Turning 40 and Feeling Fabulous - October 2017

dianachaney77

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jan 2, 2008
Hi everyone!

I can't believe it has already been seven months since our trip to WDW, this would actually be the first trip for three of us! I have spent a lot of time on the boards reading the Forums and TR's to gather information, ideas, drool over food pics, etc. and decided I would like to share our trip with anyone who might want to follow along. :)

Introductions:
28607026878_325a2f8eb7_z.jpg

From right to left:

My DH Casey, he is 42 years old and will be retiring in July after 24 years of service in the US Navy. He loves watching and playing sports, Disney, spending time with family and traveling.

Our DS Caleb, he is 11 years old and loves track, cross country, basketball, video games and anything to do with Disney or Marvel.

Me, Diana, I am 39 in this photo but would be turning 40 in November so we decided to make this trip a 40th birthday celebration. I am a super planner and absolutely love planning our vacations, especially when they involve Disney! I also enjoy scrapbooking, traveling and making memories with my family.

Karin, she is 51 and is one of those friends that feels more like family. She is semi-retired and splits her time between Southern California and wherever she lands a good work camping gig. The last two years it was in New York but this year she is in Wisconsin. She loves Disney just as much as we do and celebrated her 50th birthday at WDW in 2016. In fact, Karin is the whole reason we decided to make this trip a celebration of my 40th. :)

Next up...Travel Day
 
The time is finally here! After a year and a half of planning we are headed to Disney World!!!

42428527952_bf6054cbc6_b.jpg


As soon as I got off work on Friday afternoon we loaded up the car and headed to San Francisco. Due to our early departure to Orlando we knew it would be best to stay close to the airport if we wanted to get there on time. We stopped in Gilroy on the way and enjoyed dinner at Black Bear Diner. I accidentally dropped a butter knife covered in butter on my new brand new Goofy shirt. The whole incident was pretty funny and we had a good laugh about it, but now we had to add a quick trip to Target to our agenda so I could buy some stain remover. I figured if there was any hope getting the stain out I would need to deal with it tonight. On a side note...always pack stain remover! LOL

It was a restless night for all of us since we were so excited to see Karin and start our Disney World vacation! The alarm went off at 3:15 am and I immediately regretted booking such an early flight. In my defense, the original departure time was 7:05 am, but shortly after we booked the flight they changed the departure to 6:00 am.

We were ready and out the door by 4:00 am. We made a quick stop at the ATM and then headed to SFO Long Term Parking. It was very easy to park and hop on the shuttle to the airport. The airport wasn’t very busy yet so checking in for the flight and dropping off our bags didn’t take much time at all. We got through TSA Pre-check fairly quickly and had some extra time to spare so we grabbed some bagels, fruit and drinks before we boarded our flight. We spent the majority of the flight helping Caleb work on his Independent Study homework, overall the flight was uneventful.

We landed in Charlotte with just enough time to get off the plane, use the restroom and board our flight to Orlando. This was a much shorter flight so we decided not to break out the homework, but instead enjoy some adult beverages (Caleb had iced tea) and relax.

42479118821_53077eeae5_z.jpg


40671012480_f439cb3769_z.jpg


41576623245_94c79c496d_z.jpg


We landed in Orlando a little over an hour before Karin was scheduled to arrive. We were very hungry so after grabbing our luggage we headed to Romano’s Macaroni Grill for a quick bite to eat. We finished our meals with some time to spare so we hunted up the Goofy statue that Caleb and I took a picture in front of in 2009 and snapped a few photos. I thought it would be really cool to compare the two pictures taken eight and a half years apart.

40671004470_4e98f5771f_z.jpg


28608233548_ec52ddfa7e_c.jpg


As soon as we finished taking pictures Karin called to let us know she was on the tram and headed to baggage claim. We started to head back down to baggage claim when we saw her coming off the tram. It was so great to finally see her, we were all so excited!

As we waited for her bags to come off the plane I showed her the Disney World planning binder I created and we started discussing some of our plans for the week ahead. Once her bag arrived we headed to the Budget rental car line. To our surprise the line was longer than any of us could have imagined. It took just over an hour for us to get to the counter. While waiting in line we tried to stay positive and kept telling ourselves this was preparing us for the many lines we would stand in over the next week. :)

Finally, we were all loaded in our Mazda CX-5 and headed to our home for the week. Due to the hurricanes, we were moved from our original location to WorldMark Orlando – Reunion. This ended up being an upgrade and was actually closer to the parks so no complaints from us! We were blown away by the size of the resort and how awesome our condo was. There were 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a full kitchen, dining room, living room and large patio. We would all have our own bedroom and bathroom, Caleb was especially excited about this revelation!

After establishing our rooms and dropping off our luggage, Karin, Caleb and I headed to Publix grocery store to stock up for the week. It didn’t take us long to get our groceries and head back to the condo to unload and relax for a little bit before bedtime. Epcot was first on the agenda and we wanted to be there when it opened so it would be a 6:30 am wake up call for all.

Next up...Epcot
 


Day 1
Epcot

Test Track 9:35-10:35
Spaceship Earth 11:00-12:00
The Seas with Nemo & Friends 2:15-3:15

It was a much-needed night of sleep! We enjoyed breakfast and coffee as we discussed our plans for the day. We were out the door and headed to Epcot shortly after 8 am. We briefly stopped along the way for a photo opportunity with the symbolic Spaceship Earth in the background.

