Nine Nights: Filling 2019 with Disney Adventures around the World *New TR Link 7/31

I got both pretty easily for a party of 5. Picked up JC for 3:30 around noon, PotC 6ish for a 6:15, if I'm remembering correctly.

Those are great times! I hope the summer crowds allow me to get similar passes.



FP JC first. The standby wait there is longer and tends to stay long later in the day. Plus, the standby queue is hot and boring.

You'll likely be able to get FPs for both but, if you can't, waiting standby for PotC will be shorter and more pleasant. You could also do the pirate adventure game (I'm forgetting the exact name) and completing 3 challenges gets you a pirates FP.

I forgot about the Pirate adventure game. That might be something the kids will want to try. And you make a very good point about the JC queue being outside and in the heat.



Your plans sound great! Starting the day at Crystal Palace will be really nice. I understand the pressure of wanting your mom to enjoy the dessert party. I bet she will, don't stress! You really can't beat having a great spot for the fireworks so I'm sure she will think it's worth it when all is said and done.

I think the not having to sit on a sidewalk curb for an hour will also win my mom over. She tells me every trip, "I'm getting too old to sit on the ground." So I finally found a solution for that problem.
 
I have done it 3 times now and already have it booked a 4th time! It just helps remove the stress of finding (and holding) a good fireworks spot! I took my mom in February and she loved it! Good desserts but then we just had freedom and space in the plaza. We weren't shoulder to shoulder with people and didn't have to deal with lots of shoulder kids (even if we did, we could easily move out of the way). I think after your mom does it, she will understand the value! They've been changing up the desserts a bit too, so it's been nice to get some slightly different offerings!

I didn't realize you had done the party so many times. I remember your recap was what convinced me to book the event last spring; glad to hear it's still holding up after repeat visits!
I'll be happy to get to try a few more desserts this time around. Between the long day of park touring and eating a pizza at 7, I couldn't stomach any last time. Definitely not letting that happen this time around! (It'll also be hot enough to let the kids indulge in the ice cream station, which will be a highlight for them.)



Exactly! Never too old for “that” photo!

I think your day 4 plans sound perfect and totally doable. You’re striking a great balance between wanting to do things and allowing for everyone’s age/fitness abilities. I’m betting your mum will love it at the party simply because Disney has a way of making life magical and what could be better than sharing that magic with grandkids!!


If you can manage the picture, it'll be quite the story later in his life. "The first time you braved Mickey....when you were almost a teenager."

I do worry about striking a good balance with everyone on this trip. Evie and my mom are slow whereas Alex runs at a mile a minute. I think if I can find a good compromise where nobody feels exhausted but everyone is satisfied with the amount accomplished, I'll feel like I succeeded.
 
I still love this picture!!!! And I am sure he will still woo Raps as well.

I'm always equally terrified and interested to see how Landon's interactions with characters go. I can never guess what's going to come out of his mouth at any given time. No doubt he'll say something unique when he's meeting Tiana....


So, I may be the opposite of what most people have said so far. Only because the last 2 times we have had Jungle Cruise Fast Passes, the FP line was almost as long as the standby line. I guess don't be afraid to do the Stand By for JG!

This is really good to know. If I can't get a FP for it or choose to go with Pirates, it's kind of a relief to know I'd be waiting in a line that moved as fast or slow as the FP line. Makes me stress a little less about making sure I get passes.


I wouldn't do the dessert party every time but it was the highlight of the last trip for my girls.

I think the concept of unlimited desserts and not struggling for a viewing spot really captures kids' interest. They feel a little special, being escorted to the plaza garden. That being said, I 100% agree the party is more for them than for us adults.


I love that bag!

I'm not a jewelry or makeup gal, so bags are my one indulgence. This letter carrier and my Animal Kingdom's 20th anniversary bag are my two favorites.


Nothing like a breakfast with the friends of the Hundred Acre Woods.

It's such a fun way to start a day in the MK.



I would definitely go for a Jungle Cruise FP and then standby for Pirates.

I think that's probably the route I'm going to go. Inside queues win every time. (I was also reminded about the Pirate adventure game that'll earn us a FP if we complete three, so if the kids are antsy and want to meander around I might do that, as well.)
 
I'm just adding on here - I was there a few weeks ago (during spring break time) and the wait for Jungle Cruise was often more than an hour and for Pirates around 30 - 35 minutes, in the height of the afternoon. I feel like being inside during Pirates is so much more pleasant, and you could always get a snack to take in the line, too. Use it as a mini-break.
 


