This Bridge is Old, Like You! - A July 2017 and April 2018 TR *Completed + New TR Link Posted

[missangelalexis]

Having no A/C must be so tough! Stay cool!

Aww Evie's excitment over the Barnstormer- her before face is so happy! Poor kid! But I can imagine how funny it was for you and Alex

And then only to be tortured again on the Tea Cups!

Landon telling you all about SDMT is so sweet! I'm sorry it ended up making you motion sick

 

[Dugette]

Oh, wow, I hope it cools off for you soon!

Love the update. Sorry that Evie didn't care for the Barnstormer. I videotaped Izzy's first ride and she was smiling up to the top of the hill, then looked terrified, but ended up loving it (and she's still a fan of thrill rides).

Glad that Landon loved 7DMT, but sorry that you felt motion sick.

Looking forward to hearing how the day finished up.

 

[petals]

I love all the pixie dust they got in their hair, poor Evie on Barnstormer though. I'm totally with her, I hate coaster rides!

 

[amazingact21]

She just wants to take pictures in front of Disney walls in pretty outfits, Mom!!!

This made me laugh so hard, because it's so true!! Evie in a nutshell!

Too bad Barnstormer doesn't have a ride photo, would have been a great keepsake to show her when she was older.

I wish it had! Although, I'm sure she will insist on riding Splash and Thunder, etc when she's old enough if only because Landon can and I'm thinking those will produce similar reactions.

What a day - you were a trooper to push through! Love your DS's commentary on 7DMT - so cute! Wish I could turn back time and experience the parks with my boys as young ones again. But, looking forward to taking our grandson when he's a little older. My daughter-in-law says it's a one shot deal - we'll see.....

Hopefully if your daughter in-law has a good trip experience she might me willing to go back again. Or if not, maybe she'll let you take a grandma/grandson Disney trip.

Wow! I can't believe you hadn't ever ridden 7DMT. I like how you guys waited for each other to be able to ride.


I am that terrible parent that video tapes their kid hating life. In 2015, I got this adorable video of Ronan loving 7DMT. So this year I thought I would get the same of Annabelle. Well, she hated everything about the ride. Now, I have a hilarious video of her screaming on 7 DMT.

Hahaha! Poor Annabelle. It's hilarious how one kid can have an amazing experience on a ride and another kid have a terrible one.

 

[amazingact21]

It's a very recent development, but I thought of you as soon as you mentioned about a TR meet up! I can't imagine making such a short trip all the way from Germany when you're already going to be so busy...but I hope you can squeeze it in anyway! I'll probably also be down and back for the weekend, but that seems a lot more manageable from Canada.

Well, Alex was trying to send me to Orlando to run in the Wine and Dine Half Marathon so that I could get the special Castle to Chateau medal. I told him it would be the same timeframe...I just might have to turn around and fly back to Florida a few weeks later.

Oh man! It hasn't been quite that bad here. The temperatures are actually not bad at all, but with the humidity, we're dying here! Apparently we're in what they're calling "Atmospheric Gridlock" where the humidity just isn't breaking for a record number of hours. This was this morning:

Of course this is also the week that our AC has decided to quit, and we have the technician coming HOPEFULLY today *fingers crossed*

Feels like 93! That humidity is awful! My word, you must be miserable this week. And it has to be a little stressful, since you really can't be dealing with a constant heat like that. Did the technician come and fix your unit?

Oh my goodness, what a sweetie! I love his Disney enthusiasm. He was obviously so proud to be in the know and to share it with you.

Landon loves Disney as much as all of us, and I can't wait to see how his love of the parks grows and evolves over the years.

Aww man, long day! It's good that you managed to push through so the kids could have a full Disney day, but I think I'd be in a similar tired frame of mind by this point, too. I've already reached the point where I need some downtime if I'm going all day at a park.

After that busy MK day, Alex and I agreed that the next time we go to Disney, it will be for an actual trip where we can break up the days. No more of this one day nonsense!

I love that I was also about to send you over to our PTR but @MeghanEmily beat me to it! I even remember thinking - I really need to invite Alicia and Rita, but I don't know if they'd be available!

Honestly, the only thing holding me back from booking a flight is the not knowing when we will have to leave Germany. Just my luck I'll fly back home on a Monday and then have to turn around fly back to the states the following Friday.

That being said, though, if there's a way for me to do it, I'm definitely going to!

That's so cute! Did the sword come back before you guys left DLP?

It did!

I can see myself doing this when I bring my friend's kids to Disney for the first time. I still measure their 3.5 yr old every time I see her, because I have vowed not to bring them until she's tall enough for Radiator Springs Racers to prevent her from getting upset when she can't do it (she would be the opposite of Evie on rides)

Is she close yet? I completely understand you wanting to wait until she's tall enough to ride RSR.

Seriously! Best disney buddy ever!

Haha, you know this from experience!

Having no A/C must be so tough! Stay cool!

Aww Evie's excitment over the Barnstormer- her before face is so happy! Poor kid! But I can imagine how funny it was for you and Alex

And then only to be tortured again on the Tea Cups!

