Trip Report Mom & Kids Take on the World COMPLETED

Well, like a few others lately I've been a long-time lurker on these boards - I actually read for years without an account, spending most of my time in these trip reports. Earlier this year I finally became official & I've commented on a few threads, but mostly still just read (I need to get better about that). But, inspired by @heatherhy01 and @akneeconnors I thought I'd a give my own report a go. And we're down to just 10 days until we're in the World!

So, here we go:

When: June 16 - 21, 2019
Where: Animal Kingdom Lodge, Bunk Bed room with a savanna view (yay! everyone gets their own bed!)
Who: Me, Jen, and my kids - Sam (14) and Jacob (12) my husband Jeremy decided to sit this trip out - he's not quite as Disney-obsessed as the rest of us & summer is a busy time at work for him. Here's us during our quick trip in January:

We're trying to keep with the mindset we had on our last trip of not stressing to do everything because we've been enough times to have experienced most everything multiple times. And we're actually taking a break this time around and just doing a pool day! VERY excited about that!

Current Plans:
Sunday, June 16

• Flight leaves CLE at 8:10 am and arrives at MCO at 12:15pm after a quick stop in Atlanta. Right now the plan is to grab a bite to eat at the airport before heading to the Magical Express, but excitement day of may change that.
• Right now, the afternoon is open. We may spend some time at the pool or may go for a round of mini golf (since we have vouchers for a free round - yay!) or we may explore MK area resorts. We'll see what we feel like when we arrive.
• Dinner @ Artist Point at 6:10. Snow White is my daughter's favorite character & she loves a good villian interaction, so this should be fun. My son is excited for Dopey.

Monday, June 17

• Rope drop EMH at Animal Kingdom & try to get on FOP before the wait gets too long (this was the only highly desired FP we couldn't get
• FP Na'vi River Journey, Safari & Festival of the Lion King
• Dinner @ Yak & Yeti

Tuesday, June 18

• Arrive to MK early, but not necessarily rope drop. My goal this day is to spend some time enjoying the entertainment on Main Street.
• FP for Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan & Seven Dwarfs
• Dinner @ The Plaza Restaurant

Wednesday, June 19

• POOL DAY! We're going to relax/play at the pool, have lunch at the pool bar and generally just chill. Might fit mini golf in here if we don't go on arrival day.
• Late afternoon we'll head to Disney Springs.
• Dinner @ Planet Hollywood...not my top choice, but Sam really wants to have one of their milkshakes & Jacob is a bit of a picky eater, sooooo....

Thursday, June 20

• Hollywood Studios! We finally get to ride Slinky Dog!
• FP for Star Tours, Beauty & the Beast & Slinky Dog - will also try to ride Alien Swirling Saucers
• Dinner @ Mama Melrose with the Fantasmic package (Fantasmic is Jacob's request)

Friday, June 21

• Check luggage, then spend the morning at the pool.
• Tragical Express pickup around 1pm

So that's what we have! The rest of this week will be consumed with dance recital activities, then just a few days to pack & get ready to leave. I might pop in a few times during the trip, but definitely not ready to attempt a full live report...now just to see if I can do as good of a job remembering things as all of the rest of you!

 

[youngdeb]

Following along! We stayed Savannah View for our first ever trip to WDW last year. It was amazing!

 

[jlag1006]

Well posting semi live didn’t work so well as we were more of park warriors than normal. I think the longer hours of daylight helped me a lot. We ended up staying a day longer than we planned after DD got sick during our last night...more on that later.

 

[jlag1006]

Day 2 Animal Kingdom
The plan was to rope drop AK & try to get on FOP right away. We ended up being a few minutes behind schedule and then when the first AK bus pulled up it was already almost full from the stop at Kidani Village. But we were all given a FP to use in anything but the headliners any time in the next 3 days. Woo hoo!

