We're Following the Leader… to the Disney Institute! (A business/family trip to WDW)

[kelmac284]

Yea we have owned our own company and it was fairly small so we never did conventions but we recently merged with a large national firm who is out of New Jersey. Apparently they do conventions every 2 years and it is all on marketing and producing in the industry but as you said I think almost any business can learn from the Disney model. I have not been to one of our conventions yet since last year we couldn't go and this year they didn't do one but am excited to see how it goes next year. I have heard they switch back and forth and since it was East Coast last year then it will be West Coast this time. I can't wait to see where the next East Coast location will be. I am game for just about anywhere on the East Coast!

That would be awesome if you get Lee to come to yours!!

 

[jedijill]

That course sounds awesome. What a great opportunity. Love the pixie dust and customer service at BI.

Jill in CO

 

[PrincessInOz]

I've struck paydirt! So many wonderful updates from both you and Stephanie.

Firstly.....that's such a shame that the kids had bad service at the To Go Kiosk at the BW. That is just plain rude of that guy not to fix it for the kids. And I bet it made you and Steph wonder about your adult night at TS! But that's an amazing manager to fix it for you and the kids. I totally agree......if it were just one or two incidents, you might have just passed it up as bad luck. When there are more than a few, it does pile up and make Disney seem less than magical.

Your course sounds positively engaging. I wish I could have an opportunity to attend; but that's pretty unlikely. So, thank you for sharing. It's been wonderful to just read some of the insights from your perspective.

With regards to waterparks, I've been to TL but not BB. Like you, I now think adding an extra day to fit in the time at one of the waterparks is a must for any trip to WDW.

Looking forward to the next updates.

 

[DaeHyFoog]

Nice update. Wow sounds like kind of a bummer day at AK. When I hear this I am glad we didn't go in June. I don't do heat well and the thought of the heat alone much less the crowds is NOT desirable. We were hot enough in Tennessee at Dollywood. That's a bummer your meal was not good although I have never eaten at Pizzafari. We usually eat at Flame Tree. We enjoyed Nemo as well and like Kali although we usually go in the fall or winter and don't go because it is chilly. Hopefully the day got better! AK is one of my fave parks usually.

I definitely prefer touring AK in the fall, winter, or spring, and the heat makes me not want to eat at Flame Tree or Y&Y. The air-conditioning is great in the summer, and next time we'll just have to make a point of trying Restaurantasorous. The day definitely got better.

I have never done either jungle trail. I have seen many pictures of both and they seem like good experiences. For some reason we just never get around to doing them. I need to correct that next trip.

I remember the Tarzan Rocks show in the outdoor theatre as well. I believe (although it's just my guess) that the building is the same, but it was just closed in for the Nemo show, perhaps so the bubbles and props don't blow around if there's any breeze (of course, this is AK, so when has there ever been a breeze there?). Either way, it's just nice to sit in the AC. My family has done the Nemo musical several times and always enjoy it.

The trails remind me more of a traditional zoo experience, which is probably why we hadn't really explored them before, as we have a great local zoo. However, they are really nicely done, and the Maharaja Jungle Trek in particular is beautifully themed, like only Disney can do.

I believe you're right about the Tarzan show being in the same theater. I'm glad Disney enclosed it for Nemo, and I imagine we'll make a point of seeing this again in our future trips.

Ah now you are getting to the parts I love about AK. Sorry I thought you were done with that day for some reason LOL. It sounds like your day got better and that is hilarious about the hippo poo. I have that kind of sense of humor so no offense from me LOL. I just love all the animals, trails and how jungly it all is. It is one of our fave places!

I really enjoy AK a lot, too. Pickle is a big animal lover, but the rest of the family is more focused on rides. The day definitely improved!

I love Expedition Everest, but I'm not sure I could do five times in a row. It's great that the kids were able to get that many rides in before the crowds.

That's too bad that your meal at Pizzafari was less than satisfying. It's disappointing to pay those prices for lousy food. It appeared to be a lot of broccoli with Pickle's meal, though.

I don't know why AK feels so much hotter and more humid than the other parks. Thank goodness for Kali River Rapids!

I was surprised that it didn't get super crowded at EE right away. I guess we got there early enough that it wasn't an issue.

Luckily the bad food was a small part of the day. I too am not sure why AK seems so hot but agree that Kali helps a lot.

Really enjoying Stephanie's trip reporting!

Glad you all were able to turn the day around at AK. My kids will be 5 and almost 3 (twins) on our next trip, so I'm betting we will have a lot of those rough moments.

I have never been a Pizzafari fan. However, the one nice thing about it is some of the secluded seating in the back of the restaurant. There are some really nice indoor and outdoor spots that are pretty much dead at all hours of the day. Very nice place to take a break if you have different food, ha!

Thanks DisneyElite4! It's definitely a lot of work and requires patience when traveling with young children, but the Disney magic is so strong at that age, too. It's so much fun as a parent to watch the looks of joy in their eyes. I hope you have a great trip!

We explored Pizzafari's back areas the last time we were at AK. I thought the large gazebo was really neat and would be a great place to relax (but not in summer.) The back dining rooms were roped off on this most recent trip. I've also been wondering whether or not the addition of Tiffin's has changed the footprint of Pizzafari. If I had been on the ball, I would have taken some time to explore back there. Oh, well! I've been hearing great things about Tiffin's and Nomad Lounge, so perhaps Matt and I will have to check that out on our next trip.

 

[DaeHyFoog]

Great update. I love AKL and also boma. My mom didn't like it as much but on our upcoming trip we are going to try Sanaa so hoping for a good experience.

