Trip Report THE ONE FOR THE SALTY 16 (and Thanksgiving🍕)*COMPLETE*

Hello again.
It’s me, Darstarr
This latest episode stars the family!
My husband-Ant
Oldest son-X
Middle son and bday boy-AJ
And the youngest son-Dre

November 26-December 1
At.....wait for it...
All Star Sports!

Collective gasp
“But Darstarr, you’re DVC.”
Yes I am DVC and we (I) have made good use out of it this year. However, when I went to book this trip there was nothing available. Nothing!!! OK, nothing in my point range. My boys are big and they hate sharing beds and someone always ends up on the floor. One time my youngest slept on the dining table banquet rather than share the pullout with his brother. It’s vacation, no one should have to sleep on the floor. We didn’t have enough points left for a two bedroom so I began looking around for a room. I found a room at Riverside that slept 5 for about $250/night. We have done the 5 in a room thing there when the kids were smaller and it was cramped. I was not looking forward to that. Then passholder discounts came out and I got two rooms (TWO) at the original A.S.S. for less than the one room at Riverside. 4 beds and 2 bathrooms!!! SOLD!!!


Lets get to it!

Day one- November 26th
The day started like every other school day except it was AJ’s 16th birthday so he opened presents before leaving for school.

“Mom will you pack my new shirt?”

I was suppose to work this day but I had worked the previous Friday, which is usually my day off, so my boss told me to take the day off. Yay! More time to clean the house.

The five of us were flying down on jet blue from JFK. Four of us were returning to ISP on Southwest. Ant took the dog to his father’s then took his car to ISP so it would be there when we landed on the 2nd. (we have a free resident parking sticker).

We debated taking the train to JFK but it was way cheaper to hire a car. The kids got gome from school about 2:15, “the car is here!”
What???
The car wasn't suppose to come until 3:00. Ant was like “lets go”. I was like “dont rush me because if you rush me and I forget something you will be sorry besides he is 45 minutes early so he can wait”. And yes, I said it just like that, as one long run on sentence.
We left at 2:30. I didnt forget a thing.

 

[Darstarr]

Thanksgiving cont

From there we went to the People mover.

It was a nice ride until we stopped.

We were so close. That is the station right there.
And then the fireworks began. We had a great view!

Except for that big tree in the way!!!

We made it off a few minutes later. Ant, X and Dre headed to autopia, er, tomorrowland speedway. I found a nice spot and finished watching the fireworks.

I was in touch with AJ. He was on his way back so I made a Pirates FP for him and Dre.

Ant, X and I headed out.

 

[Darstarr]

Thanksgiving cont

But as we started to leave we realized that was a rookie move. Fireworks just ended and main-street was like the great migration on the Serengeti.
Instead we went to small world.
I am not sure if I am repeating myself (@amjt660 ! You take noteshelp me out) but this is the blue I painted me kitchen. Was it subconscious?

The younger boys texted to say they had tapped into Pirates. I texted them this:

Hey? What happened here???

Please tell me they are being refreshed Or refurbished.
Then we started to leave. But we hadn't had Thanksgiving dessert. (The cannolis were take the gun, leave the cannoli!)
X and I stopped and got all american sundaes. Double chocolate.

So good!!!

I made another FP for the boys for Splash but at 11:30 they weren't feeling it.

We had a double length bus waiting for us. We were the last on (first off!) and they played the Olympic theme. I love love all things Olympic. What a great way to end Thanksgiving!!!

We had a texting family meeting. Do we get up and rope drop MK the next morning? We had just had some bonus MK time so we decided to sleep in the next morning. It would mean not being able to do Seven Dwarfs—my fave in the MK. But the majority carried and we agreed to sleep in.

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

All American with double chocolate?!? Mind blown.

We should call them True Americans.

 

[lindawdw]

I'm glad you were able to get the FOP fastpass and make it work with Pizzafari. That was pretty ridiculous for Disney to allow you to keep that dining reservation when they changed the park hours. They really should have contacted you and offered another suggestion. I would not have been happy with the CM's rushing me during our dinner. I'm glad you wrote a letter to Customer Service about your experience and at least got part of your money back! I try to always compliment a CM when I feel they have gone out of their way but I also let Disney know when things go terrible wrong. I think the show on the TOL at AK was fantastic in December!!! We stood there staring at it until we knew that we had seen every story. Sounds like a fun evening at MK and a perfect way to end your night with a chocolate sundae!!! Sleeping in after a late night at MK sounds good to me!

 

[MickeyCB]

Thank you.
Cue tear trickle again.

You're welcome, and I'm sorry. (No real good emoji for that one).

 

[LisaBelle]

I just binge read your report and am all caught up! The Wild Africa Trek looks like a great experience. I am a big chicken and afraid of heights, so I don't think I'd survive it ! I enjoyed seeing the droids being built. Glad the boys had so much fun with that. I am not a total Star Wars nut but I like it enough that I think it will be a blast to visit Galaxy's Edge. The drinks at Olga's look like a lot of fun. So sorry about your experience with Pizzafari! I completely agree that they should never have allowed your 6:55 ADR when they were closing at 7:00. Glad Disney refunded part of your bill. Love the Tree of Life show. We were mesmerized during our visit in July of 2018. Looking forward to the rest.

 

[amjt660]

Ha ha! Havent you been taking notes???
I referred to All Star Sports as the original A.S.S. at the opening of this TR.

I see an opportunity and I take it

Max

 

[amjt660]

All of @Darstarr ’s boys when at Disney...

Max

 

[SharonD]

I always wondered what it was like to be in Disney World on Thanksgiving - your family made the most of it!!! Thanks for sharing (but I think we will continue trying for low crowd days to visit )

 

[Darstarr]

All American with double chocolate?!? Mind blown.

