Let's talk about my trip from 7/10 - 7/17 with a group of 9!

Thanks for your recap! I'm going in August with a group of 8. I've done large groups several times in the past, but have never done it in the summer, so I'm interested in your perspective.
 
wow! I am proud for you. I dream of getting a BG 5.

I was surprised, sort of didn't know it was possible to get so low (for some reason I assumed those were reserved for vips or something). However, I feel it sort of wasn't a great thing! We felt pressure to rush over there after Slinky instead of either taking our time or heading to another ride that may have had a lower wait earlier in the day such as Mickey's Railway.

But if you think BG 5 is good, wait until the next HS day ☺
 
I was surprised, sort of didn't know it was possible to get so low (for some reason I assumed those were reserved for vips or something). However, I feel it sort of wasn't a great thing! We felt pressure to rush over there after Slinky instead of either taking our time or heading to another ride that may have had a lower wait earlier in the day such as Mickey's Railway.

But if you think BG 5 is good, wait until the next HS day ☺
I think it's better than a highish number where you start worrying where you'll be later, esp if you have ADRs.
 
Enjoying your TR! You're brave to be the leader of a group of 9. Sounds like things went smoothly for the most part. DH and I were there this past March and never rode Slinky. We will make that a priority next time. Great job on BG 5! I agree it's harder to plan around a high number - we couldn't snag one until 1 pm so I was too nervous to leave the park. I'll be watching for more updates!
 
Thanks for your recap! I'm going in August with a group of 8. I've done large groups several times in the past, but have never done it in the summer, so I'm interested in your perspective.

The summer definitely bogged us down. The humidity got to us all. And the sun beat us hard at times. Sometimes it felt like there was absolutely no shade no matter where you looked. We had lots of water and always refilled when possible. But I would personally prefer the Spring or Fall months for better weather. It took a toll! What was nice when the few times it rained, it did cool things off for a while after that. Also once the sun starts to go down, its a very comfortable temperature too.
 
Enjoying your TR! You're brave to be the leader of a group of 9. Sounds like things went smoothly for the most part. DH and I were there this past March and never rode Slinky. We will make that a priority next time. Great job on BG 5! I agree it's harder to plan around a high number - we couldn't snag one until 1 pm so I was too nervous to leave the park. I'll be watching for more updates!

Yes Slinky is worth it. Everyone in the group of all ages loved that ride. Not the same for other coasters like Everest, Space Mountain, etc. Slinky is basically a beefed up kids coaster with fun theming. But hit it early (or super late) because the line stays long all day. And if it rains, it may be down a while too.

It wasn't an enviable job to lead 9 but it was fun. Like a puzzle to figure out each day. I like that kind of stuff. You move a lot slower as 3 groups consisting as 9 than you would as 1 group of 4. There were definitely times I would be thinking (or saying outloud) "let's go already!" but you have to try to keep a level head. I got a little more patient as the trip went on. But also we all were flexible with going our own ways later in the day as the trip went on too which helped.
 
Let's talk about Sci Fi Drive In Theater!


We had 2 reservations for 5 and 4 at 3:15. They gave us 2 cars next to each other. The 3 kids sat in the front row while the adults spread out in groups of 2. I've done this restaurant before, but when I made this reservation, I must have forgot how much I love it, as I did it mostly by request of the group. But once we were there I was smiling the entire time in there. Kids were entertained the whole time. And the food was great! Legitimately good burgers. I got the American Burger which had bacon and cheese on it, but my wife ordered the veggie burger only with the regular meat patty. That one had all kinds of toppings and 2 different cheeses. We both enjoyed. Oh can't forget a vanilla shake and chocolate shake which the waitress suggested we all split, and brought us extra cups and straws for. That was a good idea. I enjoyed this meal, and loved the setting, even though the movie repeats way too soon. They really can't make it just 20 minutes or so longer? It's the exact same film from 15 years ago when I last went!


Let's talk about the rest of the day at Hollywood Studios!


