Christmas 2016: A Deluxe, D-Luxe and All-Around Great Trip

[constanze]

Thank you so much for your trip report! We will be there next year over the holidays. Loving your tips, and can't wait to read more!

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Wednesday, December 28th​

We decided to try some things we had never done before this trip. Rather than wake up and rush to the parks, we instead opted to go to see the ICE exhibit at Gaylord Palms Resort. It was probably one of the nicer days—bright and sunny outside with a high in the low 80s. With a cold front coming in Friday, I started to get a little nervous that we wouldn't be able to do everything we wanted before it got cold — i.e. get one more use out of the pool.

We all woke up around 8:30am and grabbed a quick breakfast at Boardwalk Bakery. We ordered and Uber and were there around 10:00am. Gaylord Palms is a gorgeous resort and I highly recommend it to anyone staying off-site.

Gaylord Palms Atrium

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We got back to Beach Club right around 1pm. My sister and I decided to "thaw out" by the pool after experiencing 8-degree temperatures a few hours earlier. I finally went down the slide at Stormalong Bay. I had my heart set on going down the slide and spending more time at the pool as it's a unique feature of the Beach and Yacht Club.

We only hung by the pool for an hour or so, then made our way back to the room to shower and head to dinner at 'Ohana.

Coming back from Gaylord Palms, our Uber driver warned that I-4 was a parking lot. She said traffic going into Magic Kingdom was crazy today. We decided to walk through EPCOT to the monorail, then take the monorail to the TTC and transfer to the Resort Monorail to Polynesian. Did we save much time? Probably not, but it was nice and refreshing to be outside rather than on an air conditioned bus the entire time.

We got to the Polynesian around 4pm for our 4:25pm reservation and what do you know—we were seated right away! Poly is always good and we really enjoyed our meal. More on that later, though.

We purposely planned for an earlier dinner at 'Ohana so that we'd have a chance to grab drinks at Trader Sam's. We went to Trader Sam's last year but sat outside due to there being no seats available inside. We wanted the full experience this time, so we held out for a table, which became available after a few minutes.

After Trader Sam's we boarded to monorail to Magic Kingdom and got there around 6:20pm. It was much more crowded than we anticipated. Main Street was flooded with people, but the Frozen castle lighting had just taken place, so everyone was taking advantage of the photo opportunity.

On this evening, we had a FP+ for Buzz Lightyear, 7DMT and Thunder Mountain. I finally got a high score on Buzz: 833,000! 7DMT is such a different experience at night! And of course, we couldn't go without a ride on Thunder Mountain.

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We set up early for the 9pm showing of Wishes—probably around 7:45ish. I had my camera and tripod, so I wanted to grab some good shots. Fortunately I had it synced with my phone, so when I lost all my photos this past weekend, I did manage to keep a few. Some came out really good! It stinks that, regardless of how early you line up and stake out a spot, people will push their way in front of you. We had to warn one guest who kept pushing into us and nearly knocked over my camera. I very politely tapped him and said "I don't care where you stand, just be careful of the tripod because any sudden movement will mess up the photo and any sudden drop will mess up my day." He smiled and talked to me for a little while, asking to see some photos as they were popping up on my phone. Let it be known - treat people with respect and they'll respect you right back.

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We ended the night by seeing the new castle holiday show. It was really lame at first with the texting and Snapchat, but wound up being a fun show in the end and a great chance to see pretty much all the characters.

After a long night, we went back to the resort. Even though we spent most of the time outside the park, we had accomplished a lot. I think as we get older and start to go over and over and over again, we like to find new things to do. ICE definitely changed it up a bit and spending time by the pool, at the resorts and in lounges gives us time away from the parks and keeps it fresh and enjoyable.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Dinner at 'Ohana​

Dinner at 'Ohana has become a family favorite lately. We went in 2015, but timed our meals horribly and ended up being too full to really enjoy it. This year we made sure to time things correctly. We ate a light breakfast, had a small snack around 1pm, then ate at 'Ohana around 4:15-4:30.

We arrived at the Polynesian around 4pm. We were a little early, but continued our trend of being seated before our schedule reservation. Interestingly enough, the restaurant was empty. It didn't seem overly full until we finished our meal. There was a long line at the check-in podium around 5-5:15pm.

Dinner, as usual, was fantastic. We made a valiant effort the entire trip to stop filling up on bread, so we politely declined when our server offered us more.

I say it every time—I still believe that the first platter of "appetizers" is the best part of the meal. The chicken wings are so good and the marinade is terrific. The potstickers may be the highlight of the meal (savory-wise) and the lo mein is always delicious.

