It’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow! Our Year of Disney Begins: May 2018 Trip Report-UPDATED 8-19-18

[Daisy1940]

Day 8, Part 3: EPCOT: Friday, May 18 (We Love Garden Grill)

Spice Road Table review: We arrived at the restaurant right at our reservation time and we were immediately sat. There were only a handful of tables with diners and the restaurant was mostly empty. We were sat outside which was great for us since we have two littles one and the weather was nice this evening. I think this would be a great spot for watching fireworks if you have a later dinner. Our waitress came quickly and took our drink orders. S ordered sangria for us to share and I just got water. After looking over the menu for a few minutes we decided to order two appetizers and split the lamb sliders. S got the calamari and I order the brie. J was just going to share with us and eat snack stuff we packed.

Our drinks came after a few minutes and we ordered. About 10 minutes later our food came out which was really quick. I don’t eat calamari so I can’t attest to it, but the brie and lamb sliders were amazing. I loved the seasoning in the lamb sliders and I ate the whole wheel of brie (whoops!). We had had the hummus fries at food and wine in 2016 and S remembered liking them but for some reason he remembered them at french fries with hummus on them so he was surprised with what we got. I’m not sure why he remembers it that way because I remember hummus that is fried which is what we got with the sliders. Who knows?

I really, really liked this dinner but S didn’t love it quite as much as I did. I would definitely eat here again (and really want to eat here again) but we won’t eat here every trip since S didn’t like it as much. I would say this was my second favorite meal of the trip (behind Garden Grill this morning). Our server was attentive without being annoying and the food was delicious. If you don’t care for Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food this probably isn’t the place for you but since those are some of my favorites, this was a winner for me. This is a really great value out of pocket especially if you share appetizers, which were quite large. I think our total was around $75.

After dinner we decided to head back to the room to pack up. We first stopped by the butterfly garden and walked around there for a bit and then made our way out. We got back to the room and quickly packed up all our things and got ready for an early and full day tomorrow. Back at the room we decided to cancel our anniversary dinner reservation at Brown Derby for the next night so we could spend more time having fun at DHS.

 

[Daisy1940]

Day 8, Part 4: EPCOT: Friday, May 18 (We Love Garden Grill)

Recap:
Original Plan (times from Touring Plans):
9:12 Soarin' (Rider Swap)
9:47 Living with the Land
10:10 The Garden Grill Edit (10:20 reservation)
11:15 The Seas with Nemo & Friends
11:40 Spaceship Earth (FP 10:55-11:55)
12:08 Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
12:39 Character Spot (FP 12:30-1:30)
Rest 1:00-4:00
4:25 Journey Into Imagination With Figment
4:54 Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
5:12 Frozen Ever After (FP 4:50-5:50)
5:40 Spice Road Table (5:40 reservation)

Actual:
Rope Drop
Soarin’ and Living with the Land
Soarin’ (with Rider Swap) and LwtL
Seas with Nemo and walk around pavilion
Garden Grill breakfast
Spaceship Earth (with FP)
Pixar Short Film Festival
Mission Space (with FP)
Break
Frozen Ever After (with FP)
Spice Road Table
Butterfly Garden

 

[Daisy1940]

Day 9: Part 1: MK, AK, DHS: Saturday, May 19 (Royal Wedding Day AKA Our 11th Anniversary AKA Three Parks, One Day, We’re Crazy!)

Both reservations for breakfast and dinner had been canceled at this point and we had switched our FP to DHS in the evening. Man, the rain and only being able to book 7 days of fast passes really caused us to change our plans for this day a lot! The night before S had tried to convince me that we should attempt 4 parks today but I wasn’t so sure it would happen since we have to deal with stroller and lots of supplies plus an afternoon nap break. Since we had been to EPCOT all day yesterday we didn’t feel a need to go there again today. I’m not including our plans for today since the only plans we had were our DHS FPs which we used. So, the plan for today was no plan! Let’s see how well that worked for us…

We woke up early since MK had an 8:00am opening and we wanted to make rope drop. While getting ready we watched the Royal Wedding coverage and left our room at 7:00. While driving to the TTC we decided to RD Seven Dwarfs Mine Train since J had enjoyed it so much our first day and we hadn’t ridden it again since then. We got a great parking spot in the very front parking lot, got through security, and made it to the castle for the welcome show. It was a bit bitter sweet that it was our last welcome show of the vacation but it was the first one I had actually watched in its entirety this week. We lined up to the right of the castle and walked with the crowd to seven dwarfs. Unfortunately, the ride wasn’t open and they weren’t letting people into the queue so we waited for about 15 minutes before the ride started and the line was moving. S and J rode first and we got a rider swap. While the guys were riding, I nursed B and then went and looked at the murals in the castle since I’ve never really looked around here. I popped into Castle Couture and looked around since I’ve never been in here either and then saw the step sisters having a cute meet and greet. I saw a cast member with buttons so I got one for B’s first trip and also a happily ever after one for S for our anniversary since I hadn’t gotten him a card and had given him his gift before the trip.