We ended up walking through the gates around 8:15 and FOP was already up to 75 minutes. We decided to change course and get in as many things as possible during EMH. First we rode EE as a walk-on.

Next we headed toward Primevial Whirl, but it was down and would remain so all day. Instead, we took a turn on Triceratops Spin to check off another ride on my son’s “ride everything” list, and then went to Dinosaur. I sat this ride out, it’s just too much jostling in my back.

By this time, the park was open so we decided to spend some tying exploring Pandora before our Navi River FP.

We still had some time left, so we grabbed a night blossom to enjoy then headed for our first FP of the trip!

This was our first time on NRJ, and DS & I enjoyed it, while DD the thrill seeker thought it was boring. It won’t be a must-do for us, but definitely worth a ride when the wait is short.

 

[jlag1006]

Day 2, cont.
After NRJ, we had a bit of a wait for our next FP for Safari, but not time to do another ride. I tried to encourage the kids to explore some of the pathways since DD had that on her pre-trip list of to-dos. But with the heat & humidity plus some crowded pathways, that was not appealing to any of us.

We grabbed a pretzel to share and pulled out our cooling towels and mini fans to try to cool down a bit. Before long, it was time for our FP. The kids hadn’t been on this ride since DS was in diapers, so it was really like a first time for them. Despite the heat, we got some great views, especially of the giraffes and elephants. We even had one giraffe walk right up next to our vehicle!

As our ride ended, it started to rain and it picked up to a downpour quickly. We were all ready for lunch at this point, so we threw on our ponchos and headed out. Lunch was at Pizzafari....not the most exciting, but consistent & a winner for the kids. By the time lunch was done, the rain had stopped.

Next up was a FP for Lion King. We normally slip into this show at the last minute, so it was a treat to be up front. DD loves to watch the show & pick the parts she wants to perform. Last time she said Zebra, but this time the zebra wasn’t as engaging so now she thinks maybe that’s not the right one. She also loves making eye contact with the performers...and they seem drawn to her too. This time, she caught a couple who broke character when our attention was supposed to be on the tumble monkeys.

We had grabbed a FP for Finding Nemo, so headed there next. Sam found us a seat right next to the stage

The heat must have been getting to me at this point, because I kept nodding off during the show. Oops! The kids loved it though and I did feel a bit refreshed afterward.

 

[jlag1006]

After Nemo, we headed over to Dinoland so DD could see her “fiancé” Dino Chip...during her meet in January he “proposed” to her:

Once again Chip & Dale we’re a fantastic meet & greet!

We also met Daisy & Goofy while we were in the area

After this, I grabbed a FP so the kids could take a second ride on Everest. On our way over, we stopped for a photo opp

After Everest, we headed to our dinner at Yak & Yeti. DS & I both ordered Lo Mein, chicken for him & chicken and shrimp for me. He liked the chicken, but not the noodles. I thought the whole thing was delicious and nearly cleared my plate even though it was enormous! DD ordered the honey chicken, I believe & also really enjoyed it. I also got the fried wontons for dessert and OMG they were out of this world! The kids likes their desserts too, but I don’t remember what they got.

I had made a FP for the safari, but we were all starting to wear out at this point and there was still 1 big thing on our to do list. Standby for FOP had dropped to 90 minutes, so we headed over. Normally I can’t handle waits longer than about 30 minutes, but DD really wanted to ride after loving it so much in January. So in line we got. The 90 minutes was pretty spot on, but the line was at least moving pretty consistently. Our pre-show seemed extra long and was made worse by the teen girls in the room who were making a scene. Even my teen daughter was annoyed. They continued their antics as we boarded the ride vehicles until DD finally shushed them, prompting their mom to comment that she was embarrassed. Luckily they quieted down once the ride was under way. We really enjoyed the ride & I was glad to not get nearly as drenched as the last time.

By the time the ride was done, it was 8:45 and we were ready to head back. We walked out of the gates right around park close at 9, very happy with our long & successful park day!