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By the time the meats and shrimp come, I'm usually pretty full, but I made sure to leave room. Peeling shrimp is never fun, but I know it's left on to keep the moisture in and keep the shrimp from getting too dry.

If the Almond Crusted Cheesecake is the number 1 dessert on property, then the Bread Pudding is 1A. You really can't go wrong with warm bread pudding, vanilla ice cream and a hot banana-caramel sauce. The ice cream melts as you pour on the sauce, creating a hybrid "soup" at the bottom of the plate reminiscent of melted ice cream and caramel sauce leftover after a sundae. We usually leave a piece or two to "sop" up the sauce. To this day, we've never been able to finish the bread pudding. My family aren't "big" banana fosters people, which usually leaves me to try and finish a bulk of it on my own. I was just getting too full and knowing we had a night at Magic Kingdom and a stop at Trader Sam's, I didn't wanna overdo it.

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'Ohana is a Disney classic I recommend to everyone. When we eventually go with my cousins in October (hopefully) it's on our list as a must-do.

Trader Sam's​

We stopped by Trader Sam's last year for a drink, but it was way too crowded. There were only stools remaining and at the time my mom had a knee problem and didn't want to sit up high. We wound up sitting outside and had one of the best nights of our trip—sipping drinks and playing games.

This time we dined in, opting to wait for an available table which turned up after a few minutes. I can see why people love it so much, as the themed drinks and theatrics are definitely fun. Still, we found ourselves hunched over tables and having trouble reading the menu. It's fun if you're with a group, but you feel a bit out of place as an older adult family. Still, we had fun. I think next year we'll opt to sit outside again or try a new lounge. Don't get me wrong - it's fun, but I'm not a huge rum person (I'll drink it, I'd just prefer something different) and we tend to enjoy being outside and able to talk and enjoy each other's company much more.

I forget what my sister got (left) but I got the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room


You can't go to 'Ohana or Trader Sam's without a Hawaiian shirt. ​

 

[MamaMeggie]

Great reports! I'm really enjoying reading them. We have dinner at Ohana scheduled in less than 3 weeks and I can't wait!!

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Thursday, December 29th​

This is normally the day where we start to feel bad and wonder where the time has gone. With a cold front due to blow in later this night, we enjoyed soaking up every last bit of the sun and warm weather. The cold front was due to blow in late this night and stay through the New Year. It was too good to be true that we had perfect, albeit a little hot, temperatures the entire trip.

We started the day by going to Disney Springs. I've had my heart set on trying breakfast at Wolfgang Puck Express for a while now and I'm glad we finally did, as WPE is no longer part of the Disney Dining Plan.

After Wolfgang Puck Express we planned on going to see the Christmas Tree Trail, but it wasn't open yet. The Cast Member said it'd be open in a few hours. This was kind of strange. It didn't say it'd be open at a specific time anywhere, but apparently it didn't open until the afternoon. We didn't have time to wait as this would be a pretty stacked day. I felt bad about missing the drone show and the Christmas tree trail, but the trail was apparently not too impressive and (I think?) the drone show is there to stay.

We stopped by the art store, as my dad likes to always get a mini statue each trip. I think he got Snow White this time around. I don't know - he has some strange collections but if it keeps him interested in and going to Disney then I'm all for it.

After hopping around some stores and making our yearly stop at Goofy's Candy Shop for some treats, we went back to the resort—but not before stopping for some iced coffee at Starbucks.

We made a quick stop back at the room to drop some stuff off before heading over to EPCOT. Today would be the day we walked the World Showcase, enjoying the Holidays Around the World. We stopped by Mexico for some nachos, then I grabbed my favorite drink: the Tipsy Duck in Love from China.** We stopped by Karamel Kuche to grab a treat, but we weren't sure if it'd stay with the heat. We never did make it back, unfortunately, so we'll have to go there next trip. We bounced around the World Showcase and tried the cheese fondue, which was exclusive to the Holidays Around the World booths.

** Slight addendum: I initially got the Viking coffee from Norway and hated it. Could you believe that? Maybe it's because I enjoy the Tipsy Duck so much and thought the Viking coffee would be different. I did not care for the taste whatsoever.

We had a 4pm reservation for Via Napoli and decided to test our luck and go early again. It worked—and I'm glad it did because that meal lasted way too long. I'll get into that during my food review, though.

After Via Napoli we had a little extra time, so we stopped by the room to drop off our bags and grab a layer or two before heading off to Hollywood Studios. I really wish we stopped to check the weather...

