Our January 2019 vacation with teenage boys!

[wvgoofyfan]

Love your trip report! Planning many of the same meals for my May trip to CSR and the Beach Club....after all, it's all about the food.........Hope your trip continues with lots of food and many happy memories to take home...

 

[Brocoloco]

What a great trip report and fun family. It’s fun to read about your hungry crew. We’re taking our 18 yo dd and 15 yo ds in a few weeks and we have so many food events planned I hope they get their fill. On previous trips it seemed like a lot of food was wasted. This time I think they’ll be vacuum cleaners.

 

[brewhome]

Love your trip report! Planning many of the same meals for my May trip to CSR and the Beach Club....after all, it's all about the food.........Hope your trip continues with lots of food and many happy memories to take home...

Thanks so much! I’ll be making more updates later this week... my stupid job gets in the way of focusing on Disney, which is what I’d prefer to do all the time. There is definitely lots more food coming, and of course more fun!

What a great trip report and fun family. It’s fun to read about your hungry crew. We’re taking our 18 yo dd and 15 yo ds in a few weeks and we have so many food events planned I hope they get their fill. On previous trips it seemed like a lot of food was wasted. This time I think they’ll be vacuum cleaners.

Thanks, I appreciate it! I felt like we wasted food when the boys were younger, too... that definitely changed! Vacuum cleaners... such a good representation of what mine are!

 

[brewhome]

1/13 - A”beary” fun morning at MK and... you guessed it, more food at Epcot!

After another great night’s sleep at Copper Creek, we all woke up refreshed and ready to take a boat ride to MK! The boat is so relaxing and has such beautiful views...



We arrived around 9:30 and I was so happy to see the Christmas decorations. There’s nothing quite like seeing Main Street all dressed up for the holidays. Even though we were well beyond Christmas by this point, it put me right back into the spirit!


And there is nothing quite like the first glimpse of the castle, either...



While it looks really busy in this picture, it actually wasn’t too bad once we got deeper in the park... this was just the typical morning crowd working its way in. We headed towards Tomorrowland so DS1 and DS2 could go on Space Mountain while the line was only 10 minutes. DH knew he couldn’t do it since he had a bad experience on EE, so he and I took a lazy ride on an old favorite - the People Mover! We got a quick view of the Tron construction site, and I am really looking forward to riding that in a couple of years!



Believe it or not, DH said the People Mover made him feel queasy! He ended up being a little off his game all morning so I think it was more than that. Once we met back up with the boys, we battled evil Emporer Zurg at Buzz’s place, and DH got the high score. I never do well on that ride - I am much more skilled at TSMM.

The line for Buzz ended up being longer than posted so we had to power walk to SDMT to make our FP window. The boys and I left DH in the dust since he wasn’t feeling it anyway. This was the first time riding for the boys and they really liked it! It’s a little coaster, but it’s so fun since the cars sway a bit. We got a couple of great ride photos from this one. After that, the boys and I took a spin on the teacups... and it was hilarious. The three of us crammed into one teacup, and with DS1 being 6’5”, his legs took up most of the space so DS2 and I basically had to just curl up on the seats and hang on! We all wobbled our way off of that and met up with DH at Storybook Treats for some delicious ice cream.

Next up we had a splash FastPass, but the boys didn’t want to get wet (wimps!), so I switched it to PoC. DH was able to do that one, thank goodness... and DS2 ended up getting pretty wet, anyway, ha! Then we wandered into Frontierland so the all of the boys could shoot stuff at the Shootin’ Arcade - a tradition. DH and DS1 sat down to play checkers... and had a visitor come and hang out! I know DS1 doesn’t want any personal pics shared, but I just have to show you this one...



This guy hung out for quite a while and was helping DS1 beat DH! He was quite expressive when DS1 didn’t take his advice. They got a big kick out of him. There was another one hanging out in the area, and he found a Dad laying down on a bench. He took the daughter’s hand and took her to find a leaf, and then he snuck up and put the leaf on the Dad’s forehead and the little girl was giggling away. Then when the Dad woke up and figured out what happened, the bear and the little girl danced all around. So cute!