41757010524_f71051408d_z.jpg


We reached security and hopped in line to have our bags checked. It seemed like our line wasn’t moving very quickly, but maybe that’s because we are chomping at the bit to get into the park!

Once through security we headed to the ticket booths. Casey, Caleb and I had the Salute to Military tickets that need to be verified prior to entering the park plus we wanted to make sure all our tickets were linked to our magic bands properly. We completed this process fairly quickly and were on our way!

Our first ride was Soarin’ Around the World. We lucked out and ended up in the front row which is my favorite because you don’t see feet dangling in front of you. Once we were off Soarin’ we headed straight to Test Track to use our first fast pass.

Karin and I designed a car and Casey and Caleb designed a car. It was going to be a little friendly competition to see whose car was better. Sadly, a single rider was assigned to go in front of Casey and Caleb and she swiped her magic band on each of the readers, which kept the rest of us from being able to load up the car we designed. Once we realized what she did it was too late to do anything about it. We enjoyed the ride despite the fact we didn’t get to see our personally designed vehicles.

41757010334_da3ac8ab3b_b.jpg


Next up was Spaceship Earth. I think we mostly enjoyed this ride because it gave us a chance to cool off and rest our feet. By the time we came off this ride we were all hungry. We headed to Mexico Pavilion for some tacos, cheese empanadas, chips and guacamole. After lunch we hopped on Gran Fiesta to let our stomachs settle before we went to Karamell-Kuche in Germany to get some Caramel S’mores that I had read were an item not to miss out on. I am so glad we got to try these out, they were so good.

I have to apologize for the lack of food pictures in this TR. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone else's pictures of food and I have no idea why I didn't take more pictures on our trip. Rookie mistake! :)

We made our way to The Seas with Nemo & Friends. This was another ride that was nice to cool off and rest our feet. As you get off of the ride you enter this aquarium area where you can view various fish, sharks and manatees. We wandered around for a bit and watched the manatees enjoy their lettuce. Afterwards we went on Soarin’ for the second time. The line wasn’t very long this time so I requested the front middle row, which is my favorite spot.

41576743185_c3a380b4db_z.jpg


Next on the agenda was was Living with the Land, this ride was very interesting and longer than we expected. A rain storm actually came through while we were on the ride. We were extremely grateful that it had rained while we were on the ride and we completely missed it! Also, it cooled it off some which was nice. We decided it was time for another snack and what better place than The Cheese Studio which was part of the Food & Wine Festival. We all enjoyed a Cheese Trio Platter and a Savory Caramelized Onion and Boursin Garlic Cheese Tart.

The appetizers were very tasty, but it was time to find somewhere to eat dinner. Caleb was quite delighted that we decided to go to Via Napoli in Italy. Pizza is his second favorite food after pancakes. We had a very short wait before we were seated. I was so concerned in the trip planning process that if I didn’t book restaurants we might have trouble finding places to eat. On the other hand, I didn’t want to commit to too many reservations because I didn’t want our days revolving around those reservations. In the end, I was pleased with the fact that I only made two dinner reservations (Be Our Guest and 50’s Prime Time Café) and it seemed to work out perfectly. The pizza at Via Napoli was so flavorful and delicious. Karin said this is how she remembers the pizza when she was in Italy. I am glad we decided to eat here and would definitely go back on our next visit.

I was still really bothered by our experience on Test Track earlier in the day. I decided I wanted to go talk to a Test Track cast member to see if there was anything they could do since we wouldn’t be able to get another fast pass for this ride. The CM was very understanding and said that kind of thing happens all the time. He graciously allowed our party of four to hop in the fast pass line so we could ride it again. We were so thankful for his understanding! I will say the ride is much better when you can see how the car you created matches up on the Test Track circuit.

41757008964_c30fdd959e_z.jpg


28607031288_d1ed31b899_b.jpg


Since we were right by Mission Space Casey decided to go try it out. Karin went on this ride when she came for her 50th birthday celebration and had no desire to do it again. After hearing about her experience on the ride Caleb and I knew this ride wasn’t for us! There are two lines on this ride, green and orange, green being the calmer of the two. Casey went on this one first and afterwards told Karin it was no big deal. She explained to him that the orange line was pretty intense from what she could remember and so Casey decided to go on that line since it only had a five minute wait. Come to find out the orange line was extremely intense, just like Karin remembered! Casey was glad he went on it and the rest of us were happy we sat this one out.

We had some time to spare before the fireworks so we wandered around some of the stores for a little bit. We didn’t find anything we couldn’t live without so we headed over to stand in line for Illuminations. Casey and Caleb went and grabbed some waters and popcorn for the show, but we finished that while waiting in line. We found a nice spot to sit right behind the railing where no one could sit in front of us and we got a nice show from the ducks of DW. They waddled back and forth looking for someone to feed them the whole time we were waiting for the show to start. They were actually quite funny and we talked about how cool it would be to be a duck that lives at DW. :)

We enjoyed the fireworks show and were very happy we stayed to see it. On our way out we stopped and took some photos with Spaceship Earth lit up in the background. I will tell you the pictures do not do it justice, it is so beautiful to see in person with the gorgeous colors. It was truly a surreal moment.

28607030678_2a575f69e3_z.jpg


28607030408_9f2e823f6e_z.jpg


Once back at the condo we relaxed and recounted our adventures for the day, this is something we ended up doing every evening. I journaled all our rides and experiences because I was here to celebrate my 40th birthday and it was my mission to do 40 rides and/or attractions. My count for the end of today was 9.

