Trip Report I'll stop the World and Melt with you.

It's been two years since my family and I visited WDW. Two long years. Thankfully, my son Sterg and I got a three day Disney fix last summer at Disneyland.

Curiously, this trip report is being written at a time when a lot of negative Disney vibe is emanating from other regions of WDWMagic - as it was two years ago. The Doom & Gloom is running free and wild. I'm just thankful I stayed clear of most of it before our trip because I may have cancelled what turned out to be an amazing time. It is also fortunate that we got this trip in because from the sound of things there may not be a WDW to go to in a few years.

To be truthful, some things that Disney has done has me scratching my head; but this is neither the time nor place to discuss it. Putting that aside - let's get on with the trip report!

We left on Sunday July 21st. Maybe the longest day of my life. The night before, my oldest daughter Alex went to see Taylor Swift in Philadelphia ( about 50 miles away ) and due to a long rain delay she didn't make it home until 2 am. This meant that she would not go to sleep since we were being picked up at 3 am for the drive to Philly airport for our 6 am flight. At least we were supposed to be picked up at 3am.

Here is my Mom ( Yia-Yia )and my youngest daughter Antonia ( Toni ) up and ready at 3 in the morning waiting for our ride. Yia-Yia ( grandmother in Greek ) is 77 years old and joining us for the first time on a Disney adventure. Toni is now almost 12 and the little Yorki-poo in the front is Prince. Prince is short for Prince Charming ( named by Toni ).

When the driver didn't show up by 3:15 I started to worry. I called the limo company at the same time he called me to tell me he was lost. I reeled him in and we were on our way by 3:30. The drive down was nerve wracking as I kept watching the clock and praying for no delays. That is until our driver eased my tension by telling us his son works for Disney and he goes down to the World 4 or 5 times a year. The resulting Disney conversation lasted until we hit the airport around 4:30.

More tension as we went through security. My carry on was stopped in the machine and I was pulled aside. I had put a container of Vitamin C powder in my bag that garnered some attention. Of course, my Mom came over as I was being held and my bag inspected.

"Why didn't you put that in your suitcase, Christo?" she said to me in her Greek accented voice.

"Mom, please go wait over there" I responded.

"No, I want to see what they are doing" Then she followed with this one for the TSA officer.

"It's not drugs, my son doesn't do cocaine!"

OK, I thought. I'm definitely going to be held in some prison cell for the next week.

After the chemical test proved my Mother correct, I was allowed to go on my way. We had time to grab coffee and some food and make it on the Southwest plane to Orlando. A plane full of smiling happy faces! Including these;

This is my wife Val ( not the biggest of Disney fans ), with Yia-Yia in the middle and Alex by the window.

On the other side was yours truly sporting a Hawaiian shirt ( since we were staying at the Poly ), Toni and Sterg.

Before we knew it we were up in the clouds...

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Love all the pics!! And glad too hear you enjoyed the Poly rooms! Hearing that has made me super excited for our short stay there! I have heard the hallways and whatnot could use some TLC so hopefully soon they will get the needed attention they deserve!!!

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Nice surprise to find on Sunday morning. Your mothers' comments are priceless, and kids antics great. I would love to stay at the Poly but after 7 days of joking about getting lei'd or not I probably get thrown out.

Love the Big Thunder pics! It's awesome how it gives you a chance to enjoy the shared experience with the multiple lift hills.

Your short time at MK on the first day is why I want to avoid summer if all possible. 90's heat, humid, crowds no thank you. I'll take my rainy days.

The outdoor pics look so vivid. Are you changing stuff (tech term) in post or are they original? Keep it coming Christo.

 

[ginadee]

Breakfast at Kona in one word - "Wow!" This was our fist time eating here and it exceeded expectations.

Looks like Yia-Yia has the teenage strained neck position. She loves playing her slot machine game and Angry Birds ( "the birds" as she calls it ) on her I-touch.

I ordered the Tonga Toast. If you happen to enjoy sweet, doughy, warm, banana filled crusty goodness covered with a magical strawberry sauce then this is for you.
I kept reminding myself of all the miles I was going to walk for the next week as I consumed hundreds of calories per bite.

The lady across from me started screaming and pointing at me " Is that Tonga Toast? Is that Tonga Toast? "
With my mouth stuffed with this amazing concoction all I could muster was a thumbs up.

