Trip Report You Can't Beat This Deal...Two Trip Reports for the Price of One! *COMPLETED*

Hi Everyone!

As some of you may know, it's been a very busy, Disney filled, end of the summer for us! After scrambling to find new vacations plans thanks to Hurricane Lane and having just returned from a solo trip to attend the Disney Institute Approach to Quality Service course, I have almost been able to get all of the photos downloaded and I'm nearly ready to report on our adventures.

Both trips we're remarkably different from what our typical Disney trip would look like but both were fantastic experiences and I'm really looking forward to sharing them with you.

I am planning on uploading the last of our pictures from the camera tonight and will start diving into the details very soon!
 
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Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
slipperalwaysfits said:
SO SO Glad the girls loved Everest!!! Excited the moms loved FOP! I hope you all were under the bus shelter when the rain started!!
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We knew they would love it too but we just had to get them on it! We were pumped they actually went through with it and now they can't wait to get back and ride it again.

Thankfully we were under the shelter. The rain didn't last too long but it was a pretty strong downpour during the bus ride home.
 
Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
As we sat on the bus back to the French Quarter, the rain came down pretty hard. Ella was worried we wouldn’t get the chance to go in the pool but as we were pulling into the resort the rain was letting up and the sun was starting to shine through the clouds again.



We got to the room to find Lennon and Kelly waiting for us. The kids were ready for some pool time and I was ready for a dip in the hot tub. We changed into our pool gear and made the short walk from our room to the pool entrance.

The recent rain had cleared out the pool so it was essentially deserted when we arrived. We found a row of loungers in the perfect spot to keep tabs on the entire pool and get the sun while we were lying out. The kids took no time at all in grabbing a life jacket and jumping in for a swim.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2aBW4Pw]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

The moms eventually arrived and they joined us on the loungers. We enjoyed a beer as the kids continued to go between the pool and the waterslide. Eventually, I decided to head over to the hot tub, which was located outside of the enclosed pool area which actually made it nice and peaceful for whoever was taking a soak. I walked through the gate and jumped into an empty hot tub. Immediately I felt my legs/feet thanking me. It was definitely relaxing.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/LWwLda]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

I likely stayed a little longer than I told Kelly I would be when I returned to the pool I jumped in the water to play with the girls for a bit before we decided to head back to the room to shower and get ready for a trip down the Sassagoula to spend the evening at Disney Springs.

We were ready to head over to DS somewhere around 5 or so but the moms we not quite ready. We told them we were going to head over and we’d meet them when they arrived. Off we went to the boat launch to hitch a ride to the Springs.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/27W3p21]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

The more I visit WDW, the more I enjoy any opportunity to take advantage of the water transport options. This was one ride I have yet to take and it was a welcome break from the bus system. It was a gorgeous night and the trip down the Sassagoula was pretty relaxing. One of the really cool things that I wish I had taken a picture of was getting a great view of the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs along the riverbank. I’ve always wanted to stay in one of the Treehouse and that was only reinforced after seeing them in person. They look very cool and have no shortage of space. I’ve added them to my bucket list of Disney accommodation to eventually stay at some time in the future.

As the boat rounded in towards Disney Springs, you got a great view of the entire complex around the waterfront. We arrived at the dock, unloaded and made our way towards the Springs. But first, a photo. Nice shot, Ella!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2aGDmC4]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Our first stop was the Days of Christmas store. One of our traditions is to always bring back a Disney ornament to add to the Disney tree we place in the living room over the holidays.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2aCgxkL]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We looked around and found a number of cool options but instead of buying now, Kelly pointed out her top choices and I agreed to come back to the store and grab one or two of them when I returned for the Disney Institute training. One less breakable things for us to worry about taking back with the girls.

The moms met up with us as we were touring through the art store across from the Days of Christmas. We had planned to split up and go our own route but before we did, they had promised to buy the girls a gift so we made the rounds to figure out what they wanted to pick up. We stopped in the Disney home store near the Days of Christmas where I picked up some of my favourite Disney coffee to take back home.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2aCgyaw]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

The toy store, Tren-D’s, and the World of Disney were all stops along the way as well. We ended up spending quite a bit of time in the Tren-D’s store, and adjoining stores, as there was a ton of cool stuff to be had. Kelly is planning to create a Disney wall down our upper floor hallway full of photos, Disney-based signs and these little beauties that she found in the store.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/29BgN8s]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

I didn’t leave empty-handed either as I stumbled upon an area full of DVC merchandise. I debated what to pick up but having seen the DVC MagicBands on Twitter and other trip reports, I couldn’t pass up the chance to pick up my own. A nice upgrade over the standard blue band I have used for the last couple trips.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Nz4zYs]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2aGoD7X]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2aGzXsx]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/29iZJEv]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

The last place we visited before splitting up was the World of Disney. Quite the condensed store with all the renovations going on but I’m sure it’ll look great when they do reveal the work that has been done. And the girls did end up finding something for the grandmas to pick up for them so everyone left happy.