Next up...Magic Kingdom!!!
 
Day 2
Magic Kingdom

Haunted Mansion 10:15-11:15
Pirates of the Caribbean 12:20-1:20
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin 1:40-2:40
Today we are headed to Magic Kingdom. As we ate breakfast we discussed our game plan for the morning. I was unable to get fast passes for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train so we knew that would be first on our agenda no matter how long the wait. We easily hopped on the tram from our parking spot over to the TTC. This morning we decided to take the ferry over to MK. It was quick and easy and I honestly preferred this method over the monorail because of the fresh air and you didn’t feel as packed in.

41757007714_efeb3d2ce2_z.jpg


42479251641_31eb234b8b_z.jpg


I almost had to pinch myself as I watched the castle in the distance get closer. I don’t know what it is about Disney but I feel like a kid every time I go there and since this was my first time at Magic Kingdom I was beyond excited.
Getting into the park was quick and easy, I stopped to take a few photos (I absolutely love the Halloween decorations) and then we were on our way to get in line for SDMT.

28607030018_5e0b7f782c_b.jpg


41757006744_5ba992e311_z.jpg


It looks like everyone else had the same idea as we did. The line seemed so long considering the park had just opened, but we hopped in line and were committed. Caleb was so excited about this ride and there was no way we weren’t going to get on it. The line ended up taking just over an hour, but it was worth it. This ended up being one of the favorite rides for our group.

Next up was Haunted Mansion to use our first fast pass of the day. I could not believe how different the outside of this ride was compared to the one at DL. I would have been completely surprised, maybe even disappointed, if Karin hadn’t warned me that they don’t decorate it for the holidays. Even though I did miss the Halloween holiday décor, I enjoyed checking out the similarities and differences between the two.

27608577987_4300e82728_z.jpg


28607029288_9f3e0e15a7_z.jpg


27608577337_928e108aa2_z.jpg


We weren’t far from Gaston’s so we stopped in for some cinnamon rolls and LeFou’s Brew. We all thought the rolls and Brew tasted good, but we were glad we shared the drink and didn’t each get one. We finished up our mid-morning snack and started making our way towards Pirates of the Caribbean when I noticed Mickey’s PhilharMagic. This was recommended to me by my aunt so we decided to check it out since there wasn’t a long wait until the next showing. I will say this 3D movie musical was a pleasant surprise.

41576738035_ddd268b4ca_z.jpg



Now we were on our way to use our FP for PotC. It was very interesting how different the entrance and queue line is from the one at DL. The ride itself also has some noticeable differences and seemed quite a bit shorter than the one at DL, but of course we still enjoyed it. After the ride, we thought it was time for another snack. We stopped for some waffle fries and then satisfied our sweet tooth with a citrus swirl orange float and a citrus swirl orange cup.


Our next fast pass was for Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Ride, this ride was surprisingly entertaining. Casey and Caleb were in the front and they controlled the up and down motion while Karin and I controlled the pitch of the magic carpet. These motions simultaneously along with the camel spitting water at us made this ride so much fun!

We weren’t too far from the train in Adventureland so we hopped on and took a quick trip to Fantasyland. This is when we got on Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid and then The Barnstormer. I had read how short and quick this ride was and they weren't kidding! It was a little after 4 and we realized we were in need of an actual meal. We headed to Casey’s Corner on Main Street for some mac & cheese hotdogs and mini corndogs. Luckily, we found a table with an umbrella because the rain started pouring down. We finished eating and braved the rain as we headed over to Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. I don’t think any of us expected to laugh as much as we did. Another pleasant surprise!

There was a small break in the rain with more storm clouds moving in so we decided to take the monorail over to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort for drinks and appetizers.

See you tomorrow MK :)

41757004134_8203e9682e_c.jpg


Caleb being silly

41576734605_be9a8ba97c_z.jpg


After some serious discussion, we decided to forego waiting for the fireworks show because we assumed it would be cancelled due to wind and rain. At this point we headed over to the Grand Floridian for dessert. This was a great ending to another fun day in the parks. My total ride/attraction count is now 19.

Next up...MNSSHP and Be Our Guest Dinner Reservations!!!
 
Looks like you had a fantastic trip! I love the comparison picture of you and your son in front of the Goofy statue. Those are also the best, and reminds you of how fast time goes by.
I get to celebrate at Disney twice during my 40th year! Once this July ((a couple weeks after my 40th birthday) and at this time next year! I never thought I'd be so excited to turn 40! Happy late birthday!
 


Looks like you had a fantastic trip! I love the comparison picture of you and your son in front of the Goofy statue. Those are also the best, and reminds you of how fast time goes by.
I get to celebrate at Disney twice during my 40th year! Once this July ((a couple weeks after my 40th birthday) and at this time next year! I never thought I'd be so excited to turn 40! Happy late birthday!


It truly was a fantastic trip! I am excited you get to celebrate your 40th two times in one year at Disney! Happy early birthday!!!
I was excited to turn 40 as well. I think knowing you can celebrate such a major birthday milestone at Disney makes aging so much easier. :)
 
Day 3
MNSSHP
Be Our Guest Dinner Reservation/
Birthday Celebration


It was so nice to sleep in and ease into the day. Our original reservation at Be Our Guest was at 8:40 pm, this is what happens when you don’t make your reservation 180 days before you trip! I decided to contact Disney Dining and see if there was any chance they had an earlier time for dinner. We were in luck, they had a reservation at 6:35 pm. We were so thrilled our dinner would be earlier so we could catch all the fun stuff they had going on for the MNSSHP!

