Trip Report Makin' Memories....One More Time! COMPLETED

Tuvalu · Jul 19, 2017

Thursday, June 22

Woody and I breakfasted early in the lounge. We brought some food back for Em.
Soon we were on our way to make rope drop at the MK.

Of course there were NO issues with the monorail since we weren't in a hurry to make the Welcome Show in front of the train station.

RIP former Welcome Show. We miss you!

The Americana banners (see above) were proudly displayed inside the park too. The 4th of July was quickly approaching!

Tuvalu · Jul 19, 2017

"Tuvalu, how are pre-park opening breakfast ADRs handled now that Main Street opens at 8 am?"

I'm glad you asked.

Guests with ADRs at Crystal Palace may proceed directly to the restaurant.

Guests with ADRs at Be Our Guest or Cinderella's Royal Table should follow the signs held by CMs.

CM #1 directs guests to......

......CM #2

CM #2 asks for the guest's ADR time and if it is before 9 am the guest is directed to CM #3 (not pictured) who scans Magic Bands or cross checks a printed list. Then the party is allowed into a roped-off area to the left of the castle for entry into Fantasyland and may proceed to BOG or CRT.

Now you know.

Tuvalu · Jul 19, 2017

Woody and Em wait for the new Welcome Show.

The hub area wasn't too crowded and we hoped that meant we'd have minimal waits for our first attractions.

While it's good to see Mickey, the opening is just not the same without the Mayor and the Trolley Singers.

A rare Fairy Godmother sighting!

@epcotisbest, this shot's for you.....

epcotisbest · Jul 19, 2017

OOHHH...perfect timing on that photo!

DisneyGigi · Jul 19, 2017

Tuvalu said:
"Tuvalu, how are pre-park opening breakfast ADRs handled now that Main Street opens at 8 am?"

I'm glad you asked.

Guests with ADRs at Crystal Palace may proceed directly to the restaurant.

Guests with ADRs at Be Our Guest or Cinderella's Royal Table should follow the signs held by CMs.
View attachment 216389
CM #1 directs guests to......

......CM #2
View attachment 216390
CM #2 asks for the guest's ADR time and if it is before 9 am the guest is directed to CM #3 (not pictured) who scans Magic Bands or cross checks a printed list. Then the party is allowed into a roped-off area to the left of the castle for entry into Fantasyland and may proceed to BOG or CRT.

Now you know.

I loved the welcome show, so much, we literally drove all night to be there for it on our first day. I did not realize that all of Main Street opened at 8:00 am though- is that the earliest you can make breakfast reservations? We always did Crystal Palace just for those empty Main Street photos.

Tuvalu · Jul 19, 2017

DisneyShe said:
I did not realize that all of Main Street opened at 8:00 am though- is that the earliest you can make breakfast reservations? We always did Crystal Palace just for those empty Main Street photos.

I believe all breakfast ADRs begin at 8 am. The days of "empty" Main Street photos are gone, sadly.

DisneyGigi · Jul 19, 2017

Tuvalu said:
I believe all breakfast ADRs begin at 8 am. The days of "empty" Main Street photos are gone, sadly.

Thanks, I think we will cancel our breakfast, it was at 8:15, I thought the opening show was still at 9:00, but at the hub. Need to research a bit more I guess!

Tuvalu · Jul 19, 2017

DisneyShe said:
Thanks, I think we will cancel our breakfast, it was at 8:15, I thought the opening show was still at 9:00, but at the hub. Need to research a bit more I guess!

The opening show at the castle with Mickey is at 8:55 am. The Main Street area opens at 8 so guests can shop, go to Starbucks or have a quick breakfast at the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. There are CMs stationed at the pathways to the lands until the official park opening at 9.

DisneyGigi · Jul 19, 2017

Tuvalu said:
The opening show at the castle with Mickey is at 8:55 am. The Main Street area opens at 8 so guests can shop, go to Starbucks or have a quick breakfast at the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. There are CMs stationed at the pathways to the lands until the official park opening at 9.

Ughh.,gonna miss the old way.

TrolleyFollower91 · Jul 19, 2017

epcotisbest said:
OOHHH...perfect timing on that photo!

I have a knack for anticipating fireworks

fractal · Jul 19, 2017

Sorry about your "luke warm" first impressions with AK and now with Pandora. I hope Flight of Passage helped heal some of those wounds.

The old Welcome Show was just sooooo...perfect! At least we have youtube to help us remember.