We made it over to Hollywood Studios around 6pm, just in time for the Star Wars show. I'm not a fan of Star Wars. The only SW fan is my dad—but this was one of the more impressive shows Disney puts on. This was the day after Carrie Fisher died, so she received a nice applause upon being shown on the screen.

After Star Wars I had a FP+ for Tower of Terror, followed by our Toy Story Midway Mania FP+. Then we went toward the Great Movie Ride for the Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam Dessert Party. We were told by the CMs that it'd be held inside Disney Junior rather than outside. It had misted a bit earlier, so we didn't think anything of it.

After stuffing our faces with desserts, we were guided out to the viewing area. I'll touch on the food later, but let me just say that Disney does a fantastic job of keeping things organized. Everything was perfect, the CMs were knowledgeable and friendly and we didn't have one problem... until the skies opened up.

It poured once the show started and you could literally feel the cold front roll in. We were not prepared whatsoever and we missed a decent chunk of the show trying to find cover. We waited in a nearby store for the rain to stop, but we were soaked. We went to the bathrooms near Hollywood & Vine to collect ourselves, then sat in the waiting area of 50's Prime Time to warm up and dry off.

After warming up we tried to salvage the night. We went on Great Movie Ride, where the poor CM's mic didn't work. She did an awesome job given the fact that no one could hear her. I felt really bad. It was hilarious when another CM popped out of a door in the Wizard of Oz scene to give her a working mic. I laughed way harder than I should have.

We were in need of some warm hugs after freezing through the cold rain, so we went to go see Olaf, then we called it a night.

We grabbed the first boat back to Beach Club and fell right asleep after a long day.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Breakfast at Wolfgang Puck Express​

I've had my heart set on breakfast at Wolfgang Puck Express for a few years now. The idea of breakfast pizzas and corn flake crusted french toast really intrigued me. We finally made it there and I'm glad we did as it's no longer on the Disney Dining Plan.

Wolfgang Puck Express was once the best value on the DDP. It serves up pretty large personal pizzas, as well as interesting entrees. An entree, drink and dessert usually come out to ~$20-$25/person, making it a fantastic value.

We got there around 10am and the place was empty. We quickly placed our orders and grabbed a seat by the window. At WPE, you place your order at the counter, then take a number and your meal is brought to you.

I really wish we sat outside. There's plenty of outside seating and with the cold front coming in later this day, I wanted to take advantage of the last day of warm weather.

My sister and I each ordered the breakfast pizza, while my mom went with the pancakes and my dad went with a traditional egg platter. The breakfast pizza is huge—the same size as the personal pizzas and it was very filling. The scrambled eggs, cheese, caramelized onions and bacon all combined for a perfect breakfast. My parents both enjoyed their meals and we agreed we would come back.

Even though WPE is off the dining plan, I think it's still a solid value OOP. We would definitely go back for breakfast. Their pizzas, both breakfast and lunch/dinner can easily be split between two people. The food continues to be a step above most Counter Service locations. I always say that Wolfgang Puck Express is a Table Service restaurant disguised as a Counter Service.

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[PlutoTheDog89]

Dinner at Via Napoli​

We had a 4pm reservation for Via Napoli. We got to EPCOT early on and snacked around the world, then finished with a dinner at Via Napoli. The plan was to split a pizza so we wouldn't be too full for the dessert party later that night.

Now, I need to caveat this post by saying that I am from New York, the capital of the pizza world. I am a snobby pizza eater and quite frankly, while the food at Disney is good, I'm yet to find an Italian restaurant to rave about—even Il Mulino.

But that was all about to change, as we were finally trying Via Napoli. I heard about Via Napoli so many times on DisBoards and we even had family friends (from NY) recommend it. We were excited to get a reservation and finally try the best pizza at Walt Disney World.

We arrived a bit early, 3:45pm to be exact, and were immediately seated. After debating the menu, we decided on the Mezzo Metro with half mushroom and half chicken sausage. Our server sold us on the rice balls, so we went with an order of those.

The service was...lacking. Our server disappeared for quite some time after bringing the rice balls and came over around 20 minutes later to say that "she had just checked on our pizza and it was almost ready." Then we sat another 20 minutes or so while those around us received their pizza (same size as ours.) We had plenty of time and were in no rush, so we had no complaints. We just joked amongst ourselves that "she totally forgot to put in the order."

She finally brought out the pizza and it looked very good. It was massive. But looks were a bit deceiving. For one, I expected a crispier crust. I was deceived by the ovens, which although they were wood fire, I expected more of a coal or brick oven effect. Now, Neapolitan pizza is usually thin crust, with a lot of sauce and should typically be soft and elastic in texture. It was—but it was a little too flimsy for my liking.

