Live trip report 8/20-8/27 - Ask any questions

[NJlauren]

My youngest seems to have hit by a bit of a bug, so while I relax with her today I thought I would do a quick recap so far and update for any questions people may have.

Details me, DH, DD8, DD4, for 3 days my sister and her husband and 2 at the end my dad. We have 1 night at a premier hotel at universal, and 1 night at a Disney hotel for our HS day, this hotel was last night.

Next post for day 1!

 

[NJlauren]

We arrived around 145 managed to do carry on only and got our rental car. Did a grocery run and some food and arrived at the house at 4 for check in.

We hung out ate and got settled.

This night we had H2O glow! We arrived right around 7, maybe a few minutes before. However there was a storm and it would not move, it seemed to just sit over us the whole time. The 8 year old was really annoyed and asked non stop of the rides were open. But the 4 year old happily played in the sand while we waited.

At 8 it was clearing and we split up we headed towards the kid area and DD8 and DH went to wait for rides, right at 8 the started serving snacks so we got popcorn and ice cream and around 825ish they opened the rides. We hit up the kid area, total let down for a 4 year old but the 3 and unders probably love it.

We then did the lazy river and the dance party, the dance party was so cute! Then wave pool, back to dance party, slide by wave pool, wave pool, dance party you get the idea.

Around 930 we met up with DH and DD at 10 we headed out.

I really enjoyed this party, if my kids were a tiny bit older would have been ever better, or if the storm didn’t delay us starting.

But the dance party and characters were great, the wave pool at typhoon lagoon is intense! Well free Mickey bars also sells me! They gave out glow braclets and had dances with lights, over all I enjoyed this and would do it again!

 

[NJlauren]

Sunday 8/21

Today was AK and check into all star movies. I had no planned on an early start with being out late the night before. I was planning on genie+, and ILL for FoP.

This day turns into a real mixed bag for us!

We all were up and ready around 9 I guess (wasn’t planning to do a report so no notes!!). The 4 year old was up late so said she was tired. We got a 9:10-1010 safari, we headed that way and 4 year old wanted a snack, so I sent everyone else to safari and we hopped in to the baby care center where we had a snack and a nap!! This is when I knew she would be off the whole day.

After safari we headed to FoP where I realized I left my back pack at the baby care center, I ran back and got it and did baby swap for FoP.

DH took miss 4 for a soft pretzel and we did FoP. This was a not great experience. My sister opted out at the last minute, then DD8s restraint didn’t work so they moved her to where my sister was going to sit. However instead of resetting everyone’s restraint they did hers manually. After the ride DDs restraint wouldn’t release, so she tried to release it manually but instead pushed it in more. Then my daughter started to panic and scream and the women just kept pushing it into her. I started to get upset, and was like your crushing her, she said no it isn’t, but clearly my 8 year old was in distress. I asked her to get someone else and she just stood there for 10 seconds. Finally someone else came In I think because they were holding the next ride passengers at the door so he wanted to know the hold up. He said just start the ride, they did and it released. The CM was very dismissive of my daughter which bothered me a lot. It was an accident and I know not a huge deal, but I wish she at least apologize to my hysterical daughter.

We left and my husband had rider swap with DD8. This is her favorite ride and frankly I didn’t want her hate it going forward. She took a few dee breaths and went on again, DH said she tried to back out but he got her to stay and she loved it per usual. So all ended well and no harm done.

I took DD4 with my sister and her husband to look at animals which she loved, we did the otters, gorilla falls, some fish, she was loving it but wanted to stay in her stroller.

Then we all met at resterantsoures, the food was fine and it had good AC, then was dinosaur but I didn’t really think DD4 should ride so I sent everyone else, we ate some more food and then she feel asleep!

While she was sleeping the hotel called we got upgraded to riverside in Tiana rooms! This was really nice and so fun for the girls!

Then did Dinosaur LL, then as soon as they tapped in I got them Everest, so they did that. It was not around 215, and we decided to head out, our original plan was 230, so pretty much on time.

We had a 4PM hoop dee doo!

 

[NJlauren]

We arrived at fort wilderness around 3, we decided DH and DD4 would go back to the house and we would go to hoop dee doo, I hadn’t been before so allotted probably to much time to get here. We hit the bus right away after we got there at we’re at pioneer hall by 320ish, it was hot! We got some
Water and waited. They were really nice and credited me for the two guests skipping.

The show and food was amazing! I hadn’t done with before and had been wanting to try it! So happy we got to do this!

We then took The bus to the front of fort wilderness and the plan was to take the bus to Epcot, but it says 25 minutes and it had been a day! So we got an Uber and had an awesome driver!

We used our ILL to ride guardians! My daughter loved it! And request to do it every day of the trip, this just for expensive!!

After that she wanted to do more rides but I knew she wanted to hit Hs early the next day (today). So I pushed for us to go back.