 

[Bullseye1967]

Day 1, cont. Dinner at Artist’s Point
With the delay on luggage, we were a bit behind schedule for getting to Wilderness Losge, but I had planned to treat the kids to a ride in the Minnie Van, so thought we were OK. But when I opened the Lyft app I just couldn’t bring myself to pay $40 for a ride there, so we went with a regular old Lyft instead and we arrived 5 minutes before our reservation.

My daughter loves Snow White and interactions with villains, so this was right up he alley! Jacob is not as into character meets, but he enjoys the meals...he just really doesn’t want to wait in lines for it.

Overall we really enjoyed it. The character interactions were fantastic as were the desserts & specialty drinks. Meals were a bit hit or miss. DD has prime rib & loved hers, but DS felt his was undercooked. I had the beef stew and was happy with it, but might try something different if we went back. Appetizers were a miss for us. None of us are especially adventurous eaters and have a low spice tolerance, so they just weren’t up our alley,

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After dinner, we caught a boat to MK and then a bus back to AKL. Settling in now for a good nights sleep before AK tomorrow!

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Following along. Fantastic Pic with your DD and the queen!!

 

[Rista1313]

Day 1, cont. Dinner at Artist’s Point
With the delay on luggage, we were a bit behind schedule for getting to Wilderness Losge, but I had planned to treat the kids to a ride in the Minnie Van, so thought we were OK. But when I opened the Lyft app I just couldn’t bring myself to pay $40 for a ride there, so we went with a regular old Lyft instead and we arrived 5 minutes before our reservation.

My daughter loves Snow White and interactions with villains, so this was right up he alley! Jacob is not as into character meets, but he enjoys the meals...he just really doesn’t want to wait in lines for it.

Overall we really enjoyed it. The character interactions were fantastic as were the desserts & specialty drinks. Meals were a bit hit or miss. DD has prime rib & loved hers, but DS felt his was undercooked. I had the beef stew and was happy with it, but might try something different if we went back. Appetizers were a miss for us. None of us are especially adventurous eaters and have a low spice tolerance, so they just weren’t up our alley,

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After dinner, we caught a boat to MK and then a bus back to AKL. Settling in now for a good nights sleep before AK tomorrow!

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I love your son's pixels SW&7D's shirt!

 

[jlag1006]

Day 3, Magic Kingdom
We started today at a bit slower pace and headed out a little later than planned. Unfortunately this meant that by the time we arrived at MK we had to make a beeline to our first FP before our window closed, so no pics or leisurely stroll down Main St for us!

We were excited to be headed to The Haunted Mansion after not taking a ride in January. That said, Sam loves fast coasters but HM has made her nervous ever since we visited the stretching room at Disneyland with some guests who were really into the theme. This time, luckily it was just fine and we had a great trip! Sam & I completely failed on the ride photo, but J’s was great

After that ghoulish fun, we had just enough time to squeeze in Its a Small World before our next FP. When DH is with us, he tolerates 1 ride on this, but he’d be fine if he never set foot on it again. So of course we had fun sending him Snapchat videos throughout the ride.

From here, we headed straight across to Neverland. It’s been a long time since we rode this, so we decided it was worth being a FP this time around. It was a pleasant flight. After this, we decided we were ready for a snack and took a walk over to Gaston’s Tavern for a cinnamon roll & a glass of LeFous Brew

We saw that Gaston was out meeting but unfortunately the line was closed. We said we’d come back, but never did. Instead we headed to take a ride with Ariel under the sea.

 

[jlag1006]

Forgot to mention, we didn’t love the cinnamon roll...DD said she likes the pillsbury ones better. We still finished it though!

 

[jlag1006]

Day 3, cont
At this point, Sam decided to go try to ride Space Mountain for the first time. I gave it another try in January and felt very sick afterward and Jdid not like it either, so she was on her own. Not sure why (I’m guessing because of the 3-seat set-up) but we thought there was a single rider line. There is not.