After the guys’ ride we walked over to the Tomorrowland speedway and J and S rode and we picked up another RS ticket. While they toured Tomorrowland in the worst cars ever, B and I went for a more pleasant tour of Tomorrowland on the Peoplemover.

Next we headed over to Buzz Lightyear where we walked straight on and then decided to ride again while we were there. It was about 9:00 at this point and we had already done four rides (plus gotten two RS tickets to use later). S wanted to take one last ride on the Peoplemover so he took J and B while I made a stop in the restroom. When they got done, Space Mountain was still only a 5 minute wait so I asked if S wanted to ride but he passed.

At this point we were getting hungry so we decided to get a popcorn refill and head to ride Pirates of the Caribbean one last time. Unfortunately at some point in the morning a bird had pooped on our popcorn bucked (and on our stroller canopy) so we asked the popcorn cast member for a new popcorn bucket lid and she happily obliged. We once again got a complimentary popcorn refill so that was nice pixie dust.

After taking a 10 minute break for popcorn we walked onto Pirates and had a nice ride. I still had a RS ticket from Tuesday for Splash Mountain so we headed that way so I could ride. The wait was only 10 minutes but I used the ticket anyway and walked straight on. They pointed me to the first row and I knew I was in trouble and should have said I would wait for the next boat to ride in the back but I didn’t. S and J waited on the bridge and waved to me and J got a kick out of that and it was a nice surprise for me. Then I got SOAKED on the large drop and while waiting at the end. Ugh, I have never gotten wet on this ride (seriously, I have gotten soaked on Frozen Ever After and Pirates multiple times but never Splash) but my luck had run out. As I walked up to S after the ride he busted out laughing at how wet I was.

We decided to put on sunscreen then head to the Haunted Mansion for one last ride on my favorite ride. J was a little scared but we reminded him that it was silly ghosts not scary ghosts and he was fine. Luckily, he has a great memory so he remembered that it isn’t scary when we reminded him about it. He is nervous for all dark rides.

Next, we decided to use the rest or the RS tickets I had and head out for our next park. So we went to Sever Dwarfs next and J and I rode. We had a funny group in the car with us and two large men were directly in front of us and one of them was so scared. At one point I heard him yell “I thought you said this was a kid ride!!” During the last dance scene they turned around and asked how J liked it and I said he loved it and this was his fourth ride and they both just cracked up that a 2 year old liked the roller coaster that scared this huge man. He was a good sport and was laughing at himself.

For our last ride of the trip at MK we used our last RS ticket for J and I to ride the speedway. This wouldn’t be my pick to end with but it was J’s favorite ride so we knew this was the perfect ride to end on for MK. At this point it was 11:00 and the crowds were getting heavy so we were leaving just in time. On our way out I stopped in to the Plaza Ice Cream parlor and got the peanut butter sundae and we all split it on our way out of the park.

 

[Daisy1940]

Day 9: Part 2: MK, AK, DHS: Saturday, May 19 (Royal Wedding Day AKA Our 11th Anniversary AKA Three Parks, One Day, We’re Crazy!)

In the car on the way to Animal Kingdom we mobile ordered lunch from Flame Tree BBQ which is one of our favorite QS restaurants. We parked and walked into the park and straight to pick up our food. After a quick lunch we headed over to Dinoland. Our only goal for Animal Kingdom was to ride Dinosaur since we had skipped our fastpass earlier in the week and afterwards S decided he did want to ride it after all after reading more about the ride a few days prior. We had never been to this area of the park before and it was a mad house! Unfortunately, Dinosaur was over an hour wait because it had been down most of the morning. We didn’t want to wait that long so we checked the app and saw that the safari had a relatively short wait. Luck was not on our side because when we got there we saw an hour plus wait posted. We decided to go ahead and give it a go though.


At this point it was starting to rain so we decided to duck under the Starbucks awning and put on our rain hear and check B’s diaper before committing to an hour line. This is where I discovered the B had a blow out and there was no way I was going to make it to the baby center to take care of this. We had parked the stroller facing some plants and hidden from view so I stripped her down and got her cleaned up and clothes changed. During all of this, there was a couple waiting under the awning as well (since it was raining) and they were apparently real pieces of work according to S. A group of people tried to exit through the door they were standing in front of and they yelled at them for exiting where they were standing. Then they proceeded to make commentary about how I was changing B right there (again, I had her positioned where no one could see but I guess they heard what I was doing). I’m glad I was too busy dealing with B to hear them because I’m not known for keeping my mouth shut in those situations. I’m really surprised S didn’t say anything because he usually does but I think they were entertaining him too much with their commentary on everything around them. After all of this, the rain was getting heavier and lightening was starting and it was already 2:00 so we decided to skip the safari and just head back to the room so the kids could nap. All in all, Animal Kingdom was a failure but we were determined to turn things around for our last park of the day-Hollywood Studios!