After our fun with the bears, we wandered through Adventureland again but the guys weren’t feeling any more rides, so we got some lunch at Casey’s and ate outside in front of the Plaza. We like Casey’s - the hot dogs aren’t the best we’ve ever had, but they’re fine, and they have great French fries. The boys also like their mini corn dogs. DH was still feeling a little off and DS1 wanted to watch more playoff football, so we decided to head back to the hotel around 1:30.

Next up, some pool time for DS2 and I, then on to Epcot for more food!

 

[brewhome]

1/13 cont’d...

After our quick morning at MK, we hopped on a boat back to the Wilderness Lodge and enjoyed our view of the beautiful Grand Floridian...



We ended up having to wait a bit for a spot at the dock so we got to check out the Copper Creek cabins...



DH decided to take a nap and DS1 chilled in his room watching football, so DS2 and I hung out at the Boulder Ridge pool for a couple of hours. It was so nice to take a relaxing swim and lie in the sun!



I love the theming here, and I thought I read somewhere that some of the theming elements came from the old Backstage Magic ride/tour at Hollywood Studios. I wonder if this came from the area where the canyon was...where the tanker truck exploded and the water rushed in? It looks really familiar to me. I’ll have to try and dig out old pics of that tour sometime to compare.



DH felt way better after his nice long nap, so we all got cleaned up and hopped on a bus to Epcot for our dinner reservation at Chefs de France. I had originally made one for Trail’s End at Ft. Wilderness, but since DS1 was obsessed with lobster bisque and seafood this trip, we switched it over. We had a lovely dinner at Chef’s... it’s one of my favorites. The service is always great and the food is delicious! DH and DS2 both had steak frites which they enjoyed very much. DS1 had his third lobster bisque of the trip, and DH got French onion soup. I had to steal some and it was divine. DS2 got the salmon in lemon butter sauce and raved over every bite. I had the beef bouergeinon and it was fall-apart tender and delicious. DH passed on dessert, but the rest of us loved ours. DS1 had the apple tart, DS2 had chocolate cake with mint chocolate ice cream, and I had the amazing puff pastry swan with ice cream and chocolate sauce. SO GOOD. I did sneak a pic of my and DS2’s desserts...



Rich, delicious, and the perfect end to a wonderful meal. Their prixe fixe deal can’t be beat for value, in my opinion.

After that, the boys went and wandered on their own for a while and DH and I had a nice stroll around the WS. We met up with them at Mexico and headed down to jump in the standby line for Soarin’, since Test Track was down AGAIN. Then, of course, the boys were hungry again even after that huge dinner, so they went and got more fish and chips from Yorkshire Fish Shop and ended up sitting there for a bit to watch Illuminations. DH and I watched it from the walkway between Future World and World Showcase. I am glad they are replacing the show because I’ve seen it a bunch, but it was really nice to watch it one last time. I’m hoping the new show will be running when I come back in November.



After that, it was back to the hotel for a another good night’s sleep before our last full day of the trip. Next up, a trip to Disney Springs for a Star Wars adventure, shopping, and lunch, another quick stop at Epcot, and an evening at Animal Kingdom!

 

[brewhome]

1/14 - last full day!

I was super excited to get rolling on our last full day, because I had planned something entirely new for all of us - the virtual reality Star Wars experience at The VOID at Disney Springs! We hopped on a bus around 9:00 and enjoyed a beautiful stroll...



One of these days, we will take a ride on that balloon! I also would like to try Maria & Enzo’s...



And Morimoto Asia too...



And brunch at Homecomin’...



This area is so pretty!



One of my favorites, Raglan Road...



After that beautiful walk, we made it to The VOID! If you have any Star Wars fans in your family, they would love this really cool experience. You get suited up with a backpack, a virtual reality helmet, and a blaster... and I was absolutely amazed at how real it all seemed! It was so cool to see the guys look like storm troopers... freaky, actually. It really is immersive and I don’t want to spoil the story for anyone, but let’s just say that the Dark Side didn’t win. I could have stayed in there a long time! We all had so much fun!

After that, we wandered through a few shops on the way back down to Splitsville for a delicious lunch. DH and DS1 had burgers and DS2 and I had chicken fingers. We got some onion rings to share and everything was delicious. If you’ve never tried it, I encourage you to check it out. They have a pretty varied menu and DH loves and always gets their sushi... he was just craving a burger that day.