How awesome that you got the FP's and the little extras!! Def Disney worthy!

Sanaa sounds great--haven't been there, but would love to go. I hope you have a great experience.

And too funny about the hippo. I would have been laughing like a 13 year old boy too.

It was very funny.

Thanks I am excited yet apprehensive. I know that I LOVE the holidays and that alone will be worth it. The closest we got to Xmas was one year we went at Thanksgiving and then stayed till Dec 2 but I have never been for the full on experience and am hoping that the crowds won't be so horrible that I can't enjoy it. I also have my main goal as to try and see and do all the things that are new since we were there in 10 so I hope that I am able to achieve that. I was able to order a fabulous cake for my daughter's birthday so I am excited about that and we will def try and stay for the fireworks this time. We took her once on her birthday at DL and it was so cold we had to leave before midnight (her birthday is New Year's Eve) so hoping this time we can actually stay.

And yes I am excited to try Sanaa. I will def let you know!!

I hope you have a great time. You know it will be crowded, but what a way to celebrate your daughter's birthday!

I've struck paydirt! So many wonderful updates from both you and Stephanie.

Firstly.....that's such a shame that the kids had bad service at the To Go Kiosk at the BW. That is just plain rude of that guy not to fix it for the kids. And I bet it made you and Steph wonder about your adult night at TS! But that's an amazing manager to fix it for you and the kids. I totally agree......if it were just one or two incidents, you might have just passed it up as bad luck. When there are more than a few, it does pile up and make Disney seem less than magical.

Your course sounds positively engaging. I wish I could have an opportunity to attend; but that's pretty unlikely. So, thank you for sharing. It's been wonderful to just read some of the insights from your perspective.

With regards to waterparks, I've been to TL but not BB. Like you, I now think adding an extra day to fit in the time at one of the waterparks is a must for any trip to WDW.

Looking forward to the next updates.

I was blown away by the length to which Disney went to change a bad experience into a good one. The kids definitely appreciated it!

The waterpark was a lot of fun. I'll have to try Typhoon Lagoon next time.

 

[DaeHyFoog]

Day 5 - Thursday, May 26 - Part 5: Dino-mite!

We headed off to ride Dinosaur, our last of our three pre-arranged FP+ for the day.









This was to be a first for Princess and Pickle, but as we got to the loading area, there seemed to be trouble with the time traveling jeeps. At first it was just a delay, but then they shut down the ride completely.

We were so close!



It probably worked out the best for Pickle, because I'm not sure if she would have liked the ride since she tends to get scared pretty easily, but Princess was disappointed because she was really looking forward to this ride. While waiting in the queue, I used MDE to book our next FP+ for Primeval Whirl, and since we had to abandon Dinosaur due to technical difficulties, the cast members handed out anytime-anywhere paper fast passes good for the rest of the day. Score!

The kids are good at selfies, but I still need some work.



The kids were freaked out that I was taking pictures while we were on the ride. "Mom! Put your phone away! It's going to fall out of the ride!"





While in the queue for Primeval Whirl, I was able to get FP+ for Dinosaur for about 45 minutes out. We hoped it would be up and running this time. Pickle and I wanted to ride Triceratops Spin, so Princess and Buddy took one for the team.





At this point everyone was ready for a snack, and we still had a few minutes before the Dinosaur FP+ was ready. I needed to strategize some and figure out the rest of the evening. AK was closing at 6:00. My big concern was finding food for dinner. All along I had figured we would eat dinner at Restaurantasorous, but those paper fast passes would get us into the last Festival of the Lion King show or onto Kilimanjaro Safaris--neither of which were near Dinoland and dinner. But, we weren't too excited about dinner options at Boardwalk, and it would be more convenient to find food at AK. Well, I didn't have to have it all figured out yet, so I procrastinated.

We stopped at Dino Bite Snacks, and I had a magical moment. I'm funny about my cancer. At home and in my day-to-day life, it is not something I like to draw attention to. I think I'm incredibly lucky that breast cancer didn't define my life (not all cancer patients are so lucky,) and while my life will never be entirely back to normal, it mostly is. However, this five year anniversary is something I wanted to celebrate. The diagnosis, surgeries, and treatments are far enough ago that it is easier now to identify myself with them than it was right after it all happened. I'm blessed and happy to celebrate. Anyway, short story long, as I ordered ice cream treats for Princess and Buddy, and a pretzel for Pickle and me to share, the cast member taking my order asked if the pretzel was for me. I thought she must be making an amusing observation that the kids were getting the good, fatty, sweet dessert and mom was going for the slightly healthier, less fatty pretzel. I laughingly replied, yep, it was for me. And the next thing I knew, she told me that the pretzel was free. She had read my "I'm celebrating" button, and wanted to let me know that she was very glad that I was cancer free. I cried.

I pulled myself together quickly and found the kids. Pickle had already gone to town on the pretzel.



Buddy enjoyed his plain vanilla cone.



And Princess I think was the winner with the ice cream cookie sandwich. She let me have a bite, and it was delicious!



Right outside of Dino Bites, we came to an animal enclosure with a docent. There was a crocodile out sunning itself, and we enjoyed watching it for a few minutes.





It was time to head to Dinosaur, and this time Pickle decided she didn't want to ride. So Princess and Buddy headed in using their FP+, and I used this time to cancel Pickle's and my fp and to see what other FP+'s were available. There were no more FP+'s for FOTLK, but there was availability at Kilimanjaro Safari. If we played our cards right, we would be able to do the safari, eat a quick dinner at Harambe Market, and make the 6:00 FOTLK show using the paper passes from earlier! Sounded like a good plan to me. So once the older two were off Dinosaur (Princess liked it,) we trekked back over to Africa.