The chicken sausage was the highlight of the pizza. It was delicious and very good. The mushrooms were okay.

Overall, it was a good meal. The pizza was good, the rice ball was okay, the service was lacking. Was it the best pizza? Absolutely not. Did it warrant the praise? Well, that depends. I think food is subjective. For us personally, we tried it, it was okay, but we won't be back. Crazy enough, I actually prefer the pizza at Wolfgang Puck Express.

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[Grumpy's Wife]

Wow, that is a large pizza.

Please tell me about the Tipsy Duck. I'll me in Disney next month and definitely want to try my hand at drinking around the world. Just not all in one day.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Wow, that is a large pizza.

Please tell me about the Tipsy Duck. I'll me in Disney next month and definitely want to try my hand at drinking around the world. Just not all in one day.

A Tipsy Duck in Love can be found in the China Pavilion at the Joy of Tea. It's a must-do each trip for me, as I'm a hardcore coffee drinker.

The Tipsy Duck in Love is an alcoholic drink, although they'll do an alcoholic version as well. It combines chocolate, coffee and black tea with bourbon and then topped with Whipped Cream. For some reason they haven't been adding whipped cream, so make sure to ask for it. I like to stir mine and combine the whipped cream with the coffee as its "cream." The taste is similar to a Black Russian.

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[PlutoTheDog89]

Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM Dessert Party​

Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM would be our first dessert party at Walt Disney World. The last time we did anything resembling a dessert party was at a wedding we attended at Disney. The bride and groom, fellow Disney lovers, were married at the Grand Floridian, had a cocktail hour and meal at Atlantic Dance Hall, then had the party bused over to EPCOT for an Illuminations dessert party.

The dessert party came at a bit of a hefty price tag, $80 per person, but it was Christmas themed and I thought it was something fun we could do. I purposely booked it on the day that we would "snack" around the world and eat at Via Napoli, that way we wouldn't be too full.

I was a little full... but I still enjoyed myself.

After we finished at Toy Story Midway Mania, we made our way to the Great Movie Ride, where guests were supposed to meet for the dessert party. It looked pretty dead, so we asked a Cast Member who told us the dessert party would be held indoors, due to rain in the forecast. It had sprinkled earlier and it was supposed to rain around 12am, so we figured that's why.

The dessert party was held in the Disney Junior building. We checked in and were given special 3D goggles and our bracelets. The space was pretty big, but dark. There were blue lights illuminating the space. I'm not sure if this was done because the Disney Junior "set" only uses this color or if it was to "set the mood." Either way, it gave it a wintry feel—it was just a little too dark for my liking.

The tables were numbered and while they were close together, there was plenty of space (if that makes sense?) There were two buffets set up that mirrored one another, as well as a back beverage bar with coffee, soft drinks and hot chocolate, then one bar with two bartenders serving up alcoholic drinks.

There were both savory, as well as sweet options. The savory options included a spinach and artichoke dip, meatballs and two salads: a cold cut antipasto and a kale and pomegranate. The sweet options included a chocolate peppermint cupcake, topped with a white chocolate Mickey Head, a gingerbread cookie—almost a thumbprint cookie filled with I think chocolate ganache, a lemon merengue tart, and rice krispie treats decorated in holiday colors. They also had a salted caramel cottage pudding, chocolate cake with cream cheese icing, a winter-spiced party mix and a liquid nitro ice cream.

The bar was stocked with beer, cider and wine, as well as holiday-themed mixed drinks. The holiday-mixed drinks were a gingerbread martini and an apple cinnamon cocktail.

To me, the options felt strange. My sister called out that it felt like a strange, thrown-together cocktail party. The antipasto was good, but weird. As was the kale salad. The dessert options were a little too holiday themed. Not everyone likes peppermint and the cottage pudding and chocolate cake, while good, were strange.

Frankly, I would have been happy with chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with holiday-colored sprinkles, rice krispie treats, snickerdoodles, sugar and chocolate chip cookies and a make-your-own sundae bar. They could have done much more with a hot chocolate bar. For savory options, the meatballs, artichoke dip, maybe mozzarella sticks and piggie in blankets would have sufficed.

The drinks were good, but inconsistent. I wasn't in the mood for beer, so I tried both the gingerbread martini and apple cinnamon cocktail. The bartender went a little heavy-handed on the Fireball for the apple cinnamon cocktail. That could be seen as a good or bad thing.