I gave the guys the option of taking a rest at the hotel before heading to Animal Kingdom, but they all decided they wanted to take one last shot at Epcot since Test Track was running, and wanted one more stroll around the World Showcase. So we grabbed a bus to the Swan/Dolphin/Yacht/Beach Club to walk through the back entrance. We hopped off the bus at the Yacht Club -what a pretty hotel.



Wouldn’t you know it, when we got there, Test Track was back down again! It just wasn’t meant to be this trip. I got myself one of my favorite drinks in France, a Citron Slushie, and DH and I split from the boys. I think they got some candy in Japan, a Mickey pretzel, and of course, more churros. DH and I admired The Christmas tree in the American Adventure...



And the architecture in Italy...



We stopped in Germany to do a little shopping (I love the Christmas store!) and enjoyed a giant hot pretzel...



We met up with the boys in Future World and hopped on a bus to Animal Kingdom for our last evening in Pandora!

(Continued in next post)

 

[ariane37]

All your pictures of WL are making me miss it so much! I'm staying there agin in May and Oct but last month we were at Beach Club and tomorrow leave for 3 nights at POFQ. Happy whenever I'm in Disney but my heart is always at WL

love the theming here, and I thought I read somewhere that some of the theming elements came from the old Backstage Magic ride/tour at Hollywood Studios. I wonder if this came from the area where the canyon was...where the tanker truck exploded and the water rushed in? It looks really familiar to me. I’ll have to try and dig out old pics of that tour sometim

Yes you are correct and yes some are from that part! So neat, isn't it?

One of these days, we will take a ride on that balloon! I also would like to try Maria & Enzo’s...

We ate at Maria and Enzo's last month for lunch. Really good and so,cool,inside!

And Morimoto Asia too...

And we ate dinner at Morimoto for the first time last month- LOVED it. Omg so much more awesome than I thought it would be, definitely give it a try!

 

[brewhome]

1/14 Continued... an evening at Animal Kingdom!

Animal Kingdom was super busy when we got there and the safari was down... we found out after we got home that it was shut down because a new baby giraffe was born on the savannah that very afternoon, just a couple of hours before we arrived at the park! My son took this gorgeous pic of Harambe on our way in...



We luckily had one more FP for Flight of Passage, so we headed to Pandora and could not believe the amount of people packed in there. We waited about 20 minutes in the FP line and took our final flight through the beautiful forests. I so love that ride. On our way out we took a few last daytime pictures of the beautiful scenery...







Then we headed over to the Pangani Exploration Trail to visit the gorillas, since they weren’t out the last time we were there. We got to see a mama and her baby...



We looked for DiVine on the way to Asia, but she wasn’t out... too bad, because she is my hubby’s favorite! We decided to explore the tree of life and found some amazing animals... how many can you count in this pic?



I love this giraffe... and now that I know a baby was born that very day that I took this pic, I love it even more!



DH loved the antlers in this one...



We had a FP for Dinosaur but the guys didn’t feel much like fighting the crowd to get over there, so we decided to grab some dinner at one of my favorites, Flame Tree BBQ! DH and I had the pulled pork sandwiches, which are always delicious. DS1 had the chicken and ate every bite. DS2 was boring and got the kids hot dog meal and some fries, which he said were “fine”. By this time, DH and DS1 were feeling pretty tired, so we watched just a bit of Rivers of Light from a sidewalk in Asia instead of going into the theater... it’s such a pretty show.



And it’s so cool to see the theater all lit up in front of Everest!



We had a FP for EE, but the guys were just too tired... so to finish out our night, we headed back to Pandora to see it all aglow... continued in next post!

 

[brewhome]

1/14 cont’d - Pandora aglow, and some final thoughts

I told the guys that even though they were really tired, seeing Pandora at night was worth the walk over there, and they agreed that it was. It is so gorgeous in there when it’s all glowing. Pictures don’t do it justice, but here are a few...







I’m always so sad to leave the parks the final time on any trip... but I do think that ending at Pandora is a nice way to say goodbye. We headed back to the bus stops one final time and went back to Wilderness Lodge, where I took a couple of final pics...





