Trip Report The Boys Only Trip-The Real Report

Welcome to the full blown trip report for the Skekel Boys! Not that tiny little pre trip report previously seen...

So the back story...there is a lot so sit back and enjoy the show!

The players
Me (46): aka Jon, Dad, Boyfriend, ex husband, son....soon to be grandp....no no no...that's not happening anytime soon!!!! Proud Disney Adult

Jonathan Jr (16)- 3rd trip (3,10 and now 16 years old)....very excited...future Disney Adult....stay tuned

Alexander (10)- 2nd trip (4 and 10)... Aka AJ...doesn't remember a thing about WDW.

The Missing Players:

Ciera (18): eldest of the clan and Senior in High school... didn't want to come but maybe in the future??? Doubtful...where did I go wrong

Michelle (45): new addition to the clan...aka Mom and Girlfriend, certified Disney Adult


Heidi (17): Daughter of Michelle and our companion last trip (Sept '23) we are working on converting into a Disney Adult...open to it???

More backstory:

Michelle and I met on a Disney Facebook Single Adults Group...yep we are that couple. She has been quoted saying well.atleast if I meet him on there I will have one big thing to talk about and we did! We haven't stopped talking since January of '21. We went on our first trip together in May of '21...it was a make or break trip...I guess we work...survive Disney and now know we can survive anything. We have gone every year we have been together except '24. She wanted to go but she always felt Mom Guilt for going with out her daughter. She was certainly missed since she is an amazing planner and so much fun to be around. My first time going to Disney without my significant other since I was a teenager.

As I think a lot of us had done, my ex and I planned our fifth trip to WDW in 2020. May of 2020....stupid pandemic ruined those plans...so I wanted to take my kids again. So this trip was a makeup...and now I know so much more.

If you saw my pre trip report you can see my thought process and how much my boys helped with it. Let's not rehash that!!

Next Chapter: Pre trip nightmares and no Jack Skellington in those nightmares......stay tuned !!!

 

[rshell68]

Looking forward to hearing about the trip...Go Bears!

 

[skek2570]

Pre-Game Madness:

So Chapter 2 is where the conflict begins in many stories...well we had conflict...mostly mental

I bought our park tickets through UT and got great pricing (child prices for adult tickets) and I can use my Capital One points on those tickets..saving me about $1300... thankfully UT knows had to code transactions to help us Disney travellers. Little did I know until 30 days that I would get charged for our room (Pop Century) during the trip...little did I know it would come out on Day 1....wow what shock to wake up to a $1100 charge on your CC. I panicked but I remembered I had transferred everything to my card the night before so I had plenty of money...no worries but that sent me on a tailspin. I don't know about you all but I get in my own head sometimes. I started questioning everything and had a full blown anxiety driven melt down. Those who don't know me I don't crack under pressure....it's my job not to....but I did here. I deal with real emergencies from time to time...building and people emergencies. This is nothing.

I really started to miss my partner and regrets started going through my head....should I have done this by myself??? Are the boys going to have fun??? Did I budget enough??? Why did Disney charge me $100 more than I owed for the room??? Is the flight going to be ok???? What happens if we crash and the boys survive but I don't???? Oh yeah I went off the deep end a little...for a hour or so my heart rate was racing and I was not doing well. Finally meditated and calmed down and got back to normal. I can feel my neck tightening just reliving it.

Once I got moving and finished packing, I got better. I went and picked up the boys from school...How great am I of a Dad...no work for me but you two have to go to school .

PA seasonal allergies are rough at this time of the year and AJ gets them bad. He has been coughing for two weeks and I knew it would get better once we left the Lehigh Valley but I was concerned about the flight and trip and whether he would feel ok and didn't get too many states for his coughing. Got the gum and cough drops for the plane and off we go to Newark Airport (EWR)....

To be continued....

Next Chapter....Flight Fiasco...

 

[skek2570]

Looking forward to hearing about the trip...Go Bears!

Ha ha...Bear Down... amazing how many Bears fans I saw during the trip....we are coming out of hiding

 

[cgersic]

So excited we get to finally read about the trip - sounds like it's going to be exciting!!!