 

[DaeHyFoog]

Day 5 - Thursday, May 26 - Part 6: Is it a Bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Zebra Girl!

So, remember how I told you that I grudgingly let Pickle spend her souvenir money to buy zebra Mickey ears? Well, Pickle made a good call!

As we got to the end of the queue at KS, the cast member loading the cars made a HUGE deal out of Pickle's zebra ears. When he saw her, he started yelling to the other cast members that there was a zebra that had gotten loose. He needed help because there must be a zebra missing from the safari. Pickle quickly grabbed the ears off of her head. What? The zebra could change into a little girl! This cast member was amazing. He gleefully called out to the other cm's that no, it was actually a girl. Pickle, of course, decided to get in on the act and put her ears back on. The next thing you knew, it was a like a big-kid game of peek-a-boo. Ears on--Zebra!! Ears off--Little girl! This lasted quite a few minutes as we waited for our safari vehicle to arrive, and Pickle had an absolute blast. She loved all of the attention and loved being the one in control by making the ears go on and off.



We had an amazing safari ride. Our safari cast member was one of the best we've ever had. She was full of energy and enthusiasm and interacted really well with the guests in the vehicle. Also, I was very surprised at how active most of the animals were. We've typically only done the safari in the morning, and I assumed that at 5:00 in the evening we wouldn't see nearly as much. I don't know if that is normally the case, but on this evening, we saw lots of animals and enjoyed our safari ride immensely. After Pickle knew all about the different types of rays and whales at the Wyland Gallery, I wasn't surprised at how much she knew about the safari animals we were seeing. She was having a great time.

















After the safari, we headed over to Harambe Market for dinner...only to find it closed at 5:00, and it was now about 5:35. I double-checked my times guide and sure enough, I had read it wrong. The only night it closed early that week was Thursday. Bummer! So, tough decision time. Do we hoof it over to Restaurantosaurus or use our paper fast passes to see the 6:00 FOTLK? Nobody wanted a snack in place of dinner, and nobody really wanted any of the quick service offerings at Boardwalk. It came down to me, and I decided I really wanted to see FOTLK. Sorry, buddy! I wasn't sure yet what we'd do for food, but I really enjoy this show and wanted to squeeze it in.

We were in the elephant section, which is the same one we were in last time.



I love the monkeys! They bounced all around and were great to watch.



I also really enjoy the lady/bird rope flyer.



I didn't take very many pictures because my camera doesn't do great in the low light. We enjoyed ourselves and headed out of the park.

On the way out we stopped and chatted with one of the security guards. He, too, teased Pickle about her zebra ears and mentioned that there was an escaped zebra that needed to be caught. She laughed and laughed and was absolutely convinced that the cast member from the safari must have told him that she was coming! Overall, we had an amazing day of cast interaction at AK. Great job, cast members! You really made this a special day at Animal Kingdom.

On the bus ride I finally figured out what to do for dinner.



Had to practice my selfie taking. (I'm getting really good at it, as you can see.)



Buddy decided he was just done and would graze on snacks at the room. But the girls and I did another first this trip. We hopped in the car, left WDW property, and ate the best tasting Taco Bell I've ever had. (I think how hungry we were had something to do with how good it tasted.)



So was leaving property for dinner worth it? Absolutely.

We were all pretty tired from our day and relaxed the rest of the evening in our room until Matt joined back up with us.

 

[kelmac284]

Another great update! That's a bummer about Dinosaur but you are prob right that your little one would be scared on that one so probably worked out for the best. Awesome pics on KS and great experience for pickle. I really love that park and not sure what to expect when we go. I was so excited for Rivers of Light but now not sure if it is coming or not. Will def be interesting to see what is going on that time of year. If it will have extended hours or what.

And yes I am excited about celebrating Katy's birthday. You would think having a birthday on NYE would be cool and I have always told her I am sure when she is over 21 it will be but as a kid having a birthday on a holiday stinks. No one could ever come over and she always had to have her parties before or after because everyone is busy with xmas etc. So on the special ones like 13 16 etc I try to make them better. Most years we just go out to eat a day or 2 before and then stay home on NYE and have cake and presents and play games/watch the ball on tv. I don't like to be out on the roads on NYE so sadly for Katy that is usually how it works. Last year was her 16th so I got a fancy cake and she had friends over on NYE. Now that she is older the kids were able to come but still most had to leave well before midnight as they had family plans. But then we took her to SF and had a really fancy dinner in the city. Hadn't planned on anything special for 17 but since we will now be at the parks I hope she enjoys her special cake and being able to be at DW on her birthday. We are doing HS so not sure how big their fireworks will be compared to the other parks but I know they will at least have the star wars show.

Anywho sounds like a great end to the day and I agree about Taco Bell. We always get a car as well and sometimes it just works better to do it that way.

 

[MarbleBob]

Day 5 - Thursday, May 26 - Part 6: Going Solo

My original plan for the evening was to tour Epcot on my own, so I had booked Fast Passes (Test Track, Spaceship Earth, and Nemo) for later in the evening. However, the class let out at around 3:30 PM vs. the 5:00 PM that was advertised. Still not enough time to go to Animal Kingdom and see the family, but I was sort of intrigued by the idea of walking over to Hollywood Studios to see the new Star Wars Launch Bay stuff. I decided that the Epcot PF+'s weren't all that important, and that I'd start the afternoon at HS and then head over to Epcot for dinner.

