Trip Report It’s Raining Pixie Dust!! Full Trip Report- 9/3-9/10 *Complete*

It’s Raining Pixie Dust!! Full Trip report 9/3-9/10

Don’t be sad that it is over- be glad that it happened!

The cast - for those that didn’t read my pre-trip report, or my pitiful attempt at a live one.

Me- Disneyshe
My husband DisneyB

This was our second ever trip without either of the kids.

We always have loved to go to WDW on our anniversary but this was the only trip we were by ourselves. Our actual anniversary was a few days before we left but this was still our Anniversary trip. We have been married 26 years this year!

We booked a standard room at Coronado Springs with free dining-

We headed out around 8:30 pm on September 2, because I am a horrible rider. Seriously am probably worse than a 2 year old. I just hate being in a car and always have. It makes it much easier on not just me but also my husband because he doesn’t have to hear me complain for 8 hours. He sleeps during the day on the day we leave and I at night so we can go straight at it when we get there.

We usually get there right as the sun is coming up but we got there a little early. I had ridden down in pj bottoms, no makeup etc. because I was going to try and sleep. (Which I did, almost the whole way, a first for me) Anyway I was so hoping there was a room ready because I looked like I slept in a car for sure. I stayed in the car while hubby went to see if we could check in- I had told him any section I did not care, if one was available. So he calls and tells me that they have a King Preferred room in Casitas 1, I of course, said take it.

We had never stayed in the Casitas before because we liked the Cabana area so much and usually requested it. So we drive around and go to our room on the second floor. Scan the band and walk in...... to a Living room!

I had looked at the rooms many times, we would have chosen there over Old Key West last year but it wasn’t available with the free dining and a 1 br Villa was a good bit cheaper anyway.

I wish there could have been a hidden camera or something because I thought we had went into the wrong room number. I even said this isn’t right, how could our bands have opened this door. The TVs were on too, and it just threw me even more. I tipped toed around to the bed area, hand over my mouth almost afraid someone was going to yell at me for being in their room. Looked again at the room number on the map- then flat out started bawling!! This was our room!!! We have gotten upgraded from standard view to waterview before but this was nuts. Disney B said no wonder the lady that had checked us in was grinning so big. I don’t know if it was Anniversary pixie dust or luck being so early, or just a really special CM but the trip was off to an amazing start and I will never forget how awesome it felt to stand there in a room that nice that we were basically gifted with. I was and will always be so thankful for the enormous sprinkling of Pixie Dust!


Arrival shot - notice last year’s Lei from Ohana still hanging over my visor?

And our room!

The room-rooms are huge! It was so nice to have 2 bathrooms no waiting while one showers gets ready. I loved that!

See those happy smiling faces kicked back on our couch??

It was still so early so I showered and got ready to head to DHS!

 

[DisneyGigi]

Another silly pic tradition-

I always wonder how many people walk over this hidden Mickey and never see it.

More AK entertainment-

And a Safari! We had fp but it was dead- walked straight on and had the whole row to ourselves.

Mid day safari so no Lions. Still good though. I think our guide must have been new as she was struggling a little with her spiel. I take horrible photos on this too, but always have to take them.

 

[DisneyGigi]

And one last Safari shot... because-

Dude, it’s a Llama!
(Dude, Where’s My Car reference for those that don’t get it)

Took it for my son and sent with that caption.

And another AK tradition was getting shot by the canon, hands in air, with my son. The empty spot, is where he would be and I held one arm back that would have wrapped around him, the other in the air.

And... look what I got today!

Up next Pandora and random photopass pics and ‘Ohana! (Typing that made me hungry) What is up with this whole having to cook thing again?

 

[DisneyGigi]

We took the back way into Pandora and immediately noticed how less insane crowded it was. We had fastpasses for FoP and snapped a few pics on the way in. Last year the standby wait was well over 2 hours, this year it said 60. Bob at the Dawa Bar has told us that it had been around 30 minutes earlier in the day.

I think that Pandora, as the land is pretty. The floating mountains are pretty amazing but not being a fan of the movie, the only real draw for me is FoP, which is hands down the best ride I have ever been on in my life! I wondered if I would still be as amazed as I was the first time I rode it... Yes! I was. It is like Soarin’ on acid or something. I love riding horses and one of my favorite details is the “breathing” you can feel from the Banshee on your legs. Just one of those Disney details that goes so above and beyond any other park rides. Everything about the ride feels so realistic.