So instead, she came to join us in the Peoplemover line. I just love the Peoplemover & could ride it over & over again. We had some great views of Tron construction!

After this, it was time for our Seven Dwarfs FP! We were not able to get a FP in January, so we had been looking forward to this! We also had gotten a weather warning, so we decided to hit the beginning of our window in hopes of missing the rain. The trip through the mines was great as always! (Not sure why I look frightened in this photo, I promise I was having a blast)

Next we grabbed lunch at Pinocchio Village Haus. Lunch was fine, nothing special. But Sam was able to grab a table overlooking IASW, so that was fun! By the time we finished eating it was raining, but we had a FP for Buzz and there was a rush of people coming in, so we decided to head out. We were quickly regretting this decision as it went from a light rain to a downpour in no time. Luckily we were able to make a dash toward Cosmic Rays where we were able to get under cover. Eventually we headed inside, used the restroom & made our plan.

It got crowded fast and we decided to head out. We didn’t go far, going right in to Star Traders to look around and this is where we saw some really cute raincoats for the first time. Both kids needed new raincoats so we decided to get them! Pic below is from later in the day...

With our purchases in hand, we decided it was time to head to Buzz. Luckily the rain had slowed a bit. It was on this time through the ride that I finally figured out to hit the targets! Not a racy high score, but well over 100,000 so good for me! When it came time for pics, Sam decided she was more interested in posing then shooting targets.

 

[Darstarr]

Forgot to mention, we didn’t love the cinnamon roll...DD said she likes the pillsbury ones better. We still finished it though!

I love cinnamon rolls. But NOT those!

 

[riverside]

When it came time for pics, DD decided she was more interested in posing then shooting targets.

That is hysterical!!

 

[KellBelle]

I love those rain jackets/ponchos! Where did you get them?

 

[jlag1006]

I love those rain jackets/ponchos! Where did you get them?

We found them at Star Traders, but after that I saw them in shops all over the place.

 

[jlag1006]

That is hysterical!!

She's always pulling out those dancer moves!

 

[maxntina]

Wow, that is quite the pose! Such flexibility!

 

[jlag1006]

Day 3, cont.
After Buzz, DD decided it was time to head to Space Mountain again. In retrospect, we should have had her use the multi-experience FP to ride. Instead, she was in line for at least 90 minutes, texting updates to me the whole time. So the next part is about adventures with DS.

First, we headed to Carousel of Progress, one of DS’s favorites! We enjoyed a lovely show when as we began the turn from the final room, the ride stopped. In the end, we got to see the final scene 2 1/2 times before someone came in to let us out. The funniest part was seeing the animatronics continue moving as the CM made their announcements.

After this, we grabbed a FP for Pirates after DD responded that she was ok with us heading across the park. As we started the ride, we soon knew it wouldn’t be our best. The front half of our boat was taking nearly constant pictures with flash. It was so bad a CM came over the speaker to tell people to stop taking flash pictures. It got better after this, but at least 1 person continued for the whole ride. She’s seven taking a pic in the ride photo!

After this we were ready for a snack. We thought about getting Dole Whip but knew DD would be upset if we went without her, so we grabbed some popcorn instead and then headed in for a Tiki Room show that was about to start. This is another of DS’s favorites and he was really excited to get a seat in the front row.

Sometime in the mix, I picked up a FP for Jungle Cruise, hoping that DD would be ready to meet us in time. We got a text that she was near the front of the line finally so we relaxed and people watched until she finished her ride and crossed the park!

She made it in time and we headed on to Jungle Cruise. Our skipper was fantastic but our fellow guests did not have a sense of humor, so I felt like I was the only one laughing. She even kept a stream of jokes rolling when we were stopped right before the dock for several minutes!

After this, it was definitely time for dole whip! We grabbed our desserts just as a downpour was starting, so we dashed into another showing in the tiki room!

