MamaCrystal
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2014
After much anticipation and planning, I can't believe our trip is behind us! I must say, after reading these boards and several blogs, I was nervous that Disney had turned into more headache than fun. We were pleasantly surprised that was not the case, and we loved every minute (even with 3 sick kids!). We didn't feel on too tight of a schedule at all, our ADR's all worked out great, and we hardly had to wait for anything. We were actually able to do much more than we planned. We stayed at the villas at Wilderness Lodge (dedicated 2 bdr) and LOVED it. Very comfy, good layout, and didn't hear a peep from neighbors. We ate at Whispering Canyon three times and loved it. Because the main pool was closed, we asked about and received complimentary tickets to Blizzard Beach but we had planned to use them on our last day and it ended up closed due to a high of low 60's that day 
(every other day was around 80-85). We used the Deluxe Dining Plan and were so glad we did. We tried all of the restaurants we wanted and loved using the 2 snacks each day. We drove down from MI and were happy to have our van with us. Here's a summary of each park:
Animal Kingdom: Crowd level 5. We arrived before park opening and there was barely anyone waiting to get in. Breakfast at Tusker House went VERY quickly. Our reservation allowed us to walk into the park before opening and although Tusker House was busy, we visited the buffet immediately and the characters came quickly one after the other. Great timing! After breakfast (after park opening) we decided to do the safari an hour before our FP because there wasn't much of a wait. When we went to Tough to be a Bug, our 4 y/o daughters screamed and cried when the spiders dropped down, but afterward we explained that everything was pretend and they were good for the rest of the week's rides
Lunch at Flame Tree was AWESOME. We went early and there was a little bit of a wait but not horrible. Kali River Rapids was closed when we walked by a few times, but we didn't mind. We did ride Expedition Everest (FP, 5-10 minute wait), which everyone enjoyed. We LOVED the Nemo show. I was much better than I had anticipated. We didn't have a FP for Dinosaur because I wasn't sure if our girls would be too scared for it, but we decided to wait in line (maybe 30 minutes?) and they had fun. Overall a very enjoyable first day!
EPCOT: Crowd level 3. We arrived later in the morning and first rode Test Track (FP, no wait). We loved designing cars and the kids really enjoyed the ride. After walking around Future World we arrived to Coral Reef for lunch. We were 10-15 minutes early for our 11:30 reservation, which is also when the restaurant opens. We ended up being the first people to sit down, in a curved booth facing the fish tank. Lunch was just okay, and we were there a LONG time. Over an hour and a half. Our server was great though. We headed toward World Showcase and picked up a Phineas and Ferb adventure device but ended up turning it in at U.K. because the kids weren't too impressed with it. It was a very hot day and I allowed too much time for walking around World Showcase for us (~4 hrs). I was really enjoying the details of each country and there were definitely portions that the kids enjoyed but overall it was just a little beyond their entertainment level. Hubby loved dinner at Biergarten while I thought it felt a little too hokey. We were all very exhausted at the end of this day!
We then visited The Wizarding World of HP at Universal, but I'm not sure I'm supposed to talk about that here, so I'll just say it was awesome There is a noticeable difference in quality (mostly in terms of staff presence, organization, and bathroom cleanliness) between Universal and Disney though, and we were happy to be back at Disney the next day.
Hollywood Studios: Crowd level 3. We arrived before park opening and there were already LOTS of people waiting to get in. We walked straight to sign up for Jedi Training Academy and there was already quite a line. We waited for about a half hour and ended up with a mid afternoon show. We all enjoyed Star Tours (FP) after signing up Then used our FP for Toy Story Mania and waited maybe 5 minutes. Lunch was at 50's Prime Time, which was really fun. We did have to wait a little while to be seated, but we also arrived about 10 minutes early. We all loved riding Tower of Terror (FP, no wait)! The Jedi Training Academy was AWESOME. Much better than we had even expected. It was funny for the adults to watch and the kids loved it. They can't believe they got to battle Darth Vader! We left after the show and headed to dinner at Ohana, which was wonderful.