Landon telling you all about SDMT is so sweet! I'm sorry it ended up making you motion sick

It's been a long week; I keep telling myself I'm prepping my body for a future Disney trip. Getting used to the hot temps! And even with the high of 96 yesterday eek I'll still take the hot over the cold any day. I'm terrified Alex is going to have to move us to a base sees a lot of snow...come on Hawaii!

Landon was cracking me up with his 7DMT commentary. I wanted to pretend I hadn't gone on a bunch of rides just so I could hear his take on them.

Oh, wow, I hope it cools off for you soon!

Love the update. Sorry that Evie didn't care for the Barnstormer. I videotaped Izzy's first ride and she was smiling up to the top of the hill, then looked terrified, but ended up loving it (and she's still a fan of thrill rides).

Glad that Landon loved 7DMT, but sorry that you felt motion sick.

Looking forward to hearing how the day finished up.

We're hoping by the weekend it'll rain and cool off some. Nobody is finding the energy to do much in this heat!
I imagine Barnstormer is a little more intense than most young kids are expecting. Glad Izzy ended up enjoying the ride and it was the start of her coaster love.

I love all the pixie dust they got in their hair, poor Evie on Barnstormer though. I'm totally with her, I hate coaster rides!

It was so much glitter!! They both loved it, though, so I can't complain too much. And I'm pretty sure I've finally gotten it all out of the house.

 

[MeghanEmily]

Feels like 93! That humidity is awful! My word, you must be miserable this week. And it has to be a little stressful, since you really can't be dealing with a constant heat like that. Did the technician come and fix your unit?

It was a bit stressful. I did end up going out and browsing at the mall the other day just to take advantage of the AC. I figure it's just good practice for Orlando, which will be worse. But at least in Florida we can go inside in the air conditioning if needed! The technician came last night, and I'm hopeful that they've got it sorted. So far so good...

After that busy MK day, Alex and I agreed that the next time we go to Disney, it will be for an actual trip where we can break up the days. No more of this one day nonsense!

I think that's a great idea! And also because it means more time spent at Disney

 

[Lesley Wake]

Honestly, the only thing holding me back from booking a flight is the not knowing when we will have to leave Germany. Just my luck I'll fly back home on a Monday and then have to turn around fly back to the states the following Friday.

That being said, though, if there's a way for me to do it, I'm definitely going to!

Yeah, I think that was the only thing that caused me to delay sending the invite! But I really hope you'd be able to come - it'd be so fun!

Is she close yet? I completely understand you wanting to wait until she's tall enough to ride RSR.

I think the last time we checked she was 37.5" and the limit is 40". At dinner that night though I showed her and her brother POV movies of the whole Cars ride and they were so excited. So I explained she had to eat more vegetables to get tall enough to ride, and she immediately asked for more broccoli!

Haha, you know this from experience!

Is it bad I'm secretly hoping you guys get transferred to SoCal so I can go with all of you to Disneyland more often?

 

[mekay1012]

We took our dd on barnstormer last year when she was 3 years old. We had watched YouTube videos for months. It was all she talked about riding. She rode it once and it completely ruined her. She’s afraid to ride everything now. I’m not sure I’ll ever get her on 7dmt or btmr now.

 

[SarahDisney]

I'm cracking up at your story of Evie on Barnstormer ... poor kid should have just listened to you... haha

I'm glad Landon loved 7DMT, but sad to hear that it didn't agree with you. It's a cute ride, but the side to side motion is definitely something that can be a little weird, especially if the weight isn't evenly distributed in the car.

 

[Steppesister]

Love having a whole day to vegetate in front of my computer and read TRs!

(Over here in Germany, beer is sold in glass bottles that can be returned to the store to be reused.)

Yes, I remember that from when I visited Flossbolna in Nuremberg. I love this so much!!

When all of us made our way over to Dumbo, the wait time was listed at fifteen minutes and it seemed foolish to waste a pass when the standby was short. We decided to save it for something else and walked into the line.

Yes, for a 15 minute wait, no way! Save the FiPs!

What was the verdict?
In the Cast Member’s words: “Oh, she makes it by a mile.”

YAYAYAAY!!

.... or not.

When I told them Disney was building a Tron attraction, the dad gave me an incredulous look and hummed an “Okay.”

I swear he thought I was lying.

Poor man was not buying what I was selling. Wish I could see his face when he learned (or will learn) that I was telling the truth. Although, in his defense, I don’t blame him for not believing me. Tron wouldn’t be the first thing to come to my mind if I were just a casual visitor and not too knowledge on Disney properties.

This cracks me up. I wish you could have seen his face when he learned you were being knowledgeable!

We’re terrible parents, I know. But guys, if I had been coordinated enough to hold my phone and take a picture you would have laughed, as well. Her expression was priceless.

No, you're being real parents. LOL!!

So not the successful mother/daughter time I had envisioned, but in Evie’s defense…I had just laughed at her Barnstormer nightmare rather than be empathetic to her fear. Guess I deserved it.

She'll get over it. Promise.

It wasn’t a total fib. I enjoyed the dark ride aspect and the music. I just left out the part where Mama got super motion sick and needed to sit down on solid ground with some water.

Uh oh!!!! That sounds awful!

 

[cindianne320]

Yikes- I can't imagine no air conditioning! Our cousin in England is dealing with the same thing!