It was a bit hot walking over to HS from the Boardwalk, but not unbearable. It sure was pretty though!





It took about 15 minutes or so to walk over.

Not a big deal in the least but I was asked to go through a metal detector for the first time at a Disney park. I guess it's not uncommon for guests to be annoyed with the cast members when they do this… because the guy who called me over to go through it seemed a bit embarrassed/reluctant about it. Sure, no problem… and I walked through without incident. And when he thanked me, I thanked him back with something along the lines, "Thanks for working hard to keep the parks safe!" He looked at me a little bit dumbfounded. I guess that was the last thing he expected to hear from a guest. Haha!

It had been about two years since I last visited Hollywood Studios… So this was the first time that I'd walked down Hollywood Boulevard without the Sorcerer Mickey Hat off in the distance (since they put it up 2001.) It sure felt strange walking towards the Great Movie Ride without it being the center of attention!



I LOVE that you can now easily see Grauman's Chinese Theatre as you approach. It really brings the "Hollywood feel" back to the space. But, it felt strange too. Not sure if I like it or not. Doesn't really matter to me though, as the whole park is going to be so different when Star Wars and Toy Story are complete, that this change will just get lost in the shuffle.



I had to get a selfie anyway…



And then a Photopass photographer walked up, so I gave him my camera for a regular photo…



After that, I headed straight over to the Launch Bay.





To be honest, I didn't really even know what I was getting into, as I had assumed that I'd skip HS altogether on this visit... and therefore I didn't pay much attention to what the Launch Bay actually was. This is really rare for me, to experience something organically at Disney without researching it to death first. LOL.



So yeah, it turned out that you had the option of just going to see the characters, or going to see the movie first and then see the characters. I decided that I was tired from the long walk, so I opted for the movie. (A seat and air conditioning sounded great at the time.)

The movie was about 10 or 15 minutes. It was cool enough, but not amazing or anything. Sort of like a "behind the scenes" featurette that you'd see on the second disc of a DVD package or something. Regardless, sitting in a dark air conditioned room for 15 minutes was awesome for a quick recharge.

A few displays upon exit...







Next up, I headed into the character meet and greet areas. This was weird for me. I've done character meets countless times with my kids, and I did do some of the Star Wars characters with my mom at Star Wars Weekends a couple years ago, but I've never ever went up to a character on my own.



They had some more displays as you entered the area...







First up was Chewbacca. Since he doesn't talk, it was weird being a grown up in there with no kids and interacting with him. Watching him shake his head around at me and growl. And stuff. I just went with it…







Next up was Kylo Ren. This one was even stranger.



I went up to him for a photo, and he wouldn't stand near me. He kept his distance.

I guess it's all pre-recorded, but he was telling me that he felt a spark in me (or something like that) and that I should join him in the dark side. Pacing back and forth around met. Not having anyone to deflect the attention or make a joke to, it was really sort of intimidating. I was sort of like, "OK. Thanks. I'll think about it, and get back to you…" And I sort of tip toed out of the room backwards. LOL.

After the meet and greets, I spent a while taking photos of all the props and stuff. This was what enticed me to walk over to HS in the first place.













I didn't get a photo, but some Jawas were in here trading for stuff. I forgot that they do this, and I didn't have anything to trade, or else it would have been fun to see what they would have given me. Oh well..

Eventually... I made my way into the shop. Talk about a kid in a candy store!!! It's strange to say, but I didn't purchase anything. I was saving my fun money for Hawaii. But I had FUN looking at all the cool stuff!















I finished up in the Star Wars area around 5pm. I decided that since it was relatively early, that I'd catch a ride or two before leaving for Epcot. We visited Disneyland last summer and rode the Star Wars ride several times, so I decided to skip it on this quick visit and head over to Tower of Terror.

 

[MarbleBob]

Day 5 - Thursday, May 26 - Part 7: More solo fun

So yeah, heading for to the Tower of Terror!!!



The line wasn't too bad. It probably took about 30 minutes or so. The only thing is… if you are in line by yourself and the people around you aren't looking to chat with strangers…. 30 minutes can seem like a very long time!



It's probably been 6 or more years since I last rode it, so it was actually pretty fun for me. And not nearly as intense as I remembered it to be. Fun!

So it was now around 5:45 PM. Time to be heading over to Epcot, but oh yeah, Rockin' Roller Coaster has a single rider line. Why not just hop on while I have the chance!?!?

Turned out to be a horrible decision. That single rider line was ridiculously SLOW! And watching all the FP and even regular stand by riders pass us over and over made it seem worse. What was supposed to take 20 minutes took over 50 minutes. 50 minutes that I'd much rather have spent enjoying the Flower and Garden Festival in Epcot. What kept it interesting was… there was an old grandpa man who was riding by himself too. He kept on trying to ease up and cut in front of me. I'd stand my ground. He'd get ahead and then, I'd position myself in such a way that I could get back in my spot as the group in front of me shifted around. Game on grandpa!!! I never said anything to him during our jockeying for position. About 30 minutes or so into the line, I was convinced that I had won.

Take that you old geezer!!!

He stayed behind me without a fight for the last 15 minutes... and actually struck up a couple of conversations with me. Nice try, but I'm still not letting you cut. Except for right up a the end, I was chatting with the group in front of me, and grandpa snuck by me and three of them. They eventually regained their position, but I was stuck.

Grandpa, if you ever read this TR, my hat's off to you. You won after all! Now, don't have a heart attack on the ride!!! Bwahahah.