After the dessert party, guests were invited outside to watch the show. You were handed special wrapped Mickey-shaped gingerbread. Cast Members held lights to guide you to the premier viewing destination. The view was fantastic. Another CM was on hand to handout mini water bottles. I liked that they let you bring the snacks and drinks out with you. I checked with a CM and she smiled and said "oh yes. Grab two beers if you want!"

It poured the second the show started, so we couldn't really enjoy it as much as we would have liked. I liked that the CM continued to hand out water after the show and was by no means frugal about it.

Overall, I think the food was good, just strange. I see photos of the Wishes and Star Wars dessert parties and I wish they would have gone a bit more traditional with the offerings. Was it worth the $80? Eh. You pay a premium for the good view. I'd rather pay a fraction of the price, get a PB&J shake or Carrot Cake Cookie, some popcorn and just line up extra early.

A menu of offerings


Dessert Offerings - cupcakes at back, Lemon Meringue tarts, and krispie treats closest.


Our table number and some savory offerings


Clockwise from 12: cupcake, krispie treat, lemon meringue tart, gingerbread cookie, krispie treat
My Apple drink at top.


Drink offerings (L to R): Cider, Gingerbread Martini, Apple Cinnamon cocktail
At back: soft drinks


My sister and I wearing our 3D goggles before it started POURING
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[PlutoTheDog89]

Alright, we're back. I had a busy weekend. I'm heading to Las Vegas (adult Disney) next week for the "Big Game" so I've been trying to get everything squared away before my trip. Plus, it was my dad's birthday so we celebrated that. Funny enough, I was off from work on Friday and planned on wrapping things up with this Trip Report but just got way too busy. But, I'm back and I'm ready to finally wrap things up!

Friday, December 30th​

We woke up knowing it'd be a bit cooler outside. I woke up and stared at the ceiling—the anticipation of going out into the cold(er) weather and the fact that our trip was rapidly coming to a close looming over me. I checked my FitBit and saw that it was about 8:30am and decided to get up. I refused to waste anymore time in bed, despite the drop in temperature. I went out onto the balcony and was met with a chill, but it was bright and sunny outside and shaping up to be an otherwise gorgeous day.

I sifted through my clothes to find my thermal and flannel, which had made its way to the bottom of my luggage—under the shorts and t-shirts. Eventually, my sister and I were ready to get our day started while my parents did some laundry and relaxed. I purposely booked myself for a Tower of Terror FP+ from 10am-11am and my sister and I for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster from 11am-12pm. Magic Kingdom often has late-night Extra Magic hours on December 30th, so it winds up being a long day. We try and give our parents a break from the parks so that they're ready to go and stay up late. They hung out at the room for a bit while my sister and I tackled Hollywood Studios.

It was warm in the sun, but very chilly in the shade. We needed a quick bite to eat, so we stopped by the Boardwalk Bakery for breakfast. We just missed the boat, so I recommended walking to Hollywood Studios. We made it in just under 20 minutes. We made it for the last 15 minutes of my Tower of Terror FP+. I hopped on ToT—unable to talk my sister into joining me. After Tower of Terror, we walked over to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. My parents arrived at Hollywood Studios and met us by RnR.

They hadn't eaten yet, so we went over to Starring Rolls. I used this opportunity to stop in Sweet Spells for my first ever Carrot Cake Cookie. In hindsight, I can't believe how horribly I ate while at Disney. I usually eat pretty healthy and looking back, there were times during this trip that I ate nothing but sweets until dinner. How's that for a Disney diet?

We had a FP+ for the Frozen musical at 12. I can't recommend the Frozen musical enough—it's such a great show. It's fun for the kids and there's enough adult jokes to make it fun for everyone. I always like the sense of self awareness that the songs get annoying and how Disney embraces the fact that it really fell into it with the movie.

My sister and i swapped MBs with my parents to get one more ride on RnR before leaving the park. We hopped on the boat and got back to Beach Club around 3. It was starting to get colder. We had a 4:15pm reservation at Beach Club. Originally, we planned on heading to Magic Kingdom right after dinner. Instead, we decided to relax in the room for a while. It was cold outside, which swayed our opinion a bit. Plus, in years past we always went too early to Magic Kingdom and were exhausted by the time the EMHs started.

We all took a nap from around 6-8pm. We all got up by 8-8:30 and started to get ready. In hindsight, the nap was a very smart move. We boarded the bus around 9:45 and arrived at Magic Kingdom around 10pm. I totally forgot to look into FP+s after we finished at Hollywood Studios. At the time, I probably figured there wouldn't be any left. I thought to check the FP+'s left for MK on the bus ride there and managed to find a FP+ for Small World around 11pm.