"That's what I'm getting!" she continued "Steve, look! He has Tonga Toast!" she said to her husband. "Is it good?" She asked me.

Again, I just kept giving her the thumbs up. It wasn't long before I finished my decedent meal.

and washed it down with French Pressed coffee. I never thought I would spend that much for coffee. It was almost worth it.

Alex got the Big Kahuna..

And my Mom ordered the Pineapple Macadamia Pancakes - I had a bite and it was awesome.

Sterg was being healthy and ordered the fruit plate. I have no idea what Val and Toni got. I may have gone into some sort of sugar induced coma.

Everybody was happy!

or at least not fighting.

Ive got adr for Kona just because I have to try the toga toast. Learned about on this forum.

 

[LeCellier.Lover]

There seriously must've been something in the Haunted Mansion queue because I felt the same way when we waited in June! Even though we didn't have it as bad because we didn't have to wait in the uncovered part.. So hot out! Sterg's "selfies" are hilarious!
Also, what camera do you use? I've been eying a couple online because I really want to invest in one so I'm surveying people with great pictures to see which ones they use. Thanks!

 

[fractal]

We made it back to the room to find Val, Alex and Yia-Yia getting back from a quick trip to the pool area. We then hustled to get ready for dinner. We were out the door to our room at 5 o'clock which gave us plenty of time to get to 'Ohana's by 5:10. The only problem was the torrential rain storm that started at 4:55. We were all standing right outside the covered entrance to our longhouse watching blankets of water falling from the sky, thunder crackling and lighting flashing. We were stuck, even with ponchos nobody was going to take the 50 yards walk to Grand Ceremonial House (GCH) entrance. It was absolutely pouring.

We waited for another 10-15 minutes and the rain started to subside - Sterg said he was making a run for it and took off. The rest of us waited another few minutes until I said "Let's go, everybody follow me". So off I went and as soon as I hit the rain it started to get heavier. As I entered the GCH I looked back to see nobody followed. Finally after a few minutes Alex and Yia-Yia appeared and made it through the rain; but no Val or Toni. I called Val and she told me Toni is petrified to go because of the thunder and lightning ( looking back, she was probably the smartest of us ).

"I'll be right there" I said.

I grabbed my Mom's small umbrella and walked back to find a near hysterical Toni holding on to Val.

"Daddy, I don't want to go! I'm afraid of the lighting! It's going to kill us!" She said through tears.

"It's ok Honey, come with me, its not that far of a walk" I tried to reassure her as I took her hand and more or less dragged her into the rain.

Then I'm thinking that she's probably right; the lighting and thunder seemed pretty close. Probably better to be late to a dinner reservation than to become a human
lightning rod. Fortunately, we made it with no further drama. We were 15 minutes late for dinner but were seated immediately.

The last time we ate at 'Ohana's was in 2009. The kids loved it and wanted to go back in 2011, but I decided that we would only go to "new" restaurants. The were looking forward to this meal from the time I booked this trip. I also enjoyed 'Ohana's in 2009, but was a bit disappointed in the meat. I thought the meats were a bit tough and dry, but I loved the sides and dessert.

The wings and potstickers came and Sterg started taking pictures before chowing down. He loved the potstickers and could have eaten those all night.

Alex and Toni were equally as happy with their food.

The meats started to arrive and this time they were delicious. Cooked perfectly, tender and juicy. I was pleasantly surprised. Sterg asked if we could just eat at 'Ohana's every night of our trip. After the amazing bread pudding dessert, I started to seriously consider it. Everybody loved the meal, including Yia-Yia. Looking back, I wish we would have booked at least another meal there.

I didn't take too many pictures as I was pre-occupied with the waves of food coming to our table.

After we finished, the kids went off to Magic Kingdom on their own while Val, Yia-Yia and I waited for the bill. We would meet up with them later at the park.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Chris! Lovin' it, bud! Great kick-off day! WooHOO!

I hear ya on the Doom & Gloom. I know I'm not the most up-n-up on all the latest and, yeah, I'm with you on scratchin' my head with a lot of things. I think for us a large portion of our disdain is the crowds. There's just so many people even in the "slow" times and we've grown weary of dealing with any of it. Then there's the crazy costs. It's hard to be okay with spending any amount on something you're just not that happy about doing, right?

