It's Still Disney Magic to Me! A January 2016 Trip Report (PTR included too) Complete

[disneywlf]

Can't Get Enough of the Magic Kingdom 1/13/2016 Part 1
After a restful sleep, I woke up at about 6:30AM, ready to hit the ground running to go to the Magic Kingdom again! I took a shower, got ready in the usual way, called my mom, and had breakfast. By about ten to eight, I was ready to head downstairs to catch a shuttle to the Magic Kingdom! The shuttle arrived about ten minutes later and by about 8:25AM, we arrived at the Ticket & Transportation Center. After that point, I boarded the Express Monorail, and once I passed through security and the turnstiles, which went smoothly, I made it just in time for the Magic Kingdom Welcome Show and I was elated! First, we were given a warm welcome by the Mayor of Main Street!

He was followed by the Citizens of Main Street.

As the Mayor and The Citizens of Main Street were greeting us in song, Casey Junior pulled into the Main Street USA Station! At this point, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Snow White, Alice, The Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins, Chip and Dale, Princess Tiana, Anastasia, Drizella, and Rafiki joined in the Welcome Show!

As always, the Welcome Show makes me feel pumped for my day, as it always adds a wonderful dose of Disney magic! With the Magic Kingdom now open for the day, my first priority was to beeline to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, as I did not have a FP+ and figured that going at opening would give me the next best chance of getting a chance to ride it. Thankfully, this proved to be true as by the time I arrived, the standby wait was a very reasonable 25-minutes. What's more, I even had time to appreciate the impeccably detailed waiting areas, which made me feel transported to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs world!

The line moved quickly and this was also helped by the many thoughtful details and interactive queue elements throughout, like an interactive game where you could wash jewels as if you were in the Seven Dwarfs Mine, which was a lot of fun and added to the story!

As I was waiting, I met a couple visiting from the Raleigh, NC area, who were very nice. They were happy to talk about their many visits to WDW, including as early as when the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971! They love WDW a lot and said that over the years, it keeps getting more and more impressive! I told them that I absolutely agree and that WDW definitely knows how to do park theming, as areas, like Fantasyland, which is one of my favorite land, has such immersive theming that you definitely feel like you are in the stories as opposed to just being in a theme park. After our wonderful conversation, we soon found ourselves onboard 7DMT about fifteen minutes later. Just like the first time I rode, I immensely enjoyed 7DMT's detail and its smoothness, which make it one of my favorite attractions. After that, I then rode The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh after a ten minute wait and enjoyed being a part of his adventures! After I exited The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, I was grateful that I rode 7DMT when I did, as by 9:38AM, the wait had increased from 25-minutes at opening to 60-minutes!

After enjoying 7DMT and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, it was time for me to head to Space Mountain, where I had a 9:10AM-10:10AM FP+ reservation!

 

[disneywlf]

Can't Get Enough of the Magic Kingdom 1/13/2016 Part 2
After riding Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, it was time for a change of pace as I had a 9:10AM-10:10AM FP+ for Space Mountain. Once I passed The Mad Tea Party, I found myself crossing into Tomorrowland, as I could see the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover and Astro Orbiter.

I then arrived at Space Mountain at 9:40AM and I was able to walk right on.

Once I got in, I boarded my rocket and had a magical time blasting off into the galaxy! While I find it to be very bumpy and even a bit jostling at times, I find that you cannot beat Space Mountain's storyline and the twists and turns that hurtle you through space, making it one of my favorite attractions!


Since it was nearing 10:00AM and I had an ADR at Be Our Guest for lunch at 10:30AM, I then decided to make my way back to Fantasyland, soon finding myself back at the castle wall.

I then found myself back in Belle's Village, passing Enchanted Tales with Belle and Gaston's fountain!


It still was not quite time for lunch yet, so what better way to pass the time than enjoy an attraction? And what better attraction than Under the Sea-Journey of The Little Mermaid, which is a lot of fun and also had a five minute wait to boot! Of course, I just had to stop and marvel Ariel's castle, which is absolutely impressive!

In addition, walking inside, I also loved the interior of the queue, which had an animatronic Scuttle trying his bestto tell the story of "The Little Mermaid," but ultimately forgetting the details. Nevertheless, I did not have much time to check it out, as I was onboard a clamshell within two minutes. As always, I enjoyed being a part of the story of "The Little Mermaid," hearing the classic songs, and the vivid animatronics, like Ariel and Ursla. While the ending portion of the attraction is a bit condensed, I love this attraction and since the wait was not long and I still had time until my ADR, how could I not ride again? Well, that was exactly what I did and I had a grand time!

With the time being around 10:20AM, I then headed back toward Belle's Village and stopped in Bonjour Village Gifts! I enjoyed seeing the diverse selection of "Beauty and the Beast" souvenirs, like a pretty realistic replica of Cogsworth . However, browsing the t-shirts, there was one t-shirt that called my name. It was a maroon t-shirt with Gaston with a beer mustache and a beer in hand, with "Cheers to me" written underneath. I loved it as it was funny and a wonderful depiction of Gaston. Checkout was friendly, smooth, and seamless and thanks to ApplePay, I was able to make the transaction very quick! It was two minutes from 10:30AM and it was finally to time to be Belle and the Beast's guest, which was perfect as I had the chance to put their service to the test! How will they fare? Check out my next installment!