Once inside MK, we went to Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. After, we went to Small World, then lined up for the 11:50pm fireworks on Main Street. After the fireworks my dad was hungry and craving french fries. The park technically closed at 12am, as did most QS locations. Cosmic Ray's was still open, so we grabbed fries there and by the time we finished the park was "closed" and the EMHs started up. My sister and I started by going on Barnstormer. The CMs laughed and let us keep riding without getting off the ride. As grown adults, Barnstormer may be one of our favorite rides. It really makes us feel like kids. After Barnstormer we went on Dumbo, then Philarmagic. We wrapped things up with Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh. By then, we were walking zombies. We grabbed some last photos up and down Main Street, enjoyed one last glimpse of the castle, then I gave my tap to the Rail Road archway as we exited Main Street, promising to "see ya real soon."

The last night at Magic Kingdom is always the hardest. Because we do EPCOT for NYE, it's not technically our last park day at Magic Kingdom, but it still feels like it. We always start our trip at Magic Kingdom and leaving MK is a symbolic end to our trip. I started a ritual a few years back of grabbing one last gimpse of the castle from Town Square, then touching the archway and promising to "see ya real soon."

Tips & Tricks​

- NYE is, IMO, the most crowded day of the year at Disney. Magic Kingdom will see Phased closures and as the smallest and most popular park, will be PACKED. Every negative thing you've heard about crowds at Disney during Christmas week is true on NYE. We don't mind the crowds and we won't even go there. It's nice that Magic Kingdom does the NYE show on 12/30, as well as NYE. For one, it gives you the opportunity to see the show without the crazy crowds (it's still crowded but not as bad) and second, you can then go to a different park or celebrate differently on 12/31.

- MK almost always has late-night EMHs on 12/30. It's usually from 1am-3am or 12am-2am. If you're like my family and looking to take advantage of the late hours, save the kiddie and family friendly rides for later in the night. Most young families leave by 12am after the fireworks and wait times for rides like Pooh, Dumbo and Peter Pan drop significantly.

- If you wanna make the most of the late-night EMHs, go later in the evening. We've gone to MK at 7pm and by the time 12am rolls around, we're tired and not as interested. Napping and going late (around 10pm) left us feeling fresh and ready to tackle the park.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Dinner at Beaches and Cream​

We tried Beaches and Cream for the first time last year and loved it. The Patty Melt was one of the best patty melts I've ever had. As an ice cream feen, a stop by Beaches and Cream is a must.

We happened to book this ADR on the perfect day, as the temperature had dropped about 20-30 degrees and a chill had filled the air. We all opted to go with the grilled cheese and tomato bisque to warm up a bit. Not only is grilled cheese the perfect comfort food on a chilly day, but the soup proved as a necessity to get rid of the chill in our body.

The tomato bisque was delicious. It had the tart tomato taste, coupled with a sweetness and creaminess. I haven't really had tomato soup in a long time and it reminded me a lot of my childhood. This is very much a nostalgic dish.

The grilled cheese is made of a 6-cheese blend. It was a very good mix of creamy, salty and nutty. The grilled cheese had an awesome crusty crunch on the outside, but was soft on the inside. It went perfect with the tomato bisque.

We ordered a side order of fries and were given a plate of maybe 10-15 fries. It was mildly laughable. The thicker cut fries were very "meh." Nothing special.

The main event of the meal was ice cream. My mom and sister split the chocolate cake, my dad got a small 2-scoop sundae and I ordered the No Way Jose with all vanilla. For some reason last year, they gave me the No Way Jose with all chocolate. I wasn't a fan and wanted to do it right: so I asked for all vanilla ice cream. As full as I was, I finished it all. I'm a huge fan of peanut butter and this really hit the spot. I wanted to eventually come back and get the Mickey pants sundae, but I never did. Next time, for sure.

Beaches and Cream is a fun restaurant with some good diner-style offerings. We've decide that moving forward we'll probably just stop in for some ice cream. The food is good, but we can really get it anywhere.

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[PlutoTheDog89]

Saturday, December 31st​

The cold front was supposed to last until Sunday. While it was certainly cooler outside, the temperature had increased about 10-15 degrees overnight. It was sunny and in the 70s. It was absolutely gorgeous outside. My mom commented that "it was perfect outside." She's not a huge fan of the heat and the past two years had been in the 80s and 90s and this trip was no different.

It wasn't exactly pool weather, although many guests had come out of their 24-hour hibernation to enjoy some fun in the sun. Today is the most crowded day of the year at Disney. The parks are filled with people from Rope Drop on and ride wait times, even at the less-popular attractions, often reach 1-2 hours or more. I remember one year Soarin' was at 220 minutes!