Magic Kingdom: We spent two days here, and attended MNSSHP on Halloween.
- Day 1, Crowd level 2: We ate breakfast at Crystal Palace on the first day, which allowed us to enter the park a few minutes early. We rode Splash Mountain early when there wasn't much of a wait and I'm glad we did! We didn't get that wet and loved the ride. Then used a FP for Big Thunder Mountain, which everyone also enjoyed. We visited Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World, Mickey's Philharmagic (which was wonderful! I wasn't expecting much and was pleasantly surprised), and the carousel, all of which had hardly any wait. Lunch was at BOG with a FP, and it wasn't as well organized as I was expecting. We had ordered our meals ahead of time but still had to wait in line with people who hadn't, so we still ended up waiting for other people to slowly make their choices. I loved my pork, but hubby's croque monsieur was barely warm and he wasn't impressed with it. Our kids also weren't too interested in the meatloaf or turkey sandwich. In the afternoon we used a FP for 7DMT so had no wait, and I'm glad we didn't because we weren't impressed. Too quick and not enough entertainment value. We waited in line for Space Mountain (20-30 minutes) and our kids LOVED it. We also did Monsters Inc with minimal wait, and tried waiting for Buzz Lightyear but the line just stopped moving after 5-10 minutes so we left. Hubby and the boys rode Space Mountain again while the girls and I used a FP to meet Anna and Elsa. The FP for that made the wait less than 5 minutes, while hubby heard a man outside say that he'd been waiting an hour for his wife and daughter.
- Day 2, crowd level 4: Had gotten a FP for Buzz but it was shutdown so we went back later during MNSSHP. FP for Jungle Cruise didn't help a whole lot with wait time. POTC was shutdown temporarily but we did get to use our FP after waiting around for 5-10 minutes for it to open again. We stopped for lunch at Pecos Bill's and weren't too impressed. It was also very busy. Our boys then went to Pirate's League, which was amazing! We all loved it. Then we watched the Festival of Fantasy parade, which was really good. Our girls also went to BBB and of course chose to be Anna and Elsa, and it was another great experience. We had been told that they were out of the Elsa tiara and wand, but when we went back to the changing room they were there with the Elsa dress!! Dinner was at CRT, which was very good. Cinderella didn't seem too happy about being there, and my oldest has mentioned several times since that Cinderella wasn't happy :/ Then onto...
MNSSHP! For us the beginning was a little disorganized because we had to wait to pick up the BBB portrait photos after dinner. Then we stood in a line by Pinocchio's for treats. By the time we realized people were already lining up for the parade, we thought for sure we wouldn't find a spot. We ended up behind a short little fence at a store in Frontierland and it ended up being great viewing. Unfortunately, we followed the crowd to Fantasyland after the parade and waited for Haunted Mansion (awesome to experience on Halloween and during the party!) and by the time we tried to get back in front of the castle for fireworks, it had already been roped off. So, we ended up IN the middle of the fireworks next to the carousel, which was still fun but we didn't get all the elements of the show. We've said that next time we'll make sure to stay in the front of the park until after the first parade and fireworks, then head to attractions and treat stations. After the fireworks it was all about visiting things we hadn't seen yet (Peter Pan's flight, Buzz Lightyear, snack at Gaston's Tavern, etc.), and getting treats! The kids loved the treat trail that started behind Barnstormer... they thought it was great to have three treat stops on one trail There was a great dance party with Sully going on in Tomorrowland. We caught a little of the 2nd parade on our way out, and I was so sad to leave!!
We visited Downtown Disney on our last day in the area and parking wasn't as bad as I had read about. We parked at the Team Disney lot. It was hard to get a feel for the area with all the walls up, but we're excited to see Disney Springs once it's completed.