We got back and this is where things got crazy. The plans was to drive to all star movies and stay there and go to early entry at Hs. However DD4 was still feeling crappy so we decided DH and DD8 would go to the Hotel and we would stay at the house. Well the car AC was broken when they went to go to the hotel.

So DH had to go to the airport and exchange the car at 10pm! What a day!!

They made it to the hotel and early entry for today at HS.

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

Wow, that was a full day for sure!

 

[NJlauren]

HS was a win for everyone else today!

Arrived around 8, did ToT right away then RnR, followed by TSMM and the runway railway, they were on railway by 950.

Then we had a slight freak out with DD4 at home, all good now.

They then did muppets, and star tour, then a LL for TSMM 12-1 I was able to move our 5pm dinner to 1.

They had lunch shopped and started doing LLs I grabbed for the afternoon, RnR, Rise, then they headed to 530 frozen show, then they have SDD and tower before they can head to Epcot for guardians.

Original plan for the day had a break so that why I had late times for rise and SDD but the played it by ear and stayed…

Seem to be having a great day! Will update later of anything changes

 

[NJlauren]

Wow, that was a full day for sure!

It was! Today isn’t turning out much slower for everyone else, I mostly relaxed and did the pool with DD 4

 

[NJlauren]

Yesterday was the Halloween party, DD4 started to now complain about her ear, seems she has some wax build up which is causing pain. Got some meds and am hoping we are over this lovely part of the trip!

This lead to us getting a later started, but I sent my sister, her husband and DD8 ahead, They did big thunder a late lunch and little mermaid, then around 420 the rain set in, we had just arrived and we all were trying to do splash but it was down. So we did pirates, and tiki room, got our wristbands and hit up haunted mansion right around 6, then small world, and Peter Pan.

We had a ILL for mine train from 5-6 but since it was down at that time we could use it during the party! This was a highlight! After this the rain had pretty much stopped. Then we hit up Winnie the Pooh, we also stopped at all the treat stations we passed.

We got lucky while waiting to ride Winnie the Pooh, Pooh and friends came back from break and waved and gave my girls high fives. I wanted to wait to meet them but the line was over an hour and we couldn’t justify that.

Headed back to dumbo, barnstormer and the Disney junior dance party.

Again wanted to wait for Minnie, Donald and daisy but they couldn’t even give me an estimated wait time and just didn’t seem to make sense to us. We stopped at cosmic rays for some not great food and the dance party, the kids loved the dance party!!

We then did space in the dark, this was not my favorite! Some more trick or treating, caught the fireworks but missed the parade and decided to head out.

I am bummed I missed the parade, but just means I need to come back another time!

Overall I really enjoyed the few things we did specific to the party, and I didn’t think the crowds were to bad. I think if your waiting for characters or only doing Halloween party specific stuff it may seem busier.

Eta - I did a lot of research and mostly knew what to expect but my sister was shocked and how most CMs had no idea, no idea how long the waits were, where wristband distributions are, what food is available etc etc.

 

[NJlauren]

We head to universal today, for the next 2 days 1 night.

 

[NJlauren]

Last two days were universal, back at Disney today!

Did MK today, a party day, arrived a bit later then I wanted, around 8, did a few photo pass pictures, BBB for my girls at 840, sir mickeys for a photo shoot, meet Cinderella and Elena (LL), was about 10 when we finished here. From 10-4 we did the following, haunted mansion (stand by posted 10 minutes), pirates (SB posted 5 minutes), splash (LL), lunch Peco Bills, Big thunder (LL), caught the tail end of noon parade, country bears, small world (SB posted 10 minutes), Winnie the Pooh (LL), mine train, had ILL from the morning but ride was down so was able to use it now, did Barnstormer (LL, but SB was 5), then stopped for ice cream, then Buzz (LL), then we split up 3 to carousel of progress, 2 to space mountain (LL), our 4 year old fell asleep in CoP, so I put her in the stroller and hung out with a coffee, everyone else went to laugh floor. Then we got a pretzel, did some shopping and make your own popcorn. It started to rain so we left for our dinner. Could have easily done more. I stand behind and still believe party days at MK are great with low crowds.

 

[NJlauren]

A bit late as we are home now, but Saturday was our last park day at Epcot! Plan was to arrive around 10am, where were a few minutes early. My dad and DD4 did Nemo, and turtle talk and hung in the aquarium. DD got to talk to crush so I'm sad I missed that! But either way they had fun.

DH, DD and I did guardians with an ILL. We met up with them did the aquarium for a bit then did sorian, did lunch at sunshine season, and did the land. Then stopped for a pretzel. I mean right after lunch but whatever right?!?! Then we did figment, took some photos with joy and vanellope. Then we headed to our LL for ratatouille. After this we had a bit of a debate head out, or stick around. It was hot, the kids were tired so we decided to call it a day.

On the way out we grabbed some final Mickey ice creams, and then orders in dinner packed up and called this an overall successful trip!