Back at the room we put the kids down for naps and finished packing up since we wanted to be on the road around 6:00 the next morning. At 4:30 we woke up the kids and hit the road to Hollywood Studios. The drive to the park is short from WBC. It was pouring rain when we arrived and the parking attendant at the gate pointed us toward the reserved parking spots. There weren’t any attendants working in the actual lot though so we were confused and drove around for a minute deciding if we should park in the reserve lot or leave and come back around to ask. I convinced S to park in the reserve lot and if we got in trouble we could just explain what happened. We parked and rushed inside the park for our first FP at TSMM. We had a fun ride and I beat S this time so I was happy about that. I guess they were distributing more fast passes at this point because the posted was 45 minutes so we decided not to try to ride again even though there was no one in the outside queue. I don’t think there was really a wait but we were getting hungry and had other fast passes to get to.


Since we had canceled our dinner reservations at Hollywood Brown Derby, we decided to eat at Backlot Express. I know this restaurant doesn’t get a lot of love and it isn’t the best, but we seem to always get QS here because it is easy to find a table and I can get my Disney chicken nugget fix here. S went to StarTours to use his fastpass while I took the kids to the restaurant so I could nurse B while we waited on S. I don’t know what was going on but people seemed to have gone crazy with all the rain. The inside portion of the restaurant was packed and everyone seemed to be running around the restaurant in their own worlds just oblivious to anyone around them. There was this large (maybe 20 people) group sitting at the top of the ramp down to the ordering bays and they were letting their kids roll down the ramp and not a single adult was paying any attention to them. One of the boys (maybe 8 or 9) decided to just lay down on the ramp. Several people were standing at the ramp waiting for the boy to move and he was just laying there stretched across the ramp so that no one could go around. Finally, one woman just walked right over him and I told him to get up so I could pass with my stroller. I don’t know why the parents were doing nothing and why no cast member said anything to them. I don’t really like to correct other people’s kids but I was sick of waiting on him to move and I had been waiting a minute or two.


Since the restaurant was so crowded I decided to go to the outdoor area and it was completely empty even though it has an awning. It was great, nice and quiet so I gave J some heavy snacks to start his dinner and nursed and changed B. By this time S was back from his fastpass so I ran to wash my hands and let J use the restroom while S did mobile order for dinner. By the time I got back S had our food. This wasn’t quite the anniversary dinner we had originally planned but we were glad we had canceled Brown Derby since the rain was so heavy.


After dinner I went and rode StarTours with my fastpass while S finished eating and drinking his beer. Next we headed to watch Muppet Vision since J has been into the muppets lately (he loves the new Muppet Babies and so do I).


To end our night, I had one last fast pass to use on one of my favorite rides-Tower or Terror. S won’t ride this so I went ahead while he waited with the kids. They were starting to crash so I felt bad leaving him with them but I don’t get to ride this much since I’m the only one who likes it and I did really want to ride. When I was done, the kids were going crazy so we hightailed it the front of the park. We stopped in the gift store on our way out so I could buy a birthday ear headband for B to wear for her birthday party this fall. While I was doing that, S picked up our Donald passholder magnets. We left the park around 8:15 and went back to the room to bath and shower and get to bed for an early wake up the next morning.


Sunday morning we were a little later getting on the road than planned but were still on the road by 7:00. We made good timing on our way home and got home around 6:00 pm. We went ahead and unpacked and started laundry and got settled in. Overall we had a great vacation and this was probably our best trip to Disney yet. S has really gotten the Disney bug since May and has been listening to the various Dis podcasts and getting more into planning our upcoming trips.

 

[Daisy1940]

Day 9: Part 3: MK, AK, DHS: Saturday, May 19 (Royal Wedding Day AKA Our 11th Anniversary AKA Three Parks, One Day, We’re Crazy!)