That's him (fiddling with his hat) in the left most position in the next photo.



I assume he came out fine as I didn't hear any ambulances or anything.

So… it's been 12 or 13 years (maybe more) since I last rode Rockin Rollercoaster. In contrast to the Tower of Terror, it was every bit as intense as I remembered it!!! I think I'm good for another 10 years or so. Haha



OK. Another selfie.



It was now around 6:30. I figured that if I leave now, I'd get to Epcot around 7pm. Have a quick dinner at one of the festival kiosks, and then just enjoy the evening for a couple hours before they close. Skipping the FP+'s.

I hoofed it on out of there…



I took the boat ride this time!



So part of the fun of the Flower and Garden Festival is visiting all the various food kiosks scattered around the World Showcase. I looked at menus on the boat ride over. I was in analysis paralysis. So many options. What should I do?!?!

I ultimately decided for the tapas over at Mexico.

I headed over through England and Canada.

At this point, it was about 7:15 PM and I was starving. So I decided to just keep walking.



All the topiaries were pretty epic!



Being a gardener myself, I really wanted a cool shirt from the festival or something, but still being hungry… I kept walking.





I didn't get a photo of the kiosk in Mexico, but I opted for a shrimp taco, cheese and veggie quesadilla, and a Tecate beer. It's hard to tell in the photos, but the portions were miniscule. Those tortillas were the size of a large cookie!!! It was very good, but gone in like for bites. Essentially I felt ripped off. Not really worth $20.



The good thing… I don’t drink regularly, so a large beer on an empty stomach took the edge off pretty quickly and I just rolled with it. I can always find more stuff later right?!?!

Since I was already at Mexico, I had to go inside!



And ride the Three Caballeros Gran Fiesta Tour. For whatever reason, I consider this a "must do" attraction. I've never skipped it on a trip to WDW that included visits to Epcot. It was still fun, but I was missing my family at this point.

Moving on... Norway was practically still closed, as the Frozen ride wasn't ready yet.



The Anna and Elsa topiaries were cool though.



I explored China for a few minutes.



Love the late evening sun and shadows.



Skipped over Italy.



Browsed through Germany.



I love the toy store, even if it's not as cool as it used to be. They still have some Steiffs and Playmobil though! (I'm a HUGE, and I mean crazy HUGE Playmobil fan. Oh wait, you may have guessed that by my avatar picture.)



Watched the LGB garden trains for a while.





More ridiculously awesome topiaries!





And finally made my way to Japan. My favorite!!!

My favorite treat in all of WDW for some reason is the Kakigori shave ice. Rainbow or Melon, I like them both. And still being hungry from my gourmet miniature dinner, I had some sushi too.

I wasn't expecting much from this pre-prepared sushi, but it was delicious!!! As was the kakigori! Yum!!!!



I just sat there at chilled at the Pagoda for a good thirty minutes or so. People watching and soaking it all in. Have I already said that I love the Japan pavilion!?!?!?





Even though I spent a good deal of time inside the Mitsukoshi department store with Princess the other night, I went inside again anyway. I browsed the toy area for quite a while and then watched a few people purchase and have pearls opened. That was actually a lot of fun.

I also spent a fair amount of time looking at all the incenses and random tchotchkes..



Bonsai seed kits!!



"I want that"



Heading back outside...



At this point it was about 9pm and the fireworks were about to start.

Since I had now seen them twice already on this trip, I decided to call it a night and just keep walking. It was a long day and we planned to get up early for extra magic hours at Magic Kingdom tomorrow.



It was fun to be able to still see them off in the distance as I made my way back to the Boardwalk Inn.



And then looking back towards the boardwalk. (Crummy iPhone photo above decent Olympus camera photo below.)



And heading up towards the lobby, they were playing the new Star Wars movie on the lawn. How appropriate!



Sometime around 9:20 or so, I had made it back to the room. And wow, what a day!!! I chatted and shared stories with Stephanie and the kids for a little while, and then we all headed to sleep

 

[kelmac284]

Cool update. I agree with you it is going to be SO weird going to HS and not seeing the hat. The first trip I ever took to DW was in 02 so all that stuff was there already. As well as the wand at Epcot etc. So then when we went in 05 and 08 they were still there but I believe in 10 they had taken down the wand at Epcot but the hat was still there. I was one that liked the hat but I guess we shall see. I also feel like I don't know anything when it comes to the star wars stuff etc. We are going to DL for just a quick weekend trip the end of this month so hoping to find out more at DL and assuming it will mostly be the same. If we can get Kylo and Chewie at DL I prob won't waste my time at HS since we are going at the busiest possible week I am sure the lines will be horrific.

Anywho I am sure it was fun to get to see it at your own pace without the family and looking forward to you and your wife's next updates.

 

[kelmac284]

Wow we must have cross posted LOL. I was posting a response to your first post and then bam your 2nd one showed up LOL. Have to say I am anxious to ride Tower at HS. I love this ride at DL and it has been so long I barely remember the Florida version so looking forward to it ESP since I am sure you have heard about what is happening to ours I am a HUGE Twilight Zone fan and just love the creepiness of the ride in general. I am not a big superhero fan and so I am in the group that is not happy about the change. At this point my feeling is I am ok with Star Wars and even a marvel land just wish that they had done it in a 3rd gate. But as always it is what it is and it is happening no matter what. I am happy that I will at least get to ride it one last time when we go this month but sad that it will be the last time. I am also bummed that Haunted Mansion goes down on rehab for the NBC overlay literally 2 days before we get there. To be honest I prefer that version to the normal version but we won't be seeing it because it will be down when we are there and they don't do it of course at DW and then we aren't going back till the end of April next year. So a LONG time not getting to see HM.