Sorry you got motion sick. I've found I have to take a Bonine every night of the trip, starting from the night before we fly, and I'm golden. My Girls' Weekend Roomie got sick on Pandora- I rode it twice and was just fine!

I hope you started to feel better and were able to enjoy the evening! <3

 

[amazingact21]

I think the last time we checked she was 37.5" and the limit is 40". At dinner that night though I showed her and her brother POV movies of the whole Cars ride and they were so excited. So I explained she had to eat more vegetables to get tall enough to ride, and she immediately asked for more broccoli!

Is it bad I'm secretly hoping you guys get transferred to SoCal so I can go with all of you to Disneyland more often?

Ahh, so close yet still a ways away! Hopefully, she'll hit a growth spurt soon and grow a few inches.

Haha, there's a couple bases in CA so it's possible! And personally, I wouldn't mind living on the West Coast for a few years since I haven't gone farther west than TX so far.

We took our dd on barnstormer last year when she was 3 years old. We had watched YouTube videos for months. It was all she talked about riding. She rode it once and it completely ruined her. She’s afraid to ride everything now. I’m not sure I’ll ever get her on 7dmt or btmr now.

Oh nooooo!
I can't believe she had watched videos of the ride for months and still hated it. Poor girl.... I really hope as she gets older she'll give BTMRR a chance. Even if she doesn't, though, thankfully there are plenty of non-coaster rides to keep her busy. That's one of the great things about Disney.

I'm cracking up at your story of Evie on Barnstormer ... poor kid should have just listened to you... haha

I'm glad Landon loved 7DMT, but sad to hear that it didn't agree with you. It's a cute ride, but the side to side motion is definitely something that can be a little weird, especially if the weight isn't evenly distributed in the car.

Evie used to get so upset watching her brother do something that she couldn't, so I think that's where Barnstormer came into play. However, between that and riding Pirates in DLP over the summer, I think that jealous tendency is gone. She'll gladly let her brother ride all the crazy stuff (not that Pirates is crazy, just scary) while she hangs out on the sidewalk.

Love having a whole day to vegetate in front of my computer and read TRs!

Judging from your TR, you seem to be staying really busy and thus deserve a day to vegetate! Sometimes, doing nothing can recharge the batteries like nothing else can.

Yes, I remember that from when I visited Flossbolna in Nuremberg. I love this so much!!

Selfishly, I love that I get a small refund. Nothing like paying super cheap prices for good beer, then getting some money back to buy more.

No, you're being real parents. LOL!!

She'll get over it. Promise.

In my mind, getting a good laugh over my kid's reaction to ride is fair payback for all the sleepless nights, meltdowns in crowds, and million read-throughs of Green Eggs and Ham.

Yikes- I can't imagine no air conditioning! Our cousin in England is dealing with the same thing!

Sorry you got motion sick. I've found I have to take a Bonine every night of the trip, starting from the night before we fly, and I'm golden. My Girls' Weekend Roomie got sick on Pandora- I rode it twice and was just fine!

I hope you started to feel better and were able to enjoy the evening! <3

The lack of air conditioning is rough. We had one cool day over the weekend where it only got up to 80 and that cooled the house down, fortunately. But we've entered the hot season and it's just part of European living. I might complain a little about it, but I'll also be the first to admit that I'll take this heat over the cold any day of the week. Gimme the 90's and keep the snow!

Someone here on the boards recently told me about Bonine and I think that's what I'm going to try on my next trip. So you take it at nighttime?
I attempted Dramomine over the summer and it made me soooo sleepy, even though it claimed to be non-drowsy. I'm assuming taking it at night helps with that issue...

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Haha, well thank you for thinking of me!

Disneyland Paris does have Fastpasses; it's still the traditional paper ticket route. The return window is only for 30 minutes, though, so that's something to pay attention to.
I might miss a few rides, but the ones I know for sure that accept Fastpasses are:
Peter Pan's Flight
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Indiana Jones
Big Thunder Mtn
Star Tours

And in the Studios it's:
Ratatouille
Tower of Terror
RNRC


There's no Fastpass for Crush's Coaster, so if they want to ride that I would suggest going to it first thing in the morning, because that line builds up so quickly.
And I'd also suggest if they want to go on the coasters then to get a FP for Big Thunder Mtn, that was the most popular ride in that park!

Thanks so much for all the help. I’ve already passed on the info and now they’re even more excited!

I love how Landon gave you a step by step run down of 7dmt while constantly reassuring you how much you’ll enjoy it
Poor Evie was having a time of it between barnstormer and the teacups! I’m totally with you guys though as I’d have been laughing too

 

[cindianne320]

Yes- I read a lot of blogs about sea sickness when we were going on our cruise, and they suggested one before bed each night, starting with the night before flight, and it worked very well!

I actually did one each morning on my Girls' Getaway, and that worked fine, too, but night just seemed to make more sense, and it lasted all day! Darn old age!

 

[amazingact21]

Thanks so much for all the help. I’ve already passed on the info and now they’re even more excited!

Glad I could help! Hope they have a great time.

Yes- I read a lot of blogs about sea sickness when we were going on our cruise, and they suggested one before bed each night, starting with the night before flight, and it worked very well!

I actually did one each morning on my Girls' Getaway, and that worked fine, too, but night just seemed to make more sense, and it lasted all day! Darn old age!