 

[disneywlf]

Can't Get Enough of the Magic Kingdom 1/13/2016 Part 3
After having a grand old time riding Under the Sea-Journey of The Little Mermaid and shopping in Bonjour Village Gifts!, it was time to dine like royalty at Be Our Guest! I arrived at the front of the castle, where I was greeted by Andrew from Orlando, who was very welcoming and eager to please. He was able to pull up my ADR with no issue and I was giddy to be entering the stunning and jaw dropping Beast's Castle!


I then found myself inside The Beast's Castle, where another CM asked me if I wanted to check out the more detailed queue or bypass right to ordering my food. Not one to refuse taking in detail, I decided to check out the more detailed queue.

While I was waiting, I enjoyed the wisecracking banter of the animatronic knights, who definitely add to the atmosphere!

It was now my turn to order and while I cannot remember the CM's name, though it may have been Chris, I remember he was from Miami, FL. He was very friendly and efficient. While I was ordering my Nicoise Salad with tuna and no egg and a Diet Coke to drink, we had a pleasant chat about South Florida, as I love the area and he was happy to talk about it. He knew of Highland Beach, the area where my grandparents once had a winter condo, as he mentioned passing through it going to Boca Raton and Delray Beach, and said it is a marvelous area! I told him I absolutely agreed and hoped to be living in South Florida one day! He also invited his fellow CM to chat with us, as he was also from Miami. After our wonderful conversation and placing my order, I then received my rose, which would help the CMs find me when it came time to receive my meal. I first found myself in The Grand Ballroom, which was very elegant! In there, I was greeted by a friendly middle-age female CM, who asked me where I wanted to sit? I told her that I had no preference and would be happy to sit anywhere. She invited me to stay in The Castle Gallery, as there were many seats available and she thought that I would like it. I was happy to accept her suggestion and at the same time, she also invited me to check out the restaurant, so I took some pictures, starting with The Grand Ballroom.

And the pleasantly haunted West Wing, where I sat on my January 2014 trip.

And finally, The Castle Gallery, which was opulent and whimsical, with its figurine of Belle and The Beast dancing and paintings recalling the tale as old as time!

I then found a plush booth towards the rear of the dining room and settled there, ready to relax and tuck into my lunch after I got my beverage.

A little later, I received my sumptuous lunch, which was delivered on one of The Beast's signature trolleys, making for an elegant delivery. I also had the pleasure of meeting a very sweet CM, whose name escapes me at the moment (but I remember it started with an I). However, I do remember that she was from the Dominican Republic. She could not have been sweeter and went to great lengths to make sure that my meal was fit for royalty! In addition, we also had a wonderful conversation about the Dominican Republic, as she was happy to tell me about what it was like and I shared about how I wanted to visit, as my friend/neighbor loves visiting the beach of Sosua, located near Puerto Plata and my Great Uncle's lady friend is from Santo Domingo, where this CM happened to be from. She said that both areas were beautiful and that when I have the chance, I should definitely visit them! Before she left, she took a wonderful photo of me and made sure all was well.

I then tucked into my sumptuous lunch, with moist, soft, and peppery seared tuna, crisp field greens, ripe tomatoes, salty and briny olives, and sweet peppers. The portion was not bad at all and while it seems a bit pricey, it was still an excellent value as the food was excellent!

After enjoying my exquisite meal, Chef Matt then came by to ascertain my satisfaction. I told him that everything was excellent and I also inquired if this was really quick-service food? I feel this way as I have noticed that Disney QS is definitely better than most fast food joints in the real world quality-wise and the only thing quick about it is the speed of service. Chef Matt was thankful for my comment and he told me that my observations were excellent, as WDW definitely tries to serve fresh and high quality food, as it adds to the experience. After conversing with Matt, I then left Be Our Guest, happily satisfied thanks to my excellent and filling lunch. Did Be Our Guest pass the test? They sure did and with flying colors to boot, as the service was top-notch and the food was delicious! Where will I head next? Find out in my next installment!

 

[disneywlf]

Can't Get Enough of the Magic Kingdom 1/13/2016 Part 4
First off, I just want to wish all of those readers who are celebrating, like myself, a Happy Passover and to those who celebrate, a Happy Greek Orthodox Easter! Anyway, when I last left off, I had a delightful time at Belle and the Beast's castle enjoying a sumptuous lunch! However, after lunch, I headed back to Belle's Village, as I was hoping to meet Gaston. Well, I must say that no one is as popular as Gaston, as sadly, his meet and greet before I think about noon was already closed. Sandy, a very sweet CM from Clermont, FL, who was managing the line, agreed that there is no one as popular as Gaston and she felt bad, but I told her not to worry and that I would try to come back for Gaston's meet and greet at 1:30PM. She was happy about this and advised me to come back at around 1:00PM, as this would help me get a spot in line. I thanked her and made my way to Mickey's Phillarmagic, which is one of my favorite attractions.

After entering the theater with a warm welcome from Goofy and Minnie, my luck helped me to get a seat right in the center of the theater, making for a perfect view! While Donald Duck does try on Mickey's sorcerer hat even though he is told not to, I still kind of feel bad for him that it seems throughout the film, he almost the but of everyone's jokes . However, I love how well all of the classic Disney films, like "Beauty and the Beast," "The Lion King," "The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin," and "Peter Pan mesh together . Also, I love the sensory experiences, like when the wine bottles are uncorked while Lumiere is singing "Be Our Guest." Afterwards, I then rode Peter Pan's Flight after walking right on, thanks to my FP+ for 11:50AM-12:50PM and I had the pleasure of seeing Peter Pan battle the dastardly Captain Hook! Next, I visited the "Tangled" themed area, which has pretty cool theming, even though the area is not huge and since I needed to, I did what many people in this area do and used the restrooms, which were very nice! Afterwards, I took some pictures of theming, which really added to the immersive theming of the "Tangled" area!