That said, I love reading about other's trips and living vicariously. I get a lot of enjoyment out of seeing people having fun whatever they're doing.

Yep, teenagers are such fun.

I'm with Toni, I was always terrified of thunder & lightning. Growing up in Central Florida this translated into daily afternoon naps in my closet hiding under a blanket. LOL!

The "fresh" Poly rooms look nice! I like the neck roll on the bed!

Can't wait to read more. Your pics are fabulous!

 

[Gabe1]

Now remembering the first trip we brought my folks with. Can't wait to read more!

 

[coachwnh]

Philadelphia's City Hall never looked so good!

The feeling when you first walk through that tunnel - you just want to take it all in while smiling from cheek to cheek.

Walking up Main Street. It was fairly crowded and it was hot. Low 90's hot.

Our plan was to go to Tomorrowland and ride Space Mountain. Wow, that's a lot of people.

The stand by for Space was 60 minutes, the kids wanted to do it so I was game. The air conditioning in the queue was welcome relief. We walked right up to the
games and started playing. After about 10 minutes and with us barely moving, we changed our mind and proceed to exit the queue going upstream through the fastpass line. Something I've never done before.

He headed back through the hub towards Frontierland and grabbed FPs for BTMRR.

With Splash posting a 60 min wait, we reversed back to ride Haunted Mansion.

I love using the walkway by the river vs. walking down the street. It was a bit tough getting pictures as Sterg and Toni were moving fast.

Great Pics!!!!

 

[disneyfan1995]

Glad you guys enjoyed Ohana!! Those pot stickers are delicious!! They also have them on the Disney cruises. I was quite excited to find that out on Pirate night, lol.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Glad you guys enjoyed Ohana!! Those pot stickers are delicious!! They also have them on the Disney cruises. I was quite excited to find that out on Pirate night, lol.

But they don't have that sauce that usually goes with potstickers! Totally throws me. I always order the potstickers appetizer AND the pineapple appetizer. It's when the potstickers come that I remember why I always have to get the pineapple, too. The potstickers stink without the right sauce so I usually push them aside to savor the pineapple. I'm so weird!

 

[fractal]

Whispering Canyon... One of the worst meals I ever had on WDW property... I know people love the place but I will never go back... But, never mind that... TONGA TOAST.. Sorry, had to..

Everything we had at Whispering Canyon was good - except for the ribs. The ribs were dry and bland.

Mmmm...Tonga Toast...

Enjoy your TR so far, and I love your photos. I tried to take some good ones this year but it was usually overcast and I only had my kit lense. I got a few good ones but the sunshine would have helped.
Can't wait to read more!

I had the same problem last year at Disneyland. I've learned that a good lens filter can help with that. Thanks for reading along!

The pictures really are awesome!!! Inspiring me to sit down with my camera and really try and get the most out of it. Thanks for also adding the vids. It's funny how adding the voices makes you 'hear" the written portions in those voices. Sounds like it was really hot...surely the humidity also doesn't help. At least you've got the monorail and boat right there to get you back to the comfort of your resort.

Thanks! I did make an effort this time to get more video. As a family we recently watched a bunch of videos from 10-15 years ago and it was great. I then realized that I've sacrificed video for more pictures. We did use the boat several times and the breeze was very nice. Thanks for reading!

What an entertaining trip report! You've captured the spirit in your pictures, and thank you for sharing. I stayed at the Polynesian about 8 years ago for a few days and received a complimentary upgrade to Hawaii. The resort was beautiful, and it was fun to be right on the monorail. Glad you also liked the Tonga Toast!

Thanks! Awesome that you got an upgrade! Monorail is a plus - especially for MK.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading your Trip Report, superb photos.

Thanks Madjack!

I won't fill you trip report with a rant about WDW (which I wouldn't rant about anyway), but I fully agree that the Doom and Gloomers seem to be out in full force as of late. I get being passionate about something, but as of late it seems everyone is only interested in bashing WDW for every decision they make. I also do my best to stay out of negativity (no, I don't stick my head in the sand and pretened everythings is perfect, but I'm not going to spend my time complaining about a place that, in the end, is a place I can choose to go or not go to). Loving the trip report so far.

[/quote]

WDW is still a special place. Like I said before, I'm glad I didn't read all those comments before I went down. Most of the "issues" I had on our trip were not the fault of WDW. Thanks for reading along!

