MAHALO Walt! A Sept. 2016 DisneyMoon *Completed 10/29*

Tuesday, September 27th
Day 2, Part 1

We started off our morning slow since we had plans to arrive at Epcot for the F&W festival around eleven. We ate some granola bars for breakfast to keep our stomachs available for the eating fest that would happen later. I'd done plenty of research in preparation for our first time at F&W, so I was ready to stuff my face.

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Ken wanted to go for another run this morning, so I decided to go in search of hammocks on the Poly beach. Spoiler, there aren't any since the bungalow construction. :guilty:

Instead I just found a good spot to relax and enjoy the early morning view of the lagoon and Cinderella castle :tink:




I sure do miss that view.

We took our time getting ready and took the short walk to the TTA to hop on the Epcot monorail. Since it was only a few months into the Pokemon Go craze, Ken was always wandering off trying to catch something. This morning a Jynx showed up right by the Poly bus stop near the path to the TTA, and it took me forever to convince him to let it go. :rotfl2:

Finally we were off the monorail and through security to be greeted by this beautiful view!




This was actually our first Epcot festival entirely, so I was so excited to see special decorations :hyper:

We had an 11:30 FP for our favorite Epcot attraction, and it was our first time experiencing it in its new form.

To say that I was excited to see Patrick still our chief flight attendant is an understatement.



I always have to text my brother Patrick's face with some squirrel speak when he's not with me on this ride.



We really enjoyed the new views, but the CGI is a little much, and I really miss the old smells. Oh well, I'm sure the new one will grow on me.

After our hang gliding trip, we made our way to the F&W festival!


We stopped first at the Islands of the Caribbean since it was one of the first booths we encountered, and it turned out to be one of our best stops!

We got the Mojo Pork with Black Beans, Cilantro Rice, and Pickled Red Onions (GF) and the Caribbean White Sangria, both of which were delicious.



We were happy to find that it wasn't too terribly crowded; most times we were able to find a table to eat our food at, unlike later in the trip when we came on a Friday :sad2:

We continued in to World Showcase and found our next stop. I wanted to try the filet with mushroom sauce from Canada, and Ken really wanted a gyro.




“Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce

This was DELICIOUS. The filet was so tender I could cut it with the dinky plastic fork they give you.


Chicken Gyro with Tzatziki Sauce featuring Oikos® Greek Yogurt

He'd already eaten half of it before I could get a picture. I think this was his favorite thing he ate.






We continued our loop and ended up at the Brazil booth.



Brazil was another success--we got Pão de Queijo: Brazilian cheese bread and the Crispy pork belly with black beans and tomato.



The cheese bread is one of my favorite things ever now. I was SO pumped when Ken brought it to the table and said it was GF. The pork was also quite good, although we liked the Mojo pork a little better.

At this point the sun was beating down on us and I was feeling plenty full, so we went in search of some air conditioning. Somehow we ended up in Morocco, though, where there is no air conditioning...






I'm pretty sure this was the hottest day of the week.

After finding zero relief in Morocco, we decided to continue on. Ken was still hungry, so he was determined to find more food.







I had to get a picture of the Poland booth for my mom since we're Polish.

I really wanted to get a pineapple spear in Germany since I wasn't able to get one at the Main Street Confectionary yesterday, and Ken was in the mood for a beer, so that was our next stop!







So delicious.

Ken was getting pretty hangry at this point so our goal of finding more food became even more pressing.

We made it around to the front of World Showcase before seeing anything we wanted to try. We eventually decided on the Grilled Lamb Chop with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies from Australia.



It was...not good. The mint pesto was super oily and just not something either of us enjoyed. Ken ate it all because he hates wasting food, but I was prepared to just throw it away, it was that bad.

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The Hawaii booth was nearby so Ken got the Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour Dole® Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise. I thought it looked delicious, but he said it was pretty dry.



We finished our F&W time in the Festival center where we finally got some relief from the heat, and we found my mom this Tervis wine glass and had it sent back to the resort. I love it so much I've decided to get myself one this year :woohoo:



We headed back to the front of the park to do a little shopping before heading to Animal Kingdom for the evening!

Click Here for Day 2, Part 2!
 
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Hi! Following along :wave:

Brazil was another success--we got Pão de Queijo: Brazilian cheese bread and the Crispy pork belly with black beans and tomato.


The cheese bread is one of my favorite things ever now.
Oh, that little cheese bread :love: Whenever we're at any kind of Brazilian restaurant, I have about 8 of them. Not even kidding :sad2: :rolleyes1
 


You got to Disney the day we left Disney!
Congrats on your wedding and I'm enjoying your TR so far!
 