After dinner the rain was just ending, so great timing there. We headed over to Toy Story Midway Mania. I've been to the one in California, but wow this one was better! Why? Because of the queue! This is actually a common theme regarding the FL vs CA rides. I adored looking at all the various details and toys and theming of this line. It kept everyone busy calling out what they see, and lots of photo moments too. The ride is fun and gives good competition while laughing the whole way through. By this time, it was almost 5:30 and the kids/grandparents were tired, so they went back to the room. My wife and I shopped around and took pictures of everything there was to do. Went into every single store in the park. Took some photopass pictures in Galaxy's Edge. Basically took it easy. We had an Oga's reservation at 8:35 after park close, but we didn't want to do any more rides on the day. So there was a little bit of wasting time occurring, but it was cool to just take a break as well and soak in some details. Finally at about 8:15 we checked in for our reservation and met up with my sister and BIL for Oga's.


Let's talk about Oga's Cantina!


I was lucky to get this reservation, as it was made after my 90-day window. Woke up one morning at 5am and saw a phone notification from a reservation finder for it. Grateful for that! Reservation was for 8:35 but we were in there at about 8:20. This place was pretty cool. I think more can be done to make it even better. But we had a blast. Loved seeing DJ R-3X doing his thing. Though the music itself was low and an afterthought. Our bartender (or should I say "chemist" as he called himself) was hilarious and helpful. My phone reception was acting up so I couldn't see the menu, so he gave me a real menu to use, which I was also able to keep. That was a nice little bonus. Also let us keep the coasters which have fun artwork on them. Between our group of 4, we had multiple drinks such as the Bespin Fizz, Yub Nub, T-16 Skyhopper, Outer Rim, and Fuzzy Tauntaun. We all had 3 rounds, some drinks duplicated. Never felt rushed. I feel we could've stayed much longer. I loved the Bespin Fizz, didn't know it bubbled like that and had a steam type effect too! So cool. The Fuzzy Tauntaun was fun, we had that last. The bartender even gave us a whole extra cup of the foam since we were laughing so much from it. We stood at the bar, and I think it was better than if we had a table more towards the back. Could see more details that way, plus it caused for a livelier atmosphere. But the best part was leaving the empty park at 9:30pm! We were in Oga's for just over an hour and when we left it was empty. Nobody rushed us out at all, whether in the bar or in the park. We took some pictures (but never meandering too long). Got a great group picture by the Millenium Falcon at night. This place looks amazing at night. And you miss so much during the day when it's packed to the gills with people. We talked and danced our way out of the park, exiting the park just a little before 10pm. Not at one moment did anyone tell us to hurry along out, which was nice. Surprisingly, the Skyliner was still open, so we took it back to the room and crashed for the night.


To Be Continued...
 
The summer definitely bogged us down. The humidity got to us all. And the sun beat us hard at times. Sometimes it felt like there was absolutely no shade no matter where you looked. We had lots of water and always refilled when possible. But I would personally prefer the Spring or Fall months for better weather. It took a toll! What was nice when the few times it rained, it did cool things off for a while after that. Also once the sun starts to go down, its a very comfortable temperature too.
I'm bringing some UV umbrellas for instant-shade, some personal fans, etc... anything to help w/the FL heat/humidity.
 
I'm bringing some UV umbrellas for instant-shade, some personal fans, etc... anything to help w/the FL heat/humidity.

I brought all of that as well. The umbrellas weren't really practical for me, and only a few spots they really would've came in handy. Though also I was the one taking pictures, looking things up on my phone, and holding my kids hands all the time. So I didn't really have a free hand for an umbrella!

What was most useful was water and more water. Used the portable fans once in a while, the kids enjoyed those really more than the adults though. Never used my cooling towels. Don't forget sunscreen! I found waiting in lines as enough of a break from walking that I didn't feel a need to stop for breaks personally, but I was outnumbered in those thoughts :earboy2:
 
I just want to say that your crew is full of serious troopers!! I can't make it a whole day in the parks without a mid-afternoon break. You are out there in the summer heat, making the absolute most of every day! And then you wake up early the next day? I am in awe!
 
I just want to say that your crew is full of serious troopers!! I can't make it a whole day in the parks without a mid-afternoon break. You are out there in the summer heat, making the absolute most of every day! And then you wake up early the next day? I am in awe!

Yes I can't argue that! Most days my parents and my kids went back to the hotel for swimming and relaxing around 6 or 7. Though a couple nights they stayed out the whole time too (including MK fireworks). It was a mix.

Don't get me wrong, my body was a bit achey at night! But a quick shower before bed and I was off to sleep pretty easily. Set the alarm for 6 or so each morning so we can have breakfast in the room. The kids took a little longer to wake up, but that was ok, there was time for that. and when they got up they were happy and excited. I'm used to sleeping about 12-6am every day so it didn't really bother me at all.