28607040298_d799caaa0b_z.jpg



28607026998_bd6fc31b95_z.jpg


We left the condo a little after 3 pm and headed to MK. By the time we got to the entrance they were allowing people with the MNSSHP tickets to enter the parks.

27608571367_9e9ff2a15d_z.jpg


We headed over to Buzz Lightyear for our first ride. This line ended up being around an hour long, but luckily this was the only long line we waited in this evening.

28607038028_cd91717075_c.jpg


Once off of Buzz we headed over to the Peoplemover. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this ride, but we all really liked it.

41757016094_ca1654d88c_c.jpg


28607026568_667573f176_c.jpg


It was getting close to our dinner reservation so we decided to head over to Be Our Guest. Shortly after checking in we were escorted down to the area right outside of the restaurant. Karin and I took advantage of this time by taking several photos in front of the grand entrance. It didn’t take long before Walt was ready to seat us for our reservation. Yes, his name was Walt! We thought it was pretty ironic and told him with that name you have to work at Disney! :)

28607026138_db09e591a5_z.jpg


42428615742_b1df8d535e_z.jpg


27608568367_3fe306f597_z.jpg


I don’t remember much of what Walt told us as we were walking in because I was too busy trying to take in all the details. The only thing I do remember is him telling us to take time to look around the restaurant when we were done with our meal. This is a must! Our table was in the main dining area. I loved looking out the windows at the far end of to see snow falling outside, it truly was beautiful!

We were able to take a picture with Lumiere, I really wanted to keep it, but sadly I had to give it back.

41576616155_4dc8197050_z.jpg


Our server greeted us rather promptly to take our drink orders. Karin enjoyed a champagne that is only made for the Be Our Guest restaurant while I had a glass of red wine. We ordered the highly recommended assorted meats and sausages starter. There was a nice selection of meats, cheeses, bread and pickles. This was delicious and it easily was enough for the four of us.

42428615262_1d085282bc_z.jpg


42428614982_89ff3e670c_z.jpg


For dinner Caleb had the Beast Casserole (macaroni and cheese), Karin and I shared the Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops and Casey ordered the Pan-seared Chicken Breast. I can honestly say that the dish Karin and I shared was the best meal I have ever eaten. I would have a hard time ordering anything else from this restaurant.

After we finished dinner, our waitress brought me a birthday card signed by Belle and The Beast and a plate with “Grey Stuff” in the shape of Mickey. This was such a nice touch!

41757011764_0dee192c45_z.jpg


28607025888_2ed60dcaa6_z.jpg


Now to the serious business…dessert! We decided to try a few of the desserts since we were all sharing. We selected a Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake, two orders of “Grey Stuff” and Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse, which was a special item for Halloween. Overall the cupcake and cheesecake mousse were the favorites of our group.

28607032178_e2875ce644_z.jpg


After we finished our meal we took Walt’s advice and explored the restaurant. I took lots of pictures of the different areas and then we got in line to get our picture with The Beast! Karin and I may have acted like little kids meeting their childhood hero for the first time. It was so cool. This was the best birthday celebration I have ever experienced! Everything about the evening was perfect!

40707697720_3b154c6697_z.jpg


42424153972_1c22f8c6b5_c.jpg


40707697340_d00872c08a_z.jpg


We finished in just enough time to make it to the Hocus Pocus Villains Spectacular show. We were pretty far away so I wasn't able to get any decent pictures. When the show was over we headed to the SDMT. The line wasn’t nearly as long this evening as it was the morning before. We really liked this ride at night. I think in the future I will try and get FP+ in the evening over the day time.

I thought it would be really cool to go on Haunted Mansion while at the MNSSHP, but I was afraid the line would be extremely long. To my surprise there wasn’t a line at all and we were on the ride within a few minutes. As soon as we got off HM we realized we didn't have much time before The Happy Hallowishes Fireworks were going to start so we headed over to find a spot to watch them. I truly loved this fireworks show, I thought it was well done and I loved the finale.

Shortly after the fireworks, Mickey’s Boo-to-you parade was going to start so we repositioned to a better location and rested our legs and feet while we waited for it to start. I thought the parade was really cute and was happy we chose to stay and watch it.

41752054704_9e59ceb9f4_z.jpg


27603701817_70e703a9c3_z.jpg


I decided I wanted to watch the Hocus Pocus show again but from a better location so I could get some good pictures. Even though I was much closer to the stage it was really hard to get good pictures on my cell phone with all the movement and lights. But I am glad I went ahead and watched it again, because I really did enjoy it.

41752087714_5089c75574_c.jpg


41752088204_4ca9405b7c_z.jpg


28602473058_b9595e3451_c.jpg


On our ride home we all agreed that this evening exceeded our expectations and it was totally worth it (for us) to attend MNSSHP. When we got back to the condo it was pretty late so we didn’t stay up too long. Luckily, the next day was Animal Kingdom and our first fast pass wasn’t until 11:05 so we didn’t need to get up and out the door too early.

My total ride/attraction count is now 27.

Next up...Animal Kingdom
 
Day 4
Animal Kingdom

Kilimanjaro Safaris 11:05-12:05
Na'vi River Journey 1:35-2:35
Rivers of Light 8:20-8:45 (Starts at 9pm)


We arrived at Animal Kingdom just before 11 this morning. It sure was nice to sleep in after a late evening at MNSSHP!

