Meet me at the Snuggly Duckling! A June 2018 TR. UPDATED 3/8

Update on the Fall Trip!

I decided to scrape the idea of POP since we really wanted a resort that was one building just in case of hurricane/tropical storm and I wanted a nice pool area and a few different dining options. I also axed AKL with free dining. Instead we are going to back to an old favourite, Wilderness Lodge! I booked room only with their current discount and they are offering discounted tickets for Canadians for that time period so that also works out. I decided on Nature View since many of those rooms offer great views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks.
 
That sounds great, I think if I tried to stay there again, I would pay for a nature view so we had a more quiet area!

I love your photos with the Donald’s Dino bash characters. We didn’t get to meet Launch Pad or McScrooge, Andi thought they were creepy, haha!
 
That meant I would be hitting the park solo for the first time ever.

REALLY?! Huh! I thought for sure you'd gone for some solo time before. Did you like it?

I was out of the room shortly after 7am to catch the bus to Animal Kingdom for Extra Magic Hours. The park was scheduled to open at 8am for EMH that day but as we found on our previous Animal Kingdom day they were opening even earlier than that so I did not want to risk being at the back of the pack.


They started to let people in just after 7:30 so they were letting us in 30 minutes before the park officially opened for EMH.


I knew it!!! I had seen this too, and am totally getting Mom and I there WAY early in May.

I appreciated the time in line as I was able to take in how beautiful the queue area was and snap a few photos.

I haven't done the SB line yet, but might get to at some point.

I have never seen somebody so excited over a ride. It was nice to see.

That is fun to see. I'm glad people still get excited over this even as adults.

It was not yet 0930 and I felt like I had accomplished a lot despite the park only officially being open for 25 minutes.

You are ROLLING this morning! Go, Girl!!

Mom had been messaging me while I was in the park. She was currently poolside and had grabbed a spot in our favourite quiet little corner by the pool.

Awww, I'm glad she's able to relax and have a nice time on her own too. :goodvibes
 
Congrats on getting your September trip booked! I'm heading back in September also but haven't decided on dates or resort yet.
 


I love your photos with the Donald’s Dino bash characters. We didn’t get to meet Launch Pad or McScrooge, Andi thought they were creepy, haha!

Blasphemy! :laughing: It was a fun fresh character meet. I''m glad I got to see most of the characters and in such a short period of time.
 
REALLY?! Huh! I thought for sure you'd gone for some solo time before. Did you like it?

Yep, this was my first time solo, always been with Mom or my brothers in the past. I enjoyed my morning solo but I don't know if I would want to do a whole trip solo. Maybe one day I will try it out and see how it goes but I have such a Disney loving Momma that I don't think I will need to try it anytime soon.

I knew it!!! I had seen this too, and am totally getting Mom and I there WAY early in May.

Definitely worth it if there is the chance they are still opening up earlier than advertised.

You are ROLLING this morning! Go, Girl!!

I really was. I felt so accomplished! :laughing:

Awww, I'm glad she's able to relax and have a nice time on her own too. :goodvibes

Yep, it is a reminder that vacation is about more than running around the parks and wearing ourselves down 24/7.
 
Congrats on getting your September trip booked! I'm heading back in September also but haven't decided on dates or resort yet.

My dates were pretty much decided by the Canadian resident tickets and the discount. Mom said late in the month would be better and the tickets need to be used by September 27th so I landed on the 16th-26th. Now, if a discount came out for October I may be tempted to move my trip. I would much rather go in October than September but with Star Wars opening at some point in the Fall a discounted October may be a long shot. Many are speculating that is why Free Dining is being run early this year and why the Canadian tickets expire at the end of September.
 


Yep, this was my first time solo, always been with Mom or my brothers in the past. I enjoyed my morning solo but I don't know if I would want to do a whole trip solo. Maybe one day I will try it out and see how it goes but I have such a Disney loving Momma that I don't think I will need to try it anytime soon.

I had no idea! But glad you got a taste.

And awwww, that's so great you got such a fun, Disney-loving Mama!

Definitely worth it if there is the chance they are still opening up earlier than advertised.

Yeah, plan to get there at 7:15 for an 8:00 EMH.

I really was. I felt so accomplished! :laughing:

:thumbsup2

Yep, it is a reminder that vacation is about more than running around the parks and wearing ourselves down 24/7.

For sure!
 
Whew I just caught up! I was too far behind to quote everything.

That's such a bummer that you ended up vomiting at AKL! Glad there was a sweet CM to help you out, and that it wasn't food poisoning or something.