Hi! Following along :wave:


Oh, that little cheese bread :love: Whenever we're at any kind of Brazilian restaurant, I have about 8 of them. Not even kidding :sad2: :rolleyes1

Isn't it magnificent?! We most definitely are not sharing an order this year :drinking1

You got to Disney the day we left Disney!
Congrats on your wedding and I'm enjoying your TR so far!

Thank you so much! Glad to have you along!
 
Tuesday, September 27th
Day 2, Part 2

After we made our way back to the front of the park post F&W festival, we found ourselves in Mousegears for a little browsing around.

On our last trip, the Pixar series 3 vinylmations had just been released and everywhere we looked they were sold out, so when I spotted that they had them in stock, I was SO EXCITED to try to get Wall-e. Wall-e is one of my top 3 favorite Disney movies, and I just love his adorable little robot-ness.

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:lovestruc:lovestruc:lovestruc:lovestruc:lovestruc:lovestruc:lovestruc

So we bought one and got...Bruce. Ok, not bad, but not Wall-e.

So then I decided we should try once more. We got another and it was...Guido. Cute, but not cute enough.

At this point I was done. Those guys aren't cheap, ya know? But Ken was all, "No, we HAVE to get you Wall-e!" He argued that if we kept getting ones from the same tray, our odds would keep getting better. So we bought a third, and by this time the cast member at the checkout was all...whatchya guys doin? So we told her our quest and she got all excited to see which one we got.

But then we got Alfredo Linguini. COME ON.

Now I was REALLY done becuase we'd spent $45 on vinylmations and holy cow, I know it's our honeymoon, but let's chill.

But Ken was determined and we bought a fourth and WE GOT HIM.




Pure joy, right?

I decided Wall-e needed a photo shoot in all his glory, which proceeded to get a bit out of hand :rolleyes1



Isn't he the greatest! I just love his little fire extinguisher.



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After all that excitement and a quick bathroom break, we were ready to move on to our next destination: Animal Kingdom!

This was Ken's first time at AK, so I was really excited for him to see it. AK has always been my least favorite park, but that's sort of like saying pepperoni is my least favorite kind of pizza...it's still pizza.

Another photo of Wall-e because we can't help it.



We stopped for a few photopass pics on our way into the park, which was fun. These were our first magic shots ever!






I forgot to mention that after using our one FP on Soarin' earlier in the morning, I got on MDE and found us a FP for the safari for when we would arrive at AK, so we headed to do that. This was the ride I was most excited for Ken to experience, just because it's so cool.

We had a GREAT safari. I'd never had so many animals get this close to us before.







Butts.




This giraffe is the highlight of my life.





:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

After our trip through Africa, we sat down and tried to decide on what we wanted to do for dinner. None of the QS menus were jumping out at us, so we decided to stop by Yak and Yeti and see if we could get a table. They were able to seat us in 10 minutes, so it worked out great!

Wall-e needed some more attention.



This was my first time eating here, so I talked to the chef about the GF options that were available. I ended up modifying the sweet and sour chicken a bit, and it was truly one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten.



Looking at the picture is almost painful it was that good.

I have no photo evidence, but Ken got the Kobe Beef Burger and really liked it too.

After dinner we spent a little time wandering around the DinoLand gift shop until our food settled. I wanted to ride Everest in the dark since it was my first time at AK with nighttime hours, so I found us a FP for immediate use :woohoo:
and we headed that way.





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Everest is excellent in the daytime, but it is even more thrilling in the dark. At least, that's how I feel about it. Ken, not so much.



He gets motion sickness sometimes, so the going backwards in the dark really messed with him.

I decided to ride again since there was no wait, so Ken waited for me, then we headed out of the park and back home to the Poly!

Hello, home. :wave2:




It was our last night here, so I was feeling extra sentimental.

Tomorrow we had an early breakfast reservation, so we were ready for bed!

Click here for Day 3 Part 1!
 
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But Ken was determined and we bought a fourth and WE GOT HIM.

Your face is priceless! Happy you got your Wall-E :teeth:


Any trip report that uses a Doctor Who pic or gif has my heart! #whovian


This giraffe is the highlight of my life.



Alright, he (she?) is super adorable :lovestruc


He gets motion sickness sometimes, so the going backwards in the dark really messed with him.
I suffer from motion sickness too (and most recently full blown vertigo :faint:). The backwards part of the ride made me feel sick. It was much better when I rode in the back and of course, pop a couple of Dramamine pills :p
 
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Hi, Kayla! :wave2: It seems we follow some of the same folks, and I just came across your TR! I also just had a Disney honeymoon, so I'm super excited to hear about your trip!

Anyone else as excited as I was when they finally added purple to the lineup? :dancer:

Yes. I absolutely was, yes.

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Mine is clearly better :laughing:

You look much more excited!

I have to eat gluten-free now, which really puts a hamper on my chinese buffet habits, but Disney's selection of GF food makes my soul happy. Another reason I'm looking to rent a Frontierland teepee.

