Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, It’s Off To Work We Go: An April/July 2011 Trip Report

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

Disneyfalcon said:
I totally get that. Stephen is patient, but standing around waiting is not exactly what he wants to be doing.

Most people say new glass should come first. I totally understand your desire to upgrade your body first though. Especially when your current body is limiting what you can do.

Thanks, Tammy. I'm so torn on which way to go. That and I haven't decided on which L lens I want yet. Any good suggestions?

blackthidot said:
This is madness...I can't keep up with you.

Very jealous.

True. Don't hurt yourself trying to keep up, John! :lol: Don't you go for two weeks at a time? Think about it this way, with the exception of our March trip, you and I probably spent the same number of days at Disney this year.

I'll be looking for your reports!

catnrob said:
Woke up this morning to see who updated or added a trip report! What a GIFT to see a new trip report by HollyBelle. (I don't know you and you don't know me...but I read your last blog religiously and it got me thru the rainy and cold days of spring and early summer, ok and even part of regular summer - thank you)

I have the day off and I can't wait to read your report along with a hot cup of tea in my little time I get to myself every week! We have 31more days till our first trip to the World... this trip report will help me get thru the wait!!!

Thanks, catnrob! I'm especially glad you enjoyed my last report. I laughed out loud at the part where you said you enjoyed it when it was cold outside, in the springtime, and in the heat of summer... I'm so slow I managed to span three seasons. :lol:

31 days (or 30 now) isn't so bad. You'll be there soaking up the magic before you know it!

Ariel484 said:
Woohoo! So much to comment on...

First, I freaking NEED to see MJJP already. We've gone to WDW 4 times in the past 2 years and have never managed to time it right so that we can see that parade. I'll just have to live vicariously through your pictures for now.

Make time for it! Seriously, it's at an awkward time of the day, so you pretty much have to plan for it. My suggestion... after a late lunch, wander over to the Dawa bar and get yourselves an adult beverage. Sit and relax a bit... and then watch MJJP!

Ariel484 said:
Love your PORS pics and that you were able to get some "delicious light" :lol: I'm still too much of a photography noob to be able to tell - what lenses were you using? And speaking of photography, LOVE your mom's Minnie Mouse camera strap and those lanyards you guys picked out! I'm excited to see the finished products!

I'm definitely still working on my ability to understand light and use it to my advantage... it's an ongoing process.

It's pretty hard to separate me from my Sigma 30mm 1.4. I have a soft spot for that lens, and it seems that every time I switch it out for a different lens, I just want to go right back to it (mostly for the wide aperture capabilities). This is part of why I'm thinking I need a really good L lens with a nice wide aperture across the focal range.

The other lenses you see being used most are either the kit-style 18-135 or Sigma UWA. And every once in awhile I broke out the 50 1.8.

Ariel484 said:
I completely agree with you and your mom's thoughts on the Port Orleans boats to Downtown Disney. It's certainly longer than driving and, I think, taking the bus, but it's sooo relaxing. That was one of my favorite things about staying at Riverside. I'm looking forward to your review of French Quarter! It looked nice from the boat.

I'll echo your and Brett's sentiments on Fantasmic! It's my and Will's favorite nighttime show, but it's SUCH a pain to get in and out of the amphitheater.

Yeah, French Quarter does look nice from the boat... I'm excited to stay there. It's probably the one resort on property that I know the least about. Time to change all that.

Ariel484 said:
And I totally know what you mean about having different top parks after trips. In 2009, I was all about Animal Kingdom...this year I find that MK is my favorite.

I'm so glad you get it. For most people their favorite park always remains the same... not so for me. Funny, MK has been losing ground with me some lately, and I'm not quite sure why. I think it has to do with all those walls up in Fantasyland and a lot of the recent scrims they had up on Main Street.

Ariel484 said:
And not related to this trip...since you knew I would ask...how's the W&D training coming along?! Are you guys getting pumped?? :sohappy: I can't wait for your report on that race!

For the most part, training has been coming along quite well - we have a 9 mile long run on the agenda for tomorrow. I'm not gonna lie, I'm probably more nervous for this event than the others combined. I think it's probably because I'm better trained for it and I have goals that involve more than just finishing the race.

derelicte19 said:
LOVE the pictures of POR... POR was never a resort I was too interested in staying at but seeing your pictures kind of makes me wish we were booked there for our November trip... Speaking of which, when will you be there in November?

