Trip Report WDW/POR 6/12-6/19

[fightingillini]

Well ladies and gentlemen, here it is, our family's trip report for our WDW Trip during TS Alberto. I will be posting one day of our trip each day, so be sure to come back!

The cast:
DF- An extremely overworked father who almost never has time to spend with his kids. Needed this vacation very badly, but really didn’t like the idea of Disney as a relaxing vacation. Age-43

DM- Our mother. Does everything for our family: a.k.a. the standard mother plus a whole lot more! Loves doing planning for our vacations, so our Disney trips are always very well choreographed from arrival in the world to our last moments in Orlando. Age-41

Me- The high school sophomore who stresses over school excessively. I have loved Disney for as long as I can remember. This being our fourth trip to WDW and our first trip during the high summer season, I could not wait for it. I am the Disney fanatic in our family so I pushed for this trip the most. Male, age 16.

DS- The typical teenage daughter/sister. She believes she is always right, fights with my mother constantly, and is in love with Zac Efron. (spelling?) Age-13


Day One-Departure/Epcot (Future World)

We live in Chicago, so driving would mean a 24 commitment one way, and DF could barely take enough time off as it was, so we decided to fly down to Orlando. We flew Ted, the discount airline branched off of United. If any of you have ever flown through or have to use Chicago/O’Hare, you know how large the airport is and how long it can take to get through security and check-in. We had to get up at 4:30 A.M. in order to be ready to take the limo to the airport. Now, DS usually doesn’t get up until after 10 A.M., so getting her up at 4:30 was no easy task, nor a pleasant one. And on top of it all, she had just come back from a basketball overnight camp and was sick with a bad sinus infection/cold. Once inside the airport, we checked our one bag that wasn’t going on the airplane. Yes, we only had two bags for a week in the summer at Disney. Those space bags that you can vacuum all the air out of are really a lifesaver. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 6:55 A.M., and it left ten minutes early. Not bad, considering we where at O’Hare and our last trip we where delayed on the tarmac for an hour. The flight down was quite pleasant, although a little bumpy once we got near Florida due to Alberto. Yes, the tropical storm Alberto was heading straight for Florida during our trip. We where scared that the storm could wreck our vacation, but luckily, due to some good planning on DM part, it didn’t. We landed 30 minutes early in Orlando to some light rain showers. Great, it is already raining and Alberto hasn’t come close to making landfall yet. We grabbed our luggage and headed out to get our rental car. We joined the National Emerald Club, which is a service provided by the National car rental company that allows people to pick a car out of a row and just drive away. That means no waiting at the car counter for hours waiting for someone to give you the car that you ordered. You also don’t have to pick up the keys in the garage, they are already in the door ready for you. The Emerald Aisle had about 50 cars waiting for us, ranging from small compacts to minivans to crossovers. We would have chosen a Sebring Convertible, but due to the imminent rain, we chose a Pontiac G6. The car was very nice and being able to drive right out of the garage was well worth the small one-time membership fee needed to join the Emerald Club.
As we drove toward the WDW resort, the rain started to lighten up. We decided to hop over to Epcot after checking in at Port Orleans Riverside. We parked our car at POR and went to check-in. By the time we where done, the rain had become falling much faster than before and suddenly we didn’t want to go to a park during downpours. We decided to drive over to the Disney-created planned community of Celebration and drive around there. The community was very nice, although I happened to fall asleep during most of it. That what you get when you wake me up at 4:30. After driving around for about 30 minutes, the rain lightened up again, and we decided to tough it out and head for Epcot. We got into the park and it seemed to be very empty due to the rain. We headed over to the Land Pavilion to ride Living with the Land and Soarin’. When we walked into the Pavilion, we realized where the crowds where; inside the Land Pavilion. Soarin’ had a 90 minute wait and Living with the Land had a 50 minute wait. Wow. We decided to wait for Soarin’ because we had never ridden it and it was supposed to be a great ride. The wait ended up being 70 minutes instead of 90. When we got to the loading station, we where placed in section B row 1. For all of you that have not ridden Soarin’, there are the large arms in the theater, sections A, B, and C. Each of these sections has three rows, 1, 2, and 3. We rode Soarin’ a total of 4 times in our trip. The first time where in the middle section, B, and the first row (the best place to be in the entire theater.) The ride was amazing and breathtaking. Afterwards, we rode Living with the Land because the wait had dropped down to 30 minutes. DS really didn’t want to ride the “most boring ride in all of Disney World,” but she did anyway. The greenhouses in the ride where cool as always, and I have always liked seeing all the fish in the fish farming area. After we where done, we grabbed a snack in the newly refurbished food court in the land, now called Seasons. I shared a mini Key lime pie with DM, DS had a Butterfinger brownie, and DF had a Tollhouse cookie. I looked outside and saw that the rain had let up again. We headed over to Spaceship Earth, which had no wait and rode it. Now, if you ask me, that is probably more boring than Living with the Land, but DS rode it with no complaints. Afterwards, we headed over to Test Track and jumped in the Single Rider line. The wait was only ten minutes from entering the queue to boarding our car. Of course, we where all separated, but the Stand-By line was 50 minutes long. I love cars, and love that ride. By the end of Test Track, we where all tired and ready to head home to Port Orleans.
So that’s our first day. Bear in mind that this is my very first trip report, so it might now be the best. Tomorrow, Day Two- The Disney MGM Studios.

