Trip Report September 2025

OK here goes. We flew in out of JFK (Connecting flight, We actually started in upstate ny) on Delta. I have come to a quick conclusion I don't like JFK. Who designed that anyway. Our gates were so far apart that they told us it would be a mile walk or take the shuttle. We had plenty of time so we took our time and walked, but when we got there our gate had changed and we had to walk back. We were loaded on the plane but sat for quite a while. Our final flight was a hour late landing.

We got to French Quater via the Mears bus about 1:30. Our room wasn't ready so we checked our bags into Bell service and grabbed something to eat. After, DW wanted shop in the store and I stood around and looked bored (I'm good at that when she is shopping).

I recieved a text saying our room was ready in building 4. BUILDING 4!! What a great location. We grabbed our bags (note I tried to tip them but they refused it, HMMM?) and headed to our room. This our first visit with the updated rooms. Loved it. More storage space and a sliding door for the bathroom area. However, with the more counter and storage space the adjoining/connecting door is gone. So if you are traveling with a larger party that has their own room you don't have that option. However, I don't really know if it is still offered in other rooms. No tub just a shower which was fine with us.

We put all our stuff away in the drawers and in the bathroom area and headed to Disney Springs. LOL we must have been tired cause we actually went to the bus stop only to realize we had to use the boat service. We just laughed it off and headed to the dock at the back of the resort.

 

[Tuvalu]

Connecting doors have not been removed, not all rooms have them.

And POFQ has both boat service and bus service to Disney Springs (but the boat is a nicer ride. )

 

[graphite1326]

Connecting doors have not been removed, not all rooms have them.

And POFQ has both boat service and bus service to Disney Springs (but the boat is a nicer ride. )

I didn't know that about the doors in the rooms. I guess we always got a room that had one.

We were planning on using the boat. We just made a mental error and automatically walked to the bus stop realizing what we had done as soon as we got there. Do the buses go to DS even when the boat is running?

 

[Tuvalu]

Do the buses go to DS even when the boat is running?

Buses to DS begin to operate in the morning and operate continuously until DS closes. French Quarter and Riverside share the DS bus.

Boat service has more limited hours of operation - service begins later in the day, and as you discovered does not operate during inclement weather.

Disney wants to make sure guests in all resorts have transportation to DS from open to close; thus the reason those resorts with boat service also have bus service.

 

[graphite1326]

room picture

 

[graphite1326]

I just want to say is that the bed and pillows were very comfortable. I slept very well.

 

[graphite1326]

Our first full day we went to Animal Kingdom. We did the early entry and of course headed to Flight of Passage.

We walked on FoP. It pays to get there early. After getting off FoP we walked over to Navi River Journey. This ride was also a walk on. I know a lot of people here don't care for this ride but I like it. I would like to see some more animatronics though.

We were going to do Expedition Everest but decided, because of where we were, Kilimanjaro Safari was a better choice. We usually do this attraction later in the day. Everyone always says that the animals are out more in the moring. They are wrong. I was disappointed with how many animals we saw and have seen more later in the day. Of course we did the Gorilla Falls trail right after. This is always a good attraction. Sometime I'm just going to take this trail and spend a good hour walking through.

I checked the EE wait times and it was still at 5 minutes. It was wrong. It was less than 5 minutes. Pretty much a walk on. Great ride. I'm 69 years old and still like doing rides like this. Most of my friends won't.

Since it was righ there we went toThe Great Bird Adventure. From there we headed to Dinasour. Also a walk on.

I did not get any Lightning Lanes for AK. Why would anyone with the crowds like this.

Lunch at Flame Tree BBQ. I've been going to WDW since 1996 and this is the first time I have eaten here. I got the Ribs and chicken combo. $15.99? That has to be the best deal in all the parks. Too much food but it was very good. I'd like to say that many people here say that the food prices are too high. I don't see it. A burger and fries is usually $14.99 which is pretty much what you would pay if you went out for a burger anywhere (we are not talking about the McDonalds type burgers. The burgers at WDW are better and bigger).

WE went to Fesival of the Lion King after lunch.

From there we to Maharajah Jungle Trek.

We decided we didn't feel like getting wet on Kali River Rapids and decided to also skip the train ride to Conservation Station.

AH! EE only has a 25 minute wait. lets get on it. We got in line and was about 10 minutes into it they announced due to bad weather it was closing. We decided not to wait and to head to Hollywood Studios. So we walked out to the HS bus station. Lucky for us we only waited about 5 minutes. Sometimes the day just goes your way.

 

[Dave B]

Cant wait to hear, and 1st!!!

 

[graphite1326]

Sorry for taking so long I was having trouble downloading pictures.

To pick up where I left off: we headed to Hollywood Studios. I check the app for wait times and Smugglers Run was less than 30 minutes. We made a B-line for the ride (does anyone know what b-line really means?) We got in line and it was less than 30 minutes. I have ridden this a few times and for some reason I just don't find this ride that good. Maybe it's because you're concentrating on doing your job and can't pay attention to the screen. Or maybe the bumps after you hit something and the fast turns just don't seem real enough. I've been the pilot once and didn't enjoy that either. I really don't know. This may be a ride I skip in the future.

Rise of the Resistance had a long wait time. We knew we were coming back to HS so we headted to Toy Story Midway Mania. The wait time here was also posted at 30 minutes and proved to be about right. My DW beat me again. However, my cannon or whatever it's called didn't seem like it was shooting straight. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

From there we headed over to RockNRollercoaster and Tower of Terror. It was kinda a flip of a coin which to do first cause neither wait times were very long. Not even 30 minutes. We did ToT first and by the time we got to RnRcoaster the wait time got longer. We did the single rider lines and somehow got on the same train. Awesome ride and I am going to be sad to see Aerosmith leave. I hope it doesn't have the same affect on me that Splash to Tiana had. That ride just isn't the same. It doesn't tell a good story like Song of the South did. We will get into that when I get to MK.

We grabbed a burger Catalina Eddies as we decide what to do next.

DW wanted to do a little shopping along the way so we took our time and enjoyed the park. She would shop and I would stand outside and people watch.

We did one more ride at HS. Star Tours. Ya know I like this ride and hope they never take it out. But it seems I am one of the few since the wait time is always a walk on when I'm there.

It was getting late and we decided to head back to our resort. Tomorrow at Magic Kingdom.

That old duffer is me with my back to the camera lower left.

 

[Tuvalu]

Beeline is the quickest, most direct route between two points. It stems from the belief that a bee flies directly back to its hive in a straight line.