I'm just adding on here - I was there a few weeks ago (during spring break time) and the wait for Jungle Cruise was often more than an hour and for Pirates around 30 - 35 minutes, in the height of the afternoon. I feel like being inside during Pirates is so much more pleasant, and you could always get a snack to take in the line, too. Use it as a mini-break.

True. Indoor queues tend to win out every time for me. Plus, I could listen to pirate music all day and be happy.
I didn't even think about grabbing a snack, too. Food + A.C. + excuses to shout "Yo Ho"...definitely going to go for JC FP first. :rotfl2:
 
This is really good to know. If I can't get a FP for it or choose to go with Pirates, it's kind of a relief to know I'd be waiting in a line that moved as fast or slow as the FP line. Makes me stress a little less about making sure I get passes.
The last time was so bad, that I don't think I will bother with fast pass for Jungle Cruise for awhile. I want to say that the stand by line moved faster than the fast pass line. Which I don't understand how that happens... But that being said, I feel like JG fast passes are fairly easy to score day of.

I think the concept of unlimited desserts and not struggling for a viewing spot really captures kids' interest. They feel a little special, being escorted to the plaza garden. That being said, I 100% agree the party is more for them than for us adults.
We did the after dessert party this past trip, and got there early and were able to lay down in the area and wait. It was soooo relaxing, it was amazing. It was like being in a bubble with crowds all around us.
 
Hey just joining in to read along! My husband's job has tried to move us to Germany but we have yet to take the plunge. I have been to Disneyland paris though and it was a really amazing experience but different too LOL Anyway, I am really enjoying the PTR. I have always wondered about shades of green as my mom is a air force vet. Just curious about it. My dad lives in St. Pete so we often make side trips to Disney as we visit him. Really excited to read more about your plans!
 


Popping over from your DLP TR. which was awesome by the way. Looking forward to reading more here
 
Hey just joining in to read along! My husband's job has tried to move us to Germany but we have yet to take the plunge. I have been to Disneyland paris though and it was a really amazing experience but different too LOL Anyway, I am really enjoying the PTR. I have always wondered about shades of green as my mom is a air force vet. Just curious about it. My dad lives in St. Pete so we often make side trips to Disney as we visit him. Really excited to read more about your plans!

We love Germany and hate that we have to leave soon, but it is vastly different than the U.S. and isn't for everyone. We like to say there are two types of people here: the ones who love it and the ones who count down the days until they get back the states. Not a lot of middle ground. If you do decide to take the plunge one day or want more information about what day to day life is like over here, please feel free to ask!

This will be my 4th time staying at Shades of Green, one of my most frequented resorts. The prices are really reasonable; they are based on the rank (or rank at retirement) and can be seen on their website. The room sizes are the same as the Polynesian and Contemporary with the same setup, and have all the normal hotel amenities. There isn't as much "Disney" around the resort as the other on property locations, and they don't participate in MagicBands or the Dining Plan. However, it's a ten minute walk to the Polynesian which gives you easy access to all the Disney shops and use of their transportation.
The only caveat with Shades is that for non-military or D.O.D. guests, the sponsor has to be present to check in; so if you were to have your mom book a room she would have to there as well.


Popping over from your DLP TR. which was awesome by the way. Looking forward to reading more here

Thank you for the kind words! It was a nice change of pace to write about a new Disney park, and I appreciate you following along through both my ongoing reports.
 
Who made it the end of April already?! Walt Disney World is 39 days away, but I feel like I have a mountain to climb to get there. Our packers come in approximately two weeks, which means my brain can't shut off with things that need to get done. Ashley (from my Paris trip report) and her husband helped us out yesterday morning taking furniture we don't need anymore to a recycling center, the kids have gone through toys and decided what can be donated, and we're selling Alex's car this Thursday. There's still loads to be done....art off the walls, packing our suitcases, and closing/moving accounts. Evie has her gymnastics showcase the night before the packers arrive, then it'll be three days of madness, followed by what I hope is a little more calm.
I won't lie, I'll probably be absent until after our stuff is shipped out and we're hanging out on loaner furniture. Time to think about Disney will be few and far between, but rest assured once we move into our temporary housing I'll be back with a vengeance! My trip will be on the forefront of my mind and I'll have earned a rest on the computer. This is just my apology in advance if you don't see me dropping into your reports or making updates for awhile.