I can't believe how dead the Studios was!! 10 minute wait for TSMM?! I'll take that any day of the week!! And I agree with you on the craziness that is getting out of Fantasmic! We waited for the 2nd show last time we were there and that was a HUGE mistake! I think we'll aim for the first show from now on... lol

Riverside really is gorgeous. The grounds are immaculate and I think it's the use of a "river" instead of "lake" in the middle of the property that makes it seem less daunting than the other moderates.

We'll be there for Thanksgiving this year! My parents are going with us so it should be a lot of fun. My mom is starting to know her way around and she's excited to see the Christmas decorations, and my dad still has yet to experience much of anything so it should be a fun trip! When will you be there? Did I see in another thread that you will be at the Wilderness Lodge? I think winter is probably the best time to stay there... it just feels so cozy and perfect for the holiday season.

The nice thing about being there during a crazy peak week was that the parks were all opening at 8am (or sometimes earlier). This made for some really nice mornings, with next to no one around. Of course, they were a madhouse by 11am, but we'd pretty much accomplished everything on the agenda by then.

mamamouse said:
YAY Holly,oh n check out all the pics featuring"everyones favorite party animal" LOL aewsome can't wait to read more

YES! I adore everyone's faaaaavorite party animal!!

lisak09 said:
Yay another TR. Can't wait to read the rest. My 16 year old daughter fell in love with Little Miss Matched when we were there in August! She bought lots of socks because she thought they would drive me crazy when im doing the laundry!!!!!!

Thanks, Lisa! I thought Little Mismatched was a super cute store. And I loved how all the socks came in threes - I found it to be very clever. It's like you've got a spare for when you inevitably lose one.

WDWFigment said:
Great report thus far--especially the photos. The ones from POFQ, MuppetVision, and the DAK all entrance really are good!

Thanks, Tom. Same question for you as I asked Tammy earlier... would you recommend upgrading glass first or the body?

Brett said:
So this is where you've been running off to with your mom! WDW trips without your husband. I was wondering where all the plush was coming from

You caught me!

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

I should have the rest of the report up by the end of the day! Look at me go! :lol:

HouCuseChickie · Sep 17, 2011

YAY- A trip report!!!!!:sohappy: And so jealous

- I keep dreaming that one day I'll need to travel and they'll want to send me to WDW for a conference or something (not gonna happen).

Loving the pics of POR! I think it would be our first choice once we're beyond strollers and can consider a moderate. My friends keep telling me we're just so close to NOLA that it wouldn't pay, but the whole Magnolia Bend section is sooooo pretty and I really like the room decor. Your pics have totally swayed me!

I completely agree about the crowds and Wishes. We have been off to the sides on both of our recent trips and while the view was a bit off center from the castle to fireworks aim perspective- the crowd was far more pleasant.

Can't wait to read more!!!:wave:

Disneyfalcon · Sep 17, 2011

HollyBelle said:
Thanks, Tammy. I'm so torn on which way to go. That and I haven't decided on which L lens I want yet. Any good suggestions?

Well, I could just cut and paste my Amazon shopping cart here!! :lol:

My first choice would probably be the 24-70 just because it's a very practical range on it.

Second I always thought I would go with the 75-200, but when I rented it, I was a little stunned how difficult it was to use because of it's weight. I still want it, but it will take some getting used to.

Third would probably be the 16-35. I need a wide angle for sure, but this is last because I am a portrait photographer. I'm usually shooting seniors and families and wide angles are not the best choice for that.

I could go on and on, but those are proabably my first 3 L series choices.

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

HouCuseChickie said:
YAY- A trip report!!!!!:sohappy: And so jealous - I keep dreaming that one day I'll need to travel and they'll want to send me to WDW for a conference or something (not gonna happen).

Loving the pics of POR! I think it would be our first choice once we're beyond strollers and can consider a moderate. My friends keep telling me we're just so close to NOLA that it wouldn't pay, but the whole Magnolia Bend section is sooooo pretty and I really like the room decor. Your pics have totally swayed me!