My body did end up getting a bit beat up and hurting at the end of the trip, but that had nothing to do with Disney...
 
Let's talk about our day at Epcot!


Got to the Skyliner by 930 and headed on over. In the park by 10:30. Lined up for Test Track at 10:39. We were in the preshow where you build your car at 11:23. My kids had fun designing their cars. There was actually a technical difficulty announced right before getting into the preshow. Was glad it didn't last too long. Everyone loved this ride! Played a little bit in the pavilion when done as well. After Test Track, we stopped for bathroom break and for some ice cream bars on the way to Frozen. Got in line at 12:20 and on ride at 12:43. This is a cute ride, everyone enjoyed seeing the Frozen characters, the animatronics are good here. Though the ride is super short. After Frozen we looked at the Viking display and headed over to Mexico. Went on 3 Caballeros, the line basically just moved right along. My kids love the 3 Caballeros and watch it all the time. They had fun in here. After the ride, we hung out in the pavilion a little bit looking around and some got a margarita. The shops here are cool and the atmosphere is pretty awesome. When we were done we took the walk over to Soarin. Checking out some of the scenery and playing with the ducks along the way. Got there about 2pm. The sign said 20 minutes and it was 17 when we were at the preshow. We were seated all the way at the end (worst spot) but nobody seemed to care. This isn't one of my favorite rides and I would've skipped it if it weren't a short wait or if the group didn't want to do it so badly (its basically just a movie) but the group all loved it, even being someones favorite. This ride is the same as in California, wish they would mix it up more kind of like Star Tours. Also they can add some splash effects or something too. I dunno... After Soarin, we did Living with the Land. The kids loved pointing out whatever food they recognize. The adults enjoyed seeing all the different ways it could be grown. From the Land we went over to Spaceship Earth. This was a walk on. I was worried the kids would be bored but they loved it! The animatronics here are well done, and it immerses you in each scene. Kids loved the stars and space at the end. The video during the descent had each car cracking up. By this time we had to head over to our dinner reservation at Teppan Edo.


Let's talk about Teppan Edo!


We had 4pm reservations, and our group of 9 were able to sit at the table together. Pretty cool how there are basically only 2 tables in each room, gives you some privacy and cuts down on the noise. Also it helps to not "spoil" the show, as other hibachi places you can see all the tricks happening at other tables before they get to yours, which takes some of the fun out of it. I ordered some kind of fruity rum beverage and a beer as well. For appetizers, we had sushi and spicy sushi. They give you a salad. Then the usual hibachi experience occurs. I ordered the shrimp and steak combo, as well as a side of scallops. Those 3 items were fantastic! Didn't care for the noodles here, they are thicker cut and not the kind I normally like. The grilled vegetables were fine. This was a good meal overall, and it kept the kids and adults entertained as well. Any dinner that has some kind of entertainment thrown in to keep the kids happy is a big plus in my book. Sci-Fi falls into this same category.


Let's talk about the rest of the day at Epcot!


We headed over the the Imagination pavilion to do the Figment ride. On the way we stopped to check out the big birds by the water and even a little bunny eating carrots along the fence. Of course Figment was a favorite of mine when I was a kid, and of course the current version of the ride is kinda dumb. It really doesn't make sense. They talk about using your imagination and the queue shows you all kinds of famous (fake) inventors but then the ride is mostly about your senses. Also it's pretty short. After this ride we played in the pavilion a little but then went over to the Seas to ride the Nemo ride. We walked right through the queue to this one as well. This was easily the worst ride in all of Disney World. Which is weird because the Nemo ride in Disneyland is also my least favorite ride there. Which is weird because they are 2 totally different rides. Which is weird because there is so much you could do to make a fun Nemo ride. Which is weird because they do none of it. We looked around the aquarium a little bit afterwards. My son was really excited to see the manatee and my daughter liked the seahorses. I think we could've spent more time in here but it was right at 7pm and the kids and my parents were tired so they all went back to the hotel to go in the pool and rest. I stayed out with my wife and we shopped around the world. Most people drink around the world but we just like to shop. Of course we both did have a couple drinks each, but I forget exactly from where or what they were called. As the night got darker, the scenery got more beautiful. I enjoyed just walking around looking at it all. Taking pictures. The sun was setting and I got a great picture of it. Eventually we found a perfect spot for the fireworks. It was close to the Skyliner and right on the water. There were steps that went down from the main path. I didn't realize that we would see the fireworks basically straight on with this view, that was a nice surprise. This show was pretty good. The MK fireworks were way better, but it was cool to just see a straight up nice fireworks show. After they were over, I was worried it would take forever to get back to the room, but it didn't at all! There was a huge crowd but it moved steadily and no wait basically for Skyliner. We mobile ordered food while on the Skyliner and were back to the Pop cafeteria by 10:45. Timed it perfectly so the food was ready almost exactly as we were opening the door to get in. One extra note, I thought it was pretty awesome that at 10:45 there were 4 lifeguards at the pool.