Our final stop before dinner was Mickey’s Philharmagic. We settled in to enjoy and then just before the show started a very large man sat directly in front of me. I couldn’t see anything in the middle part of the screen.

 

[jlag1006]

Day 3, cont.
Before moving on to dinner, I have to back up because I completely forgot that we stumbled on a Peter Pan meet on our way to Philharmagic. PP is seriously one of the best character interactions around. On our trip to Disneyland a couple years ago he was out playing hide & seek and other games with all the kids...we spent a long time enjoying the interaction! Anyhow, this time was great too!

Ok, so back to dinner. We headed to the Plaza Restaurant & when we checked in the said they were running about 30 minutes behind schedule due to people lingering during the rain. They offered bottled water which we gladly accepted. While there, I worked on grabbing some more FP. DS really wanted to try Splash Mountain this trip, but we hadn’t made it yet (full disclosure I’ve never been in Splash!) so I grabbed some for that for after dinner. As we waited, there was a couple nearby who was getting very annoyed with the wait and was complaining loudly. The manager came over to talk with them and ended up giving them FP for the delay. After that, they walked around and gave everyone free FP! We now had 2 anytime FP to use after dinner!

Shortly after that we were called in to be seated, and then within a few minutes the skies opened up again...perfect timing! The kids both ordered Mac & cheese and I got the steak. We were really there for dessert & we really enjoyed our ice cream!

 

[jlag1006]

Day 3, cont
Let’s try again for ice cream pics:

After dinner, we noticed our Splash FP has turned into an any attraction, so we now had 3. We headed to Buzz, but the FP line was INSANE! We decided to head to Monsters Inc. Unfortunately DD scanned her band to use a FP before I could tell her not to bother, so we blew a FP on that. After that, we split up again & Sam headed for another ride on Space Mountain. J & I headed back to Buzz.

J & I finished up first and decided another trip in the TTA might be a good idea. On our way, we got a text that Sam was almost on SM, so we spent some time just enjoying the atmosphere. The announcements for HEA had started and J was glad we were not in the middle of the crowds or too close to the fireworks (he’s not a fan of either).

Soon, Sam has rejoined us & it was just after HEA started so we got to enjoy the fireworks from the TTA!

We had one last FP left and J agreed that it was ok to skip Splash, so we made our way over to Big Thunder Mountain. We didn’t quite miss the post-HEA crowds, but we were able to make it with minutes to spare before our last FP window opened (the FP from the day before wouldn’t work if another FP window was open). We had a nice ride in the wilderness and then headed out of the park with one last destination in mind...Mickey & Minnie in their birthday outfits! This was my request & even though we were all pretty tired, we stopped on our way out & I’m so glad we did!

That was the end of another very full day. We were all looking forward to our break day on Wednesday!

 

[jlag1006]

Day 4, Break Day
For this trip, we purposely planned a day with no parks. We slept in & finally headed down to breakfast around 9. From there, we headed directly to the pool. I was not a huge fan of the pool set up. Even that early it was rather busy so we had to keep walking in & out of gates yo find open chairs. We could see a large group of them but never could find the right gate to get there.

I am honestly not much of a pool person. I swam competitively growing up and I now find I’m not great at being in a pool without swimming laps, lol. I also am not a fan of pool loungers. Yeah, I’m no fun, lol. Sam is also getting to the age where she enjoys to lounge in the sun, so she started there.

This left J to hit the pool by himself, which he wasn’t super excited about. Eventually he did drag Sam in with him & they spent quite a while on the slide & in the pool.

It was quite a busy morning at the pool and the lifeguards were definitely earning their pay that day. We stayed for just a few hours and all of them were in the water at some point with a struggling child.

After the pool, we grabbed some lunch to take back to our room and then took a nice long nap! We had received a notice the day prior that they would be testing the fire alarms for a few days, but luckily none went off that afternoon!