And with a short viewing of this guy, we were done with Pandora. I have not yet done the boat ride, if it is ever less than 30 minutes, I will. I am sure the AA is amazing but I am not waiting an hour to see it.

A hidden Fella, I left out earlier and a few Photopass.

I had a date with a shower and some good food!

 

[DisneyGigi]

A shower then off to the Poly!
This was the only time we had to wait at all for a reservation, and it still was only minutes. I had been itching for a Backscratcher... even though it was in a plastic cup still great but I swear stronger than I remember, as far as I could taste the alcohol. I usually can’t.

When I made my title for this report, I chose raining for a reason...
Monday was supposed to be a washout, it sprinkled, for 2 seconds. Anyone that has ever been in August or September knows, it will come a huge downpour- thunderstorm once a day at least. It came one while we were waiting for a table here, and then one day on the monorail to Epcot, by the time we made it to the table, it was over, and by the time we made it to the entrance at Epcot, it was over. I think it did one day at DHS, but we were at Muppets, came out to wet pavement, etc but never had a drop hit us. The only rain that fell on us, was Pixie Dust!! A very nice change from the insane rainy summer we have had at home. And now we are waiting on Florence.

 

[DisneyGigi]

I had some serious stomach issues this past spring-summer and apparently gluten was part of the culprit. I have learned that if I prepare, Imodium AD, and simethicone, I can eat a little flour based things. I skipped the bread, but did have the dumplings and a tiny piece of the bread pudding. I did fine til about 1 am. It was worth it, though.
(I did not eat buns or anything like that)

Island Sunset I think to drink. We were so busy eating we forgot to take meat pictures, but don’t worry, we had 2 ressies. The chicken wings were outstanding! Better than ever. Also want to note, read some bad reviews this year about ‘Ohana, and I am sorry but must have been a bad night or something because both meals were amazing. Not rushed, plenty of food, great service. By far, my fave place to eat. As much as I love Crab legs, that says a lot!
Back to the resort for a rest before another full park hopping day.

 

[Spash007]

Good luck with Florence! We lucked out in Virginia and looks like we might just get some rain next week.

I second the approvals of DisneyB’s shirt - I have the same one and got it for our AK day last September! I thought I was being so clever with it, but maybe we’re all just in style

 

[DisneyGigi]

Good luck with Florence! We lucked out in Virginia and looks like we might just get some rain next week.

I second the approvals of DisneyB’s shirt - I have the same one and got it for our AK day last September! I thought I was being so clever with it, but maybe we’re all just in style

Thanks! Heavy rain here they say. We have already had such a rainy summer I guess they are saying trees and stuff may uproot. I love that shirt too. Target and Kohl’s have the best Disney shirts!

 

[DisneyGigi]

The rain is starting and it is dreary and I am bored. Rearranged some of Scooter’s stuff in what used to be the Disney room but is now his room. He loves all my Disney stuff on the walls. I am pretty obsessed with how I arranged all his Toy Story toys.

Now onto day 4!

Last year we spent only one day at MK and it ended with the rainout at MNSSHP and my Clark Griswold meltdown- so I wanted to spend more time here this trip. The crowds were so much lower there (well everywhere) than it had been last year and it was actually very enjoyable. An overcrowded MK stresses me out. You see more parents yelling at their kids there and it just irritates me to no end.
We did not have any fp here because I made them for Epcot in the afternoon. Didn’t matter, we did not need any.

I hate fall because it signals the beginning of the death of summer but I do love to decorate like crazy to cheer myself up. I bought 6 flats of mums and ornamental cabbage but have to wait til Florence leaves to plant them. My hubby always says that I put so many pumpkins out that people will think I am selling them.
Anyway, if Disney can have their stuff out, so can I!!

 

[DisneyGigi]

Forgot this pic, do not judge my Florida frizzy hair, but I loved, loved the AP line.

Couple more Main Street shots

We always go left to Splash first, so I decided to do something totally crazy and go to Tommorowland.

And Buzz was walk-on!

I had a whopping 90,000- the Brat had 940,000. He is not fun to play game rides with. I don’t like losing. Especially that bad. Lol

We had BoG early lunch ressies so we headed back thru Fantasyland. It was even bearable to walk thru. The Mine Train was at 40 minutes. I like it, it is cute but not cute enough to wait 40 minutes.

Little Mermaid however was walk on! So we did it.

Up next BoG!!! And they were actually taking walk-ups! I was blown away!

 

[DisneyGigi]

We walked up and the couple in front of us, the only people in front at the check-in were walk ups and they got seated! I have never seen that happen. Seriously low crowds.

