belledream · Oct 19, 2015

After our multiple rides with the Yeti, we stopped by the neighboring Maharajah Jungle Trek and stopped in to see the bats first. I feel pretty indifferent about them. They probably feel the same way about me.

I always look forward to the tigers though. This girl kept teasing us as she couldn't decide where she wanted to pace, so we found ourselves running back and forth between the two viewing areas trying to settle on a spot!

Found myself again admiring Disney details. I could really be somewhere else across the world.

Saw another tiger livin' the life! I believe the CM said they were sisters.

We finished in another aviary-type setting and I fell in love with this fountain. It simultaneously reminds me of a grand ballroom with marble floors, and also a cookie.

And the adventure never ends! As we finished our trek, it was time for Safari Ride #2.

We sat right in the front and had a few escorts to begin our journey.

The Serengeti was more awake now. Good morning, Giraffe!

And more elephant friends had arrived!

Well, when half of the world wakes up, the other half goes to sleep.

A new sighting of zebras as well on this safari ride.

And this was a safari ride well worth it! I felt like every animal we saw was one we missed earlier. And then of course, we got hungry and headed off to the new Harambe Marketplace to try something new!

belledream · Oct 19, 2015

I was very excited for this new development at Animal Kingdom. New sights, sounds, infrastructure, and most importantly, FOOD!

I always appreciate the effort in the details.

Both non-Disney and Disney.

But let's eat. Oh so many choices! Ribs, skewers, flatbreads, sausages!?

After brief deliberation, I chose the Beef Gyro Flatbread, and J chose the Spice-rubbed Karubi Ribs. As there was only one dessert on the menu, we ended up with two African Milk Tarts...not complaining.

J's ribs were a good chunk of meat with a nice slaw on top, but nothing truly special in both of our eyes. I actually enjoyed the chickpea salad more. Even though I had to pick out the cucumbers (BLEGH!) it was very refreshing.

My flatbread was...a winner! DING DING DING. The bread was oh so soft, the beef was very easily chewable, and the sauce complemented everything perfectly. The broccoli salad had a slightly acidic/vinegary-marinated taste to it, which added an extra kick and new take on QS veggies. Though I love ordering new things at WDW, I may have to get this again!

The milk tart was something that tasted exactly how it looked. Does that make sense? The chocolate shell was hard, but crumbled at the slightest bite, the inside was filled with endless coconut custard, and it was topped off with some kind of fragrant sugar or spice, with chocolate drizzled on top. So much better than those little cakes in a cup thing. Nope, never again.

We enjoyed some new food, fair weather, and good conversation. And once in a while, the Wildlife Express would pass by. We will definitely be returning to the Harambe Marketplace.

Then it was time to explore the new shops! We went into Zuri's Sweets Shop in hopes of trying that animal poop chocolate...just to say we've tried it...but apparently it was a limited time offering to celebrate the opening of Harambe & Zuri's. Whomp whomp. Though in retrospect, it probably wouldn't have been worth it.

We settled for taking a look around at the shop's décor and merchandise.

I'd pick stripes and polka dots on just about anything over animal print, but this collection definitely caught my eye and had me reevaluating my preferences.

While I was looking over the home stuff, J was of course, looking over the snack stuff.

Overall, love this new miniland in the heart of Africa. Animal Kingdom always had some of the best-themed shops, and Zuri's is the ideal stop after a meal at Harambe Marketplace.

belledream · Oct 19, 2015

We headed over to Dinoland, U.S.A. for one of my most favorite rides...DINOSAUR!

This ride, man. I never get tired of the preshow: "The future, is truly in the past." *hand thing*
The beginning: "This is Seeker, listen up!"
The Carnotaurus that chases you.
The different type of thrills and chills that this ride gives me makes it special and something worth riding over and over again.

With Primeval Whirl down, our time in Dinoland was pretty much devoted to just that. When we got our fix, we headed back to Discovery Island for some It's Tough to be a Bug!

I always forgot how cool this theater looks.

Honorary Bug glasses time!

This show always makes me laugh because the first time J went to Disney World with his mom (after I convinced them to go) they did this and J came back to me claiming he had been violated during the show.

Just one more moment to appreciate this beauty.

Something I had really been looking forward to all day - Finding Nemo: The Musical. The songs are so good...Where's My Dad? makes me tear up. Of all things this trip! This is the first time I teared up at! The jellyfish that come into the crowd. The swordfish. The school of fish that make formations. Every scene in this show captures my attention and immerses me into the story. I LOVE IT!

We came out to see the sun had went away. We always seem to get caught in the biggest rainstorms at AK. Maybe there's less places to hide and it's one gigantic circle that you have to navigate to get anywhere.

And soon enough, the sky poured it's heart out onto us. We saw Dug and Russell leaving for their break with the CMs under umbrellas. This is seriously too cute for words.

