Trip Report WDW Trip #8 - Insert Snappy Title Here

Well, I've decided I can't keep this under my hat for much longer. So, here we go.

Hello everyone, and welcome aboard this WDW trip report. Join me as I will relay to you the story of my next WDW trip before, during and after. Though this will be my eighth visit to WDW, it will also be my first since joining this forum. Furthermore, I have also posted trip reports from some of my previous trips (and you will find the links to these further down), I have never done a trip report "live" as it were. So, this will be new ground!

During my time here, I've learned of all sorts of things relating to WDW that I never knew about before, and hopefully as I plan my adventure and subsequently embark on it, I will discover further things. You readers out there may even be able to assist me and pass on some of the wonderful advice you've gathered over your visits. Perhaps by reading this report you may even learn something yourself. Or you might find it incredibly boring! At the very least, it is a place for me to gather my thoughts together. If you have any comments, queries, observations or whatever, just chuck them in. I'm always willing to listen to suggestions and answer questions. So, if you are sitting comfortably, por favor mantengase alejado de las puertas! Relax, enjoy and remember to keep your hands and arms inside the thread at all times. And please, no flash pictures.

As this is the main thread of the report, I will attempt to summarise here the salient points of my trip in it's various stages. I shall most likely go into further depth in individual posts.

And now, without further ado, let's get down to business.

The trip begins in   

Current Status

  • 2014-10-21 - Accommodation and park tickets booked and deposit paid.
  • 2014-10-23 - Flights booked.
  • 2015-01-25 - Balance paid.
  • 2015-02-22 - Airport hotel booked for night before departure.
  • 2015-03-11 - ADR booked for San Angel Inn.
(Last updated: March 11, 2015)

Previous Trip Reports

WDW Trip #4 - Retro Disney (1997 Edition)
WDW Trip #5 - Retro Disney II (1998/99 Edition)
WDW Trip #7 - It Never Gets Old (2012 Edition)

The Who

The cast of this trip consists of four people:

  • Me. This will be my eighth WDW trip. Also, I have been on a day trip to DLP.
  • My brother. This will be his sixth WDW trip, and he has been on two DLP day trips.
  • My folks, who will be on their ninth WDW trip. Additionally, my dad has visited DL in California at least once.

The Where

Coincidentally, both groups are planning to stay at Coronado Springs. We made our decisions independently of each other. My brother and I, having stayed at Value Tier resorts for the past few trips, sampling each of the All Star resorts, felt that we should move on up to the next tier. Since the DME bus passed through Coronado Springs on the way back to MCO last time and we liked the look of the place, we settled on that one. My folks on the other hand are seasoned Moderate Tier guests, but having stayed at Port Orleans/Dixie Landings twice now, they felt they wanted a change, so they too picked Coronado Springs.

Now, though we all wish to stay at the same resort, it is still quite likely that my brother and I will book our holiday separately to my folks. Officially, this is so that we can customise our trips and we may not necessarily want the same extras as each other. But, primarily it is for selfish reasons. You see, my brother and I are dual UK/US citizens, and past experiences with travelling to the US have shown that this allows us to get through the immigration procedure super-quick, and as long as our luggage arrives at the baggage reclaim in good time, we can be on the DME and on our way to WDW whilst the last few passengers are still getting their passports stamped. Last time, we clocked a Plane-to-Pirates time (i.e. the time taken from the plane arriving at the gate to boarding POTC) at 2 hours and 37 minutes; a record we want to try and break next time around!

However, due to the room type I preferred not being available at CSR at the time of booking, we've elected for Caribbean Beach instead.

The When

During our last trip, we experienced mostly good weather and low-ish crowd levels, so we are aiming for the same time of year again. Thus, we are planning our trip for September 2015, lasting for ten days. As yet, we haven't decided on dates, but due to things happening at home and elsewhere, it is likely to be towards the start of that month. Early indications suggested a possible departure date of September 07, 2015, which I believe is Labor Day in the US.

The What

Well, obviously the primary reason for the trip is to visit WDW. On top of that, there is talk of perhaps going on a day trip to Sea World, and maybe even further afield.

On the WDW side, I am insisting that each participant has to try an attraction they have never tried before. The new Fantasyland may help with this one!

The Why

You don't really need this one explaining, do you?

The How

It will be the usual transporation method. Fly from LGW to MCO and then get to the resort via the DME bus. The exact method of getting from home to LGW is an entirely separate matter and is probably of little or no interest to you readers.
 
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The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We went to DTD, had a look around and then had dinner at Earl of Sandwich. We then went to MK via the Contemporary. We took the opportunity to have a look around. Looks a bit nice in there. After that we walked to MK.

However, we timed our arrival poorly, since we ended up trying to get down Main Street just as the fireworks were about to begin. After fighting our way through (which was a lot harder than we thought), we ended up in Tomorrowland. Fortunately, most things were walk ons so we ended up on Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain and the Speedway, before moving on to Winning the Pooh and the Haunted Mansion.

After that, we returned to CBR, got some drinks and returned to the room.

