Trip Report What time is it? MICKEY TIME. August 2014

Is it entirely possible to have two extremely amazing Disney trips in a row? One would think the first trip’s fun and happiness could not be duplicated again…


Unfortunately, I am home. Real home. Not my Disney World bubble. Getting over this harsh reality is like a kick straight to the stomach, after eating a really gigantic meal. What is this life I live? Why am I not waking up on property? Oh the harsh truths we must face when exiting that bubble! Writing a trip report will help cure my Disney depression, it’s a statement I keep uttering to myself while I slowly grip the fact that my trip is OVER. WHAT?! Months of planning and excitement and poof! DONE. GONE. Is it time to go back yet? PLEASE?! Peeling the magicband off my wrist was painful.. PAINFUL I TELL YOU!!

My name’s Nicole and I am a Disney freak. (I’m the girl on the left.) If there ever is a rehab program for people who are overly obsessed with Disney, you can bet some of my friends, my boyfriend, and my family would check me right in. I love the little mermaid, and change my favorite park depending on the day. I don’t know what my favorite ride is, some days it’s Soarin’, some days it’s Splash, sometimes it’s even Tower of Terror. Whatever is the last ride I’ve been on, that’s the one I will probably tell you. Ugh, I’m indecisive!

For those who didn’t follow along on my pre-trip report, here’s a quick recap. I flew to Disney World August 17th, and stayed at the Wilderness Lodge until August 21st. The lovely people of WDWmagic convinced us to upgrade from Art of Animation since we had a pin code. From there it was off to Port Canaveral, for my first ever Disney cruise, let alone cruise. Had three nights on the Disney Dream, and then back to Orlando for a day at Downtown Disney. I came home late August 24th, which gave me 8 full days immersed in Disney. This trip was the second trip with my best friend; we went last July for 10 days and had a wonderful, unforgettable time. We knew Disney missed us.



Originally, we were supposed to go in June and stay at Art of Animation, then go on the Dream, but due to massive amounts of snowstorms in lovely New Jersey this past winter, we had to postpone to August. Now everyone was warning me about the heat, and let me just tell you all, YOU WERE RIGHT. It may have been the hottest, sweatiest (sorry!) trip of my life, but it was one that I will never forget.


Shall I begin?


It all started not too long ago, at the wee hours in the morning.

I slept at my friend’s house so her parents could take us to the airport for our flight at 5:59 in the morning. We would be in Disney at 8:30 A.M. Who needs sleep?


Made it though security fairly quickly, and decided it was perfectly acceptable to eat our first meal of the day at 4:30 A.M.


First food picture of the trip! LOL.. and it’s in bags.. Big fail, Nicole.

Probably not a good idea to drink iced coffee when you are aiming to sleep on the flight down, but with all that excitement I guess it didn’t matter! Do you guys remember the commercial with the little boy who says, “I’m too excited to sleep!” Yep, that’s me in a nutshell on Disney eve.


We took so long eating, we didn’t realize our plane had already boarded and as we were walking to the gate, we heard them announce the final boarding call. We booked it! Could you imagine if we missed our flight? Oh the horror! I don’t know why we didn’t realize that you’d need to be on the plane prior to 5:59 in order for it to take off. Hey, it was early. I’m using that excuse

We made it on and were off! My friend slept for maybe 20 minutes, I didn’t sleep at all. Too much excitement! We read and chatted about what was yet to come.


We landed early (YESS!!!), and navigated our way like champs to the B side of the airport. Last year we got lost…this year we were pros. Haha.

We scanned our matching pink magic bands at the magical express counter, saw that first mickey head light up green, and we’re off! It was time for our first Disney ride of the trip…a bus ride!

Wilderness Lodge, get ready for us!!