Before we headed into the park I had to take a few photos...I love how Casey photobombed this one. I was surprised at how many people were just now entering AK. Maybe they were all at MNSSHP with us last night. :)

28602473888_3e22e571e7_z.jpg


We headed straight to Kilimanjaro Safaris for our first FP.

41572001125_4dab037e66_c.jpg


28602475688_d28158b421_z.jpg


Shortly into the ride we came to a stop and our driver notified us that there were some giraffes in the road up ahead. He explained that they don’t want the animals to be afraid of the vehicles so if the animals are in the road the vehicles must stop and wait until they move. Luckily for us we waited less than ten minutes before we started moving again. We ended up getting really close to the giraffes, which are my favorite animal, and I was able to get some great photos. I think I squealed a little too loudly in excitement and my son gave me a dirty look, he's at that age where most things I do embarrass him. LOL!

42474518921_077ec054c0_z.jpg


42474520191_999bc7f7e0_z.jpg


Initially I was concerned we wouldn’t see a lot of the animals because it was later in the morning, but we were able to see hippos, crocodiles, antelopes, ostriches, wild dogs, flamingos, elephants, and cheetahs. No lion today, but maybe next time!

42474510951_5ae0d05ef7_z.jpg


41752595624_494b4d872c_z.jpg


No animals in these two photos, I just thought they were cool pictures.
42474521521_757eec74a7_z.jpg


42474522801_2723afce11_c.jpg


When we got off of the ride we decided it was time to eat lunch. I got on my Disney Experience app and ordered food from Satu’li Canteen in Pandora. I had read several great things about this restaurant, but was unable to get reservations. I love that select restaurants allow you to order your food from the app and message you when your food is ready. As we entered Pandora we were speechless. Disney really outdid themselves in creating this land to resemble the Avatar movie. We actually made our son watch this movie before our trip so he would have a better understanding of what it was based on. We stopped to take a few pictures but decided we would get more after we ate lunch.

42474526341_6ac60ed6ea_c.jpg


42474527511_40ac86de39_c.jpg


42474529861_15042e0222_z.jpg


By the time we found a table and sat down I received a message that our food was ready. One thing I liked about this restaurant is they had fountain soda machines and you could go back and get refills if you wanted, not something you typically see at Disney.

Casey had the Slow-Roasted Sliced Grilled Beef Bowl, Karin ordered the Vegetable Curry Steamed Pods, I had the Cheeseburger Steamed Pods and Caleb ordered the cheese quesadilla. Karin and I split our pods and we also tried a bite of Casey’s beef bowl. We also ordered the Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse and Chocolate Cake for dessert. The food and desserts were delicious. We talked about this Chocolate Cake being one of the best desserts we had on this trip. I can't wait to get it again when we are there in August!

42474530511_0b4f08a215_c.jpg


After lunch, we headed over to Na’vi River Journey to use our FP. This ride was really cool, but a little shorter than I would have liked. When it was done we all looked at each other like, "that was it?" It seems like most everyone had the same feeling as we did. After we stepped off the ride we decided it was a good time for some cocktails! Casey went to find us a table while Karin, Caleb and I headed over to Pongu Pongu.

But first a quick photo of Caleb...

28602489688_7a86d0119b_z.jpg


Mo Ara High Country Ale for Karin and Casey, Hawkes Grog Ale for myself and of course the non-alcoholic Night Blossom for Caleb, which he LOVED. It was nice to sit down, relax and enjoy our drinks.

40666616960_ef6874b78d_c.jpg


41752592284_d748fc7a34_z.jpg


We kept a close eye on the Flight of Passage wait time since we were unable to get fast passes this trip, but it never went under 75 minutes so we decided not to go on it today. We now know that 75 minutes or less is actually a good wait time and we should have gotten in line, but it’s okay we will try again another day.

Prior to the trip I decided we would each have $100 to spend on souvenirs. Caleb had seen some videos about a Banshee and had his heart set on getting one. After we finished our drinks we went over to the store where they sell them. The store has a special area set up where they teach you about the Banshee and you can select which one you want. You can also purchase a perch for your Banshee, which Caleb wanted as well. These two items almost exhausted Caleb’s souvenir budget, but he was a happy camper!

Since we didn’t take many pictures earlier of Pandora we decided to do that now before we headed to the other side of the park. This is another place where the pictures do not do it justice.

42474532991_9070b86184_z.jpg


41752603824_cdc7cda5e7_z.jpg


We decided it wasn’t a good idea to carry Caleb’s Banshee and perch around all day so Casey kindly offered to run it back to the car. Karin, Caleb and I wandered around some of the stores near the entrance and then took some pictures in front of the Tree of Life.

27604343167_ae27d385c7_z.jpg


While we waited in the shade for Casey to get back into the park we talked about our next ride. I was checking wait times on my app and Dinosaur didn’t have a long wait so we decided to head that way. This ride is like Indiana Jones at Disneyland, which is one of my favorites. While we all had a great time on this ride we agreed it wasn’t the best idea to go on it right after you’ve had cocktails.