Next, I enjoyed a ride on Dumbo with a lovely family from Kentucky! Since it was getting closer to 1:00PM, I decided to make another attempt at meeting Gaston. Thankfully, luck was on my side as the line was not long at all and was not closed. Sandy, the CM who I meet earlier, mentioned that she was very happy to see that I made it back to meet Gaston. In addition to Sandy, I meet Jeff from Pompano Beach, FL, another CM who was managing the line. He said hello to me and the city on his name tag piqued my interest, as I have visited Deerfield Beach, FL, one town north of Pompano Beach twice in January 2015 and August 2015 when I had first house-hunted, as mom was initially interested in condos in that area, Boca, Delray, and an area between Pompano Beach to the south and Deerfield Beach to the north known as Hillsboro Beach, a solely residential area with condos and homes along the beach and Intracoastal. However, this was before we realized that a condo was out of the cards due to condos having more pet restrictions and even with buildings that have lower HOAs, high assessments when something goes wrong! Deerfield/Pompano/and Hillsboro were other areas of South Florida that I love as those towns have a laid-back feel and I told Jeff that I had a good idea of where he was from. Jeff was pretty amazed and I had mentioned that in addition to Boca Raton/Highland Beach/Delray Beach, I also had the pleasure of visiting nearby Deerfield and Hillsboro Beach and Jeff mentioned that he loves all of those areas. After chatting with Jeff, I met an Australian couple about my age who were also visiting other U.S. cities, like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Nashville and had a fun time! They said that they were having an amazing time and they said how much they love the theming of New Fantasyland. However, they wished that in addition to Gaston, they could add the Bimbettes as meetable characters. While I do not think it will happen, it would still be an amazing thing, even if they only did it on limited occasions. Hey, I could dream you know . Time flew and Gaston came to the meet and greet area and he was walking, he greeted everyone and even admired my shirt, which had Gaston on it by saying, "Like your shirt" and I was fan-girling inside. Since I had arrived early, my wait was not long at all and I soon had the pleasure of meeting the man himself! When I met him, he asked how I was doing and I told him that I was doing very well! He was very happy and being his pleasantly narcissistic self, he said that I was "the fourth most handsome guy in the world," as while looking toward his fountain with me, mentioned that he was the most handsome guy in the world. I was not at all offended, as considering the many gentlemen in the world, being in fourth place is not at all bad in my book! In addition, he also talked about how elated he was by my shirt, as I was wearing his likeness . In addition, we also showed off our muscles!

With Gaston's meet and greet being worth the wait as always, I was over the moon and since 2:00PM was nearing, I then made my way to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, as I had a FP+ for 12:50PM-1:50PM. While I was a little worried that I would not have my FP+ as I was a little wait, based on reading Disboards and other forums, my worries went away as typically, there is a grace period for slightly late arrivals. Thankfully, after arriving at about 1:55PM, this proved to be the case as my MagicBand scanned with no problems and I was riding the wildest ride in the wilderness! Next, I wanted to see if Haunted Mansion had a long line, as I was interested in riding. Unfortunately, the standby wait was 45-minutes, so I passed since I figured the waits would decrease a little later and decided to go to The Hall of Presidents, as I have never checked that out. Along the way, I got a neat picture of Liberty Square in its colonial splendor!

In the lobby of The Hall of Presidents, the colonial splendor extended, thanks to the architecture and the portraits of various Presidents.

Finally, I had the chance to see The Hall of Presidents, which may not always be the most exciting attraction to some, but proved to be interesting for me, as I am a history buff and I am also into politics. Anyway, I enjoyed this attraction as not only did I get some time off of my feet, which were starting to get a little tired, it also was a nice overview of how the United States became the great nation that it is today throughout our history under many different Presidents. Also, the animatronics of all 44 Presidents and Morgan Freeman's narration definitely added to the attraction. While this may not be the most complex attraction, this is something that I would definitely see again. However, I wonder which 2016 contender will be added next? I will have to wait until November and my next visit to see. What surprises will await me next? Find out in my next installment!

 

[SarahDisney]

Happy Passover!

Sounds like an awesome day at Magic Kingdom! You really got a lot done!

 

[disneywlf]

Happy Passover!

Sounds like an awesome day at Magic Kingdom! You really got a lot done!

Thank you Sarah! Happy Passover to you and Beth too! You could say that again!

 

[disneywlf]

Yet Another Life Update 5/21/2016
Wow! Has it really been about a month since I have been on Disboards? Well, it looks like it has, as my last update was on April 24th, 2016! I am sorry I have not been around to update, but life has gotten quite busy as of late, as there has been a life change as well as a part-time job to keep me occupied (there should be more trip updates soon). After mom bought a new house in Florida as well as a new Affenpinscher named Zaava in addition to our Affenpinschers Gwendolyn and Arabella (see Life Updates: 3/20 on Page 5), what other new things would come into our life? Well, unfortunately, my previous car, a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C3004MATIC, which we bought used in May 2012 as my dad works for a dealer and got it for a good price, was beginning to have some problems, like the brakes not working as well as they should. In addition, the warranty was about to expire, and since it was getting older and Mercedes-Benz maintenance is expensive, we decided to look at mainstream midsize or large cars, as we wanted something nice, but far less expensive than a luxury car. Thanks to Consumer Reports, my Uncle/Mom's brother (who has owned five Subaru Outbacks), and our thorough research, we fell in love with the 2016 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited. We ended up getting it from the dealership that my Uncle uses in NJ and got an excellent deal on the car plus a fair price on our trade-in . What's more, the car is excellent, as it is very comfortable and roomy with black leather seats, has ample power from the 3.6-liter V6 engine, agile handling, comprehensive and easy-to-use controls with the Starlink infotainment system, including 2 USB ports to control audio from the car and a navigation system, and Eyesight, a forward-collision system for an extra measure of safety which could stop the car itself god forbid something happens. I am glad we have our new Subaru and I look forward to many happy years driving it with mom!