Recap:

Actual (We didn’t have a Touring Plans plan for today so I’m only including our actual plan):

8:00 Magic Kingdom opening

Castle Welcome Show

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Tomorrowland Speedway & People Mover

Buzz Lightyear

Buzz Lightyear again

Pirates of the Caribbean

Splash Mtn. (with Rider Swap from earlier in week)

Haunted Mansion

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (with Rider Swap)

Tomorrowland Speedway (with Rider Swap)

Ice Cream at Plaza on way out of park

12:00 arrive at Animal Kingdom

lunch at Flame Tree BBQ

walk around Dinoland (plan to ride Dinosaur but hours plus wait)

walk to Africa (plan to ride Safari but hour plus wait)

leave park around 2:00

Break at Room

5:00 arrive at Hollywood Studios

Toy Story Midway Mania (with FP)

Star Tours (with FP)

dinner at Backlot Express

Star Tours (with FP)

Muppet Vision 3D

Tower of Terror (with FP)

leave park around 8:15

 

[Daisy1940]

Bonus: Tips for Travelling with Toddler and Baby

I thought I would add in a bonus tips on traveling with a baby and/or toddler in case there is anyone reading that might be interested in this

Have a plan but be flexible

I think this is the key to a successful Disney trip. For us, we need a plan so that we aren’t walking around aimlessly. But (and this is a big BUT), flexibility is key. We like to deviate from the plan when something catches our eye or we see a low wait. You just never know what is going to pop up that will mess up your plan (rides go down, dining takes longer than planned, etc.) so being able to wing it and go with the flow is really important. We just keep the attitude that we are on vacation and having fun so it doesn’t really bother us when something doesn’t go perfectly. It’s mildly annoying but if you get upset, you are only spoiling things for yourself so don’t let it ruin your day. A plan is helpful to give you a rough guide for your day (when you need to leave your room, when your fastpasses are, when dining is, and to serve as a guide to help you navigate the parks and hit must-do attractions) but don’t be so wed to the plan that you can’t roll with the punches when something inevitable goes wrong or that you can’t stop and smell the roses when you stumble upon something new.


Don’t be afraid to cancel dining reservations

This was new for us. We have never canceled dining during a trip before because we never really felt compelled to. This trip with the non-stop rain we just didn’t feel like eating at Brown Derby in soaking wet clothes and shoes so we canceled both our reservations there which we had been really looking forward to. Although we love Brown Derby we just weren’t feeling it for this trip. We also canceled Boma breakfast on our last day so we could get more park time in. Going into the trip we thought since that was our last day we wouldn’t necessarily feel like hitting the parks early and would want to take things slow. But the opposite happened. We decided to hit multiple parks and do an 8:00am opening so we could soak in every last bit of Disney we could.


Make use of 4th(and more) FP. Use the app to your advantage.


Change diapers at stroller

Find a secluded spot and pull the sun canopy down on the stroller and just make changes there. The few times I’ve tried to use the restroom changing stations there has been a line and these are more exposed than your stroller is. Plus, they are just really gross. The baby center is better than the restrooms but we don’t find them convenient and don’t use them.


Pack park bag night before. Try to limit number of bags packed.

This saved so much time in the morning. We were able to get out the door from wake up to getting in the car in about 45 minutes by having everything packed the night before. Our park bag included these things:

Diapers/pull ups
Wipes
Extra clothes for the kids in a ziplock bag
Sunscreen
Hats and sunglasses for the kids
Portable fan
Extra ziplocks
Wet wipes antibacterial hand wipes
Snacks in a ziplock
Popcorn bucket
Bottled water (packed in a separate pack-it freezable lunch box)
Sippy cup
Noise canceling headphones for babies
Muslin blanket


Use rides to nurse.

Don’t feel like you have to use baby care center to nurse. I saw a lot of people nursing while sitting on benches, sitting on walls, and even in line and walking around (and I did these myself).
All shows are good places to nurse. I also found these rides to be good places to nurse:
Magic Kingdom:
PeopleMover
Carousel of Progress
Small World
Haunted Mansion
Pirates of the Caribbean

EPCOT:
Spaceship Earth
Living with the Land
Three Caballeros

Animal Kingdom:
Safari
Train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch


Potty training while at Disney

My son decided to take to potty training about a week before our trip. He had been working on it at home and school for a while but he still had a few accidents and wasn’t fully trained yet. At home, we let him take the lead and he just goes to the restroom when he needed too so not being able to go exactly when he needed was going to be a problem. We did not use pull-ups at home but we did not want to risk him having accidents in line and not being able to do much about it so we decided to give them a try. Pull-ups were great. We just called them underwear and he treated them as such and for the most part didn’t have any accidents in them.


One big thing we should have done before the trip is take him to potty in public restrooms. We hadn’t taken him in public restrooms yet so his first experiences with public restrooms were on vacation. This made bathroom trips a little trickier because everything was new and exciting for him and he wanted to play with everything in the restroom.


What worked best for us was taking frequent stops (every hour or so). This slowed us down a lot but we didn’t want to lose progress on his potty training. We really pushed liquids so that J didn’t get dehydrated so he would have to try to potty every hour or so. We wouldn’t stay until he went but we made him sit for a few minutes and try to potty. If he didn’t go we would just make sure to stop again in an hour. If he went, we would go a little longer before stopping again. Luckily for me, S did about 90% of potty breaks while I would change B.