We left the store and went our separate ways. I think the moms were excited to do a little shopping and Kelly was too. I made my usual stop at Uniqlo and found a great pair of dress pants and a sweet purple dress shirt for a total o f $39.00. Love the sales there and I was pretty pleased to continue to upgrade my wardrobe.

Kelly spent a good amount of time at the Anthropology store while I sat on a bench outside and watched the girls play with their new toys. It was a gorgeous night so I had no issue hanging out and taking it easy while I assumed Kelly was dropping all of our spending money on clothes. I was pleasantly surprised to hear she only bought one item when she reappeared. From there we hit up a number of different stores and walked around throughout the Springs.

I love coming to Disney Springs each trip, especially at night, with all of the unique things going on everywhere. The live entertainment, the dining options, the shopping options, it’s a great place to take a break from the parks. I just find we never spend enough time there.

Finally, we were getting pretty hungry and Ella’s glucose levels were starting to drop so we decided to try D-Luxe Burger. We had planned to eat here on our last day in December but the line was far too long and we had to get back to head to the airport. We arrived and it was still busy but at least the line wasn’t out the door. Kelly went in to order and I took the girls to find seats.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/29iAtki]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/LWusqk]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Took a while to get our food but it finally did arrive and we could dig in. The girls ordered kids chicken nuggets and fries, Kelly ordered the grilled chicken burger and I went with the El Diablo burger. Kelly also ordered a s’mores gelato shake which was very good.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2aBtzqQ]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/NySNDj]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2aGCH1R]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

I will say, the burger I had was very tasty but outside of that, the rest of the food was a massive let down. Kelly’s burger was just ok, the fries were awful and the kids chicken was really subpar. We were pretty excited about trying this place but we left feeling pretty disappointed. Definitely not a place we will be visiting again on future trips.

After dinner we walked around for a little longer just to soak in the atmosphere before deciding to head back to the boat launch to head back to the hotel.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/29j35Ri]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We jumped on board and sat back as we made the trip through the moonlight back to the resort. The treehouses looked even cooler in the dark somehow with the glow of the lights amongst the woods and the water. We arrived back at the French Quarter, walked off the boat and made our way back to the room.

It wasn’t overly late, maybe around 930 or so but with the long days we’ve already had on the trip it was a good time to hit the sack, get a nice long sleep and get up early to head back to Magic Kingdom for park opening.
 
Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Tuvalu said:
Em and I had a similar experience at D-Luxe Burger a couple years ago. We’ve not been back.
(Those fries? :hungover:)
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Awful fries. Even with a crazy amount of dipping sauce, we had about 4 different flavours, they were just bad. I had such high hopes for a decent meal but outside of the burger it was such a letdown. Oh well, I guess we know to avoid it next time.
 
slipperalwaysfits

slipperalwaysfits

Well-Known Member
We were actually interested in trying D-Luxe Burger on this next trip but I was looking at the menu and they don't have a Chicken burger that I'd really like. Paired with the depressing news about the quality of food, I have a feeling we'll end up at Blaze Pizza or Earl of Sandwich...
 
Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
slipperalwaysfits said:
We were actually interested in trying D-Luxe Burger on this next trip but I was looking at the menu and they don't have a Chicken burger that I'd really like. Paired with the depressing news about the quality of food, I have a feeling we'll end up at Blaze Pizza or Earl of Sandwich...
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I’ve yet to try Blaze Pizza but I’m a big fan of Earl of Sandwich. We’ve been talking about trying the Polite Pig next time. Definitely a lot of options to consider around the Springs
 
LeighM

LeighM

Well-Known Member
We have a Blaze Pizza back home and we love it. Sooo good. We went to Polite Pig the last time and the portion sizes are huge!! The food was really good but my husband and I could've easily split a meal. We ate so much that it was hard to walk later lol.
 
Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
LeighM said:
We have a Blaze Pizza back home and we love it. Sooo good. We went to Polite Pig the last time and the portion sizes are huge!! The food was really good but my husband and I could've easily split a meal. We ate so much that it was hard to walk later lol.
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We have blaze here as well, actually quite close to our house, but we haven’t been yet. Which is crazy as I LOVE pizza. I’m sure we will end up there eventually and likely before we get back to WDW which means Polite Pig would make all kinds of sense for us.