 

[skek2570]

So excited we get to finally read about the trip - sounds like it's going to be exciting!!!

I guess we will see....it was full of fun and excitement but also frustration and anger...and a few tears. Stay tuned!!

 

[skek2570]

Day 1 Flight Fiasco....

We are on the road to Newark and all is going smoothly. The boys are both excited...well it seems like they are. I asked them both...AJ being the calm kid he is says...sure..... I swear that kid barely shows emotions...but I did see a smile crack his face. So those of you that are not familiar with Newark Airport it is like most other Northeastern cities and an absolute maze of roads. Every trip I miss a turn and since I go to different parking lots each time (Yes I am cheap) it gets confusing. I missed the turn as usual and the GPS was just confused. We finally find the place and pull in. It was very disorganized but once we get the luggage on the bus we are on our way.

We had a great group of fellow travelers, one couple going to Italy for their honeymoon and a group of older friends going to Ireland. They were all talking about how excited they would be to be going to Disney! I think it helped the boys get even more excited. All the world travelers telling them they would gladly trade destinations was really cool. Great start to the trip.

TSA is always a nightmare and with the boys I was a little concerned it would be a mess. Thankfully I have TSA Precheck! The process took under 3 minutes and we were on our way through the terminal! Both of them did very well and everything was going smoothly.


We were about an hour early so we grabbed some food and ate before we got on the plane so again no issues. Our flight was supposed to be 3 hours but I know this flight is typically 2 hours so I was hopeful that it would go smoothly. Boarding started a little early and we got on with zero issues...but this is where it starts to get a little messy. JetBlue has screens for each seat and of course...mine isn't working. I ask the flight attendant if she can do anything and she was rude and dismissive but I give them a lot of grace due to their jobs being awful lately. Thankfully it wasn't the boys seats that didn't work. That's a bigger issue. Wow did I wish I brought a book. Once I get on Flyfi I will be fine. Boarding went fast! On the plane and doors closed 20 minutes early...this never happens....but let's take it!
AJ was very nervous about flying...at first. The takeoff was smooth and Off We Gooo!!!! Super smooth flight, it updated that we would be arriving about 30 minutes early. Again no complaints here. Except the plane was dingy and dirty. The tray tables were gross, the pocket was gross, even the safety card...which I still read with the flight attendants...was gross.

AJ did start having coughing fits on the plane and we were starting to get looks...I felt like writing a sign....it's just allergies... don't worry! Poor kid also got his first experience with the lane restrooms. Since I walked him up I figured I would use them and whoops I forgot....being 6' 3" tall (almost 2 m for our international friends) they are not easy to use. I know TMI but it made me laugh.

Flight was bumpy but we arrived 50 minutes early....pilot had the afterburners going!!!

Funniest part of the trip was AJ stole my seat....I'm very particular about being at the window seat...I have always been that way since I was a kid. I made him move back to the middle. When we first took off he was scared of the height....but at 35000 ft....no worries, I want to look outside

Ok so Fiasco was a strong word but a smooth flight makes me nervous. When will the trip mess up happen.

Boarding and getting off the plane are always such a pain. Why are people so impatient. It took a lot of biting my tongue to not rip into a couple grown men and women that decided that running over my kids to get off the plane was necessary. Drives me nuts.

Got our Lyft and off we go to get my favorite picture of each trip... although the sun didn't want to cooperate today.

Our driver did slow down so I could grab a bunch of pictures. That was the best one! He got a little better tip because of that move. Smart !!

If you ready the pre trip you may remember my desire to get in 70s buildings at POP...well we didn't. We got 80s and also first floor . Not happy about that. I knew it was super busy so I didn't complain instead I decided let's have fun with it. Hopefully we were on the quiet side and let's just make the best of it....well we got a great spot! It was quiet and close to the path to the skyliner! If I was going to pick a spot in 80s I think we found it!

Welcome Home!!!! Always gets me

Next up....First Night Fun...it got a little late

 

[skek2570]

First Night Fun....

So after arriving to the hotel and getting a little settled I wanted the boys to get the experience of Skyliner. Called it their first ride!