June 10th, Day 5 Plans:


The plans this day are pretty relaxed compared to some of our previous days. We’ll be headed to my favorite park:
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I think Evie and I are the only ones in the family who love Animal Kingdom. In fact, if it wasn’t for me I think everyone else would skip this park! Just shameful….

(But that’s fine; I’m already looking forward to the day me and Evie can take a mother/daughter trip and hang out in DAK for days on end. No boys allowed.)



The park has Extra Magic Hours on this morning, but since we will be at the MK late the night before I don’t see us utilizing the perk. If by some miracle (or if Landon insists on waking up at his usual 5:30 a.m.) we do make it to EMH, I’ll have us ride the safari while it’s still cool.


Otherwise, the five of us will be sure to make it into Animal Kingdom before 10 o’clock that way we can use our Fastpasses for Navi River Journey.

Like all Pandora and Toy Story Land attractions, Navi will be a new experience for all five of us. None of us have experienced it yet, and my mom requested we try it while she was there. This was one of those Fastpasses that I was anxious to get at the 60 day marker and was relieved that I managed to!


Next, we will head over to Africa and ride Kilimanjaro Safari:

02.JPG

A must do on every Disney trip, even my short ones!


Originally, I had planned for our first two passes to be flip-flopped. I wanted us to go on the safari first thing, then we were going to head over to Pandora to spend a good bit of time. But unfortunately I could only get a 9-10 a.m. time slot for Navi. Doesn’t that seem odd…I could get first thing in the morning but not an hour after opening.


This means that we are going to have to backtrack to Pandora in order to grab lunch from our new-favorite QS restaurant, the canteen.

03.JPG

The blueberry cheesecake is amazing, and one of the few desserts I can’t wait to splurge with on this trip.



Next, I have us scheduled to go see the Festival of the Lion King Show with 11:30 Fastpasses.

04.jpg

However, that will have us going BACK to Africa, and I’ll have to gauge everyone’s interest levels. While it is my favorite show at Walt Disney World, I accept that not everyone will be in the mood to sit down and watch.


That is all I have on the agenda for us to do that morning. I could spend the rest of the day happily wandering the animal trails and exploring hidden walkways, but I would be alone in my AK enthusiasm. My mom lives two roads over from a local wildlife park and rehabilitation center and has passes for the place. I have no doubt her and the kids will visit there two, if not, three times while they are at her house. Not to mention Alex’s mom lives about forty minutes away from the Brevard Zoo, which is a massive place worthy of an entire day’s viewing, and I’m sure we will go there when we go to her house after Disney.

In other words…the safari is about all I’m going to get Landon and Alex to agree to do.


We’ll head back to Shades for an easy going afternoon. Hopefully it won’t be raining, and my mom and I can take the kids to the pool for an hour or so.

Then, my merry crew will head to Epcot in the late afternoon for a 5:20 dinner at Garden Grill.


Now, a lot of you guys have been with me for years. You’ve followed several of my previous reports and might remember what happened the last time I went to Garden Grill.

It involved one kid having the time of his life.

And the other kid screaming her darling little head off.


So why, given our history with the place, would I return?

Because it’s the one request our aforementioned sweetheart made.


Yep.

YEP.


Evie, the girl who spent the entire meal looking like this:

06.JPG

BEGGED me to let us go back so she could see Chip and Dale. I offered to let her meet them out in the parks, but she wouldn’t hear any of that. It has to be those two characters in that exact restaurant.


05.JPG


I’ll never forget my mother calling me after she logged on to her MDE plans and asking, “Why are we going back to that place?!?”

I sighed and told her, “It’s what Evie wants to do. She wants to go on Alien Swirling Saucers and meet Chip and Dale at THE restaurant.”

“Wait. Evie wants to do that? Evie….the Evie who screamed at the top of her lungs every time a character walked by. That Evie?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, I can’t wait to see how this is going to go.”

“You and me both, Mom. You and me both...”


On possibly the only upside to this evening’s plans, Alex has never been to Garden Grill before so he gets to try out a new restaurant. He’s going to love all the offerings.

07.JPG


After dinner, the plans are fluid. Should we have missed IllumiNations on the 7th we can stay and watch them this night. My mom will probably have snagged herself a 4th FP for Soarin’ so that can be her last ride of the trip. Alex and I might take the kids back to the room for an early night or we’ll wander around FW for a bit. Who knows…we’re playing it by ear.