We've only gone to the parks once on 12/31, back in 2009. After that, we vowed never to return. Since then, we've been using the day to pack, relax, enjoy our last day at Disney, then head to dinner and to the parks in the evening. It's far less stressful than battling the crowds and while we do run the risk of Phased Closures, we've never been turned away or had a problem getting into the parks.

We slept a little later today, getting up around 8:30-9am. We started getting our clothes and packing in order, taking turns showering and brushing our teeth. My sister and I decided to run over to the French Bakery in EPCOT to grab breakfast while my mom got ready. This was the first time we took advantage of the French Bakery being right there and I'm mad we didn't do it more often. Should we stay at the Beach Club again (I mean, I hope we do next year) we'll definitely be going there more often.

The park wasn't overwhelmingly crowded—most likely due to the World Showcase just opening. We decided to take advantage of the lower crowds and I ran over to China for one last Tipsy Duck in Love drink. After, we walked back toward France and grabbed some breakfast sandwiches. We met back up with my mom and dad in the outdoor seating area near the Beach Club Marketplace to eat. I took a look around and acknowledged that we should really soak in the last bit of nice weather today. On cue, we finished breakfast and discussed the itinerary for the day.

We'd finish packing what we can before heading out for the day. Around 1 or 2pm we decided to head to the Contemporary for lunch. We're big fans of the Contempo Cafe, as it has some very good food, even better desserts and is a solid value on the DDP. I called out that the highway into the Magic Kingdom would be a parking lot. This, along with the fact that it was so beautiful out, led us to walk through EPCOT. It honestly wasn't too bad, just yet. We decided to stop by Ellen's Universe of Energy, as it'd most likely not be there come next year. We also stopped by Club Cool for out yearly "free drinks."

EPCOT opens the grass area on NYE and fences off the water​

Then we exited the park and walked out toward the monorail. We were stopped by the Cast Member who warned us that Magic Kingdom was closed to new and transferring guests. He confirmed that we were staying on property and checked our bands before allowing us through to the monorail.

EPCOT crowds ~2pm​

We made the right decision, as once the monorail made the turn toward Magic Kingdom, we saw the long line of traffic. I know Disney buses have back routes, but I couldn't imagine sitting in that traffic. Instead, we breezed by into the TTC. The TTC was empty. It was almost an eerie feeling knowing that the parks were packed but there was barely anyone in sight. The lack of civilization, especially after passing the lines of cars, felt like something out of the Walking Dead.

Doesn't really do it justice - this traffic went back a solid mile​

We were quickly reminded that we were not, in fact, in a zombie apocalypse when a crowded monorail arrived. We stopped at Poly, then GF, then a crazy-crowded MK before heading to The Contemporary.

After a quick bite to eat, we hopped on the monorail back to Magic Kingdom. The buses took forever due to the traffic and we didn't get back to Beach Club until 5:30. I went for a quick walk around the Boardwalk, which was very lively. Pop-up bars were set up and people were arriving for the evening's festivities. My sister and I went down to the beach to catch Illuminations. It was blocked by one of the Beach Club Buildings, so we ran up to the bridge between BC and Boardwalk. After, we went back to change for dinner. While the rest of my family grabbed a shower, I sat on the balcony and enjoyed our last evening at Disney—reminiscing on our trip.

I grabbed a quick shower and got dressed and we walked toward Yacht Club for our dinner at Yachtsman at 8:15pm. The plan was to schedule a later reservation then walk over to EPCOT around 10. We stopped by the room to put on more comfortable clothes before heading to EPCOT. Maybe we booked too late of a reservation, because there was literally nowhere to stand. Rather than fret, we walked the World Showcase then made the decision to leave and watch from the Beach Club. We eventually settled on the boat stop at Yacht Club. Other people had the same idea. The boat stop gave us a clear view of the fireworks and we were even treated to the Star Wars fireworks a little after midnight. All in all, a fantastic night.

We decided that next year we'll actually forgo the parks completely and just enjoy the day at the resorts. Rather than even trying to find a spot at the parks, we'll camp out at the lighthouse with some champagne and enjoy the fireworks. It was far less stressful. Even the Boardwalk had a DJ going on until about 1am. There's so much more to do around the resorts than battle the crowds.