....I definitely knew that the speed would get them initially....! So funny!
So I wanted to take them somewhere that they would enjoy so I went to my other favorite resort. Port Orleans French Quarter! Time for some Jambalaya and Beignets!!

For those who don't know me...I am obsessed with Cajun cuisine. In 2022 Michelle and I stayed sat POFQ and in 2023 we took a trip to New Orleans. I love that food and think that POFQ does a pretty good job with it.

So we took the Skyliner to HS and then took a bus to POFQ. It was so nice to get back there. Some really great memories at this resort! The food was good. Jonathan and I got Jambalaya and AJ really went crazy to tried something new....pizza! Kids

As we were sitting there I could tell AJ was getting tired. He gets very quiet and I knew it was a busy day so I should have considered that. Plus rope drop in the morning....maybe it wasn't a great idea. Too late at this point. We got the beignets to go and when they brought them out it was Jon and Michelle that they called for at the same time. Of course we all looked around like...wait she is here!! Sadly no she wasn't but we all laughed cause we thought the same thing! She was definitely missed by all of us.

Back to hotel to eat our powdery sugar goodness. Thankfully we just missed the close of HS so the line wasn't long to get back on the Skyliner! Back to the hotel quickly and then bed! We are rope dropping and MK early entry is at 7:30. Sleep fast kids... tomorrow is going to be fun!!!

Next up Magic Kingdom...part 1....the beginning of and amazing day!

 

[MinnieM123]

I'm glad that you and the boys arrived safely. Now -- go have more fun!!

 

[skek2570]

I'm glad that you and the boys arrived safely. Now -- go have more fun!!

Thanks! It's just the beginning! Another post coming soon!!

 

[skek2570]

Magic Kingdom Day...Part 1

I am a rope dropper. I always thought I was prior to the pandemic but I actually only rope dropped once and it was with the old magic kingdom show up at the rail station at the main entrance. I don't remember it being like it is now but I do miss that old show. It was a great way to start the day! Anyone else remember that?

So as a rope dropper, the 7:30 am early entry time kills me. I don't sleep much on the first day and this trip wasn't the exception. I set my alarm for 5:30 am and another one at 6 am for the boys. I figure 30 minutes is enough time to get dressed, eat out protein bars and out the door to get the bus. Being the overachiever I am I woke up at 4:30 am and couldn't fall back to sleep....too excited. I'll spare you the details but needless to say all three of us were up and out of the room by 6:45 and heading to the buses. I wasn't pleased that we were a little late but hoped it wouldn't bite us too much. Thankfully the bus was there and there weren't too many people in line so we jumped on and we were off to MK!!

On the bus was time for VQ for Tron and first lightening lane of the day. No issues got in group 79 for Tron...figured on late morning for call back...boy was I wrong but more on that later. LL we got Space Mountain at 9:50.

Bus trip went smoothly and we head up through the security checkpoint with no issues except people not understanding the simple instructions of keep walking and single file. We headed to the middle to get in the shorter line to tap in and waited about 5 minutes until they started to let people in. AJ and Jonathan got through with no issues and we are heading down Main Street USA! I know it's been said a million times but there is nothing better than the morning walk down main street with no one around. We got to the queue point for Fantasyland and we were in a good place. Now the wait in line so we don't have to wait in line.

Ready to go and in a great spot to start the day right. I am not one to push people out of the way at rope drop and because I am 6'3" and 260 you would think people would steer clear....nope people love to be right up my butt. Seems to be the worst at MK too.

AJ helping Dad take a picture

The line starts moving in a disorderly fashion and we get to Seven dwarfs pretty quickly. Maybe a 10 minute wait in total from rope drop to on the ride. We had a good ride. It's not my favorite but it was a rollercoaster and the boys tended to be scared of them...until this week!!!

Off that one and instead of trying for another mountain, we instead decided to do Peter Pan Flight! Right choice! 10 minutes later and just at park open we got through two of the worst lines already! I'm super happy!

We had predetermined that we would head to Adventureland after park open to knock out some of the favorites. We moved at about 33 mph which makes us one of the top 5 fastest land mammals which learned all about in our Jungle Cruise.