I completely agree about the crowds and Wishes. We have been off to the sides on both of our recent trips and while the view was a bit off center from the castle to fireworks aim perspective- the crowd was far more pleasant.

Can't wait to read more!!!:wave:

Ahh... a WDW conference. Now, that's the way to go. We did one of those back in 2008 and it was wonderful. Maybe one day it'll happen for you, you never know!

I could maybe understand your friends' arguments with regards to French Quarter, but I don't know if it would apply to Riverside. I think the design of the buildings in Magnolia Bend was spot on - they really do look like mansions as you're walking around the resort. So much ambiance, and the boat to DTD is a nice little bonus.

So right about Wishes. We did the same thing on my most recent trip and the whole experience was much more enjoyable.

Disneyfalcon said:
Well, I could just cut and paste my Amazon shopping cart here!! :lol:

My first choice would probably be the 24-70 just because it's a very practical range on it.

Second I always thought I would go with the 75-200, but when I rented it, I was a little stunned how difficult it was to use because of it's weight. I still want it, but it will take some getting used to.

Third would probably be the 16-35. I need a wide angle for sure, but this is last because I am a portrait photographer. I'm usually shooting seniors and families and wide angles are not the best choice for that.

I could go on and on, but those are proabably my first 3 L series choices.

The 24-70. Yep, that's the range I was thinking would be best. But, alas, it cost more than upgrading the body. I would love, love, love to get into shooting portraits - I need some good subjects to practice on. :lol:

Thanks, Tammy.

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

Day 3 – Monday, April 18: Magic Kingdom

One great thing about the spring break crowds was that the influx of so many people encouraged earlier openings. For the entire week, the normal park opening at the Magic Kingdom was scheduled for 8am. And then, as a bonus, on Monday they topped it with an extra magic hour. This made for a fabulous morning in the park, because it was next to empty for the first two hours. Bliss!

We parked the car in Minnie’s lot at the TTC and then headed off on foot for the monorail.

Spring was in the air… on Main Street, USA.

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

LOOOOOOVE mornings in the parks. And we didn’t even have to pay for breakfast at the Crystal Palace to get these shots!! :lol:

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

There’s just something about walking through that castle and straight into Fantasyland.

We started the morning by hitting up most of the Fantasyland classics… most of which my mom hadn’t had a chance to experience yet.

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

The adorable play area of the Winnie the Pooh queue:

I love the new set up in the 100 Acre Wood store (can’t recall the new name). The flow really seems to work better with the cash wrap in the back of the store.

After riding pretty much everything in Fantasyland but Mickey’s Philharmagic, we headed over to Frontierland to take in the sights. I’m pretty sure we rode Big Thunder while we were there, but I don’t have any photographic evidence of such.

Next up was some fun in an empty Adventureland.

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

Stomachs growling, we made our way back to Main Street to get a late breakfast. We grabbed some super delicious croissants at the Ice Cream Parlor. I know, right? Who knew they had breakfast items there? This may have been one of my favorite moments of the whole trip. We grabbed a little table outside near the Plaza and enjoyed our breakfast as we watched all the families come pouring into the park, racing off to rides.

My husband called while we were enjoying Main Street. I’m pretty sure I was on the phone with him in that last shot, staring off at the castle and wishing he was there, too. He was calling to let me know that I should probably swing by the front desk at Port Orleans to see if there was anything waiting for me. Hmmmm?!

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

After breakfast we headed back into Tomorrowland to pick up some FPs for Space Ranger Spin and then hopped on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority.

We wandered around Tomorrowland for a bit, and then it was time to get all intergalactic… seriously, BLSRS rocks when it comes to fastpass distribution. The return time usually coincides with the length of time it would’ve taken to wait in line.

While in Mickey’s Star Traders I picked up Angel! Hah. I knew Brett had guesses as to which plush I would be bringing home for the tree… and I KNEW I’d throw him for a loop with this one. Plus, you know, Stitch needs his Angel! I’ve never really seen the cartoon and yet I find her to be adorable based solely on the fact that she’s associated with Stitch. That, and because she has a magenta colored upside-down heart on her back. And, antennae!

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

It was closing in on lunchtime and the park was starting to feel like it was closing in on us, what with the flood of people coursing down Main Street. The spring breakers were coming out in droves. Perfect time to head back to the resort.