[SummerInFL]

Very nice, I can't wait to read more.

[VeganPrincess]

Wow, good trip report. I hate to make any Mice Chatters unhappy, but Mouse Planet is a good place to publish trip reports. They stay in the archives forever. You might want to send them your completed one.

[peoplemover]

We just missed each other...I was at Port Orleans, French Quarter 6/15-6/20! Just got home!! Wanna go back!

[Hamlet Schmalzbach]

Thanks for the report and hope you can sneak a few pictures in if you can.

[fightingillini]

Day 2- The Disney/MGM Studios (Alberto’s Furry)

Our first full day at WDW. We all woke up around 7:30 A.M. today, ready for the Studios. We flipped on the Weather Channel to see what Alberto was going to bring today. Luckily, Alberto had changed paths and was going to hit much farther north than originally predicted. Disney was just going to get hit with the spin-off storms that the TS created. We left the room around 8:00 and drove over to the Studios. While waiting in line to enter the park, it started to mist. If you haven’t been to WDW in a while, they have a new finger-tagging system that everyone must use to enter the park. It takes much longer to get through the turnstile lines now, so allot an extra 10 minutes for this. Once through the turnstiles, we headed up the street toward the logo sorcerer hat. When the automated song played officially opening the park, it was a mad dash up Sunset Blvd. toward the two headliner attractions; Tower of Terror and Rockin’ Rollercoaster. We grabbed 4 Fastpasses for RR, and jumped in line for RR. DS was too afraid to ride, so she used the chicken-out line right before boarding the ride. We were one of the first limos through the ride, so the wait was only about 10 minutes from entering the queue until entering the gift shop. Once finished, DF and I high-tailed it over to ToT. The line was only about 20 minutes from start to finish. DM and DS went over to the sorcerer hat and did some pin shopping while we did ToT, and DF and I met up with them afterwards. By now, the sun was shinning and the temperature was rising quickly. We were all very happy; maybe Alberto’s storms would not even make it to WDW. We met up at the sorcerer hat and walked the very short distance to The Great Movie Ride. The wait was once again only about 30 minutes from start to finish, and remember that the ride itself is about 15 minutes long. Our entire family loved the ride, and is a must do for probably any family that loves the movies. When it finished, DM, DS, and I headed across the park for Star Tours. Again, from start to finish was about 30 minutes. By now, the family was hungry and ready for lunch. It was around 11, so we headed over the restaurant near Star Tours, the Backlot Express. The restaurant didn’t officially open until 11:30, but because of the group of people gathering early, they opened at 11:15 AM. DS and I had the chicken fingers meal, DF had a turkey sandwich which was very good, and DM had a grilled chicken kids meal with carrots and applesauce, which was also very good. We were about to walk out the door when it happened. Remember when we though Alberto was going to completely miss WDW, we where WRONG. When we walked outside, it started to downpoor. Now, this wasn’t a down poor that Chicagoians are used to; it was so heavy you couldn’t see very far in front of you. We decided to remain in the restaurant until the rain passed over. It lasted for about 30 minutes, and by that time, I was ready to head home. The rest of the family didn’t want to head home yet, and were planning to watch the Beauty and the Beast show, and if there was no more rain, would watch Lights, Motors, Action! show. They headed over for the Beauty and the Beast show, and I headed out of the park and took the PO bus back.
I feel the need to express something about staying at POR. If you stay and POFQ, you only have one bus stop in the front of the resort. This may sound like a bad thing, but the busses will always stop and pick up people from POFQ before POR. That means that in the morning when we are taking the bus from POR to a park, there was usually no sitting room left on the bus because the POFQ stop had filled all the available seats. Just a word of warning to all future POR guests.
While I was at the room watching some TV, it started to down poor again. This time, the rest of the family (DS,DM,DF) where right in the middle of MGM with no protection from the rain. The Lights, Motors, Action show had been canceled, so after Beauty and the Beast and the torrential rainfall, they headed home. When they got back to the resort, they where soaked to the skin. We hoped that this was the last of the rain from Alberto, but while in Florida, you never know.
Tomorrow- The one and only Magic Kingdom!

Lightning McQueen from the new Disney Movie Cars.

DF posing before Mator, from the movie Cars.

[sealsm]

Awl, sorry to hear about the rain. At least you guys got to ride a few things before the downpour began. Nice report so far. I'm looking forward to the MK!