 

[mrdrift]

Interacting with the dolphins is a really awesome adventure and the two of you were able to do it and show everyone the pictures is really special. My wife is a dolphin freak and she just loved seeing your adventure. The first day cruise video was way cool. Seems to me that Disney cruise are indeed very special. Following along

 

[gaga4disney]

WOW!!!!! this trip report is killing me, but i love it! going in 52 days and just booked a May trip for WL. You guys rock! Now i think i have to do a cruise. And the food pics are awesome! Hope i can motivate myself to write a report when i get back.

 

[ShookieJones]

My stomach made an audible growl at breakfast pics. I didn't even realize I was hungry.

My sister and I stayed at Atlantis waaaaayyyy back when it was still Paradise Towers.
It was nice back then, albeit a bit more 'rustic' ---- in other words NOTHING compared to what it looks like in those pictures. Wow! Still lots of good memories of that ..We had quite a time . My sister especially loved it because she was single and the USS Theodore Roosevelt was there for shore leave. As much fun as they were to party with, I wasn't as interested in sailors. However one night we met up with some Canadian record producers and some rock n' rollers from Atlanta and we partied at some local club like it was 1999 - I can say that because it was 1989 at the time. Ahhh...thanks for the memories.

Alright sorry, this is your time for memories not mine..... back to your most awesome trip report.
Did I mention that when it comes to vacations...you guys totally rule!???

Continue and I will follow!!

 

[lebeau]

I have stayed at Atlantis. It is very nice.

We're looking to do the dolphin encounter on our cruise next year. So thanks for the pics. Gives me a better idea what we're in for.

 

[Pocahontas]

Reading this brings me so much joy! Living vicariously through this TR.

The pictures are amazing, you and your friend are so enthusiastic and funny. That's what makes your Trip Reports unique!

I'm enjoying far too much right now, lol.

 

[coachwnh]

How cool are those dolphin pictures!!! Awesome.

 

[FlaggNL]

I am so jealous of you!! I want to go back!!

Don't be jealous You have been to the World much more often than we did and probably you will be there earlier for the next time than we do 30 days left! (in dutch) LOL

OMG you had the dolphin experience! Great to see the pictures! But off course more than great to read your report! As always it is great and funny to read! Pistures are marvelous! Thanks for the share and in the wait for the rest of your report!!

 

[prfctlyximprct]

How fun! (And yes I used to secretly love watching "Holidy in the Sun" when my younger sister would watch it...lol) I really need to save for a cruise!

I love the fact that you've seen that movie, LOL!! And yes, you do!

The cruise looks awesome so far. That breakfast looked INSANE!!!

You and your homegirl know how to do it up without giving one F who might be watching. Good stuff buddy.

Thank you I could soooo go for that breakfast right about now haha

Your dolphin excursion looks awesome! The kids have already decided we WILL be doing Atlantis on our next Dream cruise! I absolutely love dolphins, and I think all of us could enjoy this together! I have serious reservations about getting in the deep water and swimming with them, but I would love this type of interaction. Can't wait to read more!!

I would definitley recommend this! It was an awesome experience! I went horseback riding in Costa Rica and HATED it so I was a little leery about meeting a dolphin. It was the perfect setting, and the trainers are really funny and professional. My fears were eased at once. You can stand and kneel in the water, so it's not scary either, and you don't have to tread water at all. I loved it!

DOLPHINS.


I want to swim with them so bad, but then I've seen Blackfish and am all - don't support keeping big marine mammals in tanks. Except then I turn around and go DOLPHINS. I love them. Gah.

Also, you both have the best swimsuits. I'd love to know where your friend gets hers. We share a similar curve appeal.

Also, also, that breakfast. The donut, next to the hash browns, chilling by a waffle. I think I would explode. Some people can keep a lot of alcohol down - girl you can keep more food down than anyone I've ever seen.

Also, also, also: I pick my FP+ in two hours!!! My trip is finally closer, considering I started planning when you were writing last years trip report.

