Trip Report LIVE: April Showers bring Flower and Garden! (I Wanna Be Like You... )

... @Tuvalu , @Doc Disney , and @TrolleyFollower91 !

After reading all of your mother-daughter trip reports, I decided it was time to take one with my mom! We've traveled together before, but either with my kids, my best friend, my brother and his family or my aunt and uncle. This will be the first Disney trip with just the two of us. We both have annual passes and were discussing how nice it would be to see Flower and Garden someday. So, someday is coming up in April!

Where: All-Star Movies (need to save our pennies for more important things, like Nomad Lounge)

When: April 24-27

Who: me (Kristen) and mom (Celeste)

So far our plan is to hope for a FoP fastpass, drinks at Nomad and to have dinner at Boma one night. That's it! We're planning to wing it the rest of the trip! Pretty sure we're going to skip Hollywood Studios entirely, neither of us is a Star Wars fan and we don't do ToT or RnR.
Can't wait to get there! Any magic friends going to be there the same time??

 

[DryerLintFan]

Do you know how long the desserts are typically out? I am considering the dessert party mainly for the reason of saving park time not having to camp out for a fireworks spot but would want to get desserts for the kids .

When we were there, HEA started at 9 pm. The dessert party opened at 7:45 pm. It was a crowd level eleven billion day, lol. We got to the dessert party at 8:25 pm and everyone else was already down in the viewing area or transitioning. The staff was motivating people to go as early as possible so they could clean up, but they didn't force us out. They offered us to go plates but we declined them because we figured we'd be the last ones down there regardless if we ate seated at the table or if we took the to go desserts and tried to juggle those with a toddler in the dark. Around 8:45 the manager came out and heavily encouraged us to get down to the viewing area, so we packed up and followed the lady with the glow stick. They started cleaning the desserts out immediately. Like as soon as we took our first step down the ramp, dishes were clanging. We got to the viewing area with plenty of time and there was still so so so much space.

So, really, it's not that they force you out, but that the longer you stay the more inconvenient it is for them. Like getting to a restaurant ten minutes before they close.

 

[Megbutnotmegan]

That's great! Mom's biggest concern is that she'll be unable to get up off the grass when it's time to stand up and go. She claims she's old. Lol

We actually sat for the entire fireworks show. We sat slightly off from the center and stretched out. People who wanted to stand stayed towards the middle. We felt like it was the perfect view and so luxurious to sit on the hub grass for fireworks with an unobstructed view!

 

[krisri18]

And the vacation creep has started! Already pushed our return flight to 9pm, which means we'll technically be landing on Saturday morning

 

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

I am following! Mom and Daughter trips are the best. I vote for staying at the movies and doing HEA dessert party. I agree with the poster who stated the desserts were bad but the view is awesome. Working on trip report now and will post pics soon. Hope you have a great trip!

 

[krisri18]

Single Digit Countdown is On!!! We're at 9 days to go!
Since the last time I posted, I managed to swap our All Star reservation to an AP discounted standard view room at POP! I'm hoping for a renovated room cuz I really want to see one in person (my January trip was in an unrenovated room in the 50s section). We also moved our flight to Orlando from 12:45p to 6am. So now we have basically a full day on the Tuesday to spend more time at Flower and Garden!
Any beverages we shouldn't miss? We don't drink beer or red wine but anything else is fair game!

 

[John Dulmage]

Make sure you specify Gluten-free on your Dessert party reservation. You'll then need to remind them when you check-in and they will probably have a chef come talk to you. We did the Frozen Ever After party gluten free and they accommodated us. What made it harder is that we are also Dairy free, so all of the ice cream items were out, as well (and cheese, etc.). But they brought us a big back of goodies - way more than we could eat including GF brownies, cookies, some pudding like thing, chocolate, etc. Some was better than others. The good thing about the Frozen Ever after party is you get to have alcohol! Have fun!! I've heard good things about the garden viewing area, and plan to do that the next time we go (whenever that is! )

 

[krisri18]

Make sure you specify Gluten-free on your Dessert party reservation. You'll then need to remind them when you check-in and they will probably have a chef come talk to you. We did the Frozen Ever After party gluten free and they accommodated us. What made it harder is that we are also Dairy free, so all of the ice cream items were out, as well (and cheese, etc.). But they brought us a big back of goodies - way more than we could eat including GF brownies, cookies, some pudding like thing, chocolate, etc. Some was better than others. The good thing about the Frozen Ever after party is you get to have alcohol! Have fun!! I've heard good things about the garden viewing area, and plan to do that the next time we go (whenever that is! )

Thanks! I already sent my reservation information to Special Diets and had it notated when I called to make the reservation but I'm definitely going to remind them when we check in. We mostly booked it for the view of the show, but I won't say no to macarons if they are safe! (I'm a sucker for macarons, the ice cream sandwich version in France is a necessity). If this dessert party goes well, I am definitely going to consider the Frozen one for a future trip! What's the alcohol selection like? Obviously beer is out for me, and I don't like red wine.