Now knowing that the portions are huge that’s even more reason to visit! Haha
 
dizfan917

dizfan917

Well-Known Member
The Treehouse Villas were a nice place to stay. They'd be perfect for you guys... There is a Master Suite (I loved the shower in there...), a room with bunk beds for the girls and a room for one Mom and a pull out for the other Mom. It's a nice, peaceful area and we took advantage of the boats a number of times.
 
Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
dizfan917 said:
The Treehouse Villas were a nice place to stay. They'd be perfect for you guys... There is a Master Suite (I loved the shower in there...), a room with bunk beds for the girls and a room for one Mom and a pull out for the other Mom. It's a nice, peaceful area and we took advantage of the boats a number of times.
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Thanks for the review! The floor plans and the pics I’ve seen look pretty great. Though if all went to plan it would end up being good space for the four of us. No doubt the moms would wanna piggyback on it but I think we’d be much happier with a little breathing room!
 
Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day Four – Magic Kingdom and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

This was the first morning we were all up early to get ready to head out for a full day at Magic Kingdom. When we booked this trip, Kelly started looking at the Halloween party schedule to see if we might be able to attend and it turned out that we could still get tickets for the August 28th party. I held off on buying but Kelly just went ahead and booked the day before so we were all set to attend. The moms decided not to attend and take the time off to do some more shopping and relax at their own pace.

Before the party, however, we were all on target to get to the park for the opening. We had our morning coffee and breakfast in the room and met up with the moms to make the short walk to the bus stop. It was a gorgeous morning and we were hoping it would continue throughout the day and into the Halloween party.

Even for being up early, everyone was all smiles for the Magic Kingdom!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2bdm2av]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We hopped on the bus and made the quick ten-minute drive to the park. It wasn’t overly busy, but the security lines were pretty long. When we did get through we took a few photos at the main gate before scanning our bands and heading in for some action.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2b8WpCE]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/29PWThM]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/29PWSdn]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We walked through the tunnel and onto the start of Main Street. Kelly noticed a bunch of PhotoPass photogs hanging out around the hub near the train station. Since there was nobody else around we jumped in and had a few family shots taken before figuring out what our plan of attack would be for the morning.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Nz1wmJ]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2bjjW6E]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2a1aQNn]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

When Kelly decided we had taken enough pictures for the morning the girls directed us towards Frontierland to tame the wildest ride in the wilderness to start our morning. What a super peaceful walk through the park in the early morning. The temperature was climbing, the sun was shining and the park was still pretty quiet. It made for the perfect stroll.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/LVUcxH]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We arrived at Big Thunder and the wait was minimal so the four of us quickly jumped into line while the moms found a place to park the stroller and wait. Too early for them to jar their necks on the runaway train!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/NyZQbo]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

The line was basically a walk-on and we made our way through the queue very quickly. Even as we rushed through unencumbered, I noticed a bunch of details that I haven’t in the past. I didn’t have time to stop and take pics with how quickly things were flowing and I know I’ve already grown to expect this, but it never ceases to amaze how Disney is able to create such immersive environments from attraction to attraction.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/27VZLLu]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We loaded up and off we went! The ride was a perfect way for us to get the blood pumping and heart beating in the morning. We met up with the moms outside the ride and walked over to Splash which was a ten-minute standby wait.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/29BcSuw]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Were ready but there was some hesitation to get wet so early in the morning. At least we were warned!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/NyStAu]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

I was happy to sit in the front but nobody wanted to join me. By process of elimination, my mom ended up jumping in with me. She was not happy! Each little drop throughout the ride had her screaming and ducking for cover. The lead up to the big drop was mass hysteria but somehow she survived.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/MCNRoZ]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We didn’t even get that wet so she ended up missing all the good parts for no reason. Oh well. As we got off the ride and back out towards the ride entrance, Big Thunder was still a 10-minute wait so we jumped back in line. The moms decided to head to Peter Pan and grab a return time and they would meet us at the entrance of the Haunted Mansion for our FP+ time.

We ripped through Big Thunder once more and made our way back around Liberty Square towards the Haunted Mansion. The moms were waiting for us as we arrived and we scanned our bands and entered the queue.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Nz5EAb]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

As we stood in line for the short wait to be ushered into the Mansion it was pretty odd to see half of the river emptied for construction. I should have taken a pic but no doubt others who were in the park during this work have likely posted in their reports. This was one trip I really wanted to ride the Liberty Belle, something I’ve never done, but obviously, that would have to wait.