We both got the Braised Pork and it was as wonderful as always.

And my goofy son always has a thing for sticking his finger up statues nose, so I did a quick pic.

 

[riverside]

I had some serious stomach issues this past spring-summer and apparently gluten was part of the culprit. I have learned that if I prepare, Imodium AD, and simethicone, I can eat a little flour based things. I skipped the bread, but did have the dumplings and a tiny piece of the bread pudding. I did fine til about 1 am. It was worth it, though.
(I did not eat buns or anything like that)

Out of curiosity--did you have a scope test done? My mom & one of my sisters both have celiac. I have another sister who had the scope test/blood test etc. done & it was negative but when she eats gluten she gets sick & breaks out into awful rashes. Many of us in our family have been tested b/c of the family history. I had an endoscopy earlier this year(not for that but they checked for it anyways) & they said I don't have it. I'm sometimes wonder though...

 

[DisneyGigi]

We headed back thru to Tomorrowland- but I stopped to go Under the Sea one more time.

Hate I missed this.

But time to go see a little Progress. I would be so mad if this ever leaves. I adore it.

I did not use a flash, and was very quick and polite in my quick photos.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

Good luck with Florence! We lucked out in Virginia and looks like we might just get some rain next week.

I second the approvals of DisneyB’s shirt - I have the same one and got it for our AK day last September! I thought I was being so clever with it, but maybe we’re all just in style

I got my husband the same one at Target last year, good price too! LOL

 

[DisneyGigi]

Out of curiosity--did you have a scope test done? My mom & one of my sisters both have celiac. I have another sister who had the scope test/blood test etc. done & it was negative but when she eats gluten she gets sick & breaks out into awful rashes. Many of us in our family have been tested b/c of the family history. I had an endoscopy earlier this year(not for that but they checked for it anyways) & they said I don't have it. I'm sometimes wonder though...

No, I didn’t. I honestly feel like some of it has to be tied to inflammation. I have RA and I also have Psoriasis. When those two flare my stomach issues are way worse. I am afraid of most of the meds that are used because of my family history of heart disease, and my high BP. I have put off doing more tests because of having the grand baby so much and to be honest I have major white coat syndrome. I am going the end of this month though and will agree to the extra tests if I need to. If I eat real flour more than just a little though, I will be bloated and looking for a bathroom. So I think they were right about the gluten sensitivity. I have to say that the dumplings were worth it though. I only had them the first time though!

 

[DisneyGigi]

I got my husband the same one at Target last year, good price too! LOL

I wish they had as many shirts for women as they do men at Target! His was from Target. They have so many good ones.

 

[DisneyGigi]

I wanted to do the People Mover but it was down so I decided to do Monsters.

Back in 2009, we did this show and at the time, my son was 14 and in that really awkward, too cool for school faze and to my great amusement, they chose him for Randall. He was like a deer in the headlights, just sat there staring so blank and panicked. When they told him to be invisible- same blank stare, so my daughter puts her hand over his face and they go, look a stage hand!! We laughed about it for years and I still call him Randall sometimes.

Then this happened....

It is much better when it happens to somebody else lol. His dad took and sent him this pic and he said it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. Lol. It was funny but I truly was so embarrassed, now I know how he felt! I may be skipping it for awhile.
We headed out and took the monorail to Epcot where we had Test Track fastpasses. Not long after leaving MK, it started pouring the rain, but by the time we exited and were in the security line- it stopped and the Florida Sunshine aka Pixie Dust returned. Of course TT was down because of it so we wandered around a bit and headed to Find Nemo.

We did Club Villain in 2016, awesome all the way around, but the Voodoo Sticky Pig Wings were soooo good! These are almost as good, I lost count how many we had. I did not get the Swine Brine this year though, pork fat, whiskey and ice do not mix. It makes huge pork fat blobs in the drink. I threw it away last year.

This was the Loaded Mac & Cheese and Hard Coconut water. I took a bite, spicy and heavenly.

We rode Figment next. I didn’t take any pics.

 

[DisneyGigi]

We walked around into WS, and I saw my favorite bird. I know they have to be pests as far as Disney is concerned, but I adore them. Where we used to live, we had a pond and a huge stream that bordered our 8 acres. We had a pair of cranes, ours were a gray-blue- they raised babies. So cool and amazing to watch. I had Golden Retrievers, bird dogs, from birth apparently. One of them, as I was watching out the window, ran to the Mom, who was trying to catch the wind to get off the ground... I screamed, yelled No and ran as hard as I could. It did not end well. I still have a Golden, but from birth, I taught her not to mess with birds, or rabbits.
One of the most graceful and beautiful creatures to watch. I thank God for birds every day.