 

[John Dulmage]

Thanks! I already sent my reservation information to Special Diets and had it notated when I called to make the reservation but I'm definitely going to remind them when we check in. We mostly booked it for the view of the show, but I won't say no to macarons if they are safe! (I'm a sucker for macarons, the ice cream sandwich version in France is a necessity). If this dessert party goes well, I am definitely going to consider the Frozen one for a future trip! What's the alcohol selection like? Obviously beer is out for me, and I don't like red wine.

They had other selections of wine - Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and maybe white zinfandel. They also had some specialty drinks that were good. Sangria, margarita (don't expect this to be like a regular great margarita!) and Pina Coladas. They also had some "nitro popcorn" that I really liked. It was nice to be seated at a table, and we were able to just stay seated at our table for Illuminations. Because it's the "frozen" party, they give you special glasses that make the fireworks look like snowflakes. These were disposable that they didn't ask for back, so I grabbed some extra pairs on our way out to give to our grandkids to watch 4th of July fireworks!
Here's a weak attempt to take a picture with my iPhone through the lens of the glasses:

 

[krisri18]

They had other selections of wine - Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and maybe white zinfandel. They also had some specialty drinks that were good. Sangria, margarita (don't expect this to be like a regular great margarita!) and Pina Coladas. They also had some "nitro popcorn" that I really liked. It was nice to be seated at a table, and we were able to just stay seated at our table for Illuminations. Because it's the "frozen" party, they give you special glasses that make the fireworks look like snowflakes. These were disposable that they didn't ask for back, so I grabbed some extra pairs on our way out to give to our grandkids to watch 4th of July fireworks!
Here's a weak attempt to take a picture with my iPhone through the lens of the glasses:
View attachment 277977

Very cool! It's nice that they make an effort to have the party stand out a little from the usual. I've seen Illuminations more times than I can count, but I still enjoy it!

 

[John Dulmage]

This was our first time, and it had the added Christmas bonus at the end (we were there the week after Thanksgiving) - which we really loved that Christmas add on part. Plus we were offsite, so we were unable to snag a FP+ for FEA, so it was great to walk over there when Epcot was basically empty to just walk on and ride.

 

[wdisney9000]

You gals are gonna have a blast! My wife and I will be there at the same time so perhaps we will bump into you or plan to meet for a quick drink.

 

[krisri18]

You gals are gonna have a blast! My wife and I will be there at the same time so perhaps we will bump into you or plan to meet for a quick drink.

That would be great, drinks are a big part of this trip! I'll try to do a live report while we are there! Officially at the 7 day countdown and haven't packed a thing!

 

[wdisney9000]

That would be great, drinks are a big part of this trip! I'll try to do a live report while we are there! Officially at the 7 day countdown and haven't packed a thing!

I will definitely keep in touch. We are at day 4 countdown and I have nothing packed either, but hey, @Zipitidoda , I did some some new white t shirts, so Im basically half way done! lol

 

[Zipadeelady]

I will definitely keep in touch. We are at day 4 countdown and I have nothing packed either, but hey, @Zipitidoda , I did some some new white t shirts, so Im basically half way done! lol

What I like about you and your white t-shirts is, what you see is what you get. Nothing wrong with that at all! I'm glad you were able to get some more before the trip. Can't wait to hear about it!

 

[Longers]

Can’t believe your so close to your trip now - just checking in to say have a fab time - (just in case the week sweeps me away and I don’t get back here before you go)
F&G is amazing - say hello to my butterfly friends and ice cream and BTMRR -now I’m sad - can I come with you?

 

[krisri18]

Can’t believe your so close to your trip now - just checking in to say have a fab time - (just in case the week sweeps me away and I don’t get back here before you go)
F&G is amazing - say hello to my butterfly friends and ice cream and BTMRR -now I’m sad - can I come with you?

There's always room for you @Longers ! I'll be sure to have an ice cream for you and BTMRR is always on my list!

 

[krisri18]

I will definitely keep in touch. We are at day 4 countdown and I have nothing packed either, but hey, @Zipitidoda , I did some some new white t shirts, so Im basically half way done! lol

Shirts are a good start!

 

[krisri18]

And... Because I can't seem to stay off the Disney site, I just changed our resort to Coronado Springs! Never been there before and there was a standard room available for some reason (there hasn't been the entire time I've been planning) so I snagged it!!

 

[ELeigh]

And... Because I can't seem to stay off the Disney site, I just changed our resort to Coronado Springs! Never been there before and there was a standard room available for some reason (there hasn't been the entire time I've been planning) so I snagged it!!

Now I am even more jealous of your trip! Coronado looks beautiful in everyone's TRs and perfect for your mother/daughter trip. Please bring back some Florida weather with you when you return lol

 

[krisri18]

Now I am even more jealous of your trip! Coronado looks beautiful in everyone's TRs and perfect for your mother/daughter trip. Please bring back some Florida weather with you when you return lol

If I can bottle it up,I will! It's supposed to be 46 degrees and raining all day tomorrow. I'm not sure what happened to spring in New England but it certainly skipped RI!