Did they change the ME desk to these individual desks?

Yes - even my kids noticed.

Awesome start to your report! Can't wait to read more!

Thanks olinecoach61! I used to coach youth football when my son was younger ( for about 7,8 years ). I loved coaching - up until I had to coach teenagers - ugh!

anxiously awaiting for more!! Great report so far!

Thanks Zipitidoa!

 

[fractal]

Love all the pics!! And glad too hear you enjoyed the Poly rooms! Hearing that has made me super excited for our short stay there! I have heard the hallways and whatnot could use some TLC so hopefully soon they will get the needed attention they deserve!!!

Thanks - almost as good as yours! New rooms are nice; you will like the decor and space; the elevators not so much.

Nice surprise to find on Sunday morning. Your mothers' comments are priceless, and kids antics great. I would love to stay at the Poly but after 7 days of joking about getting lei'd or not I probably get thrown out.

Love the Big Thunder pics! It's awesome how it gives you a chance to enjoy the shared experience with the multiple lift hills.

Your short time at MK on the first day is why I want to avoid summer if all possible. 90's heat, humid, crowds no thank you. I'll take my rainy days.

The outdoor pics look so vivid. Are you changing stuff (tech term) in post or are they original? Keep it coming Christo.

Hey Uncle Lupe! I only got lei'd at checkin. lol.

Thanks - I am shoot in RAW (mostly) and processing in Lightroom. I'm a bit mad at myself - at some point in the trip I switch to JPG and never switched back - but all the shots I wanted to shoot in RAW as did. Post processing does take some time though.

I'm glad you're following along. Any future trips for you?

Ive got adr for Kona just because I have to try the toga toast. Learned about on this forum.

It's worth it!

There seriously must've been something in the Haunted Mansion queue because I felt the same way when we waited in June! Even though we didn't have it as bad because we didn't have to wait in the uncovered part.. So hot out! Sterg's "selfies" are hilarious!
Also, what camera do you use? I've been eying a couple online because I really want to invest in one so I'm surveying people with great pictures to see which ones they use. Thanks!

I got a bit scary for a moment or two - and not in a good way.

Late last year I bought a Sony NEX-7. I had an NEX-3 which I now use as a backup, in fact I took along on this trip and used it on rainy days and at the waterpark. I love my NEX's because they are small and light yet they have the same sensor size as most DSLRs. The NEX-7, with 24 mp is an amazing camera but does have some quirks ( don't they all ). On a typical day, I had my camera around my neck and carry two other lenses in a simple nike shoulder bag. The same gear in a full blown DSLR would have weighed several times more and been much bulkier. I know Sony is running a good deal on the new NEX-3. If you want a veiwfinder I think you need to get an NEX-6 or 7. Good luck and thanks for the comments!

Chris! Lovin' it, bud! Great kick-off day! WooHOO!

I hear ya on the Doom & Gloom. I know I'm not the most up-n-up on all the latest and, yeah, I'm with you on scratchin' my head with a lot of things. I think for us a large portion of our disdain is the crowds. There's just so many people even in the "slow" times and we've grown weary of dealing with any of it. Then there's the crazy costs. It's hard to be okay with spending any amount on something you're just not that happy about doing, right?

That said, I love reading about other's trips and living vicariously. I get a lot of enjoyment out of seeing people having fun whatever they're doing.

Yep, teenagers are such fun.

I'm with Toni, I was always terrified of thunder & lightning. Growing up in Central Florida this translated into daily afternoon naps in my closet hiding under a blanket. LOL!

The "fresh" Poly rooms look nice! I like the neck roll on the bed!

Can't wait to read more. Your pics are fabulous!

Hey Kelly! Thanks for reading along! Crowds were the worst we've seen. The thing that I didn't like was the reduction in EMH - especially the night ones. We had some great times in the past roaming through Magic Kingdom in the early morning hours, but it seems like that is no more.
All in, our trip certainly wasn't cheap, despite the discounted room rates. However, I have yet to feel that Disney ripped me off after any of my trips. Someday I will get on a cruise ( thanks to you ).

We had some tough moments with the kids later in the trip. Everybody is vying for attention which led to some "challenging" moments.
Toni was the smart one. We should have just hunkered down for a bit more.

Yes - you would enjoy the new rooms.