42475032981_92ae1a0991_c.jpg


It was a little warm out so we decided this was a great time to get on Kali River Rapids. We stopped part way through the line queue and donned our ponchos. We are used to Grizzly River Rapids in DCA which typically you get completely soaked while riding and we thought this might be the same so we figured better safe than sorry. Lucky for us there was no line and we were able to hop right on. This ride ended up being much calmer than Grizzly and we barely got wet. Next time I don’t think we will even mess with the ponchos. :)

Next up was Festival of the Lion King. It was going to start soon so we had to almost run (of course we didn't run but it was almost a run) to make it before it started. It ended up being a really cute show which we all enjoyed. After the show, we decided to treat ourselves to a sweet treat at Tamu Tamu. Casey and Karin had the pineapple soft serve in a cup, Caleb had an ice cream sundae and I had a chocolate waffle with ice cream. Once we finished our desserts we were walking around when we came across Mr. Kamal’s Seasoned Fries with Tzatziki Salad. These were on my list of “must try” food items so I grabbed two orders and we found a nice spot to sit where we could admire the Tree of Life. The fries were really good and we had fun spotting different animals carved out of the tree.

We noticed there wasn’t a long wait time for Expedition Everest so Karin and Casey decided to give it a try. I thought about going on it, but decided it would probably be too much for me to handle. I used to love going on all rides until I had my son and then I developed motion sickness (out of nowhere) so even though I do take Dramamine I am always worried that I may have issues. When it comes to rides I have never been on I would rather Casey ride them first and then let me know if he thinks I can handle it.

Casey said he would text me when they were near the front of the line so Caleb and I could come back and actually see them on the ride. We had a few minutes so we wandered around and Caleb managed to let me take this picture of him. I love how blue the sky was on this particular day. Not a cloud in sight!

42475042141_bb0b7b0656_z.jpg


Casey texted me that they were near the front of the line so Caleb and I found ourselves the perfect spot to see them. As they went flying by we waved and they were able to spot us, despite how fast they were going, and waved back. In case you were wondering the verdict is in and Casey said he thought that ride might have been a little much for me. I am okay with that, I would rather find out that way then ride it and feel really bad afterwards. Anyone with motion sickness knows it can ruin you for the whole day.

After the ride we were discussing our plans for the evening. We did have fast passes for Rivers of Light at 9 pm, but decided to call it a day. It was already chilly out, the wind had started to pick up and we knew it would be even colder sitting on the water. I was a little bummed we would miss it on this trip, but we hope to see it when we go again this October.

Since we got back to the condo earlier than normal we had plenty of time to relax, watch tv and recount our day.

My total ride/attraction count is now 32. Two days left and I have only 8 more to go before I hit 40 rides/attractions for my 40th. Will I reach my goal or fall short???

Next up...Hollywood Studios
 
Day 5
Hollywood Studios

Star Tours 9:20-10:20
Toy Story Mania 12:20-1:20
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular 2:45 (Starts at 3:15)


During my extensive research while planning for this trip I read this park would have several things under construction during our visit. I also read that you didn’t really need a whole day to see everything in this park. We came up with a game plan for the day, but knew if we did everything we wanted we had the option to go to another park.

We arrived to the HS shortly after opening.

41572453875_2310e63e8f_c.jpg


41752594384_30d943ca30_z.jpg


After a few photos we headed over to Star Tours for our first FP at 9:20. I had all intentions to get on this ride, but was a little nervous because these types of rides sometimes trigger my motion sickness. As the doors opened and we entered the seating area I chickened out and got right off the ride. Casey said it was a good thing I chose to sit out because there was no cool airflow on the ride which would have made me sick.

Since it was still early Karin and Casey decided to go single rider on Aerosmith’s Rock N Roller Coaster. Caleb and I headed over to Muppet Vision 3D. I have seen this show before at DL, but it has been several years. It is a cute show and it was a nice place to rest our feet. Caleb and I were in the mood for a snack after the show so we grabbed a couple of churros. Sadly, they were not like the churros at the Cozy Cone in Cars Land at DCA. I will have to keep trying the churros until I find one comparable to those at the Cozy Cone.

We stopped for a quick photo on our way to meet up with Karin & Casey

41752591954_095eccfee3_z.jpg


Once we were all back together we decided to head over and catch the next showing of Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage. I loved this show!!! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Beauty and the Beast.

42479116611_8f79c02cd8_z.jpg


40671011370_23c909f79a_b.jpg


40666607060_5dc39292bb_h.jpg


When the show was over it was lunch time. I used My Disney Experience app to order lunch from PizzaRizzo. I misjudged how far this restaurant was from our current location. Not even five minutes into our walk towards the restaurant and I get the notification that our food is ready. Oh no! This place was much quicker getting the food ready compared to Satu'li Canteen! Lesson learned. In the future, I will wait until I am nearby to place my order. :)

Our next fast pass was for Toy Story Mania. While the ride itself is the same as the one at DCA the queue line was very different and I loved it! They did a great job making it feel as though you were actually in Andy’s bedroom. Casey was the high-scorer in our car, but I had the highest accuracy…so who would you want to go to battle with you? LOL!!!

40666606720_927654927d_b.jpg


27608467487_1e3a368972_c.jpg


41752593034_bdfcbfedbc_c.jpg


Next up was Voyage of The Little Mermaid live show. I thought the show was cute, but not something I feel like I have to see again. We ended up in One Man’s Dream, a multimedia gallery exhibit of Walt Disney’s life. As we neared the end of the exhibit we noticed an area where you could meet Star Lord and Baby Groot. The line wasn’t long so we got in it. This was actually a lot of fun and Baby Groot is so cute!!!