Without further adieu, here is our Twilight Blue 2016 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited with a black interior.

 

[disneywlf]

Can't Get Enough of the Magic Kingdom 1/13/2016 Part 5
After visiting The Hall of Presidents, it was amazing to realize that so far, I had gotten a lot done and that the day was still fairly young, as it was nearing 3:00PM. Since I was still a little tired, I decided to take it easy for a bit and enjoy the Festival of Fantasy Parade again, which I enjoyed a couple of days ago thanks to its vivid and colorful floats, memorable music, and combination of classic characters! I sat somewhere near a bench in the middle of Liberty Square, which had the perfect vantage point of the parade. While I was there, I met a woman named Marylin, who was probably in her 60s-70s and was a snowbird who lived in Roslyn, NY, about fifteen minutes northwest of where I live and Boca Raton, FL, where I have had the pleasure of visiting many times and will soon be living near. We talked about both areas and what they were like. Marylin also mentioned that if we were looking at single family homes, which we were also considering, to check out the community in Delray Beach where we will be moving, as she has a friend who lives there and loves it, as the homes are luxurious, the amenities are fantastic, and she felt that you get a lot for the money, which we found to be true! Anyway, I digress and I had an awesome time enjoying the parade. What's more, I even got a good picture of the Maleficent float breathing fire!

After the Festival of Fantasy Parade, I then checked again to see if the wait for the Haunted Mansion had decreased, as I wanted to ride it. Thankfully, this proved to be the case as the standby line wait time had decreased from 45-minutes to 30-minutes.

Since the line was not too long, I took advantage of the opportunity and queued for the Haunted Mansion. Along the way, I had fun enjoying the humorous tombstones .

About fifteen minutes later, I found myself entering the stretch room, which made me even more excited to possibly be the one-thousandth happy haunt! About five minutes later, I boarded my doom buggy and enjoyed being spooked silly by the axe-wielding bride as well as all of the ghosts dancing and having a grand old time in the ballroom. What's more, "Grim, Grinning Ghosts" is such a catchy song! After riding the Haunted Mansion, I took a couple of pictures, including one of the tomb of Bluebeard and his seven loving wives as well as one of me in front of the Haunted Mansion thanks to a very funny Photopass CM named AJ from Orlando.

Not wanting to do too much, as the day was becoming a bit exhausting, I decided to take it a little slower, as I did not want to make myself too tired. With that in mind, I made my way over to Adventureland, as I wanted to see Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, as it is a classic yet relaxing attraction. I knew I had entered the tropics when I saw the queue, which included the exterior, with its thatched pagoda-like roof as well as the small and relaxing waterfall, graced by tiki figures.

About two minutes later, I was inside The Enchanted Tiki Room and enjoyed hearing Jose, Fritz, Pierre, and all of the tiki-birds, flowers, and tikis singing classics like "The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room." While I was still quite tired, this attraction recharged me a little bit as I had a chance to sit down for a bit. Before I had planned on leaving the Magic Kingdom, as I had thought about getting dinner at Gasparilla Island Grill at the Grand Floridian, I decided to try a round of A Pirate's Adventure: Treasure of the Seven Seas as I had heard great things about it and wanted to try at least one interactive game on this trip. I made my way to the Cartography Shop, where I was assisted by Taylor, a bubbly young College CM from Texas. She gave me my talisman and assigned me Blackbeard's Adventure! Unfortunately, I had trouble with the game initially, as I was still very tired, which made me feel a bit foggy and as a result, it made it a little harder to decipher the stylized map and find the points needed to guide me through the game. Thankfully, CMs and other players were able to help me and find the first point for the sand dollar on Blackbeard's Adventure, which on a pole near Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. Thanks to all of the clues, it was a cinch to find Blackbeard's Treasure from that point on and I found it! After the game, I then thanked Taylor, who asked me if I enjoyed the game and I gave her a resounding yes, as it was a lot of fun! I would have played it again, but tiredness and hunger were still sapping my energy. Since I was near Pecos Bill, I decided to eat dinner there instead of going to the Grand Floridian, as it would be far easier and I enjoyed the food and service there when I dined there a couple of days back. Inside, I was greeted by Ed, the same CM who had helped me along with Benji, the Manager when I ordered my meal. Ed said that Benji was in a meeting, so he offered to due his best to help me order what I ordered just like the last time. This was a Chicken Fajita Platter with the plain rice being substituted for cilantro rice, no flour tortillas, and he also offered me two bags of tortilla chips which were corn-based on the side just like the time I was here two days ago (even though they normally cost extra on the menu), and advised that while my meal would take a couple of extra minutes to cook, this would be because he wanted to prepare the grilled chicken on a separate grill and with a fresh bag of spices, as he wanted to prevent cross-contamination. Also, I decided to try something different and ordered a Strawberry Slush featuring Odwalla, as I figured that would cool me down after the long day, as I felt a bit hot.