Now remembering the first trip we brought my folks with. Can't wait to read more!

Thanks! The last time I was at WDW with my mother I was 9 years old.

Great Pics!!!!

Thanks! Hope (know) you are having fun in Disneyland!

Glad you guys enjoyed Ohana!! Those pot stickers are delicious!! They also have them on the Disney cruises. I was quite excited to find that out on Pirate night, lol.

They were awesome.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

Not for a while. This year has been plagued by things breaking down. So extra money going toward repair bills not vacation fund.

 

[ksr99]

Good to see the trip report!!! I've been waiting on your views/opinions on the poly since u told me you were going. I grew up always staying there with my family so it always feels awesome going there. However when I went back there on my most recent trip after staying at the grand I almost thought of switching to the grand. It wasn't until that night when my better half and I were sitting on the balcony had the lights in the room on low and just soaked up the breeze coming off the lake that we knew it was good to be back. It's that night time magic that just puts a smile on our faces.
Did U get a dole whip at captain jacks?
Overall what do u think of the poly?
Pros and cons, I'm really interested in your thoughts bc it comments seem to be very similiar to mine on the world.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Ohana = my favorite meal on property! Well, tied with Cali Grill for favorite meal. We've never had a bad meal there in the 4 times we've dined there. So glad the meats were better this time around for you!

 

[ksr99]

Cali grille is awesome!

 

[bmarkelon]

Your report and pictures are so magical!! This is perfect timing, since we are just 9 days away from our trip and I don't know what to do with myself!!!

 

[Billy6]

I echo everything about 'Ohana. I ate there in 2012 and had to go again this year... My 8yr old loves the noodles and my mom and I cannot get enough shrimp!! Great place...

I don't blame Toni one bit for getting scared of the lightening down there. My family was caught in a storm last year trying to get between WL and MK and then back to Kidani. The run from the boat dock to the bus depot was concerning but once under the bus canopy the thunder was really loud and the lightening was very close. I was pretty scared and worried about getting hit by it. All of the families with children were crying and my daughter was scared as well...

Keep it up my friend!

 

[disneyfan1995]

But they don't have that sauce that usually goes with potstickers! Totally throws me. I always order the potstickers appetizer AND the pineapple appetizer. It's when the potstickers come that I remember why I always have to get the pineapple, too. The potstickers stink without the right sauce so I usually push them aside to savor the pineapple. I'm so weird!

Hahah I've never had them with the pineapple thing. I'm reaally picky when it comes to eating so mosts sauces aren't for me, lol. I'm really surprised I like the potstickers.

 

[fractal]

Before our trip in 2011, I purchased a new camera. It was a Sony NEX-3 and came with a "kit lens" 18-55mm and a "pancake" 16mm lens. It was a new concept in cameras - a mirrorless camera with a "big boy" camera sensor - the same sized sensor as in a Canon Rebel or a Nikon APS-C DSLR. It wasn't a DSLR - didn't have a view finder (no mirror) or built in flash ( you had to attach a flash ) and the controls were thru a menu on the screen vs. wheels and knobs. What it was however was small & light. Easy to carry around and relatively inexpensive. It was a bit of an experiment to try photography as a new hobby. After reading a few photography books and other tips, I went to WDW in 2011 with my new camera and shot primarily in Manual mode. I figured that was the best way to learn and maybe it was. The problem was that most of my pictures didn't come out well.

Fast forward to this trip - I now have a NEX-7 which is the same concept but includes an electronic viewfinder, more manual dials, a newer 24mp sensor and built in flash. I also have a few more lenses. For this trip I shot mostly in Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority Mode or when we were moving quickly through the parks I would use the Auto mode. As we left 'Ohana's heading to MK, I had a 50mm 1.8 lens on the camera. I was looking for something to capture more of the details of the park vs. wide views. It would also come in handy for any dark rides.

Entering the park, and likely because of the crowds, Yia-Yia was concerned about where her grandchildren were. She sometimes forgets that Alex is now 19. I was more worried how they were getting along. Sometimes it's too easy for Sterg and Alex to gang up on there little sister. I got a text from Sterg that they were on Carousel of Progress ( really? that's a pleasant surprise ). Perfect ride for Yia-Yia, I thought; so we were on our way to Tomorrowland. Not before a few pics, however.

I love city hall.

OK - maybe more than a few...