I hope you got all your fastpasses! I have watched the documentary The Cove, which shows what happens to dolphins in the wild being brought into captivity! Don't watch that! I have mixed feelings about animals in tanks, but this experience was awesome and I think these dolphins were really well treated. They were telling us how a few of them were rescued from boating accidents, so I like to think they have a better life now. Hopefully, at least!

I will ask my friend where she got her suit from! I can't remember!

 

[prfctlyximprct]

My stomach made an audible growl at breakfast pics. I didn't even realize I was hungry.

My sister and I stayed at Atlantis waaaaayyyy back when it was still Paradise Towers.
It was nice back then, albeit a bit more 'rustic' ---- in other words NOTHING compared to what it looks like in those pictures. Wow! Still lots of good memories of that ..We had quite a time . My sister especially loved it because she was single and the USS Theodore Roosevelt was there for shore leave. As much fun as they were to party with, I wasn't as interested in sailors. However one night we met up with some Canadian record producers and some rock n' rollers from Atlanta and we partied at some local club like it was 1999 - I can say that because it was 1989 at the time. Ahhh...thanks for the memories.

Alright sorry, this is your time for memories not mine..... back to your most awesome trip report.
Did I mention that when it comes to vacations...you guys totally rule!???

Continue and I will follow!!

Glad I could bring back some wonderful memories for you haha.. I loved partying like it's 1999!

The breakfast was amazing. Those hash browns. OH EM GEE. I am drooling.

 

[prfctlyximprct]

I actually squealed at this pic! I had been excited about a cruise with the food (omg that breakfast!!) and the seeing places- but this... well this confirms it! I am soooo on a Disney cruise!!

As always great reporting still! I don't want this report to end! Love the dolphin encounter. Another thing on my to do list! Oh and he he I too was a Mk & A film watcher!
Lastly... your fridge! Like a mirror image of ours on holiday! Ha ha!

Ariel was GORGEOUS. I would do another cruise just to get to meet her in this dress! Haha

 

[prfctlyximprct]

Wow you just continue to have a blast. I had never even thought about a cruise but after reading this do far I am seriously considering it.
Looove that you watched Hercules rather than drinking in the bar that is something I would do!
You have some beautiful photos to cherish from your dolphin encounter. They came out so well.
Is all food free on board? I think I would probably just eat desserts the whole time. Love that restaurant, like you say it's the little Disney things.
Love the videos too. Keep em coming

Yes, the food is ALL INCLUDED. IT IS SO DANGEROUS. I don't think I've ever eaten so much in my life. I'm surprised with the amount of food people are indulging in, the ship doesn't sink! LOL

 

[gonetowdw]

Coming out of "lurking" to agree with what others have said, I love that you enjoy and share every moment that you spend in Disney World. You two should be the poster people for Disney World. Thanks so much for sharing your for life and your smiles!

 

[stevehousse]

Because of your trip report I am in the early stages of planning a land and sea vacation hopefully for 2016...

 

[prfctlyximprct]

After a wonderful dolphin encounter, the skies started to look ominous. Oh no! It was still so early! We watched the dark clouds roll in, it's crazy how fast they appeared! It was pretty interesting to watch them come through.

It rained for maybe 20 minutes, so we decided to go and find some lunch! Our excursion package came with a lunch voucher redeemable at about six different eateries, but we opted for the first one we could find. We aren't too great at reading maps, so this was a difficult task for us. Haha! Thankfully we walked right by this one!

I had pizza and fries and my friend had a grilled chicken wrap with fries. The voucher actually allowed you many options, so it was a good deal! I was soooo thirsty so I may have refilled my soda about 3 times. Gotta love with the soda machines let you dispense it!

After lunch, it was sunny again! YAYYY!!! OH Bahama weather! So unpredictable!

The Aqua Adventure water park was included in our pass, so off we went to the water park! We wanted to just relax on the lazy river, this is what a true vacation entails!

Turns out we went on the rapid adventure... NOT the lazy river. Ooops! So much for a relaxing tube ride around the Atlantis! We were soooo confused when massive waves started heading our way! Watch out!!