My sense of humor is perfect for Jungle Cruise. I'm the guy laughing loudly on each trip. I know the ride goes on for Niles and Niles and Niles but it's so worth it. Even better it was 8:05 and we got a walk on....that never happens!!! Great skipper and fun ride! Sets my mood right. Next up...Pirates!

A little family history lesson. As a child my mother loved one ride above the rest. It was always the first ride and it didn't matter how long the line was because back then (80s)...that's what you did, stand in line all day. You ask was it Pirates...nope...Haunted Mansion...nah... 20,000 Leagues under the sea....that was no one's favorite... So my Mom made us wait in the two hour line for It's a Small World before we could go on another ride. Horrible!!! Needless to say....that ride is my most hated by far! More on that later!

So when my ex and I were first here on our honeymoon we decided that Pirates was to be our first ride of the day every trip. That would be our tradition as well as taking the ferry in each day. Early Entry killed that! Jonathan asked if we would do that again and as we all know that's not possible in Early entry time frame so we had to change it up. Fourth ride down and it was a little after 8:30! Still close enough to the first ride! Nice!



Last ride for Part one is the Haunted Mansion! Looked at Genie + and we saw 13 minutes...love walk on's...so we joined spirit world and knocked out most of my must do's and it was 9:15 am! First time seeing the Hatbox ghost and really liked it!

Great Start to our first day!

Up next Part 2 of MK day...Dole Whips and surprises!

 

[skek2570]

Part 2

We have had a very successful day so far and we still have not used a Lighting Lane. Walk ons all morning so far. We did schedule a Space Mountain Lighting Lane but **Surprise** it look like it is down! We get the notification that your day has been updated and what did we get but a Bonus LL! That made me very happy but I also knew I had to make sure to not misuse it on a lesser ride by tapping in early! So we figured let's look at BTMR....no dice...it's down as well. So we decide to head to tomorrowland and start hitting some of those rides...Tomorrowland speedway, Buzz Lightyear, Peoplemover, Monster Inc Laugh Floor all on the list so let's see how many we can knock out.

Speedway first as it's another walk on. I have so many fond memories of myself as a kid and my two older kids driving these. So taking AJ on it was exciting.

He hated it... can't you tell. Not too much whiplash either. The 16 year old did worse....made me nervous.

Hate the smell and wouldn't mind them eventually switching to electric but there is some nostalgia of the sounds and smells of this ride.

Peoplemover next...not AJs favorite but I love it. Earlier in the day than I like but it's still nice and peaceful. I was hoping for a lights on Space Mountain since it was still down but no luck.

AJ has a natural shyness about him and I have been working with him to be more vocal and assertive and I noticed he didn't like all the cast members wishing him a Happy Birthday. He would say thank you but under his breath and with his head down. We talked a.little about that and I told him to make sure the people know you are saying thank you. Speak up! Be proud that all these people want to wish you a happy birthday...we will see if it works.

Laugh Floor is ridiculous and I love it. The boys enjoyed it but it's not a fav. On to Buzz Lightyear....time to try to get Galactic Hero....I went alone so I could control the cart. I was close but still short. I will get it!!! The boys weren't even close.

As we were coming out of Buzz...we noticed..uh oh...the crowds have started to show up...it was 11:00 am so I wasn't upset at all. We had free reign of the park and knocked out a bunch of rides so far. Time to swing back over to Adventureland and get the first snack
...my absolute favorite....Dole Whip Float! AJ and I got floats and Jonathan got the Tropical Serenade. All enjoyed them!! BTMR had just reopened so I grab a LL for 1:00 pm. So as we ate I played the Genie Slots! Winner winner chicken dinner! I got it down to 11:50 am. Time for BTMR...got a picture of Tiana's as well as people were still not in that area yet. I am so sad that it wasn't open yet. I am so excited for the new ride. That move was the first movie we took my daughter too in a theater and my crazy love for Cajun cuisine and culture makes this one of my favorite princess movies. Very excited! Loved Splash but I am really ok with update!