But I LOVE Tower as well as RNR so looking forward to those and glad you were able to do those. LOL about Grandpa! I agree those portions at the festival are miniscule. When we went to Food and Wine last time we ended up buying like 2 items at each stop that we were interested in and we all basically had a little taste. But you are right they are SO expensive. We ended up using ALL of our snack credits for the entire trip on that one day at Epcot but it was nice not to have to pay for that stuff.

I LOVE the topiaries as well. I have only been once at that time of year and it was our very first trip in 02. We were newbies and didn't even know about it and I don't remember paying that much attention but that is def something I would like if I didn't want to go at that time of year though. Who knows maybe someday.

Anyway nice updates and look forward to the next ones.

 

[DaeHyFoog]

Another great update! That's a bummer about Dinosaur but you are prob right that your little one would be scared on that one so probably worked out for the best. Awesome pics on KS and great experience for pickle. I really love that park and not sure what to expect when we go. I was so excited for Rivers of Light but now not sure if it is coming or not. Will def be interesting to see what is going on that time of year. If it will have extended hours or what.

And yes I am excited about celebrating Katy's birthday. You would think having a birthday on NYE would be cool and I have always told her I am sure when she is over 21 it will be but as a kid having a birthday on a holiday stinks. No one could ever come over and she always had to have her parties before or after because everyone is busy with xmas etc. So on the special ones like 13 16 etc I try to make them better. Most years we just go out to eat a day or 2 before and then stay home on NYE and have cake and presents and play games/watch the ball on tv. I don't like to be out on the roads on NYE so sadly for Katy that is usually how it works. Last year was her 16th so I got a fancy cake and she had friends over on NYE. Now that she is older the kids were able to come but still most had to leave well before midnight as they had family plans. But then we took her to SF and had a really fancy dinner in the city. Hadn't planned on anything special for 17 but since we will now be at the parks I hope she enjoys her special cake and being able to be at DW on her birthday. We are doing HS so not sure how big their fireworks will be compared to the other parks but I know they will at least have the star wars show.

Anywho sounds like a great end to the day and I agree about Taco Bell. We always get a car as well and sometimes it just works better to do it that way.

I think it would be amazing if Rivers of Light is up and running by your trip. If not, I imagine the extended hours will continue. I think this would be a really fun park to be in at night, and I hope that you get to experience all of the new offerings.

I think you're right about Katy's birthday date being great for an adult, but I can see where it's not so good while she's growing up. However, it is amazing that she's going to celebrate her 17th birthday at Hollywood Studios!! I love that you've tried to make the milestone birthdays really stand out. I also think it is super cool that she was born NYE of the millennium. What a really cool birthday! I was 9 months pregnant with Princess at the time and remember all of the Y2K craziness. In some ways it seems like yesterday, and in other ways seems like a lifetime ago. I hope Katy has an amazing day!!


Matt, it looks like you had a lot of fun at Hollywood Studios, and especially Launch Bay. I wish we could have joined you, but I'm glad that you got to see and do such cool things.

 

[kelmac284]

Oh wow so you were close to having a millenium baby yourself. Yes it is funny because I had been married before for 8 years and never had children so when my 2nd husband and I got married we just wanted a baby and we tried for awhile so when I finally got pregnant we were just happy to BE pregnant and never even thought about the whole Y2K thing. And she truly is a miracle baby because I had a placental abruption early on and it was a 50/50 chance that she would make it. I had waited SO long to have a baby and I was so afraid but so glad when she arrived and was healthy. She was orig due on Xmas day which would have stunk as well. Honestly I think any birthdays in the month of Dec or maybe even close to Thanksgiving are hard because it is so close to the holidays and so many people are pre-occupied. Then there is always the whole I just got her stuff for xmas why does she need more. I always had to remind my parents that it is not her fault her birthday is a week after xmas and she has to go the rest of the year with nothing while everyone else gets their special day. My other daughter's birthday is in April and we were able to have pool parties or other things and I always felt so bad for Katy. One year we did a half birhday in the summer just so she could experience that but you are right that is why I try to make the milestones good. I told her we would do something great for 18 and 21 then she is on her own LOL. But yes I remember the Y2K stuff and it is funny because by then I was a week overdue and I had just gone into the doctor for an ultrasound on that Thursday and they said they would call me with the results but not till TUES. Fri was NYE and then because New Years was on Sat that year Monday was a holiday sooooo.... I had to wait supposedly and then ONLY if she was over 10 lbs they would induce me the following THURSDAY. Well luckily she had other plans. We had gone out to dinner alone (I had an 8 year old stepdaughter) and we wanted one last grownup night before the baby came the following week. That night I went into labor about 2 in the morning. Got the hospital around 4 and they almost sent me home but since the doctor had to determine that I was allowed to wait till she got there at around 10. Luckily by the time she did I was farther along and was able to stay but the place was a madhouse because apparently a LOT of people wanted that millenium baby. I know in our town alone the first baby was going to get a college scholarship and a bunch of other swag. I was just happy to be getting my baby and I had a very LONG drawn out labor but by 9 that night (friday night NYE) I was done and so I ended up with a C section. I remember them asking me if I wanted to try and wait till closer to midnight which I prob could have but I was so done by then I just wanted her OUT LOL. She was born at 9:16 and she was 9 lbs 6 oz so I def would have been induced the next week LOL. But we just missed midnight and they even had a prize for the last baby born in the prior millenium but apparently we just missed that as well. But she was very close and we even got on the news. Many of my friends and family got to see her on the news before they got to see her in person and a friend of ours videotaped it (yes video LOL) and he got a lot of the celebrations that were going on in our town and around the world so it is a fun memory for her. Anyway sorry for OT but thought it was a funny story.