View of DHS fireworks from Yacht Club boat stop​

Now - if you're new to Disney during NYE, you NEED to go to EPCOT and/or MK at least once. I'd recommend Magic Kingdom on 12/30 then EPCOT on NYE. It truly is a jaw-dropping, unforgettable experience. However, we've done DHS and EPCOT for NYE. In our "old age" we'd much rather grab a beer or two and enjoy the fireworks without the crowds.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

I wanted to get at least one more post in before the weekend. I'm heading to Vegas (yes, I go to places other than Disney) for the weekend and won't be updating until Tuesday. I promise the TR will be DONE by next week. Then I'll work on the formatting and finish adding any photos I was able to save.

New Year's Eve Tips​

I thought it'd be beneficial to do a separate post of NYE tips, rather than add them to the bottom of the 12/31 post. With NYE being the most crowded time of the year, it can get pretty chaotic. After 8 years of celebrating at WDW, here's what we've learned and some strategies we've implemented:

1) Go to MK on 12/30. Magic Kingdom does the exact same show on 12/30 as it does for NYE. The only thing that changes on 12/31 is the year. This is great for two reasons: 1) you get to ring in the New Year at MK with half the crowds and 2) You can go someplace else on NYE.

2) Skip the parks, at least during the day. It's really up to you. If you're off-site then you really don't have a choice. You need to get there early and brave the crowds. If you're on-site or an AP holder, you have the advantage of waiting and going later in the day. Use the day to hang at Disney Springs or at you resort, rather than waiting hours to go on Soarin' or 7DMT. Many people head to the parks very early to grab a spot for the fireworks. If you go late, you should know that finding a premier (or even very good) spot for the fireworks is less likely. But, if you're like us and have been a million times, then it shouldn't matter.

3) Skip the parks all together. I know, I know - skipping the parks evokes fear of missing out. After all - you're in Disney, why not celebrate at the parks? You're right. If you're a first timer or have never been to NYE, you should be at the parks. There's NOTHING like EPCOT on NYE. With the right plan you can find and secure a solid spot and sit comfortably all day until the fireworks. But honestly, after years of doing that and battling the crowds, we tapped out. The resorts often celebrate the New Year. We went back to POFQ last year to ring in the New Year. It was boring... This year we walked EPCOT for about an hour and had enough. We watched from the boat stop at Yacht Club and had a clear view of the fireworks at EPCOT, then the Star Wars fireworks after. Next year we'll do the same and plan accordingly - we'll grab some champagne from the gift shop and stake out a spot. The Boardwalk had a DJ playing until 1am and it was definitely a pretty lively scene over there.

There are also other options, but they often come at a hefty price tag. An event at the Contemporary cost right around $500/pp. For that price, I'd book a park view room at The Contemporary and celebrate on the balcony.

4) Disney Springs is also an option. With all the new restaurants and bars, as well as pop-up bars during NYE, I'd totally recommend it. Do keep in mind that it's a different crowd over there. It's more locals and younger people than tourists and families. Not necessarily a bad thing - just different than the normal Disney bubble.

5) If you go to the parks, space out your FP+. Throw everything you know about FP+ out the window. You won't get a 4th after your third, so don't bother booking them early. You're gonna want a break from the crowds and standing on your feet. Chairs and tables will be difficult to come by. Instead, space apart your FP+. Do one for 11am or 12, when you've been on your feet for 3 or 4 hours. Then again around 2 or 3pm, then 4 or 5pm. It'll only be 2-3 minutes off your feet, but it'll be worth it.

6) Eat at off-peak times. Don't go to dinner at a QS at 5pm—you'll wait forever. Instead, go for 3 or 4pm.

7) If you want the best firework spot, stake it out EARLY. I'm talking 4-6pm. Once it hits around 6pm at EPCOT, it turns from a very crowded park into one big party. The lawn areas are opened for fireworks and the pavilions have DJs. Find a spot, stake it out with a majority of your party, then send "runners" for drinks and bathroom breaks.

8) Book a later dinner reservation. If finding a spot for the fireworks isn't too important, eat later. Head to the park before your ADR, then walk out and enjoy the show. We usually eat around 8 or 9pm for dinner, walk out and only wait about an hour until the fireworks.

Some lesser-known spots for the fireworks:

EPCOT:
- The second story of Teppan Edo has some great views away from the crowds
- The area near Future World is usually open, even the grass areas. I really like the area near Imagination and the Odyssey Center. You won't have the best view for Illumination and miss some of the fireworks at 12am, but it's a solid spot.
- The bridge connecting BW and BC
- The YC boat stop

DHS:
- The area near Tune-In Lounge is decent. It's a little obstructed but not as crowded as Hollywood Blvd and it's right near the bar!

MK:
- Honestly, the park is swamped with people. There's no secret people haven't uncovered yet. Your best bet is watching from Grand Floridian or Poly beach.