So at this point I check on the Tron group number that has been called...it's in the 50s still. Are you kidding me! We are at midday already and still haven't gotten on yet. So we took the railroad for quick run over to Storybook Circus and time to go see Ariel... Michelle's favorite...although she really obsessed with Ursula more! Starting to get the need for food so we go for a quick walk to Columbia Harbour House. Another family favorite. I wanted to space out our food since we have Liberty Tree tonight and that a lot of food!!

Found a table in the corner upstairs to eat and chill. Hopefully we get the call for the boarding group soon....it in the 60s when get to CHH. We ate and felt much better but the group still hasn't been called so we decided to chill in the AC for a little bit more. Once we got to group 75 we decided it was time and we did jump on Mickey's Philharmagic on the way to Tron. Fun show!

Off to Tron!!!

It's time to Rant! Why do you have a VQ and ILL...it's basically a standby line at that point. Freaking cash grab! It took over an hour to get through this line. I was not happy about it. I don't remember having that issue with any other VQ. Rise/Guardians/7DMT were not this bad! We got stuck in a very annoying spot too. Rant over...don't get me started again. Not a fan of VQ systems this trip at all. Thankfully the boys had eaten and were just enjoying the AC. We were all very excited for the ride.

Finally make our way to the loading area and can I say the queue line theming is amazing! Especially at the end of it. This was my first time on the ride! I almost didn't get on. I am big and tall, have bad knees and very big calves. So it was difficult and uncomfortable for me but with some assist from the cast members, I was in. Off we went. I really enjoyed this ride! Love the speed. Definitely enjoyed! Not my favorite ride overall though. The boys really liked it. I was nervous about them but they are showing to have grown up and really are enjoying the rides!

We were all spent after the long wait so we decided to head back to Pop for a break and nap. We all needed it.

End of part 2...Thanks for staying tuned...it's a lot of info!!!

Next....last part of MK day! Tons of food and fireworks

 

[MinnieM123]

Glad your boys enjoyed the Speedway, and you had fond memories of it from years ago. I've always liked it -- real old timey attraction.

Hope you get a chance at some point, to go on Space. That's another favorite coaster, but I find the track rougher than years ago. Still fun, regardless. Big Thunder is also a "must do" coaster, and hopefully that will be back on line soon, if you try it again.

Tron looks like fun (I haven't been down to WDW in 5 years, so haven't experienced that new attraction yet.)

Happy to hear that you found a quiet table upstairs at CHH. It's particularly relaxing there during non-peak meal hours.

 

[skek2570]

Glad your boys enjoyed the Speedway, and you had fond memories of it from years ago. I've always liked it -- real old timey attraction.

Hope you get a chance at some point, to go on Space. That's another favorite coaster, but I find the track rougher than years ago. Still fun, regardless. Big Thunder is also a "must do" coaster, and hopefully that will be back on line soon, if you try it again.

Tron looks like fun (I haven't been down to WDW in 5 years, so haven't experienced that new attraction yet.)

Happy to hear that you found a quiet table upstairs at CHH. It's particularly relaxing there during non-peak meal hours.

Thanks! I do love the speedway even though it's normally a ride I skip when the kids are with me. It's most nostalgic for me.

Tron is definitely a fun ride! You will enjoy when you get back!

Stay tuned still more to come and thanks for following!!

 

[skek2570]

Part 3 of MK day....

After a nice break that included all of us taking a quick nap we felt refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of the day!

At this point we still had Space Mountain to ride but other than that our must do's were all done and we can start thinking about riding rides again that we didn't use LL on and then get ready for fireworks.

Dinner reservation is at Liberty Tree! A little history for me with this restaurant. When I first started coming back as an adult I got advice to buy the Birnbaum Book...as a renewed first timer it was helpful in some ways and this was before I found this site so many years ago. The book called it a Stouffer's thanksgiving meal. So it was immediately off the table. We instead went to Crystal Palace as our table service meal especially when the kids were young and still into Winnie the Pooh. When Michelle and I went on our first trip together in May '21 she insisted that we got to Liberty Tree. It was her favorite which was mind blowing to me. I questioned her foodie prowess. Boy was I wrong! I have gone now everytime I go to MK. I am a big meat eater and that dessert is amazing! Needless to say...after that I learned to trust her on the opinions with food at WDW. She's good!!