Back to topic looking forward to both of your next updates!!

 

[MarbleBob]

Day 6 - Friday, May 27 - Part 1: Magic Kingdom

So our last day at WDW. Normally, I would have been having the "Last Day Blues", but this was going to be my first full day in the parks, so I was completely and utterly stoked!

Tonight was going to be the first night for the late night Animal Kingdom festivities, including the new Jungle Book show. Since it was a temporary substitute for the Rivers of Light show, it wasn't as important to us. Also.. AK is my least favorite park, the others had already visited earlier in the week, they didn't have Park Hoppers, and Magic Kingdom had early entry with Extra Magic Hours. So a full day at MK it was!

We normally get up pretty early to get near the front of the line for rope drop, but we had just missed the bus when we got to the Boardwalk Inn's station. And for some reason, the next bus took a very long time. We still arrived before the morning show, so no big deal. (We were just a bit back further than normal.)



We usually hoof it straight to Fantasyland on our MK days and this day was no different. We like to hit Peter Pan first, since it's a slow loader with a super long line later in the morning/day. (You'd think we'd have went straight to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, but we had FP's for it, and we rode it quite a bit on our last visit.)

So yeah, we followed the herd towards Cindy's castle...





We parted ways with the herd at the carousel, and we were actually one of the first groups to ride Peter Pan. We hadn't seen the new queuing area yet, so that was really cool! (Expect for we breezed past everything.) For some reason, I didn't get any photos...

Next, we decided to head over to Winnie the Pooh, for similar reasons about line lengths/times.



Still no lines here either, so we basically walked right on. Yes!!!





When I stop and think about it, this is a pretty dumb ride. But I LOVED Mr Toad's Wild Ride as a kid, and the first time we road Winnie the Pooh was on Princess's first trip to WDW when she was two and a half. It was a pretty magical experience for her, so it holds a special place in my heart. So even if the ride is pretty dumb, I absolutely LOVE it... and there is no way on earth that we can visit MK and not ride it!



Next up, we were thinking about heading over to Dumbo. (Back before the New Fantasyland, we always rode Dumbo first, then Pooh, then Peter Pan.) There were absolutely no lines when we arrived, so we decided to head over to Goofy's Barnstormer first and then come back to Dumbo.



No line here either. Sweet!!!

Another classic, more for nostalgia's sake. Except for it's over in like 10 seconds. LOL.

Buddy asked if we wanted to ride it again since there was no line. Sure, why not? So we walked around and hopped on for a second time. Wahoo! And when we returned, they said that we could stay put if we wanted to ride it again. Sure! So that was #3. And then they asked if we wanted to do it yet again. Really?!?! OK. So, that was #4. They asked again at #5, tempted just of the novelty of it, but we decided it was time to move on. Let's not get crazy here.

Then we headed back over to Dumbo.





We watched the current batch of riders finish their flight, and then we were loaded on the next round. Dude, Extra Magic Hour was doing us right so far this morning. Nice!









What next? We decided to start making our way over to Tomorrowland. Stopping at the Tea Cups first. Again, let the current batch of riders finish and unload, and then we were on within a minute or two.









Next up, we decided to hit Astro Orbiter before it got too late.



It was now around 8:45 and EMH was drawing to a close. Astro Orbiter had a little bit of a line. Maybe 10 to 15 minutes. Not bad really.



Next up was riding the People Mover. Maybe not the best choice from a timing perspective, but our first FP+'s were for Space Mountain a little later and we didn't want to leave Tomorrowland just yet. Plus, we were ready to just sit and chill on one of our favorite rides for a little while.

So a recap of the first hour. Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Four times on Goofy's Barn Stormer, Dumbo, Tea Cups, and Astro Orbiter. EMH really pays off at MK, especially when you get there for rope drop and don't lallygag!





Stephanie is chuckling in the above photo, because I was walking with the camcorder and not paying attention to where I was going, and I walked right into a chain blocking my path. Doh!!!

The ride attendant offered to take our photo for us. Nice!

Absolutely love the People Mover. Such a great ride!!! I love the Epcot diorama. And paging Mr. Tom Morrow.

Next up, we headed over to the Carousel of Progress. I have to admit, that this isn't my favorite ride. Like, at all. But, I love the fact that it's air conditioned and you can chill for a while... and sneak in a quick nap!





Next up, it was time for our Space Mountain FP+'s. Yahoo!!!

This is absolutely one of my favorite rides in all of Disney. And I LOVE the music that they play as you walk inside. Retro futuristic. So cool!!!



We rode it as a group, and then Stephanie and the older two rode it again, as the standby line was still petty short. Pickle wanted to trade pins with the kiosk attendants, so I stayed back with her.

A few minutes later, we were ready to move on. It was about 10:30 now.

Our game plan has always been to eat lunch early when others are still riding rides, and then ride rides when they are less busy during lunch hour. Not sure how well that really works with respect to line lengths, but it certainly makes it much easier to find seats when eating quick service!

So yeah, we decided to head over to Casey's Corner. It wouldn't open for a while, but from previous experience, we discovered that they have a cool opening presentation (with free Cracker Jack's) for the first few people in line. Let's do it!