After I ordered my food, I found a table in the middle of the dining room, which was themed like a hacienda with terra cotta floors and warm colors. I thoroughly enjoyed this meal once again, as I found everything to be delicious, thanks to the grilled chicken being moist, juicy, and perfectly spiced, the rice was fluffy, the black beans were well cooked, and the tortilla chips offered on the side were crispy and pleasantly salty. I also enjoyed the sides I got from the toppings bar, like a balanced and not spicy tomato salsa, a slightly spicy salsa verde, a filling and slightly spicy corn salsa, and some salty shredded cheese, which I used to make makeshift nachos again! I also loved the Strawberry Slush, which was frosty and not too icy in texture and had the perfect balance of sweet and sour taste thanks to the strawberries. Overall, I felt a lot better thanks to this meal, as I was sated, refreshed, and not as tired as before. Since I did not plan on really doing anything as I was finished for the day, I decided to meet Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen in Liberty Square, as I enjoyed watching "The Princess and the Frog" and had never met them before. Since they were meeting at about 6:00PM, I decided to join the line and meet them. About fifteen minutes later, I had the pleasure of meeting Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. They were absolutely wonderful, as Tiana was very sweet and exuded a true Southern charm and Prince Naveen was laid-back and a little comical. Princess Tiana first asked where I was from and I told her that I was from New York. Being a restauranteur, she asked me if the pizza in New York is as good as they say? I told her that the pizza in New York is as good as they say and she then asked what pizza toppings I like? I told her that I enjoy mushrooms. I asked Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen what toppings they like on their pizza and she said that she likes mushrooms, crushed flies, and a dash of Tabasco sauce while he said that he likes mushrooms on his pizza. We talked about our lives and I admired them, as I told Princess Tiana she is a lovely person and very hard working and I told Prince Naveen how he is loyal and laid-back. They were both thankful and Princess Tiana playfully teased Prince Naveen about someone admiring her hard work, but he took it in stride . Afterwards, we got a couple of wonderful pictures .

After our wonderful meet and greet, I told Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen that they could come visit me in New York anytime and that I would be happy to take them on a culinary tour of New York to try the many delicacies, including pizza. In return, they invited me to visit New Orleans anytime and that they would treat me to a meal fit for a prince (or king), including delicacies like etoufee, gumbo, and crawfish! I thanked them for this offer and our wonderful time together and bid them farewell, then making my way to the exit of the Magic Kingdom, after an exciting and magical day. Where would my adventures take me next? Find out in the next installment!

 

[SarahDisney]

The new car looks great!!

I love that you met so many people from NY on your trip. We rarely meet other New Yorkers ... we've met people from all across the US, but it's still fun to have an opportunity to talk to someone from close to home.

You really got a lot done that afternoon - I got a little exhausted just reading about it. I think the Tiki Room was a great way to recharge, and I was excitied reading about your Pirate Adventure, since that's something I've never tried!

 

[fallonkendra]

What a great day you had at Magic Kingdom! You managed to get so much done! Isn't Be Our Guest awesome? I love the theming of that place, and the food is fantastic! Same for Peco's Bills, I was so impressed by that place! January 13th is actually my birthday, we spent it at Universal - but I really wish we had have been at Disney instead, it will be a long time before we return to the Universal Parks in Orlando.

Nice new car! My boyfriend and I both drive older vehicles (his car is 16 years old, mine is 8 years old). We own both of them outright, so not having a payment is really nice (and lets us save up more for travel) but we know we're going to need to buy something new really soon. We just have no idea what we want...

 

[disneywlf]

The new car looks great!!

I love that you met so many people from NY on your trip. We rarely meet other New Yorkers ... we've met people from all across the US, but it's still fun to have an opportunity to talk to someone from close to home.

You really got a lot done that afternoon - I got a little exhausted just reading about it. I think the Tiki Room was a great way to recharge, and I was excitied reading about your Pirate Adventure, since that's something I've never tried!

Thank you Sarah! It is an awesome car without a doubt!

It is pretty amazing to meet a lot of other New Yorkers and don't worry, I met plenty more on my trip. While I love meeting people from all across the US, it is always indeed fun to talk to someone close from home .

For sure and I have to admit, I got a little exhausted writing it just as you got a little exhausted reading it. I absolutely agree with you on the Tiki Room and you should definitely try Pirates Adventure next time you and Beth go to WDW, as it makes for an awesome change of pace from all of the touring!

What a great day you had at Magic Kingdom! You managed to get so much done! Isn't Be Our Guest awesome? I love the theming of that place, and the food is fantastic! Same for Peco's Bills, I was so impressed by that place! January 13th is actually my birthday, we spent it at Universal - but I really wish we had have been at Disney instead, it will be a long time before we return to the Universal Parks in Orlando.

Nice new car! My boyfriend and I both drive older vehicles (his car is 16 years old, mine is 8 years old). We own both of them outright, so not having a payment is really nice (and lets us save up more for travel) but we know we're going to need to buy something new really soon. We just have no idea what we want...