Back to 2024...the boys and I were a little slow to get moving after the nap(this will be a theme everyday) and I had to get them moving so we could make our reservation. The Tron delays threw off our timing so we didn't get that much needed extra half hour of napping in. We got on the bus and I knew we were cutting it close. Heading to security and I got flagged. We don't know why since all I had in my bag was water bottles and ponchos no different than the morning. A little annoying but we still made it to our reservation on time...sort of...2 min late.

I love the theming of this restaurant. Colonial times and the period pieces on the walls and the costumes of the cast members are great. Dinner was great as always. My kids usually devour Mac and Cheese but they barely touched it. They wanted the veggies, meat and potatoes. Who are these kids! I showed them the little trick of putting the cranberry sauce on the turkey and they both loved that! The pot roast was the big winner in our book! Now for dessert...this toffee, chocolate cookie with ice cream on it is wonderful! I think my favorite dessert! And of course they added a nice surprise for AJs birthday! He didn't like it at all! Can't you tell!

After dinner I was trying to figure out what we had left to do. We did the majors and most of the secondary rides too. It was about 7:15 when we left the restaurant so we had a good hour and a half left. So we decided we would go to the tiki room (a first for the boys) and hit up Pirates again because.....well just because...and then head to do Winnie the Pooh and Space Mountain!

Tiki Room is what it is. I enjoy the break from the heat and it's not a bad show at all. Pirates was just as good as last time and Winnie the Pooh is a favorite of mine. The boys didn't care to go on it but AJ did make me laugh when he said ...I'm so scared before we got on. Goofy kid! Space Mountain was great as always.

My funny story with Space Mountain is that it was my first coaster as a kid. I was not a big fan of any drops or super fast rides when I was younger. I think my Mom's fear made me very afraid. I was 7 or 8 when I went on the first time and I told my Dad I was going to do great. Well, my Dad laughed the whole time. I screamed and cried. I hated it. I'm hated coasters for awhile until I went to Six Flags Great adventure with my friends as a kid. I wasn't going to be the only one left out of rides so I tried them and absolutely loved it. The original Batman ride made me love thrill rides and I am an enthusiast now!

The boys both liked it (AJs first time) but after Tron this seems very tame. Great way to end our rides for the day!

I am not a big fireworks show guy. I always said I would match rather hit the rides while the fireworks are going...short lines! Michelle once again loves them and made me watch them the last few times. Enchantment was good...fun but not amazing. Happily ever after...is next level and gets me everytime . Yep...I am a big softie and I warned the boys to expect it. I don't mind showing them that emotions are ok. They have a softer side of them and they should feel ok with showing their emotions! Just like their Dad!

Even though the park was open until 11pm. We decided we did enough and we have to get up super early for FOP tomorrow morning as we have another 7:30 early entry at AK. Time to head back after a very long but exciting and fun day!

Something I forgot....AJ lost his Magicband on the speedway and we were halfway across the park before we realized it. We ran back over and thankfully a cast member had found it and they had it! I really didn't want to get another one for him but I would have.

Our Favorites:
AJ- most of the day it was Seven Dwarfs until Tron and they were still close at the end of the day...but after all the BTMR won out.
Jonathan- Tron with BTMR a close second
Me: Tron and Pirates...nostalgia gets me

Back to the room and no one fell asleep on the bus which we got on the first one!!!! Love that! Showers and Bed! I'm used to 4-6 hours of sleep but they are not. This will be interesting in the morning!

Next up a less verbose AK day!!!! Or will it be... Thanks for following along with us!

 

[skek2570]

Day 2....Animal Kingdom Day...

Welcome back! Let's jump right into our adventures at AK...and a little more snarkiness from your author

The alarm going off at 5:30 am was way to quick! For some reason though, I had no trouble getting out of bed and getting ready! The boys on the other hand were a little slow to get moving! I was trying to get them out of bed early enough because I knew that pretty much everyone going for early entry is going for FOP. I prepped them for the fast walk and that AJ needed to stay with me. For the most part the cattle call isn't too bad at AK but there are always those over zealous folks that are a little nuts.