40671010620_2273842166_b.jpg


As we exited One Man’s Dream the Star Wars characters were making their way from Star Wars Launch Bay to the Center Stage area. I was able to get some great close-up photos as they marched by, I even got the death stare from Darth Maul.

40666606510_842ff5e473_z.jpg


40671010100_67995b3280_z.jpg


40671009400_974141b3d9_z.jpg


We all agreed it was time for some caffeine so we stopped by the Starbucks on Hollywood Blvd. I noticed the Starbucks “You Are Here” mugs and I fell in the love with the one here. Once I found out these were in every park I knew these would be my souvenirs. I thought it would be so cool to have a set of four, one for each of the parks! We also purchased some cupcakes and a pumpkin cheesecake muffin to share. We found a table in the shade where we could enjoy our drinks and sweets while discussing what we were going to do next. We had a little bit of time before our fast pass to Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular so we wandered around the stores on Hollywood Blvd. We then headed over to Indiana Jones to get our seats. This show was really fun with quite a few surprises, I would definitely see it again.

40671008640_fc08c7dd1e_b.jpg


Casey and Karin wanted to purchase some souvenirs from Aerosmith’s Rock N Roller Coaster so we headed that way. We made a quick stop at Anaheim Produce for beer. This is where I found my new favorite beer, Schofferhofer Grapefruit Hefeweizen. The beer was ice cold and so delicious!

27608466027_294d52f820_z.jpg


42479127161_fd717e4710_c.jpg


We stopped and took a few photos along the way.

27608463497_b21a0f43eb_z.jpg


27608465117_ca5f8b2619_z.jpg


27608464417_d267e54050_c.jpg


Karin and Casey both found t-shirts they wanted. We still had about half an hour before our reservation at 50’s Prime Time Café so we took our time wandering through more stores as we headed to the restaurant. We ended up in Sweet Spells where they sell the infamous carrot cake cookies that I had heard so much about, I bought two of them. I couldn’t wait until after dinner to taste it so I split one into four pieces and we ate it right outside the store. OMG, these cookies are amazing!!! If you like carrot cake you have to try these, you won’t be disappointed!

We made our way over to 50’s Prime Time Café for our reservation.

42479124481_cd26472cb4_z.jpg


The décor in this restaurant is so cool! Our waitress, Cousin Sabrina, was so much fun and made our dining experience extra special. We asked her to take a picture of us at the table and she even took a selfie of herself.

41576617085_aef6988939_z.jpg


27608461517_c0e3d21d96_c.jpg


I told her that was going to make it into the Facebook album. She thought that was great! Karin and Casey both had Aunt Liz’s Golden Fried Chicken, I had Dad’s Stuffed Pork Chop and Caleb ordered Grandpa’s Grilled Chicken Tenders. All of the food here was delicious and tasted like a home-cooked meal. We would definitely eat here again!

Since we left Animal Kingdom early the night before we didn’t get a chance to see the Awakening of the Tree of Life. This was something on my must-do list so we decided to head over to AK.

One more picture before we leave HS...

42428530452_1f78312eb2_h.jpg


We arrived into AK just as the Awakening started. I am so glad we made the time to come back and see this, it was really cool. We headed down to Pandora to see if FoP's wait time might be reasonable. Unfortunately, the wait was over two hours, but Na’vi River Journey’s wait had just switched from 60 minutes to 30 minutes so we got in line. This was our last ride of the day which brings my total ride/attraction count to 39. Only one more to go to hit 40!!!

Next up...Animal Kingdom/Magic Kingdom/Epcot - Our last day in the parks :(
 
Day 6
Animal Kingdom/Magic Kingdom/Epcot
Last day in the parks

Space Mountain 12:45-1:45
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 2:30-3:30


During the planning stages of this trip we thought we would split our last day in the parks between Magic Kingdom and Epcot. After talking to several people about their amazing experience on FoP we knew we had to go to Animal Kingdom first thing and get on that ride! The park actually opened at 9 am that morning, but they started letting us in around 8:30 to form the line. This line seemed ridiculously long and we kept thinking this is going to take three or four hours, but the CM’s insisted it was more like a 75-minute wait.

Happily waiting in line...

41576630425_5cf7af4dbd_c.jpg


42479110171_fb728d856d_z.jpg


28606948718_d3a617bf48_c.jpg


40671017930_9387930013_c.jpg


28606947678_868aecf717_z.jpg


41756894044_a4bd8ebe09_c.jpg


We started chatting it up with a family in front of us that was from Wisconsin. This made the wait time go by pretty quickly. I have no idea how I didn't get a picture of the Na'vi avatar suspended inside the lab. I guess I will have go back so I can get that picture! :)

The CM's were spot on, it had been just over an hour that we had waited in line. As we entered the chamber room to prepare us for our flight Caleb and I had some serious nerves going on. Caleb is always nervous when its a ride he has never been on and of course I worry about my motion sickness. I explained to him if he didn't like the ride at any point to just close his eyes, wait for the ride to end and he would be just fine. Luckily, its not like a roller coaster where once you are on it that's all she wrote. LOL

OMG! That was the most amazing ride ever!!! You truly feel as though you are flying on a Banshee. In my opinion, no description of this ride could do it justice. You have to experience it for yourself. That was the first time the entire trip that we were all speechless. That was worth getting up early for on our last day. That was worth every minute we stood in line. Well done Disney!!!

Guess what...That was my 40th ride/attraction for my 40th birthday! Woohoo!!!

Okay, we can go home now...