While waiting to board, we watched person after person after person spill out of the monorail, it was like the big boy version of clowns toppling out of their teensy, tiny, clown car. How in the world they all managed to fit is beyond me. However, from the MK to the TTC… it was gloriously empty!

Back at the TTC they actually had an extended queue roped off at the base of the monorail ramp…

AND… add to that, there was a queue roped off for folks to take buses to the MK.

I’ve never seen such a thing (and this is coming from someone who spent Christmas day at the Magic Kingdom one year).

Yep… that’s the bus line:

Back at Port Orleans, we stopped in at the front desk… this is me showing my excitement with the quintessential “Brett face” :lol:

Apparently, Brett had contemplated sending some vibrant Minnie-inspired flowers, but opted for a gift card instead. Ahhh, my husband is a smart man (then again, maybe he thought this meant I’d spend it all on cookies for him!). Either way, I think I'll keep him. :kiss: The card made me tear up a bit. Recall, I was still reeling from the post-wedding hangover at that point in time and I missed him dearly.

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

We headed back to the room to rest a bit and get a bite to eat – turns out we had enough snacks in the room to keep us satisfied for lunch. There may have even been a nap in there somewhere. Eventually, around 2:30pm we decided to do a little resort hopping. I wanted to introduce my mom to the Animal Kingdom Lodge… as I knew she would absolutely love it there. So off to the AKL!

An empty Boma:

I have a secret… neither Brett nor I are fans of Boma.

Sacrilege, I know!

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

The plan for the evening was to head over to the Polynesian to take some pictures, have a quick bite to eat, and then go back to the Magic Kingdom for evening hours. If I thought my emotional tie to the Poly was strong before, it’s bordering on crazy now. Not quite restraining order crazy yet, but close! :lol:

We spent a good bit of time in the Boutiki, gathering up some goods to take home with us. I didn’t take a picture of them, but I bought a set of the tiki goblets that they have. The plan is to toast our marriage every year with these guys instead of champagne flutes. Of course, only Fairytale Cuvee will do! :animwink:

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

We carried our purchases back out to the car and the headed into Captain Cook’s for some dinner, where we split the club sandwich. Eh, it was okay - not as good as some of the other quick service sandwiches I’ve had across property.

After dinner we strolled around the Polynesian snapping picture after picture. The light was great, not quite golden yet, but still good. I needed a lot of ambiance shots to set the stage for my wedding book, and I enlisted mom to help me get them.

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

Eventually we made it out to Sunset Pointe, where my heart got caught in my throat. It’s too bad weddings go by in such a blur – I wanted to do it all over again.

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

Even though the plan was to hop over to the MK for the evening, we just didn’t have it in us. I had a splitting headache and, quite honestly, we just didn’t want to fight the crowds we saw headed into the park when we left earlier in the day. So instead, we headed back to Port Orleans to relax.

Until next time, Poly!

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

Back at Port Orleans, we decided to hop on the boat and ride over to Downtown Disney to grab something sweet at Ghirardelli.

What we didn’t anticipate was that DTD was going to be beyond crowded. Ugghhh, Spring Break! Ghirardelli had a line out the door and down the street. We ended up turning around and heading back to Riverside to get a snack. The trip wasn’t a complete loss though, the boat ride itself was rather peaceful and nice.

We grabbed some apple turnovers and ice cream… delicious! And a cookie for breakfast. :lookaroun

I’m kinda glad we nixed the MK for the night. It gave us more time to enjoy the resort and I had an early morning anyway, so it worked out perfectly.

fractal · Sep 17, 2011

Great pictures! Keep them coming.

I think it's so cool you brought your mother with you. Hopefully one of my kids will think of me when they get older.

Good move by Brett with the gift card. Smart man!

HollyBelle · Sep 17, 2011

fractal said:
Great pictures! Keep them coming.

I think it's so cool you brought your mother with you. Hopefully one of my kids will think of me when they get older.

Good move by Brett with the gift card. Smart man!

Thanks, Chris. My mom was the perfect person to come along. We travel well together and it was great having someone with me who enjoyed running around taking pictures! As that was the plan for this mini-trip!

I'm sure your kids will let you tag along when they get older. They'll have to have you in tow to get the most mileage out of their "fractal" jokes.