We should call them True Americans.

View attachment 437029

AJ would love that! He doesn't like chocolate too much but he would eat it because of the name.

 

[Darstarr]

They really should have contacted you and offered another suggestion. I would not have been happy with the CM's rushing me during our dinner. I'm glad you wrote a letter to Customer Service about your experience and at least got part of your money back!

So sorry about your experience with Pizzafari! I completely agree that they should never have allowed your 6:55 ADR when they were closing at 7:00.

This was the reason I wrote the email. Why didnt they notify us??? It was just us, no other tables showed up when we did so it would have been one email or phone call. Not a big deal. Also, for the record, I did not want or expect anything I really wanted them to know they screwed the pooch big time.
I also took the opportunity to compliment all the wonderful CM’s we encountered. There were two in the store on our way out of AK right after dinner who were amazing!!!

 

[Darstarr]

I see an opportunity and I take it

View attachment 437176

Max

We went into the city today to see the King Kong exhibit at the Empire State Building, the tree and the ball. On the way home on the train I said something to X and he asked me why. “This is the way,” was my response and some dude sitting near us, who I thought was sleeping started cracking up. Turned out he was a huge SW nerd.

 

[Darstarr]

All of @Darstarr ’s boys when at Disney...

View attachment 437211


Max

Have you been spying on us???

 

[Darstarr]

I always wondered what it was like to be in Disney World on Thanksgiving - your family made the most of it!!! Thanks for sharing (but I think we will continue trying for low crowd days to visit )

Actually, crowds weren't that bad. We went into the city today and agreed the crowds in time square were worse than WDW last Christmas.

 

[Darstarr]

November 29, 2019


I woke about 7:45....so late!
We had decided not to rope drop and instead make it to MK for our 10:30 breakfast reservation. I have NEVER sat down to eat a proper table service breakfast in the parks. I was raised that it was a waste if time. (My mom was a disney try-hard, the OG!)
I like to do different things and I thought a nice big late breakfast the day after Thanksgiving would be just the thing.

@Loco_driver I started my morning with the nectar of the gods...

This was the cot situation. Showing you all because someone asked if it was tight. Yes, it was tight but manageable.

Bus line selfie (notice that dang pluto shirt on AJ...again)

We got on a bus around 9:30 and arrived 20 minutes later.

Picture! “This one is for the Christmas card so everyone smile! AJ, no gang signs”

It was the day after Thanksgiving so I was officially in the Christmassy (@amjt660 ) spirit.

This was taken by a nice passerby who clearly cant see shadows.

There was so much going on at this late hour.

 

[Darstarr]

November 29 cont

“OK fam, we have a few minutes what shall we do?”
“We are starving! Lets go to breakfast early!”
“It doesnt work that way but ok.”

But first...

I never knew this ladies room was here tucked behind the Plaza. Another first

We checked in about 10 for a 10:30. Crazy. I know. And you know but tell that to my boy’s stomaches. I knew it would be at least a 30 minute wait so I watched the show!

I should have filled Bucky to take the edge off. I wasnt thinking straight. Mom fail.

10:40 we got called. Only 10 minutes past our reservation time. Why do these kids continue to doubt me?

We had a nice table and we got a text from my FIL back home.

Kobe was keeping watch at his front door for us. The torture! Where is that drink menu???

 

[lindawdw]

The Plaza Restaurant is definitely a place where you very rarely get to eat earlier than your reservation time! I bet it felt good to sleep in a bit later this morning. Hope you enjoyed the breakfast.

 

[fractal]

They did a real nice job with those Safari photos!

"we used to be open until 8:00" Really? That was the excuse? Makes my head hurt thinking about it.

 

[Darstarr]

November 29 cont

Our server’s name was Catie and she was great (and yes I wrote a cast member compliment email about her). We had a few hiccups at breakfast that she smoothed over like a pro. Yes, after the dinner we endured last night our bad luck continues with meal time.

Drinks!

The entire breakfast Dre kept bombarding us with trade proposals for our family fantasy football league. This was his year. His team was awesome. This was not my year. Lets see...I had AB, and (no such) Luck for starters. My team got worse from there. Dre won it all last night (IRL) but was an annoying winner all year.

“Mom, accept my trade. Mom, look at my trade.”
“Catie! Another mimosa please!”

What was the weather you ask?

And at home...

Breakfast is served!!!
X, Dre and I got the, ummm, shoot I don't remember the name. I want to say all american but that was the ice cream sundae I had the night before.
Anyhow, we got this...

Yes, something is missing. That empty space is suppose to be home to some delicious mickey waffles.

AJ got a bacon omlette with a side of bacon.

Ant got the poached eggs with lobster. The biscuit is AJ’s.

Were we hungry?

You tell me!

And then...

Then the waffles arrived. Catie said there was a problem with the waffles when they didnt come out on our plates. But there was something seriously wrong with these waffles. They were spotted and heavy. We asked Catie to box them up with a cup of syrup and we would take them to go. She sent over a team leader with his fancy tablet and he gave us all a FP for our trouble with the waffles. I asked what the restrictions were on these FP’s and he assured me they were good on all FP accepting rides and attractions in MK.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train here we come!!!

 

[Darstarr]

November 29 cont

My notes and my pictures are telling me two different stories but when in doubt go with the time stamps.

#purplewall

We hopped on line for the people mover but it broke down (this time we weren't on it). Then I guess we needed a rest from the food coma.

Christmassy!

Messy!

Then we had a FP for Buzz where I kicked Ants butt again.

I was relaxing as I had already maxed out.

Then it was snack time