We tried waiting for a bus at WL one morning but everyone was getting frustrated because there had been 3-4 AK busses and no Epcot, so we hopped in our van instead. We did take the bus to MK on the first day and the wait was fine. We also took the boat to/from MK and that was a very nice ride. It was great to be front and center at MK when we arrived that way! When we ate at Ohana we just drove our van there but then rode the monorail to check out Grand Floridian and rode once around the loop back to the Polynesian. We were surprised how quick the trip was.
All in all a GREAT trip! Hopefully next time we'll all be healthy and it will be even better!
(every other day was around 80-85). We used the Deluxe Dining Plan and were so glad we did. We tried all of the restaurants we wanted and loved using the 2 snacks each day. We drove down from MI and were happy to have our van with us. Here's a summary of each park:Animal Kingdom: Crowd level 5. We arrived before park opening and there was barely anyone waiting to get in. Breakfast at Tusker House went VERY quickly. Our reservation allowed us to walk into the park before opening and although Tusker House was busy, we visited the buffet immediately and the characters came quickly one after the other. Great timing! After breakfast (after park opening) we decided to do the safari an hour before our FP because there wasn't much of a wait. When we went to Tough to be a Bug, our 4 y/o daughters screamed and cried when the spiders dropped down, but afterward we explained that everything was pretend and they were good for the rest of the week's rides
Lunch at Flame Tree was AWESOME. We went early and there was a little bit of a wait but not horrible. Kali River Rapids was closed when we walked by a few times, but we didn't mind. We did ride Expedition Everest (FP, 5-10 minute wait), which everyone enjoyed. We LOVED the Nemo show. I was much better than I had anticipated. We didn't have a FP for Dinosaur because I wasn't sure if our girls would be too scared for it, but we decided to wait in line (maybe 30 minutes?) and they had fun. Overall a very enjoyable first day!EPCOT: Crowd level 3. We arrived later in the morning and first rode Test Track (FP, no wait). We loved designing cars and the kids really enjoyed the ride. After walking around Future World we arrived to Coral Reef for lunch. We were 10-15 minutes early for our 11:30 reservation, which is also when the restaurant opens. We ended up being the first people to sit down, in a curved booth facing the fish tank. Lunch was just okay, and we were there a LONG time. Over an hour and a half. Our server was great though. We headed toward World Showcase and picked up a Phineas and Ferb adventure device but ended up turning it in at U.K. because the kids weren't too impressed with it. It was a very hot day and I allowed too much time for walking around World Showcase for us (~4 hrs). I was really enjoying the details of each country and there were definitely portions that the kids enjoyed but overall it was just a little beyond their entertainment level. Hubby loved dinner at Biergarten while I thought it felt a little too hokey. We were all very exhausted at the end of this day!
We then visited The Wizarding World of HP at Universal, but I'm not sure I'm supposed to talk about that here, so I'll just say it was awesome
There is a noticeable difference in quality (mostly in terms of staff presence, organization, and bathroom cleanliness) between Universal and Disney though, and we were happy to be back at Disney the next day. Hollywood Studios: Crowd level 3. We arrived before park opening and there were already LOTS of people waiting to get in. We walked straight to sign up for Jedi Training Academy and there was already quite a line. We waited for about a half hour and ended up with a mid afternoon show. We all enjoyed Star Tours (FP) after signing up
Then used our FP for Toy Story Mania and waited maybe 5 minutes. Lunch was at 50's Prime Time, which was really fun. We did have to wait a little while to be seated, but we also arrived about 10 minutes early. We all loved riding Tower of Terror (FP, no wait)! The Jedi Training Academy was AWESOME. Much better than we had even expected. It was funny for the adults to watch and the kids loved it. They can't believe they got to battle Darth Vader! We left after the show and headed to dinner at Ohana, which was wonderful.Magic Kingdom: We spent two days here, and attended MNSSHP on Halloween.