It is SUCH a beautiful resort. I am so thankful we were able to stay there and experience it.

The next day we had to catch the Tragical Express to the airport at 10:45, so we got a good night’s sleep and in the morning packed up, took one more wander through the lodge, and had breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe. We had been there for dinner on a previous trip, but I think breakfast was even better! DH had the skillet, DS1 had eggs Benedict, DS2 had a Belgian waffle, and I had the steel cut oatmeal with an apple cinnamon muffin and fresh fruit. Everything was fantastic, especially the cheddar biscuits and sausage gravy from the skillet. Their bacon was also really good, and DS1 is now a raving fan of eggs Benedict, which he had never had before and now will eat whenever he can. It was a great way to end our trip.

We’ve been back just over a month now and we keep playing the “remember when” game and reminiscing about the trip. The boys had a really great time, and I’m so glad. With teenagers, you never know... but they both enjoyed it a ton and do want to go back, but not for a few years... they are fine with waiting a while but also are looking forward to Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster, and the Ratatouille ride in France. DH also had a great time but decided the next time we go, we should spread it out a bit more so there isn’t so much walking packed into each day. A longer trip? Fine by me!

As for me, of course I had a fantastic time! I loved spending quality time with my guys. I cannot wait until my November girls trip to Food & Wine with my sister, sister-in-law, and (adult) niece, where the vibe will be very different than this trip! We are just a bunch of princesses giggling, wine-ing, and dining our way around the world. No matter who I go with or what we do, I always have a blast in the happiest place on earth.

Thank you for reading along with me, and I hope you all have magical trips, too!

 

[Sydney2977]

I finally got over to read your report and loved every bit! Sounds like y'all had an amazing time! I'm laughing about your boys eating- sounds like mine- the older one constantly wanting meals and the younger constantly wanting to snack! My youngest is also in his first year of college (culinary school) and works at a restaurant too. I was also laughing about the pics- I've trained my family to expect me to take food pics (if we're at a buffet DH will take a pic of his food before eating if I'm not back at the table yet) and they've gotten used to posing for pics too. I loved that you went with the flow and did what everyone felt like doing. I've found that make s for a much more enjoyable trip for the planners like us and the rest of the family. Thanks for sharing all your wonderful memories! Gee, I've been back over a month from our trip, I better get started on a trip report too...

 

[cheshiregoofy22]

Loved your report! We haven't been back since Pandora opened nor have we seen the theater in front of EE (or the finished Disney Springs for that matter...) so I really enjoyed your great pictures!

 

[cinderaimee]

Loved your report! Thanks for sharing. We were at the same parks a lot of the same days, it's so fun to see it from your point of view. Your report really gives me hope that my boys will still want to come to Disney with me when they're big grown teenagers

Your November trip sounds like a dream!

 

[brewhome]

I finally got over to read your report and loved every bit! Sounds like y'all had an amazing time! I'm laughing about your boys eating- sounds like mine- the older one constantly wanting meals and the younger constantly wanting to snack! My youngest is also in his first year of college (culinary school) and works at a restaurant too. I was also laughing about the pics- I've trained my family to expect me to take food pics (if we're at a buffet DH will take a pic of his food before eating if I'm not back at the table yet) and they've gotten used to posing for pics too. I loved that you went with the flow and did what everyone felt like doing. I've found that make s for a much more enjoyable trip for the planners like us and the rest of the family. Thanks for sharing all your wonderful memories! Gee, I've been back over a month from our trip, I better get started on a trip report too...

I totally agree with the “going with the flow” part... more/longer breaks than I usually take, but that’s what they needed and they were better off for it. When you stat your trip report, post a link and I’ll follow along!

Loved your report! We haven't been back since Pandora opened nor have we seen the theater in front of EE (or the finished Disney Springs for that matter...) so I really enjoyed your great pictures!

I’m glad you enjoyed them! I love seeing all the changes every time I go... there is alway something new to explore.

Loved your report! Thanks for sharing. We were at the same parks a lot of the same days, it's so fun to see it from your point of view. Your report really gives me hope that my boys will still want to come to Disney with me when they're big grown teenagers

Your November trip sounds like a dream!

