Did you say you're at Disney... a September 2015 Trip Report

Finally posting my September Trip report. I hate to post and not finish so I have it almost all typed up so figured I should post NOW!

Did you say you're at DISNEY!

September 9th – 16th at Port Orleans Riverside with Free Dining

Cast: Me (Disney Lover): Aunt LaLa
My Disney Partner: My nephew LJ 8 years old



So let’s start: I love Disney! As most of you on here do! I went as child (I was 7) but it was my only trip as a kid. We went in June and all I remember is it was HOT and we stayed at POR in Alligator Bayou (thanks to pics)!

But as an adult I’ve been to the World much more! In 2008 I went with my adult and her two girls and since then I have been 3 more times and to Disneyland once during Thanksgiving. Character wise I love them all but Mickey is the Main Mouse so I usually go with him! Favorite rides: Toy Story, Everest, Soarin, Peter Pan and

My travel buddy this trip is LJ. This will be LJ’s 2nd trip. My sister (his mom) and I took him in 2012 (he was 4 ½). We had an amazing trip but of course there are things we didn’t/couldn’t do. He always asks when he can go back… his mission: Jedi Training and Rock-n-Roller Coaster. He wasn’t a Star Wars fan when we went the first time but saw it and wondered why he didn’t get fight Dark Vader and he wasn’t tall enough for RnR. This trip both are planned!

Table of Content

Pre-report: Cast of Charters
LJ Learns he is going to Disney -
Day 1 - Travel Day
Day 1 - Epcot

Day 1 – Travel Day

The BIG day had finally arrived!

The day started off with me getting up and finalizing my packing. My sister would be coming over around 10:30am so that I could get LJ’s suitcase loaded up with our snacks. After all the packing was complete it was time to get LJ from school and start our trip. We got to the school at 10:45am and he was already in the office waiting for us! His mom (my sister) was taking us to the airport but his dad and my dad (Papa) came by the school to see us off!

We were on the road and stopped to grab a sandwich at McAlister’s before we hit the airport. We made it to the airport by 12:10pm and I’m TSA approved so got through security in under 10 minutes. From there we waited until our FLIGHT!



LJ was excited to fly. He says his favorite part is take off! Out flight was uneventful and landed 20 minutes ahead of schedule. According to my notes we left right on time (1:45pm). Of course we hit the fake-0-rail and proceeded to take a photo with plastic Mickey (our first mouse sighting… so of course we stopped). We made it to DME at 5:15 got right on the bus and was on our way by 5:20pm but of course the last stop. We finally made it HOME to Port Orleans Riverside at 6:15pm.


Right before we took off I got the text message about our room. It was ready. We would be in building 27 room 2752. The location was good but I was in a preferred room and that put us in the furthest preferred room building on the back. I had requested closer in building 14 but never checked to see if we could be moved.


When we got to the hotel we just wanted to drop our bags and get to EPCOT!

First Park of the TRIP! EPCOT

We headed to the bus stop at 6:35pm for Epcot. I will say I was impressed with our time. I didn’t think we would be on the bus by 6:30pm. I had hoped and made a schedule based on it but it was only going to work if everything feel into place and I was HAPPY it did.

Nothing is better than walking into the park for your first time on a trip! Usually we do Magic Kingdom first but with our timing it worked better to do Epcot. By 6:50pm we were walking into the gates at Epcot. After this photo op we were on our way to our first FastPass at Character Spot but first LJ wanted to ride the GOLF BALL!




Normally I would never stop for Spaceship Earth first but we had 10 minutes before our FP would start and LJ wanted to ride so we did since there was no wait. Here he is with his first ride photo.



I was excited to do the Character Spot! LJ was excited too which made me happy. I wasn’t sure if he would be into meeting the characters but he was. He had a list of characters he wanted to meet while on the trip.


After meeting Mickey, Minnie and Goofy we were both super hungry. So we headed over to Sunshine to eat. I am horrible at remembering to take food photos so I will just tell you LJ had the kids chicken and I had the sweet and sour chicken.

We set by the entrance of Soarin and could see the waiting time while we ate. The wait was always around 20 minutes and since we didn’t have a fastpass I thought it was stupid to not take the opportunity for a 20 minute wait while right next to the ride. It was 8:35 by the time we finished Soarin and the park was closing at 9pm. We had one final Fast Pass so we headed to Test Track. The wait was only listed at 30 minutes but we walked right through with our FP+.



By the time we got off the fireworkers were starting. We watched as we walked out of the park as it had been a long travel day and we had an early morning for some training!

We made it HOME by 10pm and our bags were waiting for us!!

What would the morning bring… the DARK side maybe!!!