Oh wait, first we need a family photo in front of the partner's statue!

 

[annie170]

Your pictures with Chewbacca are great. I'm not a big Star Wars fan, but who doesn't love Chewie!?

Two teenagers and and you hit up all the Fantasyland rides first? Those are some good kids!

Your Barnstormer story reminded me of when we would go to WDW in the '90's when my daughters were young. We usually went in October during Fall Break (still do) and back then, the parks would be pretty empty. I remember CMs telling us to just stay on if we wanted to ride again. With Food & Wine Festival, those days are long gone.

I have the same exact thoughts about Carousel of Progress!

That was nice of the CM to take a family photo on People Mover.

I think this is the first time I've heard about the free Cracker Jacks at Casey's. Pretty cool.

 

[kelmac284]

Nice update. Can't beat a day at MK! We have never done the extra magic because we usually stay offsite but I can def see how it would be a big hit. We always do it at DL if we have it. Looks like you guys got in a lot of great rides. I must say TTA and COP are 2 of my all time faves. It is funny because I always HATED peoplemover at DL as a kid because I thought it was boring and my mom loved it. Same with the train. But I guess it is the true mark of age because now I love it. Prob partly for the nostalgia and the fact we no longer have it at DL but also cuz I am old and like the relaxation of it. Same goes with COP. It is totally corny but I love it for what it is and the whole nostalgia. I never got to see it at DL but the first thing they had on my first trip was America Sings which I know I loved but I am sure now I would think it was corny just like Country Bears. It's funny how things change with age. But we have always love Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow and my kids love to sing that song. We always have to ride at least once.

I have to laugh too in your space photo at the guy in the mickey outfit. That is too funny. And tell Stephanie she has great taste. I have not only that shirt but a backpack in the same LeSportsac pattern. You can tell her my fave mini purse is the blue island one with the mermaid and I have a large backpack in the same print she has in her purse.

Anywho sad to see it's your last day but so happy you will be sharing your Aulani trip with us. I am SO enjoying your reports. I have another Disney friend that is usually great with reports but she didn't go on one this year and I am missing following along but yours are amazingly detailed and it really helps to read when we are between trips. Keep em coming!!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Bummer about being one day before the summer stuff in AK - too bad it was still super hot as well and extra bummer about lunch

Glad you like Nemo - it is a good show. Not sure if you knew but they had to create the music and songs for it since the movie doesn't really have any and Robert Lopez and Kristin Anderson-Lopez (of Frozen fame) did the music and songs for it

Love the Dana Brown tangent (definitely was not familiar with what you were referencing)

Oh my! Hippo Butt Explosion (which is also a great name for a 90's new wave band) - I would be laughing right with you.

Hope Pickle was happy with her purchase in the end (pun not intended ... ok, let's move on)

***********

Getting the behind the scenes look at AKL sounds really cool and love all the examples you gave. I think it is one of those things where you need strong values that people believe in to start with and then all those reminders mean a lot and you need to see your leaders living it and practicing what they preach - otherwise all those reminders are just words.

"When the rhythm of the drum changes, so do the dancers" - I really love that and shows that as a team and a leader and an employee you need to be flexible and adapt when "the music changes" (but also to keep being "dancers" and not change who you are)

Good for you in going up to the desk to bring up the issues. I am like you in not wanting drama and also tend to let things go - but agree, when it is multiple things like that and you are paying good money you are in the right to say something ... and if you don't say something how can they improve for the next guest? But wow, that manager went above and beyond! I was thinking you might get something like the extra FP but to ask those questions and then provide gifts that were personalized like that is really amazing! That is the type of thing you remember and more than makes up for any negative experience you had before that.

Wow - pretty cool to get your diploma from Mickey himself! Glad you found the course so helpful! I would love to push for something for myself (though my company has our own academy and they tend to push that so much rather than external training ... can't hurt to ask though!)

**************

Side note - I saw a mention about Sanaa - that is one of our favorites and is a great lunch spot to take a break from the heat that is Animal Kingdom and you can usually get a table with a view of the animals

 

[justafigment27]

Awesome morning in the Magic Kingdom! I love all those old Fantasyland rides. My kids rode the old Barnstormer several times in a row about 7-8 years ago and were given "frequent flyer" cards after they finally got off. Good times!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I am glad you got to see the Launch Bay - the displays I thought were pretty cool and the artwork and gift shop have some neat things. The meets are a little odd (we only did Chewie) and I am sure moreso when you are by yourself. Bummer about Rock n roller Coaster taking so long though ... at least you were entertainedby the power struggle with the senior

The F&GF topiaries are really cool - love that they put the Peter Pan on on the roof

Sorry you felt the food wasn't worth the money - but at least that meant you had room for the stop for sushi and shaved ice in Japan

The 3 Caballeros ride is definitely a must do for us! I think we rode it 3 times this past trip (though 2 were back-to-back when there was no line and they said we could just stay on the boat). Love the new animatronics they added at the end too.

BTW - love all your World Showcase pictures from dusk/sunset time ... so pretty!

We got to see the new PP queue for the first time and really loved the effects ... though we were pretty early too and the rest of my group went ahead while i stayed to watch the tinker Bell effect and they were "where were you?" and I was like "um, you skipped right over a really cool effect!"

You really did get a lot done during EMH! People mover is one of our favorites too! Love the Progress City diorama (and my understanding is that is only 1/2 of what the original was - must have been huge!). Nice family photo you got form the CM as well

eating QS food away from the main meal times is always a good idea. Never knew about the opening ceremony at Casey's!