Just kidding. We still have the whole day ahead of us. :)

Before we left the park, I had to find Starbucks so I could purchase my Animal Kingdom “You Are Here” coffee mug. The lines were pretty long so we decided it would be worthwhile to order drinks too. I now have two of the four mugs I need for my collection, I am so happy!

We had fast passes in the early afternoon for Space Mountain and had enough time to stop at Epcot for lunch before heading to MK. Today we would end our day at Epcot so it made the most sense to park our car there and then take the monorail over to MK. I was craving a sandwich and some guys told us about a place called Sunshine Seasons over near Soarin’ so that was our first stop. The turkey sandwich I ordered was really good and just what I needed. It was loaded with turkey and cheese and had this tangy mayo dressing that was delicious. I liked all the options this quick-service restaurant offered, a little something for everyone in the group. We finished up our lunch and headed over to the monorail.

When we got to MK Karin and Casey headed straight to Space Mountain to use our FP's while Caleb and I stopped at Guest Relations to pick up a Birthday button for my best friends daughter. This would be included in the birthday package I was sending her filled with all sorts of goodies from DW.

40671006220_348e131f18_z.jpg


At this point Caleb decided he wanted to give Space Mountain a try so we called Karin and Casey and told them we were headed their way. I knew I wouldn’t go on this ride, but I got in line just in case Caleb decided he didn’t want to go. When we got near the front of the line and could see the cars Caleb noticed you couldn’t sit side-by-side and he said he didn’t want to do it. We made our way outside of the ride and found a place to sit in the shade while we waited.

42479120551_a786cb3863_z.jpg


Casey and Karin both agreed that Space Mountain at DL is smoother and overall a better ride. I am glad Caleb decided to sit this one out rather than have a bad experience. It was a warm afternoon and I realized I needed something cool and refreshing, I think a Dole Whip is just what we need. We headed over to Aloha Isle where I was pleasantly surprised that you could order Pineapple Upside Down Cake served with Pineapple Dole Whip. OMG! This is the most amazing dessert! I was so sad that I didn’t get this until our last day in the parks, otherwise I could have eaten one every day while we were there. Karin ordered the Dole Whip Swirl and that combined with the Pineapple Upside Down Cake took it to a whole new level. This is my new favorite!

We still had some time before we could use our fast passes for Big Thunder Railroad so we wandered around the stores and meandered through the park. We noticed that the wait time for Big Thunder was under 30 minutes so we decided to go ahead and get in the standby line. As soon as we are seated in the ride and put the bars down Caleb started to panic because the bar didn’t go all the way down on his lap. I knew he was perfectly fine because he was sitting with Casey and the bar doesn’t have to go all the way down to where its touching your legs, but he didn’t feel safe and was extremely scared. He was so upset when we got off the ride that I had to take him aside to calm him down. I felt so bad that he was so terrified. Poor kiddo! I told him if he ever wants to ride it again he can sit next to me and I will hold onto him.

I stopped and took this picture on our way to Main Street. I just smile from ear-to-ear whenever I see that Castle.

41576627275_bdae9e8efb_c.jpg


I had to purchase my “You Are Here” coffee mug so off I went to find the Starbucks. It was conveniently located on Main Street so we were able to go through the other stores in the area to see if there was anything else we had to have. We didn't find anything that we couldn't live without. Yay, I know have three of the four mugs!

41576613375_62f28ffee8_h.jpg


We got on the Monorail and headed back to Epcot. We were trying to figure out what we could eat for dinner. We ended up settling on pizza from the quick-service window at Via Napoli. While this pizza was good, it was not near as delicious as the pizza we ordered from the sit-down restaurant. I decided I wanted another Caramel S’more so I headed over to Karamell-Kuche in Germany. The line was extremely long, but worth it. I ordered two and had them cut in half to make it easier to share. After we finished our dessert we made a quick stop at Kringla Bakeri Og Café in Norway for some School Bread, Lefse and a dessert I didn’t get the name of that is a soft cookie with a hole in the middle and topped with almonds and a sweet glaze. We took these items back to the condo where we would sample them when we weren’t quite as full.

We all agreed that we had seen everything we needed to for the day so we could make our way towards the exit where I could purchase the last “You Are Here” coffee mug for my set. When I got into Starbucks I couldn’t find the mug anywhere, they did have this other mug that was completely different, but that's not what I wanted. I asked a CM where they might have the “You Are Here” mugs and he said they didn’t have those anymore. In the whole scheme of things this really isn’t the end of the world, but somehow, I was devastated. I had my heart set on having a "You Are Here" mug from each of the parks, and now that wasn’t going to be possible. I met back up with the group and let them know what happened. I still felt like I needed to have an Epcot mug so we headed to the large store where I saw a mug I loved on the first day in the parks. While it doesn’t match the set at least I have one from each of the parks.

41756893434_2ede8db1f4_z.jpg


42479119651_3c7eb83e4c_z.jpg


UPDATE: My friend just returned from DW two weeks ago and said the Starbucks in Epcot is now carrying the mug that goes with my set. Sadly, she wasn't able to purchase it for me (long story) but I am hopeful it will still be there when we return in August so I can complete my set!!!

It was a nice ride back to the condo talking about all the wonderful things that we experienced and how it truly was the best vacation ever! It was a nice, relaxing evening spent doing laundry, packing and discussing our next vacation. Luckily, we booked flights later in the day so we could sleep in and leisurely get everything ready for the trip home.

Next up...It's never easy to say 'see-ya-later' to Disney :(
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top