Good to know, I'm definitely going to try this next time I go to any amusement park.
I never expected to have this issue yet. A friend and I were talking, and we think having kids somehow causes this. Because I was perfectly fine until I had Landon and Evie, and I'm not even 30 yet. They're the link!

 

[natebenma]

I hope things have started to cool down in Germany.


I loved your last two updates! They really highlighted the ups and downs of Disney experiences with young kids. You never quite know what they will love and what they will not.

Your parade pictures are awesome, especially the ones of your family watching. I'm so glad Evie loved it.

How wonderful that you were able to get Evie's first haircut at Disney. I have heard so many wonderful things about the Harmony Barber Shop, especially for this milestone.

But, oh, the glitter...



One of my favorite Disney stories from a friend was about a trip to BBB with her daughters. After spending a bazillion dollars on makeovesr, her youngest daughter immediately threw a fit and was inconsolable until they went back to their room and washed everything out and changed into comfy clothes.

Not a magical moment.

I am so so sorry that Big Thunder was down again

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

I love your Sword in the Stone tradition

Whereas, I gotta admit…it was kind of hilarious to me. She was just so sure she was going to like Barnstormer. One second she’s shooting me this goofy grin and then the next time I see her it was like a giant dog was barreling straight at her.

I totally get this!

One of my favorite family pictures is a ride photo from the Bamboo Chutes at Storyland in NH



The sheer terror on Nate's face is priceless!

Wow! I didn't realize this would be your family's first time on 7DMT, but I understand the reasons. So sorry to hear the experience was not as magical for you as it was for Landon.

 

[amazingact21]

I hope things have started to cool down in Germany.

It's cooled down about five or six degrees here. Still hot, but we're making the best of it. Perfecting the art of when to open windows and when to venture outside versus stay inside.

I loved your last two updates! They really highlighted the ups and downs of Disney experiences with young kids. You never quite know what they will love and what they will not.

How wonderful that you were able to get Evie's first haircut at Disney. I have heard so many wonderful things about the Harmony Barber Shop, especially for this milestone.

But, oh, the glitter...

View attachment 340469

One of my favorite Disney stories from a friend was about a trip to BBB with her daughters. After spending a bazillion dollars on makeovesr, her youngest daughter immediately threw a fit and was inconsolable until they went back to their room and washed everything out and changed into comfy clothes.

Not a magical moment.

Oh my gosh!!! Too funny. I couldn't imagine going through all that trouble of booking BBB and planning your day around that reservation then going through the whole ordeal with your kid...only to have to turn around and undo it all. Guess maybe it's a good thing I got Evie "pixie dusted" at Harmony Barber Shop so I know she's okay with it.

I love your Sword in the Stone tradition

For Father's Day when Landon was 2, I had him paint a picture frame and put the photo of him and Alex pulling the sword out in it. It has since hung in Alex's office at work wherever he goes. He even took it with him on his last deployment.

One of my favorite family pictures is a ride photo from the Bamboo Chutes at Storyland in NH

View attachment 340482

The sheer terror on Nate's face is priceless!

Nate's face!!! That is almost exactly how Evie looked on Barnstormer.
So glad you bought and kept that ride photo; it's priceless now!

 

[amazingact21]

Monday, April 30th, 2018 Part 5:

My last update had Alex and Landon convincing me and Evie to go on the Many Adventure of Winnie the Pooh. After we got off, it was about 7:45 and our reservation window had opened.

Last summer, I had watched Happily Ever After on Main Street and wasn’t impressed. I couldn’t see the projections, had to listen to kids cry in frustration, and wasn’t moved by the soundtrack. Hearing how many people had a different take on the show, I knew my experience had to be a fluke and wanted another chance to see it and judge the Wishes’s replacement.

A few weeks before our trip, I read @Lesley Wake's review of the Happily Ever After dessert party and she made it sound like a worthwhile experience. Alex and I had never done any of the dessert parties before, but we had been toying around with the idea of one for a few years now. It seemed to be a much more relaxed and easier setup – especially with kids- than fighting the masses out on Main Street.

So we took the plunge and booked ourselves a reservation for this night.


When we arrived at the Tomorrowland Terrace and gave the Cast Member our name, we were led to a table right next to the railing on the lower half of the restaurant and told what to expect. Drinks were located on tables to our right, desserts to our left and a Photopass photographer would be walking around offering photo opportunities.


The time of day was great; the sun was beginning to set and it had cooled off to a comfortable temperature.

And the view!



We had a great sightline to Cinderella’s Castle.


I really enjoyed watching Tomorrowland change into its nighttime mood, too:


If only Alex hadn’t been looking so angry in the shot…


Back to the castle:


Stunning.


Alex didn’t waste any time going to get food. He picked up four water bottles, which was something I loved from the party. We could grab as many as we wanted, so we ended up with four extra upon leaving.

Then he went and got the kids their plates of goodies:
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

Landon saw the watermelon and was instantly excited.

Any time watermelon is involved, it’s a party.

**I took him to the grocery store yesterday and they had slices set out for people to have while shopping and you would have thought Landon had gotten a free Publix cookie. “Look, watermelon! Guys, there’s watermelon over there! You should go get some!”**

In true kid fashion, Evie was thrilled to see the cookie. She was no fool.