Songbird76 · Jul 20, 2017

Very helpful! Thank you! And your first AK trip experience, plus a few of ours, are giving me a lot of insight...number one thing I have learned is DON'T go when something is new. We did Wizarding World of Harry Potter when it had only been open a month..you couldn't even get into that part of the park 45 minutes after opening because they had reached capacity. We had to wait until late afternoon, and even then, the line just to get into one of the SHOPS was 45 minutes to an hour...the main ride was a 3 hour wait. We didn't get to do anything because the kids were too young...no way we could wait that long with a 2 and 4 year old. We waited to get into a couple of shops, I got clobbered trying to pick out a wand and gave up. There wasn't room to swing a Kneazle. We left very disappointed. Same thing last Summer with the Frozen ride...wait times of several hours. Thank goodness we had a fastpass, but the store after the ride was a complete let down. So I guess going when something is newly opened is a recipe for a huge letdown. I was thinking we should go when Star Wars land opens...now I think maybe we should go next year, or wait another year to let the hype die down a bit.
(P.S. My son started screaming halfway through It's tough to be a Bug, and my husband had to take him out of the theater. It started storming and everything that was outdoors was closed due to lightning, so the only things left were the shows, which were all full....except for It's tough to be a Bug. AK was a bust for us, and this was just a year ago. Dinosaur was closed for refurbishment...perhaps divine intervention?)

Tuvalu · Jul 20, 2017

Thanks for sharing your stories, @Songbird76!

Songbird76 · Jul 20, 2017

Tuvalu said:
Woody and Em wait for the new Welcome Show.
View attachment 216392
The hub area wasn't too crowded and we hoped that meant we'd have minimal waits for our first attractions.

While it's good to see Mickey, the opening is just not the same without the Mayor and the Trolley Singers.
View attachment 216393

View attachment 216394

A rare Fairy Godmother sighting!
View attachment 216395

@epcotisbest, this shot's for you.....
View attachment 216396

That last picture is GREAT!! Love it!!

rshell68 · Jul 20, 2017

Tuvalu said:
I hope you and your hubs have a wonderful "alone" weekend! Care to share where you are staying?

Thanks Tuvalu! We are trying out Coronado Springs. No dining or fast passes made we are just going to enjoy our time. Though I do really want to ride the new Soarin' and go have a drink at Geyser Point.

Tuvalu · Jul 20, 2017

rshell68 said:
Thanks Tuvalu! We are trying out Coronado Springs. No dining or fast passes made we are just going to enjoy our time. Though I do really want to ride the new Soarin' and go have a drink at Geyser Point.

Sounds perfect! :inlove:

Ciara · Jul 20, 2017

Tuvalu said:
"Tuvalu, how are pre-park opening breakfast ADRs handled now that Main Street opens at 8 am?"

I'm glad you asked.

Guests with ADRs at Crystal Palace may proceed directly to the restaurant.

Guests with ADRs at Be Our Guest or Cinderella's Royal Table should follow the signs held by CMs.
View attachment 216389
CM #1 directs guests to......

......CM #2
View attachment 216390
CM #2 asks for the guest's ADR time and if it is before 9 am the guest is directed to CM #3 (not pictured) who scans Magic Bands or cross checks a printed list. Then the party is allowed into a roped-off area to the left of the castle for entry into Fantasyland and may proceed to BOG or CRT.

Now you know.

I'm really glad you posted this! I'm sure to be one of those lost looking people

Tuvalu · Jul 20, 2017

Thursday, con't

Even rarer than a Fairy Godmother sighting would be this:

A FIVE MINUTE STANDBY WAIT FOR PETER PAN??!!!

So of course we had to hurry on in!

I have walked through the new queue at least a dozen times and this was the first time I noticed the blocks on the bed spell Peter Pan. :facepalm:

(I am usually focused on the fun shadows on the wall!)

Here comes my ship. I think I rode alone; Woody and Em rode together. Despite what the sign may say, three adults do not fit comfortably in one pirate ship.

"

"I feel like a smackeral of honey," I said as we left Pan.
"A what?" asked Woody.
"A smackeral of honey."
"It means she wants to go ride Pooh," Em chimed in.
"I've never heard that expression," Woody said skeptically.
"It's in the book!" I insisted.

Proof!

Remember the "playful" Woody I referenced a couple times earlier in this TR?

He's baaacckkk!!!

Tuvalu · Jul 20, 2017

We had time to squeeze in one more ride before our first FP.

I think the walk through the queue is longer than the actual ride!

7DMT used to be the most highly sought FP. Then came Frozen Ever After and it dropped to #2. I'm betting that Flight of Passage has caused 7DMT to drop down another slot to #3.

But no matter its ranking, 7DMT is a fun ride for all ages.