We made our way to the dead centre of the room to start our tour through the Haunted Mansion. The ride is such a classic and has been forever. Lennon and Ella used to be terrified of this ride but now really enjoy it. There are always such great details that you pick out with every ride. Perfect Disney ride.

We were on a roll this morning and the girls wanted to keep piling up the rides so once we were done with HM, we strolled through Fantasyland and made our way to Ariel’s Undersea Adventure.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/29AXjLu]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

I sat with Lennon and she was happy to sing and dance throughout the ride. The girls really dig this ride and while it’s a fun little ride, I wouldn’t be too upset if that was our one and only trip under the sea.

Because of our lack of time to plan, we had some ended up with some unusual dining reservation times. Because the Plaza is one of our never-miss spots on any trip, we were happy we were able to get a lunch reservation on such short noticed, but had to settle for an early 11 am lunch. No issue by me, but our busy morning of rides would have to be put on hold to make our way to check in for lunch.

On our way we couldn't pass up a castle photo op, especially with no line for the PhotoPass photographer.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/28CCZ7Y]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2boMG3k]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

I checked in at the front desk around 1055 and Kelly sniffed out another PhotoPass opportunity for the girls. I sat and waited while I watched the photo shoot unfold. They got some pretty good shots before they made their way towards the restaurant.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/28CCLz3]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/MCRoHi]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/28CCABh]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

I was definitely looking forward to a tasty lunch and introducing the moms to one of our favourite restaurants in all of WDW.
 
Matt and Kelly

Matt and Kelly

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The Plaza is definitely a restaurant that Kelly and I will do everything we can to find reservations for an upcoming WDW trip. Including one that was booked with less than 48 hours notice. At first we came up empty when using the Disney World site to find an opening but using the reservation finder option on Touring Plans turned out to be a saving grace. Even if the reservation was a little earlier than what we would typically look for, we were happy to know we could carry on a dining tradition.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/LWj3Kp]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/27WDSmw]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Now that Kelly was satisfied with the photo opportunities and the group had met me near the Plaza entrance, the pager started to light up and buzz signaling they were ready to take us in. We met the hostess at the table and she led us to a great table with a killer view.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/29iYPeT]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

We’ve always been sat in the main dining area when eating at the Plaza but this was a nice change of pace.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/P5zHWh]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

I also forgot that they started to serve alcohol at some of the MK restaurants so that came as another surprise when our server ran through our options including the seemingly endless variety of milkshake flavours!

The moms happily ordered a Blue Moon but the rest of us were much more interested in the bottomless milkshakes. I ordered a Mint Chocolate Chip for my first serving and Kelly went a little off the board with a PB and J shake.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/LWwxkX]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/LVVfJF]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

Both turned out to be excellent decisions and the mint shake made Deb very jealous she didn’t get one, though that didn’t seem to slow down their consumption of the Blue Moon!

The moms browsed the menu options and couldn’t quite decide what they wanted to try but Kelly and I had made up our minds long before sitting down. She was getting the honey BBQ brisket Mac and Cheese and thanks to all of the glowing feedback I received from people posting to my solo pre-trip report, I was going to try the fried green tomato sandwich for the first time. The kids were most pleased with their sandwich choices, one PB and J and the other a grilled cheese.

After seeing that I was going with the fried green tomato sandwich, the moms piggybacked on my lead and ordered the same thing. I wasn’t sure what to expect but if the reviews held true, I knew we were in for a very solid meal.

While we waited for our food we all found ourselves staring out the window enjoying the sights around the castle and the people passing by. Though not our first choice for this vacation, things had come together really nicely and we were all having a great time.

The food arrived and we were quick to dig in. Like everything else I’ve had at the Plaza, the sandwich was outstanding. Probably my new favourite thing to order so thank you to those who suggested it. The moms were thoroughly impressed as well. Kelly loved her mac and cheese as did the rest of us around the table that snuck a taste here and there.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/LWuPbi]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/29izMga]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/29Bduj7]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/29BgwmY]WDW 2018 by Matt Mandrusiak, on Flickr[/URL]

As we cleaned our plates, I did make a request for another milkshake as I polished off the mint chocolate one pretty quickly. I asked to give the Raspberry sherbert shake a try just to mix it up. Our server brought it back in a to-go cup so I could take it out into the park with us after we finished our meal and squared up on the bill.

Another very satisfying visit to the Plaza was complete and like us, the moms said they would definitely return on any future visits they make to WDW.

It was about noon at this point and we wanted to get a few more things done before heading back to Port Orleans to hopefully take a dip in the pool before getting ready to return to the Halloween Party.
 

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