We left the room about 5 minutes after I wanted to and we missed the bus so we had to wait for the next one. I knew we would be a little further back than I like to be. We will survive especially at this park. No LL to.worry about just trying to have as much fun as possible.

Finally after waiting a little too long we got going to AK. We were definitely a little further back than I wanted to be in line. Oh well! We will still be able to get on everything hopefully.

We moved quickly through the tap in and hustled our way to Pandora. Another stop point right before you get to Pandora. So we filled in the area and after about 5 minutes a family nearly knocks over AJ to sneak their way up closer to the front. Jerks. No patience! Love the Dad who has the backpack on and whips it around in a crowd like there is no one near him. Thankfully no permanent injury and I put myself in between this dope and my boys. I got hit a few times without an apology but the death stare he got should have been enough for this guy to realize when in a crowd don't act like a jerk. Know your surroundings!!

I digress....the line into FOP was normal. The boys loved the theming and the whole area of Pandora. It is very beautiful and unique. The ride is fantastic and quickly a favorite of the boys! Park open was at 8 and we didn't get off the ride till after 8 so we took the back way to the Africa and the Safari. I know some people like the other Pandora ride but I just can't waste my time on it.


Safari is always one of my favorites. There was a short line but we got on pretty quickly but then the day gets derailed. Our driver was fantastic but it all started with the Giraffes, especially Lucy. I guess she is the giraffe that loves to hold up the tour. Well we got stuck on the road between the Crocs and the Savannah section for about 15 minutes. It was ok. It was shaded and comfortable. It wasn't too bad. I just knew the Everest was going to start filling up and I wanted to get over there. The rest of the safari went well until the very end. Something happened and we got stuck for another 20 minutes just outside the unloading area. This was a bit more frustrating. So since we are waiting to unload...time for a quick sidebar....I asked Jonathan if he remembers the old safari before they made it tame. I loved the old one where you chased down the poachers! Crazy collapsing bridge and everything. Still love the ride but it made it a little more fun. Anyone else feel that way? Uh we moved a little and we get pushed to unload at the second section so that's just great...wait another 5 minutes but eventually we are off the truck and heading to Everest.

The wait time for the Safari was over 60 minutes so people started going elsewhere which means they all went to Everest. Kali also broke down...which I found surprising...so a park with very few rides to start with was all heading to Everest. The wait was 40.minutes but I told the boys it won't take that long. Once again as we waited in line it just added to AJ and Jonathan 's nerves. I was concerned they would back out of the ride but they were good to their word. They are trying everything!

Finally after about 25 minutes we get to the front and once again....AJ's scared. This time for real though. Uh oh! Hopefully the Yeti doesn't smell fear

The ride is great! I have always loved this coaster! Theme of the queue is great, the actual ride is great and Disco Yeti is sooo fun! The boys absolutely love it! No Genie plus so no ride pictures but they were comical. AJ looked petrified!

We continue our walk around AK...head out of Asia and go to my least favorite eye sore...Dino Land. We talked about the new land that can't come soon enough and all agreed that Indiana Jones will be a great addition! Encanto...we could careless. Next up was Dinosaur.

This could have been such a good ride but I never liked it. It was a 10 minute wait and we laughed through the ride. I know some people get scared on this ride....not us....although now we are all saying it in line. I'm so scared!

After our ride of whiplash, it was time for my old favorite....it's tough to be a bug...I really enjoy this silly show.

I also got to enjoy a stupid guest that couldn't follow simple rules and ended up trying to sneak back out of the entrance, jumped a rope and caught her foot so enjoy that face plant into the concrete...dummy. She got up and yelled at the cast members and of course whined...most magical place on earth my ....idiots. It was good for a chuckle as we waited to go in.

Last time I did this show, Hopper wasn't working so I was really happy it was this time. I will miss this one but I am looking forward to the new Zootopia show. It should be a fun one! The bugs leaving the theater is still my favorite part though.

At this point we decided let's go to Lion King and then head back for a break. It was 11:30 so the show just started. Food time! Flame Tree...a family favorite. Mobile order time.

Sidebar.... I wonder if anyone else feels this way. During slower times it's just not worth it. Faster to go through the regular line. It might be all the time, too? Thoughts?