Thanks, I wonder if we passed each other? . It really is fun when the kids are older, so I hope your family can experience it too! I can’t wait for November... it will be the third trip for the four of us and we have so much fun getting away from it all.

 

[wvgoofyfan]

Loved your report! Can't say enough good things about your photographer's eye and your awesome camera.. Have fun this fall at food and wine.....I'm doing the flower and garden fest in early May if the stars all get themselves aligned. Nice reading and I'll be looking for your trip reports in the future.

 

[ariane37]

Thank you for sharing your vacation! It really sounds lovely and it is always a plus when teenage boys are happy . I have a girls trip coming up in May, hope you enjoy your F&W girls trip!!

 

[suse66]

Loved catching up on the rest of your trip! What a wonderful time you had. Seeing all your WL pics is making me so excited for our stay there this summer! My three boys are just like yours....they love when they go to WDW but are fine with a three to four year break between trips. They haven't been back since March break of 2016 while their mama has had three solo trips since then! Plus I have another solo trip in 2 weeks and our anniversary trip in July....I never tire of it! Thanks again for sharing your wonderful holiday!

 

[wdwnut61]

So we hopped on a bus to from DS to the Poly and checked out the beautiful lobby. I think it was here the DS2 really started to appreciate how unique the theming is in each hotel, right down to the music. He decided he’d like to stay there someday. I didn’t argue with him on that!

Agreed we love taking the monorail to visit each of the resorts. Hope you get to stay at the Poly on a future trip.

We loved looping through Epcot on the Monorail..

Some of my favorite pictures of Epcot are from entering on the monorail

missed the smells of the pine trees and orange groves

Me too

then power walk through the World Showcase to the back exit, down past the Beach and Yacht Clubs, and on to DS. We ended up getting through security and to SDD right around 7:45. Whew, did we book it! We definitely loaded up on our steps this day.

Wow I remember how long that walk was from the BWI to DS

What a great coaster

So excited to ride it in less than 3 weeks

The boat is so relaxing and has such beautiful views...

Love that boat ride and the views it provides. Can't wait to be back at the WL next month.

And there is nothing quite like the first glimpse of the castle, either...

Yes takes me back to watching Wonderful World of Disney as a child and dreaming of going there some day

Great pic

It was so nice to take a relaxing swim and lie in the sun!

Yes and with a cool beverage

the virtual reality Star Wars experience at The VOID at Disney Springs!

Glad you liked it DD wants to go again

Another great pic

Beautiful

It is SUCH a beautiful resort

Agreed!

Thanks for sharing your trip report

 

[brewhome]

Loved your report! Can't say enough good things about your photographer's eye and your awesome camera.. Have fun this fall at food and wine.....I'm doing the flower and garden fest in early May if the stars all get themselves aligned. Nice reading and I'll be looking for your trip reports in the future.

Thanks so much for your nice comments! I’m toying with the idea of coming down for a long weekend at Flower & Garden... maybe early May, too!

Thank you for sharing your vacation! It really sounds lovely and it is always a plus when teenage boys are happy . I have a girls trip coming up in May, hope you enjoy your F&W girls trip!!

Thanks, have fun on your girls trip! They are so much fun.

Loved catching up on the rest of your trip! What a wonderful time you had. Seeing all your WL pics is making me so excited for our stay there this summer! My three boys are just like yours....they love when they go to WDW but are fine with a three to four year break between trips. They haven't been back since March break of 2016 while their mama has had three solo trips since then! Plus I have another solo trip in 2 weeks and our anniversary trip in July....I never tire of it! Thanks again for sharing your wonderful holiday!

You will love WL so much! I has one solo day while I was in FL for work, and I definitely would like to do a couple of solo weekends just to go at my own pace. Have fun!

 

[brewhome]

Hi, all! Just, had to share... my sister and I added in another trip so we can explore the Flower & Garden Festival! It will be a quick one - 4/29-5/1, but we’re taking a ridiculously early flight down and a very late one back, so we will get three full days in and plan to pack them with fun! I’ll do another trip report for that one soon after we get back!

 

[lorilclevelandrn]

Loved ur report and fantastic photos. I’m heading down w/ 3 teenage boys in June. I have a feeling our park plans will consist of eating with a few rides/shows conveniently located in between snacks and sit down meals. Looking forward to the next one.