The rain wasn't letting up like it normally does, and we don't waste time, so we ducked into the shops and meandered our way through until we could no more. We had somewhere to be! It was Festival of the Lion King time.

Of course we made it. And of course, let's be honest. This is the best show at Disney World.

belledream · Oct 19, 2015

Wow, is this day still young? It felt like we had done so much already, yet there was still one last thing for us to do.

All aboard the Wildlife Express for the last stop of the day! The Conservation Station.

This train ride is a gem. It's so neat to get a glimpse of some of the animals 'behind-the-scenes'. And when this view comes up, I just get the excitement feels again.

This has a iconic feel in my childhood memory. I remember visiting AK before it officially opened and this really sticks out for some reason.

Our first stop was (probably the main reason why we came here) Songs of the Rainforest. Why? J thinks the headphones are good quality and I just have a love/hate relationship with the sounds of baboons coming up real close to my ear and also feeling like a tiger is going to eat me.

After that, we spent some time looking at these little guys. Give them some love too!

Now that we're old and germaphobes, we didn't participate in any actual zoo-petting, but we did watch these two guys size each other up and go for some harmless fun.

This cutie pie knows how to work the camera!

It was nearing park closing time, so we headed back to the train station. Along the way, J noticed this in the ground:

And just like that, we were back. As we walked through the Oasis, we stopped by to literally say 'bye' to these parrots. They actually kept saying "bye!" They must be ready to get off work.

We really had a wonderful day at Animal Kingdom. You always see something different. It's unpredictable and exciting for the adventurers in us. When you combine that with some of the best theming in the World, how can you not have a great time? Half day park...puhhlease. I guess, if you stay tuned for what's coming up, this actually could be considered the first half of our day...because we had a lot ahead of us. So let me amend that to half day park for a 16-hour day.

belledream · Oct 20, 2015

Where would our next destination be?

We had a dinner date with none other than Wilderness Lodge! We spent some quality time here a few years ago when we truly got into resort hopping, and couldn't wait to return. Last time, we ate at Artist Point...but this time, we were looking for a different experience.

You can't get that much different than Whispering Canyon Café. I've heard so many positive reviews about this place! Endless food and fun...a combination we sincerely enjoy.

Let the food begin!

We'll start with the All-You-Care-To-Enjoy Milkshakes...duh! I got Strawberry and J got Vanilla. They were everything you'd want in a milkshake. So much so, that we didn't get to enjoy more than one serving.

I decided I was going to get the All-You-Care-To-Enjoy Platter. (Sense a theme going on?) That started out with fresh-baked cornbread. It was nice and warm on the inside, but I refused to fill up on it.

Following that came the Mixed Greens salad with an Apple Vinaigrette Dressing. A fresh addition to my milkshake and cornbread meal.

And then, the main course. My platter consisted of Roasted Chicken, Slow-smoked Pork Ribs, Barbecued Pulled Pork, Oak-roasted Beef Strip Loin, Mashed Yukon Potatoes, Corn on the Cobb, and Western-style Sausage served with Green Beans and Red Peppers, and Cowboy-style Baked Beans. Woooweee...that was a lot and it was a lot. I think my favorite meat was the pulled pork, which I mixed in with some mashed potatoes and beans. The only food I could afford seconds of was...the baked beans. They're so addicting.

That was so much food I almost forgot about J's pick: Steak-Your-Claim Grilled New York Strip Steak. He described it as good, not great. I guess he's eating so much steak these days, his standards are actually getting higher. He barely touched his potatoes, which I had to keep telling him, "eat your veggies!"

This was the first time during the honeymoon that we hit *that point.* That point where you've been eating so much on a regular basis that no matter how hungry you feel, when it actually comes down to eating, you fill up so much faster than you expect. Does anyone else experience this???

Regardless, this was a fun meal. We asked for ketchup, because we were supposed to, but truly didn't know what was coming.

Our waitress brought out an entire still-shrink-wrapped box of ketchups and starting unloading them at our table. It was hilarious and slightly embarrassing, but it's safe to say we didn't encounter the most embarrassing moment that night.

We sat next to a table of a family with two young girls, one of which was celebrating her birthday. Their waitress yelled over at a nearby table with like 5 boys, singling one out and saying, "You! No the one next to you! How old is he? I got a 9 year old girl here looking for a boyfriend!" They found it humorous but the girl started crying and buried her face in the table. It was funny and heartbreaking at the same time. Wouldn't it be cute if they somehow met in the future though?!

Well, that's an example of the type of fun that occurred during dinner. With occasional yells of WE NEED KETCHUP and the children's little parade around the restaurant, it's safe to say this is a rowdy place for sure.

Dessert was a challenge. J got the Wagon Wheel Chocolate S'mores which was delicious. Molten chocolately goodness inside, topped with toasted marshmallows. I got Key Lime Cheesecake which was real thick and creamy and a tad too Key-Limey for me (my fault I know) but I washed it down with my Strawberry Milkshake. Gross, I know.