Love the pictures with all the characters! Dino Chip and Dale are just the cutest!

You also took some great pictures in Epcot (thinking of one in particular with the pretty purple flowers in the foreground).

Did you end up postponing your Japan trip? I didn't see anything concrete, but I could have just missed it!
 
Chip and Dale in their dino costumes are too cute. Too funny that the adults in line were more excited to meet Launchpad than the kids. Not surprising, though. I bet a lot of kids have no idea who they are, even though they brought Duck Tales back.

Sounds like you made a good call with switching to Wilderness Lodge. I'm sure you will have a great time there!
 
What a fantastic start to the day getting both Avatar rides done during EMH and meeting Mickey & Minnie and riding Everest right after that!

Awesome pics from all the chatracer meets!!
 
Looking for opinions!!

Mom and I are thinking of going to Disney in September since I am 90% sure we are delaying the Japan trip.

I currently have our good old AKL booked on the free dining plan as a placeholder but I am looking at cost saving and staying at POP and just paying out of pocket for meals (no rooms available on free dining). I did the math and the free dining plan would only slightly benefit us and honestly a lot of food may go to waste.

We have stayed at POP in the past but it was a decade ago and I know the rooms have been refurbed. What I am wondering is how comfortable is that pull down bed? Is it as comfortable as a regular bed? I don't want either of us to have to suffer through a pull-out sofa quality bed. Especially with my habit of getting sick on vacation, I need comfort! :laughing:
Pull out beds at Disney suck.
Glad you switched over to Wilderness Lodge-it is our favorite too.
Sorry, I have not been around, this little nugget was born Jan. 10th.
Her mom and dad live with us (it takes a village), they moved back from New Hamsphire. (Sorry for the big pic. I could not condense it.)
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Finally all caught up. What a WONDERFUL morning at Animal Kingdom! I love all those meets - the costumes are too cute :) I love getting all the big rides knocked out quickly like you did at park open so I can spend more time in the animal trails. Great updates!!!
 
hat's such a bummer that you ended up vomiting at AKL! Glad there was a sweet CM to help you out, and that it wasn't food poisoning or something.
It definitely sucked but you are right; I am lucky it wasn't worse!

Dino Chip and Dale are just the cutest!

Aren't they just adorable?!!!

Did you end up postponing your Japan trip? I didn't see anything concrete, but I could have just missed it!

Sadly yes we did. Since it left a big gapping hole in my vacation plans for 2019 I am now planning on taking Mom back to WDW in September or maybe Italy....
 
Too funny that the adults in line were more excited to meet Launchpad than the kids. Not surprising, though. I bet a lot of kids have no idea who they are, even though they brought Duck Tales back.

So sad! My brothers bought the original Ducktales on DVD back when it was released several years ago so at least any kids born into our family can experience that gem of a show. :laughing:

Sounds like you made a good call with switching to Wilderness Lodge. I'm sure you will have a great time there!

Yes, we loved WL when we stayed there way back in 2007. I am honestly surprised it has taken me so long to go back.

What a fantastic start to the day getting both Avatar rides done during EMH and meeting Mickey & Minnie and riding Everest right after that!

Awesome pics from all the chatracer meets!!

I was having a pretty awesome morning!
 
Finally all caught up. What a WONDERFUL morning at Animal Kingdom! I love all those meets - the costumes are too cute :) I love getting all the big rides knocked out quickly like you did at park open so I can spend more time in the animal trails. Great updates!!!

Yes, I was having such a good morning. One of the benefits of being solo.
 
Thats awesome that you got all those characters in just a half hour!

Wilderness Lodge is my favorite - great choice!
 

June 19th - Animal Kingdom

After my character meets it was time for me to return to Pandora for another Flight of Passage. This time I would be using my fastpass. I was sad for mom that she was missing out on riding this again but resting was more important.



Flight of Passage was just as awesome as the first two times I rode. Definitely my favourite ride at the moment as I am sure it is for many people. We will see if it gets replaced by what Star Wars Land has to offer.

When I got off Flight of Passage it was 1100 and the heat of the day had definitely arrived in full force. I decided a cool and refreshing drink was in order so I ordered up a Night Blossom.



This was delicious and it really hit the spot on this hot summer day.

I got some photopass photos as I wandered around Pandora enjoying my beverage.







I decided to take the back pathway over to Africa. I really enjoy this new pathway. It was so quiet and peaceful and had some beautiful views.