The BBQ was decent but felt less than stellar this time. We were super hungry too. Just wasn't amazing. It does lose its luster when you get a cups of Ken's BBQ sauce instead of the pumps of sauce they used to have. Even if it's the same thing it's just better out of a pump....like at Regal Eagle...I hope....

Off to Lion King. I really like this show but haven't seen it since 2018. I don't know if they changed it. We will see. We got in line and boy do feel bad for the cast members. Fill in all available space is such a hard concept for the guests. I don't understand that issue but I think they announced that 50 times while we waited.

We did get in with no issue and enjoyed a great show. Lots of fun just like I remembered! Boys enjoyed it but after the long day at MK we were all ready for a nap and then head back for Yak and Yeti at 4.

Always a great time to stop and take a break from writing. So I will!

I'm sure you noticed the lack of pictures. Yeah I am bad with that! Jonathan was supposed to help with that...stinker keeps forgetting...teenagers

Up next... finished AK and a relaxing night in prep for EPCOT.

Thanks again for following along!

 

[MinnieM123]

So since we are waiting to unload...time for a quick sidebar....I asked Jonathan if he remembers the old safari before they made it tame. I loved the old one where you chased down the poachers! Crazy collapsing bridge and everything. Still love the ride but it made it a little more fun. Anyone else feel that way?

Yes! It was a fun part of the "show" along that ride, and I could never figure out why they took it out. Oh well. Anyway, glad you all enjoyed the rest of the safari -- despite the holdups by a few animals blocking the road!

I like FOP, but my favorite ride (aside of K. Safari), is Everest -- that is a complete blast! Festival of the Lion King is one of the best shows on WDW property, IMO. Happy to hear you all enjoyed it.

 

[erstwo]

Loving the report! I always have trouble remembering to take pictures too. Seems like everyone is still having a blast despite the late nights and early mornings!

 

[skek2570]

Loving the report! I always have trouble remembering to take pictures too. Seems like everyone is still having a blast despite the late nights and early mornings!

Thanks for following our adventures! At this point in the trip everyone was doing well and the trip had a just small hiccups...more to come!!

 

[skek2570]

Part 2 of AK day....

We could all feel a little exhaustion as we got back to the room and laid down we all crashed quickly! When I got up an hour later we felt better but still tired. Definitely was not feeling like fighting through crowds or lines. The trip back to AK was quick and we were heading up to Yak and Yeti. Early dinner at 4:15 but I think an earlier day will definitely be appreciated.

Dinner was good as always here. I got the Tikka Masala, AJ had Sweet and sour chicken and Jonathan got Chicken Teriyaki. All were tasty. AJ was a little shocked.bynthe different taste from the stuff we get at home but it was better than I thought it would be. The best part of the meal was our server, Sean. He was very good. He had a couple crazy tables but he was on point. He also looked familiar and I asked.if he had been working there awhile and he had been. I think Michelle and I had him as a server before. The servers can make all the difference in a meal! Big tip on top of many thanks!!

Checking on the app to see wait time and I was not seeing anything that was worth waiting for since we did all the rides already and shows were done at this point. We made the executive decision to head back and go swimming. Short Day at AK!

Back at the hotel, we went to the computer pool and got to rest and reset. Enjoyable evening! AJ loves being in a pool! He gets super hyper. It funny. When he was little he would act like he was all hopped up on caffeine and sugar. Tigger in a pool...loves bouncing He just loves the water. Silly kid.

After the pool we decided we would try and watch a movie and relax because EPCOT was tomorrow. So in prep for Cosmic Rewind we watch the original Guardians of the Galaxy. Such a fun movie! We all love it.

Off to bed early...plan for tomorrow is to be up and out of the room at 7 for the skyliner to EPCOT. I know there will be a line so we are prepped and ready to go.

Crazy side note....I recently had surgery on my legs to remove some "very angry" vericose veins and I have osteoarthritis in both my knees. These trips are usually murder on my legs....funny thing is I forgot to take any pain meds that morning. I didn't realize it until later and my knees were swollen but not too bad. Maybe they are in much better shape and the pre trip conditioning of my legs may have helped more than I thought.

Next up....worst day of the trip...almost