Watermelon was nothing special. We get watermelon at home. But a cookie?! That almost never shows up in the kitchen…


I was still feeling puny and was not hungry whatsoever, but I hated to waste the money we spent so I got a couple treats:
f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

I got the cheesecake brownie bite, which was really good. Both Alex and I agree it was the best item available!

The coffee macaron was decent, but the lemon was a hard pass. I felt like I was eating lemon dish soap! Not exactly what you want to taste in a dessert. Alex had one, too, and agreed that it was too tart.

Speaking of Alex, this was his plate:
f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

He claimed the Villains cupcake and the Happily Ever After cupcake were okay but very rich. He took a bite or two of each but didn’t finish, either. The S’mores dessert at the front of the picture was a winner; Alex wished it was bigger. He said he felt overindulgent going back for seconds and grabbing four of them.


It didn’t take us long to eat our food and finish at the table. Alex and I wanted to take the kids to the potty before the fireworks so they didn’t ask during the show, so we all headed out of the restaurant area and took care of that necessity.

Once we were done, we walked back up to the podium and asked two Cast Members if we could head over to the Rose Garden at that time. It was about 8:40 and the fireworks were set to go off in twenty minutes, so we wanted to be able to establish a seat and let the kids burn off their sugar high before making them stand and be still.

One of the Cast Members asked for our name and when she found it on the list, she told us that we had purchased the more expensive dessert party that allowed us to sit in the Terrace and watch the fireworks.

I panicked for a second. I didn’t want to sit in the terrace, I wanted the Rose Garden. I wanted to be part of the Main Street vibe, see the show from ground zero, get the full experience.

“Would it be okay if we went to the Rose Garden, anyways?”

The Cast Member shrugged. “You’re welcome to go there.”

That’s when the other Cast Member piped up.

“I don’t blame you. The Rose Garden has a better view…here, what’s your last name again?”

We told her.

“I can’t make any promises, but I’ll log into the system and see if I can refund you the difference of the two parties. No sense in paying for seats you aren’t going to use.”

Alex and I were surprised. We hadn’t expected the kind gesture, especially since we thought we had paid for the Rose Garden experience. After we got back home, we did see that the nice CM had indeed gotten some of our money back.

Awesome!


So for anyone considering the Happily Ever After dessert party, know that there are two tiers to the event and do your research beforehand to make sure you choose what you want!

A third Cast Member popped up behind us and led my family into the reserved grassy area. I walked us to a spot near the back so that way if the kids wanted to jump around they wouldn’t be bothering too many people.

f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


When Happily Ever After began, everyone in front of us remained seated which was awesome. What was better than an uncrowded seat for the show? An uncrowded SEATED spot.

Unfortunately, that lasted about a minute. The people in front stood up, a couple folks yelled at them to sit down, they did, and then they stood back up again and everyone was forced to get up.

The situation didn’t make sense to me. Everyone in the garden had paid for this “exclusive perk” and you’d think one of those perks would be to be able to sit and get off your feet for a little while. And if everyone followed that unspoken plan (“You sit, I sit, everyone gets to sit.”) then everybody would have won.

Why make it harder?

Oh well…

f5 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

The kids were having a difficult time seeing the show once we stood up, so Alex and I each picked up a child and hoisted them on our hips. Don’t worry, we weren’t THOSE parents in the parks…the kids’ heads were the same height as ours.

No shoulders were ridden during the making of this trip report.

f6 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


This time it was Landon being persnickety and insisted I be the one to hold him. So my big strong husband got Evie while I held up my very solid and sturdy five year old.

I was working that cheesecake brownie off!




The great thing about being in the Rose Garden was that we had tons of room around us, so Alex and I were free to twirl around with the kids, dance with them, and sing along to the soundtrack. Everybody else had shuffled to the very front so we had at least five feet of space on every side. There was one couple standing against the railing at the very back, but when I was mid-turn with Landon at one point they smiled at us and gave a quick nod of approval.

We were free to move and groove with the kids and truly get into the spirit of the show.


The four of us were fully into the music and projections that the big finale sprung up on us:




My overall thoughts?

I loved Happily Ever After!!!

Talk about a complete 180 from my last experience. I could not believe what a difference the viewing area made; like night and day. My perception went from frustrated disappointment to a newfound love.

And the most surprising part of it all?

I thought the show would have been amazing if it didn’t have any fireworks at all.

That was the thing Alex and I loved about Wishes; we were very concerned Disney was going to use less pyrotechnics when they first announced the switch to HEA and were wary when people said there were even more.

Fireworks were really important to us, they’re what we want when we’re ending a day at the Magic Kingdom. And so when HEA finished and I set Landon back down and it took me by surprise when the thought dawned on me:
I didn’t pay any attention to the fireworks.

I was so engrossed in the show that I didn’t do more than acknowledge the big booms in the sky.

To me, that speaks volumes.









However….my new opinion brings about a Catch-22. As someone who paid the extra money for the premium view of the show, I felt it was worth the cost and that I got a "premium" experience and saw HEA the way it was intended.

Alex and I agreed almost immediately that on future trips we would plan for the extra cost and only see HEA through the dessert party, not even bothering to try and get a good spot on Main St. again.


BUT.