Overall, this should be a mellow day with plenty of down time. My only regret is that I don’t have it planned for Landon to ride Expedition Everest when he’s in Animal Kingdom. He’s tall enough to go on it now, but Alex and I are riding it during our kid-free portion of the trip, and I didn’t want to make my mom and Evie walk all the way over to Asia just to stand around.

If we can get to Extra Magic Hours that morning, Alex and I might be able to run over there with him and ride it. Otherwise, he might have to wait until our next trip to experience the Yeti.



Day 5 Goals:

- Navi River Journey

- Kilimanjaro Safari
- Garden Grill Dinner






Up Next…Day 6 Plans

 
Sounds like a nicely paced day. How funny your DD picked Garden Grill - she's probably long forgotten the trauma. I LOVE Chip and Dale! Hope you can squeeze in EE - it's such a great coaster. Good luck with the move! It sounds like so much work but it will be worth it when you're settled in England! Any idea how many years you'll be there? Maybe having the trip to look forward to will get you thru the hard moving days.
 
First, good luck with the pack-out and shipping! Will be keeping my fingers crossed that it goes smoothly for you!

Navi will be a new experience for all five of us. None of us have experienced it yet, and my mom requested we try it while she was there. This was one of those Fastpasses that I was anxious to get at the 60 day marker and was relieved that I managed to!

It's such a great ride - I think your crew will love it! Just amazingly immersive.

backtrack to Pandora in order to grab lunch from our new-favorite QS restaurant, the canteen.

It's so good, and it's so nice to have something that isn't traditional "theme park" food -- I have looked up copycat recipes to my bowl that I had so I can maybe recreate it at home.

It has to be those two characters in that exact restaurant.

I actually lol'ed at this. Did she have a reason?

My only regret is that I don’t have it planned for Landon to ride Expedition Everest when he’s in Animal Kingdom. He’s tall enough to go on it now, but Alex and I are riding it during our kid-free portion of the trip, and I didn’t want to make my mom and Evie walk all the way over to Asia just to stand around.

I will say that I found EE to be a pretty easy 4th Fastpass to get when I was in AK. Maybe your mom and Evie could go play in the playground in Dinoland while y'all take Landon to ride Everest? That might be a good compromise!
 
You have a lot going on before you get to the trip. Good luck with everything!!

Your Ak plans sound great! I'm sorry you won't get to spend as much time there as you like but at least it's something!

Hopefully Evie will enjoy GG more this time! Especially since it's so highly requested!
 
Who made it the end of April already?! Walt Disney World is 39 days away, but I feel like I have a mountain to climb to get there. Our packers come in approximately two weeks, which means my brain can't shut off with things that need to get done. Ashley (from my Paris trip report) and her husband helped us out yesterday morning taking furniture we don't need anymore to a recycling center, the kids have gone through toys and decided what can be donated, and we're selling Alex's car this Thursday. There's still loads to be done....art off the walls, packing our suitcases, and closing/moving accounts. Evie has her gymnastics showcase the night before the packers arrive, then it'll be three days of madness, followed by what I hope is a little more calm.
I won't lie, I'll probably be absent until after our stuff is shipped out and we're hanging out on loaner furniture. Time to think about Disney will be few and far between, but rest assured once we move into our temporary housing I'll be back with a vengeance! My trip will be on the forefront of my mind and I'll have earned a rest on the computer. This is just my apology in advance if you don't see me dropping into your reports or making updates for awhile.
Good luck! I hope everything goes well, or at least not too badly!

Overall, this should be a mellow day with plenty of down time. My only regret is that I don’t have it planned for Landon to ride Expedition Everest when he’s in Animal Kingdom. He’s tall enough to go on it now, but Alex and I are riding it during our kid-free portion of the trip, and I didn’t want to make my mom and Evie walk all the way over to Asia just to stand around.

If we can get to Extra Magic Hours that morning, Alex and I might be able to run over there with him and ride it. Otherwise, he might have to wait until our next trip to experience the Yeti.
That's too bad! I think he'd love EE!
 
That sounds like a great day that you have planned! I wouldn't stress too much about Everest, if you don't make it on its just something "new" for Landon to experience at a later date!

That is SO funny that Evie was the one who requested to go back to Garden Grill! lol hopefully you have a much better experience this time!
 