We stopped and got a drink..

And hubby got the New Brunswick Slider from Hops & Barley. I tried the brisket, cheese and the veggies to the side. Very good! But not as good as the burnt end brisket hash.

I got a Cantaloopy, but did not take a pic. We then decided since TT was still down to walk around to Frozen. I did not realize that our FP multiple was not good for that ride but the standby was 35, and nobody was in FP so they let us go through. I am not a fan of Frozen. They overdid it at DHS in 2014. It is very well done. I loved Maelstrom, as it was, but it is very well done.

I still have no idea what Brat was so excited about? I think he was thinking the backup waterfall part was still there... I dunno, but he definitely looks more excited than I do.

 

[LisaBelle]

We walked around into WS, and I saw my favorite bird. I know they have to be pests as far as Disney is concerned, but I adore them. Where we used to live, we had a pond and a huge stream that bordered our 8 acres. We had a pair of cranes, ours were a gray-blue- they raised babies. So cool and amazing to watch. I had Golden Retrievers, bird dogs, from birth apparently. One of them, as I was watching out the window, ran to the Mom, who was trying to catch the wind to get off the ground... I screamed, yelled No and ran as hard as I could. It did not end well. I still have a Golden, but from birth, I taught her not to mess with birds, or rabbits.
One of the most graceful and beautiful creatures to watch. I thank God for birds every day.
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We stopped and got a drink..
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And hubby got the New Brunswick Slider from Hops & Barley. I tried the brisket, cheese and the veggies to the side. Very good! But not as good as the burnt end brisket hash. View attachment 313749
I got a Cantaloopy, but did not take a pic. We then decided since TT was still down to walk around to Frozen. I did not realize that our FP multiple was not good for that ride but the standby was 35, and nobody was in FP so they let us go through. I am not a fan of Frozen. They overdid it at DHS in 2014. It is very well done. I loved Maelstrom, as it was, but it is very well done.
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I still have no idea what Brat was so excited about? I think he was thinking the backup waterfall part was still there... I dunno, but he definitely looks more excited than I do.
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Had to laugh at your bird photos. My daughter HATES those birds! On our first trip to Disney our daughter was 4 years old. We got her a kids taco or quesadilla meal at the outdoor Mexico pavilion. I left her and her brother who was 8 at the table while I went to grab napkins. I came back and they were both standing a few feet back from our table watching as one of those birds grabbed the food from her plate! It had come over to the table and startled them. They jumped up to get away and the bird helped itself! She was terrified. To this day she hates birds!

 

[DisneyGigi]

Had to laugh at your bird photos. My daughter HATES those birds! On our first trip to Disney our daughter was 4 years old. We got her a kids taco or quesadilla meal at the outdoor Mexico pavilion. I left her and her brother who was 8 at the table while I went to grab napkins. I came back and they were both standing a few feet back from our table watching as one of those birds grabbed the food from her plate! It had come over to the table and startled them. They jumped up to get away and the bird helped itself! She was terrified. To this day she hates birds!

Oh no, bless her heart, they are bad especially there, one stole my churro. :-/ I have just always been obsessed with birds. (All animals really) Had a duck when I was little that would attack me, I still have scars, when my dad loaded it up to take it to the nature center, I bawled like a baby, blood pouring from my shins, screaming “Daddy, please don’t take my duck away” I still miss it to this day, lol, probably why I love Disney Ducks.
I have a turkey, that I have hand fed, for 2 years, that sleeps on my porch in the winter, she now has babies, and they roost on the swing set. I am a bird nut.

 

[LisaBelle]

Oh no, bless her heart, they are bad especially there, one stole my churro. :-/ I have just always been obsessed with birds. (All animals really) Had a duck when I was little that would attack me, I still have scars, when my dad loaded it up to take it to the nature center, I bawled like a baby, blood pouring from my shins, screaming “Daddy, please don’t take my duck away” I still miss it to this day, lol, probably why I love Disney Ducks.
I have a turkey, that I have hand fed, for 2 years, that sleeps on my porch in the winter, she now has babies, and they roost on the swing set. I am a bird nut.
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You are definitely an animal lover! Wow! Can’t believe the turkeys roost on the swing set! My daughter would lose her mind!