The part of me that loves fireworks cries out at that new necessity. I want my old Wishes days back, where I could sit by the Tangled bathrooms and see the fireworks directly above me. Or sit on the Polynesian beach and listen to the music piped through the outside speakers. I want to be able to see the same exact show that every man, woman, and child is seeing no matter where they are standing on Main Street.

I’m willing to pay the price to get the best experience, but I don’t think it’s fair.

As much as I loved HEA and understand that it’s the next step in Disney technology, I would jump for joy if Disney announced they were switching back to Wishes.

For the sake of all the guests who can’t afford the upcharges and for the people in wheelchairs or the kids in strollers whose line of sight can’t be raised any higher and they have someone come and stand in front of them at the last second or who have a small child suddenly towering eight feet high blocking their view, I want HEA to be more inclusive.


And yes, the fireworks are good. I saw just the fireworks last summer. But they don’t make the show. To get the entire picture, you really need to see the projections. Otherwise, you’re simply listening to movie soundtracks while seeing fireworks. It doesn’t tell a story by itself, like Wishes did.

And I think that’s a shame.


That’s my two cents, though. Everyone has their own take and experiences with HEA. I’m sure a lot depends on the time of year, too. And who knows? When Star Wars land open this might all become obsolete because everyone will be over in Hollywood Studios and the MK will be a ghost town.



Hey, stranger things have happened!


With the end of HEA, Alex and I had officially closed out our MK day. It was time for us to hop on a monorail and go see our room at the Poly!

We were in the Fiji Building, which was the first building past the boat dock and right next door to the Great Ceremonial House.

Amazing location!


We were on the third floor this time around, which meant we got a balcony! (Second floor rooms at the Poly don’t have them.) But it was too late to go out and get a good look at what we could see.


The room itself was just as perfect as I had remembered it being.



(Look at Evie completely passed out on the bed. She was out like a light the minute we left the park. Poor gal was tuckered out!)


I thought I remembered how big the rooms were but memory didn’t do it justice.



There was so much space and everything was spotless. One of the cleanest rooms we have stayed in, by far.


Once we got the kids changed into their pajamas (Evie stayed asleep during this process) and got them comfortable in bed, I grabbed a shower while Alex read to Landon for a little. I told you he doesn’t require much sleep. That power nap at five and given him enough energy to fight bedtime at eleven o’clock.

Crazy boy.

Eventually, we got him to sleep and Alex hooked up his firestick to the television and we watched some tv for a while. Alex LOVED the big screen tv in the room.

That was his favorite part and a selling point I could use to get him to return one day.


It was a little after midnight when the two us finally fell asleep ourselves and slept like a rock for the next six hours. The room was nice and cool (oh how I miss that A/C right now) the beds were extremely comfortable so we all slept solid. Not always the case with the first night in a hotel room. Usually things still feel a little weird, a little unfamiliar, and it takes some time to grow accustomed to the new digs. But with the Polynesian we felt at ease right away.

Another thing that made us love the resort.

At one point while watching tv, I looked around the room and went, “You know, I almost wanted to be disappointed. Because if I found something wrong with the place or didn’t feel it had a lot of value, I could justify not wanting to spend the money and stay here again. But no, everything is amazing!”


Needless to say this probably won’t be our second or final stay at the Polynesian.

And for kicks and giggles, this is a summary of everything we got accomplished on our one full Disney day:

- It's a Small World
- Peter Pan's Flight
- The Enchanted Tiki Room
- Festival of Fantasy Parade
- Harmony Barber Shop
- Dumbo
- Barnstormer
- Mad Tea Cups
- 7DMT
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- HEA Dessert Party



Up Next: Glad We Splurged for Two Kids’ Breakfasts

 

[Lesley Wake]

Monday, April 30th, 2018 Part 5:

My last update had Alex and Landon convincing me and Evie to go on the Many Adventure of Winnie the Pooh. After we got off, it was about 7:45 and our reservation window had opened.

Last summer, I had watched Happily Ever After on Main Street and wasn’t impressed. I couldn’t see the projections, had to listen to kids cry in frustration, and wasn’t moved by the soundtrack. Hearing how many people had a different take on the show, I knew my experience had to be a fluke and wanted another chance to see it and judge the Wishes’s replacement.

A few weeks before our trip, I read @Lesley Wake's review of the Happily Ever After dessert party and she made it sound like a worthwhile experience. Alex and I had never done any of the dessert parties before, but we had been toying around with the idea of one for a few years now. It seemed to be a much more relaxed and easier setup – especially with kids- than fighting the masses out on Main Street.

So we took the plunge and booked ourselves a reservation for this night.


When we arrived at the Tomorrowland Terrace and gave the Cast Member our name, we were led to a table right next to the railing on the lower half of the restaurant and told what to expect. Drinks were located on tables to our right, desserts to our left and a Photopass photographer would be walking around offering photo opportunities.


The time of day was great; the sun was beginning to set and it had cooled off to a comfortable temperature.

And the view!

View attachment 340660

We had a great sightline to Cinderella’s Castle.


I really enjoyed watching Tomorrowland change into its nighttime mood, too:
View attachment 340661

If only Alex hadn’t been looking so angry in the shot…


Back to the castle:
View attachment 340663

Stunning.