To Be Continued...
 
originally planned for March 2020
Us too! We were originally planning for March 24-31. Ended up Nov 3-10.
Went to Pirates which is a big hit with my family, although it's so much better in Disneyland
AMEN!!
Pao de Queijo
Ohhhhmerrgerrrrd so good! JNCLSC may have been one of my favorites of the whole trip... even if we were seated by the restrooms, for like, the 6th time.
If we arrive early enough our first choice even when we are a large group is Raglan Road at DS. You can't beat their fish & chips with a flight of International beers.
Ok, maybe RR is my fave...
Boarding Group 5 for Rise of the Resistance!

:worship:

Very excited for this. I don't think the group of 9 understood how proud I was of that.
As you have every reason to be!!
(RE: ROTR) Though strangely, it wasn't anyone's "favorite" at the end of the trip.
Since we were there in November, we didn't get to really experience this whole ride, so I was just meh about it.
For us as a fam, our fave ended up being FOP in AK.
Let's talk about Sci Fi Drive In Theater!
Ok, maybe THIS restaurant was my fave.
Woke up one morning at 5am and saw a phone notification from a reservation finder for it.
What is this sorcery and how do I access it?? I'm trying for BB reservations in DLR for September!!

On pins and needles waiting for more!!
 
Us too! We were originally planning for March 24-31. Ended up Nov 3-10.

AMEN!!

Ohhhhmerrgerrrrd so good! JNCLSC may have been one of my favorites of the whole trip... even if we were seated by the restrooms, for like, the 6th time.

Ok, maybe RR is my fave...


:worship:


As you have every reason to be!!

Since we were there in November, we didn't get to really experience this whole ride, so I was just meh about it.
For us as a fam, our fave ended up being FOP in AK.

Ok, maybe THIS restaurant was my fave.

What is this sorcery and how do I access it?? I'm trying for BB reservations in DLR for September!!

On pins and needles waiting for more!!

Originally March 14th 2020 here. Had to cancel 2 days before.

I think the reservation finder was from Touring Plans, but I had a couple setup so it could've been a different one. Also this was about a week after they announced extended hours from 7pm close to 8pm close. So I was already on high alert at the possibility of some opening up.

Your comments had me cracking a smile. Glad you are enjoying, will post more soon.
 
I understand, and very impressed you did that!

Thanks! I actually got even better my next try. 🙃
My wife said people should hire me to do it for them... not a bad idea lol. But I'm sure lots of it is just random luck of the draw.
 
Let's talk about our second day at Hollywood Studios!


Got up nice and early again. This time snagged Boarding Group 3 for ROTR! So my first 2 attempts ever, I got group 5 and 3. Pretty cool. Jumped on the Skyliner and was in the park by 8:20am. We lined up for Millennium Falcon and were "boarding" the ship at 9:08. Got a great picture with my family at the chess table (though I was told to "make it quick") and went on the ride. Me and my son were the pilots while my wife and daughter were the gunners. This was a blast! We were laughing and having fun all the way through. I also really enjoyed the queue for this one. It's indoors and had lots of cool stuff to look at. Rather do this during the middle of the day than that Mickey's Railroad line for example. Explored Galaxy's Edge with the group a little more before moving on to our Rise of the Resistance boarding group. Took my time more going through the queue this time. Unfortunately, when we entered the large room with the storm troopers, there was a big group hanging out in there. They told us there were technical difficulties. We had the option to hang out or get a fastpass and return another time. It was a hard decision to make. We hung out for maybe 10 minutes, but then chose to get the fastpass and leave. Since we did the ride already, we did not go back. Instead we would use the fastpass later for a different ride. This was slightly a bummer, but it actually worked out for the best. We decided to have a snack from Woody's Lunchbox. I got a root beer float and the raspberry pop tart thing. Both were very good and hit the spot. We then wanted to go on Rock and Roller coaster with my daughter. My parents stayed with my son and niece, while my sister and BIL went off their own a bit as well. We checked the wait time for RnRC and it was listed at 70 minutes. Lines app said it was more like 80. We peeked at the line and it was massive. We used our fastpass here and was in the preshow within 5 minutes or so. I feel this was definitely the right move. My daughter loved this ride, she's a little thrill seeker. We all loved the photo at the end as well. After this, we bought some creatures from the Creature shop. Kids loved the cages they came in. We also bought some other random souvenirs at the shops. Finally we met up with everyone else and were just able to make the 12:30 showing of Frozen Sing Along. I expected nothing from this and was pleasantly surprised. The actors did a good job of keeping it fun. Also the snow at the end was a nice touch. It went a little long though at a very solid 30 minutes. We had a 1pm reservation at Mama Melrose, so I had to check us in on my phone while leaving the theater and book it over there.