- Day 1, Crowd level 2: We ate breakfast at Crystal Palace on the first day, which allowed us to enter the park a few minutes early. We rode Splash Mountain early when there wasn't much of a wait and I'm glad we did! We didn't get that wet and loved the ride. Then used a FP for Big Thunder Mountain, which everyone also enjoyed. We visited Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World, Mickey's Philharmagic (which was wonderful! I wasn't expecting much and was pleasantly surprised), and the carousel, all of which had hardly any wait. Lunch was at BOG with a FP, and it wasn't as well organized as I was expecting. We had ordered our meals ahead of time but still had to wait in line with people who hadn't, so we still ended up waiting for other people to slowly make their choices. I loved my pork, but hubby's croque monsieur was barely warm and he wasn't impressed with it. Our kids also weren't too interested in the meatloaf or turkey sandwich. In the afternoon we used a FP for 7DMT so had no wait, and I'm glad we didn't because we weren't impressed. Too quick and not enough entertainment value. We waited in line for Space Mountain (20-30 minutes) and our kids LOVED it. We also did Monsters Inc with minimal wait, and tried waiting for Buzz Lightyear but the line just stopped moving after 5-10 minutes so we left. Hubby and the boys rode Space Mountain again while the girls and I used a FP to meet Anna and Elsa. The FP for that made the wait less than 5 minutes, while hubby heard a man outside say that he'd been waiting an hour for his wife and daughter.
- Day 2, crowd level 4: Had gotten a FP for Buzz but it was shutdown so we went back later during MNSSHP. FP for Jungle Cruise didn't help a whole lot with wait time. POTC was shutdown temporarily but we did get to use our FP after waiting around for 5-10 minutes for it to open again. We stopped for lunch at Pecos Bill's and weren't too impressed. It was also very busy. Our boys then went to Pirate's League, which was amazing! We all loved it. Then we watched the Festival of Fantasy parade, which was really good. Our girls also went to BBB and of course chose to be Anna and Elsa, and it was another great experience. We had been told that they were out of the Elsa tiara and wand, but when we went back to the changing room they were there with the Elsa dress!! Dinner was at CRT, which was very good. Cinderella didn't seem too happy about being there, and my oldest has mentioned several times since that Cinderella wasn't happy :/ Then onto...
MNSSHP! For us the beginning was a little disorganized because we had to wait to pick up the BBB portrait photos after dinner. Then we stood in a line by Pinocchio's for treats. By the time we realized people were already lining up for the parade, we thought for sure we wouldn't find a spot. We ended up behind a short little fence at a store in Frontierland and it ended up being great viewing. Unfortunately, we followed the crowd to Fantasyland after the parade and waited for Haunted Mansion (awesome to experience on Halloween and during the party!) and by the time we tried to get back in front of the castle for fireworks, it had already been roped off. So, we ended up IN the middle of the fireworks next to the carousel, which was still fun but we didn't get all the elements of the show. We've said that next time we'll make sure to stay in the front of the park until after the first parade and fireworks, then head to attractions and treat stations. After the fireworks it was all about visiting things we hadn't seen yet (Peter Pan's flight, Buzz Lightyear, snack at Gaston's Tavern, etc.), and getting treats! The kids loved the treat trail that started behind Barnstormer... they thought it was great to have three treat stops on one trail
There was a great dance party with Sully going on in Tomorrowland. We caught a little of the 2nd parade on our way out, and I was so sad to leave!!We visited Downtown Disney on our last day in the area and parking wasn't as bad as I had read about. We parked at the Team Disney lot. It was hard to get a feel for the area with all the walls up, but we're excited to see Disney Springs once it's completed.
We tried waiting for a bus at WL one morning but everyone was getting frustrated because there had been 3-4 AK busses and no Epcot, so we hopped in our van instead. We did take the bus to MK on the first day and the wait was fine. We also took the boat to/from MK and that was a very nice ride. It was great to be front and center at MK when we arrived that way! When we ate at Ohana we just drove our van there but then rode the monorail to check out Grand Floridian and rode once around the loop back to the Polynesian. We were surprised how quick the trip was.
All in all a GREAT trip! Hopefully next time we'll all be healthy and it will be even better!