Alex didn’t waste any time going to get food. He picked up four water bottles, which was something I loved from the party. We could grab as many as we wanted, so we ended up with four extra upon leaving.

Then he went and got the kids their plates of goodies:
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

Landon saw the watermelon and was instantly excited.

Any time watermelon is involved, it’s a party.

**I took him to the grocery store yesterday and they had slices set out for people to have while shopping and you would have thought Landon had gotten a free Publix cookie. “Look, watermelon! Guys, there’s watermelon over there! You should go get some!”**

In true kid fashion, Evie was thrilled to see the cookie. She was no fool.

Watermelon was nothing special. We get watermelon at home. But a cookie?! That almost never shows up in the kitchen…


I was still feeling puny and was not hungry whatsoever, but I hated to waste the money we spent so I got a couple treats:
f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

I got the cheesecake brownie bite, which was really good. Both Alex and I agree it was the best item available!

The coffee macaron was decent, but the lemon was a hard pass. I felt like I was eating lemon dish soap! Not exactly what you want to taste in a dessert. Alex had one, too, and agreed that it was too tart.

Speaking of Alex, this was his plate:
f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

He claimed the Villains cupcake and the Happily Ever After cupcake were okay but very rich. He took a bite or two of each but didn’t finish, either. The S’mores dessert at the front of the picture was a winner; Alex wished it was bigger. He said he felt overindulgent going back for seconds and grabbing four of them.


It didn’t take us long to eat our food and finish at the table. Alex and I wanted to take the kids to the potty before the fireworks so they didn’t ask during the show, so we all headed out of the restaurant area and took care of that necessity.

Once we were done, we walked back up to the podium and asked two Cast Members if we could head over to the Rose Garden at that time. It was about 8:40 and the fireworks were set to go off in twenty minutes, so we wanted to be able to establish a seat and let the kids burn off their sugar high before making them stand and be still.

One of the Cast Members asked for our name and when she found it on the list, she told us that we had purchased the more expensive dessert party that allowed us to sit in the Terrace and watch the fireworks.

I panicked for a second. I didn’t want to sit in the terrace, I wanted the Rose Garden. I wanted to be part of the Main Street vibe, see the show from ground zero, get the full experience.

“Would it be okay if we went to the Rose Garden, anyways?”

The Cast Member shrugged. “You’re welcome to go there.”

That’s when the other Cast Member piped up.

“I don’t blame you. The Rose Garden has a better view…here, what’s your last name again?”

We told her.

“I can’t make any promises, but I’ll log into the system and see if I can refund you the difference of the two parties. No sense in paying for seats you aren’t going to use.”

Alex and I were surprised. We hadn’t expected the kind gesture, especially since we thought we had paid for the Rose Garden experience. After we got back home, we did see that the nice CM had indeed gotten some of our money back.

Awesome!


So for anyone considering the Happily Ever After dessert party, know that there are two tiers to the event and do your research beforehand to make sure you choose what you want!

A third Cast Member popped up behind us and led my family into the reserved grassy area. I walked us to a spot near the back so that way if the kids wanted to jump around they wouldn’t be bothering too many people.

f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


When Happily Ever After began, everyone in front of us remained seated which was awesome. What was better than an uncrowded seat for the show? An uncrowded SEATED spot.

Unfortunately, that lasted about a minute. The people in front stood up, a couple folks yelled at them to sit down, they did, and then they stood back up again and everyone was forced to get up.

The situation didn’t make sense to me. Everyone in the garden had paid for this “exclusive perk” and you’d think one of those perks would be to be able to sit and get off your feet for a little while. And if everyone followed that unspoken plan (“You sit, I sit, everyone gets to sit.”) then everybody would have won.

Why make it harder?

Oh well…

f5 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

The kids were having a difficult time seeing the show once we stood up, so Alex and I each picked up a child and hoisted them on our hips. Don’t worry, we weren’t THOSE parents in the parks…the kids’ heads were the same height as ours.

No shoulders were ridden during the making of this trip report.

f6 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


This time it was Landon being persnickety and insisted I be the one to hold him. So my big strong husband got Evie while I held up my very solid and sturdy five year old.

I was working that cheesecake brownie off!

View attachment 340665


The great thing about being in the Rose Garden was that we had tons of room around us, so Alex and I were free to twirl around with the kids, dance with them, and sing along to the soundtrack. Everybody else had shuffled to the very front so we had at least five feet of space on every side. There was one couple standing against the railing at the very back, but when I was mid-turn with Landon at one point they smiled at us and gave a quick nod of approval.

We were free to move and groove with the kids and truly get into the spirit of the show.


The four of us were fully into the music and projections that the big finale sprung up on us:

View attachment 340666


My overall thoughts?

I loved Happily Ever After!!!

Talk about a complete 180 from my last experience. I could not believe what a difference the viewing area made; like night and day. My perception went from frustrated disappointment to a newfound love.

And the most surprising part of it all?

I thought the show would have been amazing if it didn’t have any fireworks at all.

That was the thing Alex and I loved about Wishes; we were very concerned Disney was going to use less pyrotechnics when they first announced the switch to HEA and were wary when people said there were even more.

Fireworks were really important to us, they’re what we want when we’re ending a day at the Magic Kingdom. And so when HEA finished and I set Landon back down and it took me by surprise when the thought dawned on me:
I didn’t pay any attention to the fireworks.