Let's talk about Mama Melrose!


We had 2 reservations at 1pm in groups of 5 and 4. They were not able to sit us together or even close by. That's ok though, we just had a peaceful family meal. My wife and I both ordered red Sangria, which was fantastic. I got the minestrone soup which was also very good! She got the calamari which we shared and was excellent as well! I would come here just for appetizers and drinks. The main course I got the chicken Parmesan with spaghetti. It wasn't amazing. Sort of tasted like diner style chicken parm and pasta. But we are Italian, so maybe are more critical here. She got a shrimp pasta alfredo which she seemed to enjoy more than I enjoyed mine. I liked the decorations on the wall, and the overall aesthetic was fun. Overall I did like this place, even if I was a little disappointed by my main dish.


Let's talk about a quiet family evening in Magic Kingdom!


After Mama Melrose, everyone went their separate ways. It was raining when we left, my family of 4 threw on our ponchos and headed over to the bus for Magic Kingdom. This was our longest bus wait of the trip, but I think we just missed a bus since it was empty. We had a hilarious bus driver for this trip which I mentioned earlier. When we got to MK, there was just a tiny drizzle, so we took off our ponchos. Amazing memory and video of my daughter dancing down the middle of Main Street with not much of a crowd. When we got to the hub, there was a cavalcade coming around with Gaston, Peter Pan, Moana, Alice, etc. That was great timing. Since it was pretty empty, we took some pictures by the castle. The goal this rest of the day was to take it easy, do some attractions with little to no wait, and just have a peaceful fun time. To start, we went over to Mickey's Philharmagic. Just had to wait for the next show. I didn't remember loving this so much! The movie is very dark and needs a remake, but the effects were so well done! We all had fun here. After that, we went over to Dumbo but it said 60 minutes. Checked lines app and it said the same. I noticed there was only 1 dumbo ride operating, so we decided to check back later. Went over to the Teacups instead. Only about a 12 minute wait. My wife sat this one out. I had fun with the kids on this ride, though your appreciation may vary depending on spin tolerance. After the teacups, we went to the Enchanted Tiki Room. I remember in Disneyland my kids did not enjoy this one. But they are older now and liked it! My son was pointing out everything he saw that started to move and sing. We mobile ordered some dole whips before the show was over. When it was done, we picked them up and enjoyed a little snack break. From there, we went over to the Carousel of Progress. This is another one I was worried they'd be bored with, but nope, they loved it! I played the song before the trip, so when they heard it, they recognized it and smiled and sang along. They were captivated by what they were watching, even though I don't think they understood any of it. We then went over to Dumbo which was now loading both ride systems. The interactive playground while waiting in line was so much fun! The kids really loved it. I feel we were in here slightly too long but better than outside in a boring line. This would be our last ride of the night. We took a few more pictures around the Magic Kingdom, and placed a mobile order for Cosmic Ray's. We got a spot close by to him, but maybe that was a mistake as it was so loud and the kids weren't as interested in him the whole time as I had hoped. Either way, this was a decent enough meal for what it is. I got a chili cheese hot dog which was huge, french fries, and a cheshire cat tail for dessert. The salad here my wife had looked good too. By the time we were done it was almost 8:30 and so we started to head the bus stop and back to the room since tomorrow we have to get up early for Animal Kingdom.

To Be Continued...
 

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!











facebook twitter
Top