There was a photopass photographer near Festival of the Lion King so I stopped for a photo there. He was REALLY friendly and chatty. I didn't mind chatting for a few minutes but he just kept talking and talking and talking and I was starting to get antsy to get my photo taken and then move on to my fastpass. He did eventually take my photo.





He also did a magic shot with the hyenas surrounding me but I must have forgotten to upload it.

I made a pit stop by the Tusker House check-in stand as they had a water station set up here. They only had tiny little sample size cups available so I had to keep refilling it. After about 20 "shots" of water I moved on.

My next fastpass was for the safari and it was so hot during our ride around the savanna I thought that I was going to melt. There were lots of animals out and about though so it was an enjoyable ride despite the heat.



















This big guy was taking a snooze near the exit to the safari where the Gorilla trail also ends.



At this point I was desperate for some more ice water so I made my way over to Starbucks because I knew they would give me a large Venti cup of water rather than the small piddly cups you get elsewhere.





With my big cup of refreshing ice water in hand I followed the trail behind the Tree of Life but there were not many animals out to see.

I stopped at the Eight Spoon Cafe to try some of the mac and cheese I had heard about and I was disappointed. Maybe I got a bad batch but I thought it was rather boring. I was expecting to get blown away.

It was so hot and I had accomplished what I wanted to for the morning so I decided to head out of the park. I stopped in the gift shop first though to see if I would have better luck finding the shirt I saw on our previous day in my size.

Well they had XS, SM, and 1X but no L or XL. I asked a CM in the store if she could check in the back for me. She tried to tell me that 1X is the same size as XL. It 100% is not. I had to show her with a different shirt that XL and 1X are in fact different sizes. She eventually went in the back and came back to tell me that the gift shop across the way had five XL in stock. So I crossed the path over to the other gift shop by the Tree of Life and found that there were not five XL shirts available but five 1X shirts. OMG. That CM was completely hopeless. I was so annoyed.

I really wanted the shirt but the 1X was just too big. What I really wanted was an XL as I like my t-shirts a bit roomy but not so roomy that I am swimming in it. I would have even been happy with a L if I could find it. I checked the Shop Disney app and the shirt was not available online, only in the park. It was one of the 20th anniversary shirts.

I gave up on the shirt as clearly I was getting nowhere with it and I just wanted to be back at the hotel and out of the heat.

After exiting the park I decided to make one last attempt to find the shirt and went into the little shop that is outside the park gates. They had the shirt and they had it in size L! I will take it!

be541b0f0f60534466a6e200b05c4961.jpg

Shirt in hand I caught a bus back to AKL where I was relieved to be in the air conditioning. Mom was still down at the pool so I messaged her and told her I would be down in a few minutes.

I took the time to check-in for our flight the next day and I looked more closely at our Magical Express document. They had the wrong flight time on it. Westjet had changed our flight time about a month before the trip. I had called Disney and given them the new info but clearly something went wrong. I called the "front desk" and they updated their system and said I could stop by at any time to pick up a new departure sheet to give to the bus driver when we got picked up the next day.

It was now time to join Mom down at the pool. She had been able to get me a nice lounge chair in our favourite shaded quiet little spot. Bliss!





I spent a few hours down at the pool alternating between reading my book and floating around in the water.

I participated in the Disney trivia again which was taking place down at the zero entry part of the pool. I made another little friend during this game. A very friendly child whose parents were in the water near us but occupied controlling her rambunctious siblings. My little friend asked me if I knew the answers to the questions as they were asked and wanted to know if I was nervous over the trivia game and if I would win. :laughing: What was my favourite ride etc etc. She was sweet and I didn't mind talking to her at all. She told me her favourite part of WDW was eating at the Beast's castle.

Sadly neither I or my little friend won the trivia game. I need to brush up on my Marvel knowledge as that was my real weakness. :sad2:


After spending a few hours at the pool I made my way back up to the room (Mom had gone back up about an hour before I did). I had to stop and get a treat from The Mara first though. I couldn't believe it had taken me until the end of the trip to get this slice of heaven, the peanut butter brownie. My favourite flavour combination!

I took my brownie up to the room where I nearly fainted in ecstasy it was so good. Maybe it was a good thing I left it until the last day to try or I may have eaten one every day. :laughing:



I would count the first part of this day very successful. I had some highly productive solo time in the park and then got to enjoy some lovely pool time at the resort on our last day. Now it was time to see if Mom wanted to head back to the park for the evening or if we would be chilling out at the resort.
 
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