Sounds like a nicely paced day. How funny your DD picked Garden Grill - she's probably long forgotten the trauma. I LOVE Chip and Dale! Hope you can squeeze in EE - it's such a great coaster. Good luck with the move! It sounds like so much work but it will be worth it when you're settled in England! Any idea how many years you'll be there? Maybe having the trip to look forward to will get you thru the hard moving days.

Chip and Dale are always fun to meet; they usually pull some kind of antic. So I wasn't too opposed to meeting them this trip.
We'll be in England for 4 years; having a vacation planned has definitely been a light at the end of the tunnel. We know we'll have a bunch of stuff to do once we get to England, but it'll be nice to pause everything for a few weeks and take a breather before diving into it all again. I actually told Alex the other day that I want to take a vacation between every move from now on.


It's so good, and it's so nice to have something that isn't traditional "theme park" food -- I have looked up copycat recipes to my bowl that I had so I can maybe recreate it at home.

I think that might be why we enjoy it so much. The food is wholesome and tasty and the kids aren't subjected to a kids' nugget or Uncrustable meal again.


I actually lol'ed at this. Did she have a reason?

I wish I knew....maybe because I talked about it so much. It was one of those memorable Disney stories you tell friends and family over and over again that she probably heard it and that's why stuck in her mind.



You have a lot going on before you get to the trip. Good luck with everything!!

Your Ak plans sound great! I'm sorry you won't get to spend as much time there as you like but at least it's something!

Hopefully Evie will enjoy GG more this time! Especially since it's so highly requested!

Thanks! It's been busy but luckily we haven't hit too many stressful hiccups. Honestly, this move is going 100 times smoother than our move to Germany so I count myself lucky.

Evie better love Garden Grill this time around....that or she will NEVER live the stories down.
 
Good luck! I hope everything goes well, or at least not too badly!

That's too bad! I think he'd love EE!

Thanks. Thankfully, everything has been going well so far. Every problem that has arisen there has been a solution for, which is all I can really ask when it comes to a move. The two biggest stressers...selling the car and getting our dog over seem to have been taken care of so that's a huge weight off our chest.

Alex and I will have some free time later in the trip; I wouldn't be surprised if we snuck over to AK to take Landon on Everest. He's heard me talk about the "ride with the Yeti that goes backward" so much that I feel guilty having him miss it.



That sounds like a great day that you have planned! I wouldn't stress too much about Everest, if you don't make it on its just something "new" for Landon to experience at a later date!

That is SO funny that Evie was the one who requested to go back to Garden Grill! lol hopefully you have a much better experience this time!


Honestly, since Alex and I are getting to ride EE on our kid-free part of the trip, that's all I'm worried about. :rotfl: I do know Landon would love the attraction if he went on it, and we're going to try to take him on it, but if it doesn't happen...just another thing for him to look forward to in the future.
(He can actually go on FOP now, too, but he has zero knowledge of that ride and he's going to stay in the dark about it until after this trip. :laughing:)

I don't know what in the world Evie is thinking, wanting to go back to a place that terrified her, but we'll give it a go. :confused3


Aren't kids cute like that! Here is hoping that your Garden Grill meal goes better this time.

Poor Evie will never get to live the stories down if she reacts the same way at GG as she did last time. :rotfl2:
 
Oh my kids are funny! I love it that restaurant! Does she remember she didn’t like it? Does she want to just have a better experience? I hope it goes better this trip!

I really need to up my game at AK I just feel like i want to love it but I haven’t spent enough time there yet!

Good luck with the packing and the move! So many exciting things going on!
 
Oh my kids are funny! I love it that restaurant! Does she remember she didn’t like it? Does she want to just have a better experience? I hope it goes better this trip!

I really need to up my game at AK I just feel like i want to love it but I haven’t spent enough time there yet!

Good luck with the packing and the move! So many exciting things going on!


I don't know if she remembers hating the character experience at Garden Grill, or if she's heard me talk about enough that she thinks she does. :rotfl: For some reason, she thinks Chip and Dale would be a fun meet (she's not wrong) and she has it in her head that she HAS to meet them in Garden Grill. She can be very stubborn and she refuses to believe they meet elsewhere in the parks. :rolleyes:

For me, Animal Kingdom is a very relaxed park with lots of opportunities to wander. And this is probably the biggest reason why my husband doesn't care too much for it. I think I love that I can slow down and stop and look at details; unlike the MK where I want to get from attraction to attraction. Not saying you can't approach the MK slowly, just that I never do!:laughing:
 

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