I LOVE Disney for this reason! I have dietary restrictions that include gluten, and Disney is one of the few places I feel completely super safe to eat. They do suuuch a good job with options for special diets! I've had very few bad experiences.

I beat Ken back to the hotel room and got ready for breakfast, then enjoyed some Stacy and some time on our balcony.

Because what's a Disney trip without Stacey...??

I opted for GF Mickey waffles with the Tonga Toast's strawberry compote and cinnamon and sugar.

I didn't realize this was a thing that could happen. Now I definitely need to do this.

Anyone else think Emperor's New Groove is one of the most under-appreciated Disney movies out there? Patrick Warburton's best work.

YAS! Very much agree.

Anyone have constant bouts of sadness during any trip to WDW when you realize that time is passing and it will be over soon and how can you make it slow down?

This was my longest trip to WDW to date, and I was already feelin' it on the first full day.

Oh my goodness, yes. Sometimes I even get pre-Disney Depression and am sad about it being over before it even starts. :(



This was one of my favorite photos from the week.

So cute! Much love between you two!

I convinced Ken to ride IASM with me. He HATES this ride. When he rode it for the first time a few years ago, he turned to me just before we de-boarded and said, "That's the sh**iest ride I've ever ridden." :lmao:

I disagree, because he's wrong. Stitch's Great Escape is.

I'm not a fan of small world, but Stitch is absolutely the most terrible ride of all time.


English teacher geeking out.

My husband loves this part! And he always points out how zero children will catch the reference.

We decided to share a Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum next. And WOW. It was like an adult version Dole Whip on steroids. So delicious. I didn't take a picture, but I think it was gone in like 2 seconds.

Good information! Tucking this away...


“Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce

This was DELICIOUS. The filet was so tender I could cut it with the dinky plastic fork they give you.

YUM!! Le Cellier makes me proud to be Canadian.

Now I was REALLY done becuase we'd spent $45 on vinylmations and holy cow, I know it's our honeymoon, but let's chill.

But Ken was determined and we bought a fourth and WE GOT HIM.


Oh my goodness, yay!! I'm so pleased for you!

Also, your Wall-E photoshoots are hilarious and awesome.

He gets motion sickness sometimes, so the going backwards in the dark really messed with him.

I can't handle that part either. It's killer for motion sickness. But the hubby loves it.
 
What a supportive husband!

Your AK nights sounds so fun!

Isn't he though? It really was a lot of fun, I think mostly because we were just kind of doing whatever, which is not my typical park style :flower:

Alright, he (she?) is super adorable :lovestruc

I'm so glad I caught that picture progression; It's just so precious!

Hi, Kayla! :wave2: It seems we follow some of the same folks, and I just came across your TR! I also just had a Disney honeymoon, so I'm super excited to hear about your trip!

HI!!! So glad you're following along!

I didn't realize this was a thing that could happen. Now I definitely need to do this.

You SO do! It was seriously delicious. I honestly think I might try to squeeze in a breakfast by myself on our next trip in a few weeks just so I can have it again :rolleyes1

Oh my goodness, yes. Sometimes I even get pre-Disney Depression and am sad about it being over before it even starts. :(

Me, currently. 11 days to go and I'm both pumped and kind of sad for it to be in the single digits. The planning is almost better than the going!

Also, your Wall-E photoshoots are hilarious and awesome.

:rotfl:
 
Great reading and also loving your Wall-E shots!
Do you remember which longhouse you were in before your move to Fiji?
 
Great reading and also loving your Wall-E shots!
Do you remember which longhouse you were in before your move to Fiji?

Thank you :flower3:

We were in Tuvalu (standard view) before we were moved. It was not a long journey :laughing:
 
Hi Kayla love your name, I have a good friend also named Kayla. :wave2::wave2:

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How beautiful you all are.

All I could think was "please don't let me die before being at Disney one more time." :rolleyes1
:lmao:

Below Deck, which became a staple for our late-night or afternoon TV viewings. Nothing like some yachty drama to make your chicken fingers go down smooth.
Oh we love Below Deck and it's yachty drama.

Hello, home. :wave2:
Isn't it just so great to walk into a Disney Resort knowing it will be home for the next so many nights. :woohoo:
 
Wednesday, September 28th
Day 3, Part 1

This morning we had a pre-park opening ressie at Magic Kingdom, but it was also our last day at the Poly, so we had to be up extra early to pack up and take our bags down to the concierge for transfer :guilty:



I took a very sad walk around the resort to say goodbye to everything :sad:






Obligatory resort mat photo




Luckily we would be back in a few days for dinner :woohoo:


We got our bags down to the lobby and then headed up to the monorail to find that...it wasn't running yet.

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Our last day at the Poly and I DON'T GET THE RIDE THE MONORAIL?!