We clutched each other's tubes because the waves kept knocking us in different directions. It was honestly such an remarkable tube ride! We were giggling like children, trying to avoid other people, and trying to stay afloat! Some of those waves that came by were like tidal waves!

Don't lose me! We were so afraid of losing each other! The river was at least a mile long, if not more. We just kept going!

All of a sudden, there is a cave! Where does this take us!

We started freaking out, a conveyor belt?! Just what the heck were we on?!

Turns out the conveyor belt shoots you out to another part of the river, with yes, more waves! We were sooooo unprepared for these wild rapids! Screaming ensued, and we chatted with a few other people who thought they were on a lazy river as well! Tourists, I'll tell ya! Haha!

We had no idea which part of the Atlantis we were now floating by, or where or stuff was... did this thing go in a circle?!

Just what did we get ourselves into?!

 

[prfctlyximprct]

Next thing we know, it's pouring! We come off the conveyor, and we start getting pelted with rain! OUCH! Haha... and this rain was cold!

Let me back in the cave, lol!

Help!

We ended up in the insanely wavy part... look at this photo for proof! Those white rapids were coming for us... dun dun dun dun!

The rain was blinding us, we were rising up at least a foot over waves, and now there's boulders in the river. WHAT?!

We are both cracking up at this point, trying our hardest to grip each other's tube handles so we don't float off into the abyss. This river ride was CRAZY. We couldn't see a thing and my stomach hurt so hard from laughing. We passed a lifeguard and called out, "Does this thing go in a circle?!" He laughed at us and said yes, problem was... we had no idea where we started.

We are still going around, and around, and we see.. drum roll.. another cave! One of the worker's grabs your tube by the handle and shoves you into a cave that slopes downward. It was like a water slide! A lazy river with waves, and slides, and conveyor belts.. ONLY IN ATLANTIS. I swear we must have been on this thing for 30 minutes already and not looped around once!

We were having the time of our lives. I freaking loved this thing! It raised your adrenaline, made you scared, excited and unprepared for what came next all at the same time. Now that's my kind of thing!

I got detached from my friend and was legit playing bumper tubes. I kept rising and falling with the tide. Thank goodness I didn't flip over! The rain left as quickly as it came, but man was it a cold rain! So weird to have freezing water pelting you in the face while you float on warm water!

Here I am probably hyperventilating from laughing so hard!

Oh no, another cave! These caves are dangerous! LOL.. and they appear out of nowhere!

After probably a good 45 minutes to an hour, we came back to where we started. We were wiped out! I don't know how people white water raft, I could barely handle this! We jumped out of our tubes, found our soaking wet towels drenched with rain, and decided to head to drier land!

It was time to explore! I love TLC's wedding shows and recently saw an episode where a woman wanted to get married in front of this fountain. Just had to get my picture here!

And now, two of us!

Vanna White-ing my suite someday!

Oh the views, the Atlantis is gorgeous! Have you gotten that by now?!

 

[prfctlyximprct]

We were still processing the fact that we were at the Atlantis. I think we may have said, "Can you believe this is real?!" to each other about 100 times throughout the day. I kept waiting to wake up from a dream.

The Disney Dream makes dreams come true. Oh, I'm such a nerd!

We were somewhat dry, so we headed towards the lobby! OH MY GOODNESS. It's so grand, and overwhelming.. how can a place this beautiful exist?

We headed down the "the dig" which is basically an aquarium on the bottom floor. It felt like we were scuba diving, without the gear! You are surrounded by tanks. Walls of tanks, tunnels of tanks, it really feels like you're underwater!

Now this is the kind of fish gazing I enjoy, when there is a glass wall between us! The lighting and ambiance of the dig was incredible. I could have stayed in here for hours, just watching the fish swim by.

Hold your nose, we're under the sea!

We came to section that was a main area of the Mary-Kate and Ashley movie, Holiday in the Sun, and I must admit I fan-girled for a bit! We also found these really cool benches! Photo op? Of course!