Tune in tomorrow for another set of adventures!
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
We went to DTD, had a look around and then had dinner at Earl of Sandwich. We then went to MK via the Contemporary. We took the opportunity to have a look around. Looks a bit nice in there. After that we walked to MK.

However, we timed our arrival poorly, since we ended up trying to get down Main Street just as the fireworks were about to begin. After fighting our way through (which was a lot harder than we thought), we ended up in Tomorrowland. Fortunately, most things were walk ons so we ended up on Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain and the Speedway, before moving on to Winning the Pooh and the Haunted Mansion.

After that, we returned to CBR, got some drinks and returned to the room.

Tune in tomorrow for another set of adventures!


We are just heading to the banana cabana now LOL
 

The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
September 09, 2015 - Day 3

This morning, after breakfast, we headed out to HS. The bag check queue was pretty long, so I expected the rest of the park to be busy. As it turns out, this was not the case.

First stop was Star Tours, followed by Muppet Vision then TSMM, which allegedly had a 30 minute wait time, but I think it was longer. Anyway, aside from the first game, I wasn't able to beat my brother's score. After that, we got a drink at the little cafe between Indiana Jones and Star Tours, then rode Star Tours again. Then we headed over to the Great Movie Ride and then headed back to CBR.

Tonight, we have an ADR at the Mexico pavilion. I'm looking forward to that!
 

The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We went over to EPCOT at about 4pm and went on Spaceship Earth. We followed up with Mission: SPACE, then Test Track and finally Nemo, before moving on to the Mexico pavilion for our ADR. The dinner was really good! Worth the 180 day wait! We then rode SSE one more time before returning to CBR. We got some drinks and then are having an early night as we're going on the Undiscovered Future World tour tomorrow, meaning we have to be at EPCOT by 0845.

Had a slightly odd guest encounter earlier on. When we left our room to head out to EPCOT, there was a bunch of people sitting on the ground outside; specifically a lady and I assume her kids. At least one of the kids was resting with his back on our door. When we left and encountered this scene, the lady looked up at us and said "there was something terribly wrong with our room". We said "Ok" and then continued on our way. Never found out what happened. Would be interesting to know!
 

The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
September 10, 2015 - Day 4

We got up early this morning for the Undiscovered Future World tour. I have to say, it was pretty good. We started off at Guest Relations, then went backstage for a bit before emerging in Innoventions. We then walked across Future World and had a look at the Coral Reef restaurant, which I'd never seen before. We then moved on to The Land, where we had a break, then had another look backstage before getting on to Soarin'. After Soarin', we went backstage again and emerged by Imagination, where we went upstairs into the old Image Works. After that, we slowly made our way towards Mission: SPACE, and went into the VIP lounge, which was nice. This was followed by a look behind Test Track, and then into the Cast Member areas, which was interesting. Finally, the tour ended just behind the China pavilion.

By this time, it was lunchtime, so we headed to Electric Umbrella for a spot of lunch. After lunch, we rode SSE, then headed back to CBR.

Not sure what the plan is for the rest of the day. I'm sure I'll think of something! :)
 

The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
This evening, we went to MK for a little while. We rode Buzz Lightyear, TTA, Haunted Mansion and Country Bear Jamboree (which I thought was a little sinister to be perfectly honest!). After that, we returned to CBR and had dinner at Old Port Royale before returning to the room to relax for the rest of the evening. On the way back, I tried out one of the hammocks. I could get used to them!!
 

The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
September 11, 2015 - Day 5

Today was spent largely off campus as we went to Sea World. It's an interesting place. It was also very hot, making the day really tiring. I was eager to try out the Antarctica exhibit, as I've visited the real Antarctica and I wanted to compare it. Though the ride itself was a little underwhelming, the penguin exhibit afterwards was pretty authentic in terms of the conditions.

After Sea World, we had a brief stop at the Florida Mall then returned to CBR to refresh. We then headed over to Fantasia Gardens for a round of mini golf and then headed to EPCOT for EMH. We rode Mission: SPACE, and had a very entertaining game in the Mission Control thing afterwards. We then went over to The Land to try and find some food, but there wasn't much to choose from, so we ended up back at Electric Umbrella instead. By the time we finished dinner, it was getting late, so we caught the bus back to CBR.
 

The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
September 12, 2015 - Day 6

Apologies for the late post!

We started off in Animal Kingdom. We intended to ride the Safari, but the standby line was over 60 minutes, so we did the nearby nature walk instead. Then we took the Wildlife Express Train and walked around the Conservation Station for a bit, before returning to the main park. Next, we went into Asia and looked around there and took the nature trail there too. We then moved on to the next part of the park and rode DINOSAUR. The ride was having technical difficulties, so we were in the queue longer than anticipated. By the time we emerged, we were hot and hungry, so we headed off to Flame Tree Barbecue for lunch. After that we returned to CBR.

After a bit of relaxation time, we headed out to DTD. We anticipated being there for a while, but the weather started to turn, so we returned to CBR. Just in time as it happens, since it started to rain heavily just as we got on the bus. At CBR, we had some dinner then returned to the room.
 