I was so engrossed in the show that I didn’t do more than acknowledge the big booms in the sky.

To me, that speaks volumes.

View attachment 340667


View attachment 340668

View attachment 340669


However….my new opinion brings about a Catch-22. As someone who paid the extra money for the premium view of the show, I felt it was worth the cost and that I got a "premium" experience and saw HEA the way it was intended.

Alex and I agreed almost immediately that on future trips we would plan for the extra cost and only see HEA through the dessert party, not even bothering to try and get a good spot on Main St. again.


BUT.

The part of me that loves fireworks cries out at that new necessity. I want my old Wishes days back, where I could sit by the Tangled bathrooms and see the fireworks directly above me. Or sit on the Polynesian beach and listen to the music piped through the outside speakers. I want to be able to see the same exact show that everybody man, woman, and child is seeing no matter where they are standing on Main Street.

I’m willing to pay the price to get the best experience, but I don’t think it’s fair.

As much as I loved HEA and understand that it’s the next step in Disney technology, I would jump for joy if Disney announced they were switching back to Wishes.

For the sake of all the guests who can’t afford the upcharges and for the people in wheelchairs or the kids in strollers whose line of sight can’t be raised any higher and they have someone come and stand in front of them at the last second or who have a small child suddenly towering eight feet high blocking their view, I want HEA to be more inclusive.


And yes, the fireworks are good. I saw just the fireworks last summer. But they don’t make the show. To get the entire picture, you really need to see the projections. Otherwise, you’re simply listening to movie soundtracks while seeing fireworks. It doesn’t tell a story by itself, like Wishes did.

And I think that’s a shame.


That’s my two cents, though. Everyone has their own take and experiences with HEA. I’m sure a lot depends on the time of year, too. And who knows? When Star Wars land open this might all become obsolete because everyone will be over in Hollywood Studios and the MK will be a ghost town.



Hey, stranger things have happened!


With the end of HEA, Alex and I had officially closed out our MK day. It was time for us to hop on a monorail and go see our room at the Poly!

We were in the Fiji Building, which was the first building past the boat dock and right next door to the Great Ceremonial House.

Amazing location!


We were on the third floor this time around, which meant we got a balcony! (Second floor rooms at the Poly don’t have them.) But it was too late to go out and get a good look at what we could see.


The room itself was just as perfect as I had remembered it being.

View attachment 340670

(Look at Evie completely passed out on the bed. She was out like a light the minute we left the park. Poor gal was tuckered out!)


I thought I remembered how big the rooms were but memory didn’t do it justice.

View attachment 340671

There was so much space and everything was spotless. One of the cleanest rooms we have stayed in, by far.


Once we got the kids changed into their pajamas (Evie stayed asleep during this process) and got them comfortable in bed, I grabbed a shower while Alex read to Landon for a little. I told you he doesn’t require much sleep. That power nap at five and given him enough energy to fight bedtime at eleven o’clock.

Crazy boy.

Eventually, we got him to sleep and Alex hooked up his firestick to the television and we watched some tv for a while. Alex LOVED the big screen tv in the room.

That was his favorite part and a selling point I could use to get him to return one day.


It was a little after midnight when the two us finally fell asleep ourselves and slept like a rock for the next six hours. The room was nice and cool (oh how I miss that A/C right now) the beds were extremely comfortable so we all slept solid. Not always the case with the first night in a hotel room. Usually things still feel a little weird, a little unfamiliar, and it takes some time to grow accustomed to the new digs. But with the Polynesian we felt at ease right away.

Another thing that made us love the resort.

At one point while watching tv, I looked around the room and went, “You know, I almost wanted to be disappointed. Because if I found something wrong with the place or didn’t feel it had a lot of value, I could justify not wanting to spend the money and stay here again. But no, everything is amazing!”


Needless to say this probably won’t be our second or final stay at the Polynesian.

And for kicks and giggles, this is a summary of everything we got accomplished on our one full Disney day:

- It's a Small World
- Peter Pan's Flight
- The Enchanted Tiki Room
- Festival of Fantasy Parade
- Harmony Barber Shop
- Dumbo
- Barnstormer
- Mad Tea Cups
- 7DMT
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- HEA Dessert Party



Up Next: Glad We Splurged for Two Kids’ Breakfasts

I’m so happy your HEA experience was better! I’ve seen it fully twice and both times were via the dessert party. Though one day I’d like to get there early and get a spot right in front of the castle!

 

[SaraSpringsIsHome]

Talk about a complete 180 from my last experience. I could not believe what a difference the viewing area made; like night and day. My perception went from frustrated disappointment to a newfound love.

We went to Disney last July, as well. Our experience of HEA was... okay. I was so bummed that we staked out a place 1.5 hours before the show, only to have a rude family jump in front of us at the last minute and block our view. And there were no cast members around to help out.

We booked a HEA dessert party for January '19 simply because we were so frustrated at our experience in July.

For the sake of all the guests who can’t afford the upcharges and for the people in wheelchairs or the kids in strollers whose line of sight can’t be raised any higher and they have someone come and stand in front of them at the last second or who have a small child suddenly towering eight feet high blocking their view, I want HEA to be more inclusive.

Completely agree!!!