Despite getting a little exhausted, it was a fantastic day! Be Our Guest is awesome indeed, with very impressive theming and delicious food to boot! Pecos Bill has also become another MK favorite for me, as the food and service definitely impressed! I am glad to have been at the MK on your birthday, but I am sorry you did not have as good of a time at Universal Orlando. I have never been, as I don't want to do too many parks on one trip, as I would become very exhausted and I love Walt Disney World too much . I have thought about visiting Universal when I become a Floridian though, so I am sorry you didn't care for it.

Thank you! It is an awesome car. Nothing wrong with driving older vehicles, as a well-maintained and reliable older vehicle can save you money over a long period of time. Just curious, what do you and your boyfriend drive? My mom has one older car, which is a 1981 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC coupe that was a gift from our Great Uncle and the car runs very well! I cannot agree more, as we bought the Subaru for cash as we were able to and not unlike you, she wanted to be free from car payments, which is an amazing feeling! If you ever need a new car recommendation, I am happy to help as I am an auto geek and love reading all of the car magazines and test driving cars .

 

[disneywlf]

The Quest for Gluten Free Goodies, Minnie Mouse Bow Dog Toys, and more at Disney Springs 1/13/2016
After a magical day at the Magic Kingdom, I figured that I would spend the evening in a more relaxing fashion. And what a better way to do that than enjoying some retail therapy at Disney Springs? With that in mind, I walked over to the Magic Kingdom monorail station, as a monorail was about to arrive and a resort monorail would enable me to get over to Disney's Contemporary Resort, where I would catch a Disney Springs-bound bus. Once I got on the monorail, it was a very quick ride and I was at the Contemporary Resort, where I was able to board a bus that was just departing for Disney Springs. Talk about perfect timing! Onboard, a middle-age woman named Karen along with her son Dylan, who were staying at the Bay Lake Tower, invited me to sit with them. I was very thankful and I enjoyed talking with her and her son, especially because I found out that they were from the Marine Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. This was amazing as while I am from Central Nassau County, I am very familiar with Brooklyn as I have many friends and family members living there, especially neighborhoods more south in Brooklyn like Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Gravesend, Sheepshead Bay, and yes, Marine Park. Additionally, I also enjoy the borough itself. Karen also knew the area where I reside, as she has friends living near where I live. We both agreed that despite where they live and the surrounding area being physically further from Manhattan, they don't feel that far away as they are only about 40 minutes from Midtown Manhattan by subway or express bus. Also, we talked about the many great restaurants in their area that I have been to, like Mill Basin Kosher Deli and La Villa Pizza in Mill Basin, Roll-N-Roaster, an old-time roast beef sandwich fast food restaurant on Emmons Avenue in Sheepshead Bay that dates back to 1971, Randazzo's Clam Bar, also in Sheepshead Bay, which serves seafood and red-sauce Italian, and Garguilio's in Coney Island for Italian. Next, Karen asked about how my travels from New York were and how I got to Florida. Coincidentally, we both left for WDW on the same day and both flew JetBlue out of JFK (talk about it being a small world ). However, there were some differences. While I told her that I left on JetBlue 483, the 9:39AM flight to Orlando, which was delayed an hour due to the rain and car accident outside Terminal 5 delaying everything, she and her son left on the 7:00AM flight to Orlando. She said they left at about 4:30AM and had a very quick 20-minute drive from Marine Park via the Belt Parkway eastbound. She felt bad that I had a delay, but said that the rain delayed their flight slightly too. We then talked about our evening plans and Karen and Dylan planned to meet a friend of hers at Bongo's for dinner. I asked her how it was, as I had never been and she said that it was pretty good. I told her that I planned to shop and visit Erin McKenna's Bakery NYC for some gluten-free/egg-free treats. She loved my evening plans and we wished each other a good night, as our interesting conversation made the just-under 20-minute ride to Disney Springs fly! After disembarking the bus, I walked through the Marketplace section of Disney Springs, and I could not help admire that compared to my previous visits, I felt that the newer layout definitely took advantage of the lake's natural beauty!

I walked further, with the first stop of my journey being Erin McKenna's for some egg-free/gluten-free goodies to take back to my room for later. As I kept walking through The Landing section of Disney Springs, I loved the touches that made it have a small town feel, like the brick work and warm lighting.

I then entered Erin McKenna's a little before 7:30PM, which was vibrant, trendy, and old-school, with touches like white walls with red lips adorning the right side of the bakery, a pink wall adorning the rear wall, and old school globe lamps hanging over the display cases, with many tantalizing allergy-free and kosher treats!


With all of the different baked-goods available, my decision was tough. Ultimately, I was assisted by an enthusiastic male employee, who was happy to recommend a Chocolate and a Vanilla Cupcake, a Vanilla glazed donut, and a chocolate chip cookie. While I did not plan on eating all of the goodies immediately or even all of them on the same night, I was excited to try them, as I had fond memories of them in the past, as they tasted delicious and made it possible for me to have foods that I usually cannot eat due to egg and wheat allergies. After an excellent experience shopping at Erin McKenna's NYC, I then made my way over to World of Disney, where I planned to do more shopping. However, I could not help but stop for a band, who happened to be playing a very jazzy cover of "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" by Natalie Cole in front of Fulton's Crab House.

After enjoying some music in front of Fulton's, I then arrived at the World of Disney, which happens to be one of my favorite souvenir stores at WDW!