The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
September 13, 2015 - Day 7

Today was another off campus day, as we had tickets to the Rays/Red Sox game down in Tampa. Our original plan involved us going to Clearwater Beach to have a look at the Gulf Coast, but the very heavy rain put a stop to that plan. Instead, we just stopped by the beach, took a couple of pictures, then headed off to the baseball game.

The game was pretty good. We even managed to snag a foul ball! After the game, we went to Chevy's at Crossroads. After that, we intended going to MK for a bit, but we were all tired, so we returned to CBR instead.
 

The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
September 14, 2015 - Day 8

Today, we travelled over to Kissimee for an airboat ride. It was pretty awesome. We got to see all sorts of wildlife, and at the end, I got to hold a real live baby gator, which was cool.

After that, we went to the Florida Mall for a bit of shopping, then we returned to CBR to freshen up before heading to MK.

At MK, we wandered around for a bit, but it was getting busy and many things had wait times in excess of 45 minutes. So, we took the monorail to EPCOT instead, where we rode SSE, Mission: SPACE and Test Track. We also tried out The Sum of All Thrills, which we had not tried before. It was pretty good. We then went to The Land for dinner, then walked through World Showcase, picking up some funnel cake on the way. By this time, it was getting late, so we left EPCOT via the International Gateway and walked over to Hollywood Studios for EMH. There, we rode Star Tours and walked around some more, but we were getting tired, so we headed back to CBR.
 

The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
September 15, 2015 - Day 9

Today, we got up early to get to MK at opening time. We arrived just after 9, and rode Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain. We then went on Buzz Lightyear and the Laugh Floor. I had never been on the Laugh Floor before, and I didn't know what to expect. I really enjoyed it! Next, we went to Casey's for a brunch hot dog and then took the Monorail to EPCOT.

On arrival at EPCOT, I was stunned by the fact that SSE had a 40 minute wait. So, we went to Test Track (which had a 5 minute single rider wait), then Mission: SPACE. We then went around World Showcase, taking in the Gran Fiesta Tour and ice cream in Italy. We then wanted to ride Imagination, but it was closed again. So, we went to SSE which by this time only had a 5 minute wait. Then we returned to CBR.

This evening, we went to Benihana at the Hilton near DTD. That was pretty awesome. We capped off the evening at Winter Summerland before returning to CBR for the night.
 

The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
September 16, 2015 - Day 10

Today, we started off at Hollywood Studios and went to Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, which was pretty good. Then, we went to Star Tours. By the time we finished there, it was getting hot, and most of the other attractions had long waits, so we headed to EPCOT via the Friendship Boats. We actually disembarked at the Swan and Dolphin and walked the rest of the way.

At EPCOT, we finally managed to get on Imagination, then we rode Test Track twice in succession then Mission: SPACE, followed by The Seas and SSE. Upon leaving SSE, it had started to rain heavily, so we headed back to CBR.

Later on, after the rain had died down, we went to DTD and had dinner at Wolfgang Puck Express, before looking at some of the shops and stopping off at Paradiso 37 for a drink. Then we returned to the resort and started packing for tomorrow's departure.
 

The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
September 17, 2015 - Day 11

Well, today was the day of departure. We started off by checking out of the room and depositing our bags for safekeeping at the resort before heading off to MK one final time. At MK, we rode Buzz Lightyear, TTA and Haunted Mansion before moving on to EPCOT for Spaceship Earth followed by lunch at Electric Umbrella then a visit into Mouse Gear for some last minute souvenirs (and snack purchases to use up the remaining snack credits!). Then, as time was getting on and weather was getting worse, we returned to CBR to await the DME back to MCO.

The flight back went pretty much to time, but I have to say it was one of the most uncomfortable flights I've had in a long while.

Anyway, apologies for the short post, but I've only been back home for three hours, and I haven't slept in over 24 hours. Thanks for reading! I hope you had as much fun reading this trip report as I had on the trip itself. Coming soon will be some pictures from the trip.

The End





Florida Trip IX - coming to a forum near you in 2018???
 

The Mighty Tim

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
OK, a little bit late, but here are some pictures. I was going to upload a whole bunch, but I figured you've all seen tons of pictures of the Castle, Spaceship Earth and whatnot, so I selected a few interesting ones. More may come later:

EPCOT_DPIRIDESYSGMTT_7463087746_zpsqh1w5nvz.jpeg

My brother is giving the thumbs up, as I sit behind him trying to look sophisticated.

MK_BUZZLIGHTYEARRIDE_7457043745_zpsw27pflmw.jpeg

Irritated at the fact that my brother always beats me on Buzz Lightyear, I decided to try my own method of gaining an advantage. Alas, the camera caught me in the act (totally unplanned!) and my plan didn't work out anyway!

DSC_0135_zpse54vjmsq.jpg

I like the way Caribbean Beach's food court makes you feel like you're outside. Like the Mexico pavilion. Only daylight.

P1040341_zpsjivenrhw.jpg

Hollywood Studios looks nice at night.

P1040307_zpssvktzbsh.jpg

Gotta like baseball...

IMG_0627_zpsjra8odd8.jpg

...especially when you snag a foul ball!
 

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