We ended up back outdoors, and they have marine life just chilling in water right next to you as you walk by. La-di-dah oh look a stingray. La-di-dah oh look a saw fish. FOR REAL?! THIS IS CRAZYNESS!

We checked out all the fishies, and stared again at the beautiful resort. It was like Thanksgiving for my eyes. I just could not turn away!

Yep, all mine! MINE!!

 

[prfctlyximprct]

It was nearing 4:00, and the last shuttle for the bus left at 5:00, so we figured we better start making our way back. Although I loved the Atlantis, I didn't have a room there.. so I didn't want to be left behind! Dream, we are coming back!

We made our way through all these cute little shops, they were so colorful!

I want to come again soon! I want to go back RIGHT NOW!

Thar she is!

Of course, we had to strike a pose! The Bahamas are all that I could have imagined and more. I have been to the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, and while they all have their unique attributes, the Bahamas just screamed tropical beach paradise to me the most! I have been wanting to go here for years, and now I am itching to return. Heaven.

We trekked the path to the Dream, and it was interesting to see a Carnival ship across the way with people coming back aboard as well. Disney had small tents set up with drinks; water with mint leaves, water with cucumber, iced tea with lemon, iced tea with oranges, as well as hand sanitizer stations. The crew was out helping dispense drinks, and waving us back abroad with friendly conversation. Now I don't mean to be disrespectful to Carnival, but they did not have ANY of this at their cruise ship entryways. It's the little things that Disney does that makes the experience the BEST. I can see why their cruise ships are constantly ranked number one. Their customer service exceeding anything I could have dreamed possible.

Once we were back in our cabin, we decided it was the perfect opportunity for room service. And room service, is yes, FREE. It's included. So you can go eat lunch, and then come back to your room and order lunch again. WHAT?!

We ordered Mickey premium bars, and cookies! Cookie sandwich time! We were also given bandanas because tonight was pirate night!

Might not be as good as how Magic Kingdom makes them, but pretty darn close!

Life does not get any better than this right here.

We enjoyed our snack on the bed, which probably wasn't the best idea! Chocolate everywhere! HAHA! We heard the captain make the announcement that we were leaving Nassau, and then we heard the lovely Disney horns! Bye Atlantis!!

Took turns showering, and then I cracked open a can and sat on our balcony. Yes, I did this a lot!

There's nothing like watching the sun go down, when you're on the middle of the ocean.

I tried to get the sunset behind my head, but it didn't work out so well!

UGH. Takes my breath straight outta my lungs.

The sun was sinking, and we were happy. We had such a magnificent day, and there was still more to be excited about! Pirate party!

We went all out Look how cute!

ARGH! These pirates were ready to party!!

 

[AliceJaina]

You are cracking me up this morning with the not so lazy river ride. Like actual tears cracking up. I don't know much about Atlantis, never gave it much thought. But now I must go, looks like so much fun. I feel like Disney and Atlantis should pay you for your wonderful trip reporting. Can't wait to read more!

 

[mrdrift]

What a perfect day at Atlantis. You got some really good pictures of the resort. I would say that the lazy river was anything but lazy, did you ever find a real lazy river? Great pirate night outfits you guys are wearing for the party. Following along.

 

[ShookieJones]

Another great installment. Here are a few of my favorite moments:

[QUOTE="prfctlyximprct, post: 6332722, member: 84657"

[/QUOTE]

Holy cr*p....I was crying at all of these. Everyone take notice: This is what vacation photos should look like!

Everytime I'm on a lazy river at a water park, I'm always saying "why can't they have one of these with some serious speed and waves etc."

The closest we came was one at Aquatica last year. But this is more of what I was picturing in my head!!

That looked like SERIOUS FUN and as usual, your pics conveyed that perfectly. Even the ones portraying pure terror...

Thanks again for the laughs - As I said before keep bringing the fun and I'll keep following along.