Once I arrived in World of Disney, I was in awe, as there were many types of souvenirs to look at as well as amazing theming throughout the store, including figures of various animated features. While I was browsing, my mom called me, as she was curious as to what I was up to? I told her that I was in World of Disney, looking at various souvenirs, like plush toys as well as dog toys. I told mom that I would call her back in a few minutes, as I wanted to take pictures of the dog toys and plush Mickey I found and what she thought. Ultimately, mom decided that of all the dog toys available (with a far better selection than my 2014 trip), she texted me that she liked the Minnie bow dog squeaky toys I found and a plush Mickey I found for her the best, so I decided to buy two Minnie bow dog squeaky toys (this was before we got Zaava, our third Affenpinscher in March) and a plush Mickey. When it came time to check out, I was assisted by Barb, a bubbly and efficient older CM from Neenah, WI. I told her that I was planning to use ApplePay to take care of my purchases. She said that while she has never used it, she heard that it works well as it is easy and tends to be more secure than using a credit card alone. In addition, she said that I was the first person who used ApplePay that year, which made me feel pretty special and in disbelief, as I thought that ApplePay would have caught on more by now. After a pleasurable transaction with Barb and a wonderful time at Disney Springs, I decided to head back to my room, as it was almost 9:00PM and I was beginning to feel tired again. After I arrived back at the Buena Vista Palace, I decided to unwind before bed by watching some Fox News and tucking into my treats from Erin McKenna's NYC. I enjoyed the chocolate cupcake, with a moist and fluffy center with a bold hint of chocolate as well as a velvety, sweet, and robust chocolate frosting and half of the chocolate chip cookie, which was pleasantly crumbly and had melty semi-sweet chocolate chips.

I did not try the other treats that night, as I did not want to get too much of a sugar rush, so I put the rest of the treats away. I then decided to lie down for a bit on the bed, as I was very tired, but I ended up falling asleep at about 10:30PM and I did not wake up again until 1:00AM the next morning. I woke up, realizing I forgot to brush my teeth, so I made sure to do that and then I went back to sleep shortly after, excited to be exploring the wilderness that day at Disney's Animal Kingdom!

 

[disneywlf]

The Wilderness Must Be Explored! Animal Kingdom 1/14/2016 Part 1
After going back to sleep waking up at about 1:00AM, I got to enjoy more shut-eye and I woke up again at about 6:00AM. After waking up, I got ready by brushing my teeth, taking a shower, getting dressed, and then having breakfast. I could not believe my last park day had arrived, as it was Thursday, January 14th, 2016, one day before I would return home to the real world . However, I knew it was going to be an awesome day, as I was looking forward to a wild time at Disney's Animal Kingdom and much later that day, I would be ending my trip with dinner at Cape May Cafe, where I enjoyed a wonderful seafood buffet dinner on my trip in 2014 and would enjoy once again! Once I was ready, I boarded a bus bound for Disney's Animal Kingdom at about 8:10AM and I was on my way. Thirty minutes later, I arrived at the Animal Kingdom. After getting my bag check, I did not have to go through the metal detector, as unlike my previous park days, I was not randomly selected. According to my camera's time stamp, I was at the front entrance by 8:42AM.

Since I was not in too much of a rush thanks to my first FP+ being at 9:20AM for DINOSAUR, I took it kind of slow, meandering through the many paths of the lush Oasis, with its flowing waterfalls and magnificent rock work. I first spotted some Black Swans and if I am not mistaken, Herons.


Up next, I spotted, a Babirussa (Babyrousa Babyrussa), a type of pig found in Asia that literally translates to "pig-deer," thanks to the male's antler-shaped tusks.

After exploring the Oasis, I made my way towards Discovery Island, where a perky CM named Andy from Orlando took this very nice photo of me in front of the Tree of Life!

After that, I then stopped by The Wilderness Explorers clubhouse, where a couple of very sweet and enthusiastic female CMs gave me all the gear I needed for my adventure, including my wilderness pin, my wilderness explorers book for collecting badges, and they also taught me the call of the wilderness, which was "Caw, Caw, Roar" as well as the hand sign, which was a W made with my fingers. Thanks to these lovely CMs, I was ready to join the ranks of Russell, Dug, and Carl from "Up" and earned my first badge, which was a Wilderness Explorer Call Badge!

Where would my adventures take me next? Find out in my next installment!

 

[SarahDisney]

Sounds like a great night at Disney Springs. Erin McKenna Bakery is such a great option, and I'm glad you enjoyed your treat!

I love just walking around Animal Kingdom and seeing all of the animals. It's a great way to start the day.

Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your day and your wilderness exploration!

 

[disneywlf]

Sounds like a great night at Disney Springs. Erin McKenna Bakery is such a great option, and I'm glad you enjoyed your treat!

I love just walking around Animal Kingdom and seeing all of the animals. It's a great way to start the day.

Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your day and your wilderness exploration!

Thank you Sarah! It could not have been a better night and I agree, Erin McKenna is an amazing option and I am very grateful Disney has it, as they make amazing allergy-free treats that I would otherwise not be able to eat with my egg and wheat allergies.

Can't agree more! There is nothing like just seeing all of the animals and taking it slow at Animal Kingdom!

 

[disneywlf]

The Wilderness Must Be Explored! Animal Kingdom 1/14/2016 Part 2
After earning visiting The Oasis and becoming a Wilderness Explorer, my first stop was to go to the FP+ kiosk, as I wanted to change around a couple of my reservations in order to make the day even less rushed. Thanks to the assistance of a couple of chipper and helpful CMs, I was able to keep my Dinosaur FP+ for 9:20AM-10:20AM, but I pushed back my Kilimanjaro Safari FP+ from 11:10AM-12:10PM to 10:25AM-11:25AM. Finally, I decided to cancel my Flights of Wonder FP+, as I did not need it as it is able to accommodate a large number of guests at a time due to being a theater attraction, making FP+ not as needed in this case. Instead, I made my FP+ for Expedition Everest at 11:35AM-12:35PM, as it would allow me to ride Expedition Everest a second time!