After I got over it and we caught a bus to MK, we got in line to get our names checked off on the ressie list, then were finally let in to Main Street USA!





Nothing gets me more amped than a beautiful fall morning in an empty MK

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We got in line for a castle photo right away, which gave me plenty of time to skip around and pose for random photos while Ken saved our spot.







I found this child drawing on the foggy windows adorable.






I'm sad that this utter emptiness is no longer possible now that the welcome show has been moved :sad2:




Eventually we checked in for our 8:05 ressie at Crystal Palace and then waited around for them to call us, which only took about 5 minutes.



I was SO PUMPED to find out that Crystal Palace was serving GF Mickey waffles today instead of those gross frozen Van's waffles I was served last time :sad2:



A whole plate all to myself!

I also enjoyed some delicious GF donuts, which I wrapped up in napkins and stashed in our backpack so as to avoid stuffing myself entirely :thumbsup2


Side note: Ken is NOT a fan of character interactions, so I always have to go solo if I want to get a photo with anyone. Winnie the Pooh characters aren't particularly high on my list of "must-meet," so I just got a photo with Piglet. I also got a hug from Winnie the Pooh, but Ken was slow on the photo uptake :rotfl:




This was Ken's reaction when he saw the bill:




:rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2:

"I'm contemplating how we're ever going to pay for this" :lmao:




It's safe to say Ken did not find the meal worth it, but I'd pay pretty much anything for GF Mickey waffles and early entry into MK :flower1:


After our expensive breakfast, we headed off to Adventureland!




We decided to stop for a cruise through the jungle first.



Two of his for one of yours!


After we safely disembarked, we continued on to visit the Briar Patch and then the wildest ride in the wilderness :drive:




[UNRELATED SIDE NOTE. I just found this adorable Ewok emoji :ewok::ewok::ewok: Why have I never used this before?!]


We decided to take a leisurely ride on the WDW railroad to the Fantasyland depot, then helped Buzz defeat Emperor Zurg.


I

Well, I helped. Ken's contribution to the effort was paltry:rotfl:



We headed back to the other side of the park, just kind of meandering around. We ended up on Tom Sawyer island, which neither of us had ever experienced. We had to wait for it to open first as it was only 9:45 at this point, but it was already HOT. Our time on the island was sweaty affair.



I teach The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn so I was enjoying all the literary references.



We eventually ended up outside Aunt Polly's and took a seat in the shade to attempt to cool off.


Artsy HM photo:




After we made if off the island, I was ready for a refreshment. Naturally, this is the only real choice when you're at MK.




We stopped for some fun Photopass shots as we made our way back to Main Street. The photographer wasn't very busy, so she had us do lots of poses!










After a little shopping along Main Street, we headed out and on to our next stop: Hollywood Studios!

Click Here for Day 3, Part 2

 
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I found this child drawing on the foggy windows adorable.


So precious!!

I was SO PUMPED to find out that Crystal Palace was serving GF Mickey waffles today instead of those gross frozen Van's waffles I was served last time :sad2:


Oh my gosh, serious upgrade!! I would have been so disappointed to be in Disney and be eating van's.

I also enjoyed some delicious GF donuts, which I wrapped up in napkins and stashed in our backpack so as to avoid stuffing myself entirely :thumbsup2

I may or may not also do this at buffets...I may or may not ask for the donuts for this specific reason... :rolleyes1

It's safe to say Ken did not find the meal worth it, but I'd pay pretty much anything for GF Mickey waffles and early entry into MK :flower1:

Character buffet meals are mad expensive. But I always seem to book them anyway! Oops! The waffle/early-entry combo is totally a good reason.

After we made if off the island, I was ready for a refreshment. Naturally, this is the only real choice when you're at MK.


Naturally. Omg yum...I can almost taste it looking at this picture...
 
Jumping in! Glad to see another KC area DISer.

It looks like a great trip so far :D
 
I really wanted a drink with the souvenir glass, so we picked the Uh-Oa since the menu said it was a drink for 2. It was $40. :scared1::scared1::scared1: But it had rum and fruit juices and was ON FIRE. The little...shelves? on the side had cinnamon you could throw on the fire to make it sparkle, and it was awesome. Here's a video if you're curious, as I got zero photo evidence of the flames.


:rotfl2:Yep, that's how my husband and i ended up spending $168 bucks at Trader Sam's! I was like "I want souvenir glasses!!" and drunk hubby was like "sure! we're on vacation!" We ended up with a Nautilus, a pearl, a big tiki glass, and a zombie head :rotfl2:
 
Thoroughly enjoy your use of office gifs in this update!

Is Crystal Palace on of the only places you can get GF mickey waffles? I don't think I've seen them many other places but I'm not GF so I'm not really looking for them.

The picture of you two kissing with Splash in the background is so cute!!!
 

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