As you may guess, we were full to the point it hurt. We waddled out of the restaurant to soak in the Wilderness Lodge Lobby.

belledream · Oct 20, 2015

Wilderness Lodge evokes a warm, peaceful vibe to me. I also fell in love with the music loop of this place.

The details in the lighting and walls. The crackling fires that make you want to sit there even though you spent all day in 90 degree weather.

The little geyser that bubbles inside and flows outside is my favorite feature of this lobby. I want to jump in a hotspring and reeeelax.

And to the great outdoors we go!

Everything about this is perfect. The rocks at the bottom, how the water looks very slightly aquamarine, those flowers that are my favorite color.

We walked along the path and breathed in all the fresh air we could. Sometimes you just need to stop and listen to the sounds.

Silver Creek Falls amidst the rustic buildings and lush vegetation.

I guess it was lightning somewhere, because the pool was closed. But it made for a nice, clean photo opp for me.

Fire Rock Geyser sans the shooting water, but still looking marvelous. We would've waited around for it to go off, but been there done that! We had a new destination in mind, and so that would be it!

It was onto the next journey!

belledream · Oct 20, 2015

It's been a loooong time since I've been to Fort Wilderness. Last time I was here, I was probably like 11 and my brother was 4 and we rode ponies named Duke and Star. J has never been here and knew very little about it's existence, so we decided to pay it a visit. No real plan or goal in mind. Just wanted to explore.

As we got off the boat, the dock was lined with people waiting to head to Magic Kingdom for MNSSHP. Some elaborate and awesome costumes! But it was right back to nature as we walked along this silent path wondering where we should go.

We passed by what must have been Hoop-Dee-Doo because it was definitely getting rowdy, but something else caught our eye.

PONIES! And I squealed just like that. They were so cute. Chowing down, minding their own business, and not even being that smelly.

Hidden Mickey Alert!

We spent some good time hanging around with our new buds. Then we saw a family taking a carriage ride nearby with some much bigger horses. Where might we get a glimpse of those?

Well we headed in to be greeted by this humongous horse. J was actually startled at the sheer size of this guy.

I just couldn't get enough of them.

This was one of my favorite moments of the day. Being able to share a new experience together at Disney that requires little planning or funds feels like a blessing to me because it makes me feel we can just be us, together, and make good memories.

Fort Wilderness was actually very pretty. We weren't expecting a lot, but ended up getting some of the best!

There would be one more stop on this day's adventure. So back to the dock we went!

belledream · Oct 20, 2015

The sun was setting, which is my favorite, we sat outside of the boat and the wind caressed my face and freed my hair as we moved along...it all just felt so wonderful in my world.

Last stop...Contemporary Resort! Shining so brightly against the darkening sky.

As we started walking down the dock, it started to sprinkle. Then, as we had reached the halfway point, it started to pour. So we ran.

Into the safe haven of Contemporary Resort we go! I have fond memories of staying here as a child, and stepping inside never gets old. The bright lights, the walls of rooms, the monorail swooshing in and out...

We stopped in for some shopping. My favorite finds of the day...

Contemporary was crowded. Unsurprising, I guess due to the fact that it was a party night at MK, so a lot of people left early. However, we noticed a large amount of guests wearing costumes which I found weird. Was the rain deterring people from attending an event they paid like 80 bucks for? Search me...

Our goal tonight was to watch Hallowishes from Contemporary. Though we had two hours til then, we decided to go sit outside on the observation deck and just enjoy the view together. And it had stopped raining!

And we sat out here for two hours, contemplating life, how lucky we were, and also singing Disney songs. We had two hours, there was no one else out here, so no shame! It is one of my most desired wishes that J somehow become a better singer and dancer. Well, we're working on both. But there's a lot of work to be done. Besides not being blessed with brilliant vocal chords, he is oh so bad at memorizing lyrics. So we worked on...'Something There' from Beauty and the Beast...and 'I See the Light' from Tangled. We had so much fun. So many exasperated laughs that turned into fits of giggles.

Cinderella Castle would change colors every once in a while, Astro Orbiter would spin and stop, spin and stop, and the monorail glided overhead of us.

Finally, the crowds started to arrive and we were ready to see Hallowishes again!

The music didn't play loudly...AGAIN! And I guess it started raining over Magic Kingdom, because the clouds rolled in. Worried we would not be able to see anything. But lo and behold...the sky started flashing all sorts of colors.

It looked like something in between aurora borealis and doomsday, and I am so grateful I got to see something like this.

Our long and adventurous day concluded with us walking from Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom bus stops. I was all for jaywalking (IT WAS RIGHT THERE!) but J put his foot down and made us walk the path. Oh and it started to rain again, which by now, we said, oh what the heck! We jogged through the rain, giggling like children, and caught a bus back to Pop where a hot shower and instant sleep awaited us.

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