[NikkiDancer]

Awesome Trip reports!! Cant wait to hear more!
About the Character Cars, are they real cars that are driven or wat??
Ty for answering

-Nikki

[Hamlet Schmalzbach]

Rain in the Magic Kingdom. As common as those rain parka's that 'magically' appear when the buckets pour from above. Man, I would love to know what they 'take' in a year of selling those things. Probably close to what Microsoft makes . Enjoying your trip reports. Hope all is going well.
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[fightingillini]

Sorry about not getting the MK one out yet, life's passed something big my way, so it will be out soon!

To answer Nikki, yes, the cars are driven by people inside them. It was quite cool to see the cars up close. Their eyes and mouth moved also.

Expect Magic Kingdom part one sometime tomorrow!

[NikkiDancer]

Sorry about not getting the MK one out yet, life's passed something big my way, so it will be out soon!

To answer Nikki, yes, the cars are driven by people inside them. It was quite cool to see the cars up close. Their eyes and mouth moved also.

Expect Magic Kingdom part one sometime tomorrow!

Ty for answering!!
Cant wait to read more


-Nikki

[fightingillini]

Day Three- The Magic Kingdom Day One

Wednesday started off great. The sun was shining, birds were singing, DS wasn’t being annoying. In fact, our entire family seemed to be happy because we were going to everyone’s favorite park: The Magic Kingdom. We drove our car to the front of the resort, parked, and headed over to the MK bus stop. Because it stopped at FQ first, there was no longer any sitting room left. That’s ok, it’s a short ride to the MK. We got off the bus around 8:15 and got in line at the turnstiles. At about 8:40, they opened the turnstiles and let us up to the entrance under the Main Street train station. At about 5 minutes to 9, the characters arrived by train and the chosen family “opened” the park. We headed straight over to the Tomorrowland. I would advise taking the shortcut through the Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station (formerly the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant). You ended up about one second of walking time in front of the people using the main Tomorrowland entrance via the main hub. At 9, the Tomorrowland cast members let down the line and the Space Mountain mini-marathon began. People can become so vicious when trying to get to their favorite ride; I was rammed with strollers about 3 times during the 20 second marathon. I swear, parents get the MK strollers not only to carry children in but to use them a battling rams on anyone that dare get in the way of them and their ride! I was designated as the Fastpass-getter this morning, and I sprinted ahead of most of the pack and grabbed fastpasses for Space Mountain. DF, DS, and I then got in line for SM, which turned out to be about 10 minutes from start to finish. Once done, we met up with DM and got in line for Buzz Lightyear Spaceranger Spin. Again, about 10 minutes from start to finish. That is a great ride for brothers and sisters to duke it out to get the highest score, and we bought the picture because of the looks on each of our faces.
Once done with BLSRS, we double-timed it over to Fantasyland and jumped in line for Peter Pan’s Flight. About a 15 minute wait from start to finish. That ride has been one of my favorites since my first trip when I was about 5. Afterwerds, we headed to It’s A Small World, which was about 20 minutes from start to finish. (Bare in mind that the ride is about 13 minutes long!) We then hopped over to Frontierland and got Fastpasses for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Seeing that the line was only about 20 minutes long, we hopped in the standby line. BTM is a great first rollercoaster for anyone. Afterwards, we headed over to Haunted Mansion. Surprisingly, this was our longest wait for any ride. The line was about 30 minutes long, and it took about 45 minutes from start to finish for HM. DS and DF were getting quite hungry, so we headed back towards Tomorrowland and ate at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café. I got a chicken sandwich, which was quite good. DS got a chicken fingers basket, DM had a chicken Caesar salad, and DF had a burger. After lunch we headed onto the TTA. What a soothing ride for everyone’s tired feet! Then, DF,DS, and I headed back onto SM using our fastpasses. Now, you may be saying “Hey, you got those Fastpasses at the beginning of the day. It is now the early afternoon, hasn’t your time expired?” The answer is NO! Surprisingly, most people don’t realize that while CM won’t let you use FPs before the time stated, they will let you use them after the time. We utilized this with every fastpass we got, and it made the trip much less stressful! After SM, we headed back over to BTM and used our fastpasses for that. During our first trip, there was no such thing as FP. What a great invention Disney! Finally, it seemed that we were tuckered out of walking around the MK. We headed toward the exit through Adventureland and picked up some Dolewhip Floats and Dole Whips at the Aloha Isle. For those who have never had a Dole Float, it is pineapple juice and the signature Dole Pineapple ice cream on top. It is so good, be sure to grab one next time you are in MK!
Sorry that this report took so long to get out, somethings came up. Tomorrow: Just hanging around POR. Expect lots of pictures and a report of the hotel.


One of the Dole Whips! (and a Diet Coke)


DS posing in front of Cinderella Castle.

[NikkiDancer]

Nice report...

That was a really short day at MK, but you seemed to have fun

cant wait to read tomorrow!!

-Nikki