In my Times Guide, I noticed that Dug and Russell from "Up" were meeting (how could I not meet the original Wilderness Explorers? Also, they were a lot of fun on my 2014 visit ), so I decided to make that my first stop of the day, as I was not in a rush and had at least twenty minutes until my first FP+. Along the way, I got a majestic picture of the Tree of Life!

In addition, I also found flamingos on Discovery Island, which in turn earned me a Flamingo Badge. Next, at about seven minutes after opening according to my camera, I arrived at the queue for Russell and Dug's meet and greet, which did not have too long of a line at all. While I was waiting, I could not help but admire all of the cool details, like all of the posters as well as this bark-o-lator, allowing barks to be translated into human language. If only I could use it on our three dogs.

A quick five minutes later, I had the pleasure of meeting Dug and Russell, who were a lot of fun and were honored to have me as a new Wilderness Explorer and hugged me as if I were an old friend!

And Dug just had to show me another trick and get a toy from his stash.

Dug is another one of the best Disney dogs!

What's more? Dug and Russell signed my Wilderness Explorers Handbook and to cap off our awesome meet and greet, we all made hand-gestures in the shape of the W for the Wilderness Explorers call (well, Dug could not, as he has paws, but his enthusiastic spirit was there nevertheless!)!

All in all, it was an awesome meet and greet and it made for a fantastic start to my day! Where will I go next? Here's a hint: You become the size of a group of small yet important creatures in the animal kingdom.

 

[disneywlf]

The Wilderness Must Be Explored! Animal Kingdom 1/14/2016 Part 3
After having a grand old time meeting Dug and Russell and still having about five minutes until the start of my FP+ for Dinosaur, I decided to pass the time by seeing It's Tough to be a Bug!, as it is a lot of fun and had a mere five minute wait until the next show.

At the entrance of the queue, I could not help but notice that Adam, the CM positioned there, was from Mineola, NY. This was very intriguing as where he was from is only about ten to fifteen minutes west of where I live. When we started chatting, I mentioned that I know Mineola very well, as I have been there due to having friends living there and the fact that it is also the County Seat of Nassau County, NY. He told me that he knew where I live well too, as he knows that I am not far from many places for shopping and dining as well as Eisenhower Park. Adam told me that while there are things he misses about Long Island, he is glad to be working at Walt Disney World and is glad to be living in Florida! Time flew and before I knew it, he admitted me, along with some other guests into the base of the Tree of Life, where we would shrink down to the size of insects. While inside the Tree of Life, I could not help but admire the bug parodies of various musicals, like The King and I, A Chorus Line, Beauty and the Beast, and Annie!


We were then ushered into the theater, where Flik, the emcee, instructed us to don our bug-eyes (or whatever they call them) so we could become "honorary bugs." Once we completed this step, Flik introduced the show, along with his friends such as Chili, a tarantula and Clair de Room, a stink bug, who first showed us methods of how insects defend themselves. However, Hopper, the menacing and intimidating villain of "A Bug's Life," was furious that we were in the theater and in a sad but true fashion, educated us on how we perceive insects as monsters and resort to methods of control like spraying. At this time, I also moved a bit as while I don't mind the special effects like black widows coming down in the theater or the sensation of the fly swatters, the hornet stings are scary and poke quite a bit. Thankfully, Hopper was eaten by a chameleon and Flik came back, demonstrating how important insects are to society with a song performed by various insects and how important they are in society, like insects to pollinate flowers and remove waste. This is a message I can agree with, except for mosquitos, which seem like they are just there to bite. All in all, I enjoy seeing It's Tough to be a Bug, as it is funny, breaks the fourth dimension with its other effects, and has an excellent message in conveying that while insects may be small, they are undoubtedly important in the animal kingdom. After seeing It's Tough to be a Bug, I also stopped at the Wilderness Explorers station nearby, where I earned my insect badge. After this, it was time for my first FP+ at Dinosaur, so I made my way over to Dinoland U.S.A. and arrived there at 9:41AM.

On my way to Dinosaur, I passed by the Boneyard.

I also walked the Cretaceous Trail, which had a larger-than-life and whimsical feel, thanks to its many knick-knacks decorating it, along with a dinosaur.
Finally, it was time to ride Dinosaur!

As I entered the FP+ line, an older female CM joked that I was perfect food for the carnivorous dinosaurs, as I was young and meaty! This made me feel a little apprehensive, as not unlike the Weird Al song "Jurassic Park," I was worried the carnivorous dinosaurs would harm me, as they sure don't act like Barney and they think that I'm their dinner, not their friend. Nevertheless, I was excited to help save the Iguanodon. I was onboard in less than five minutes, seated next to a couple of young ladies and we were off to help save the Iguanodon! I enjoyed the premise of this ride and did not mind the herky-jerky motions of the ride, as it made it all the more exciting in our escape from the carnivorous dinosaurs. Thankfully, I did not get eaten and in the gift shop, an older male CM, along with his younger female coworker, who were very funny, told me that I had two things in my favor. The first was that I did not eat BBQ, like Flame Tree, for breakfast, which meant that I did not smell of barbecue, which helped me not be detected as food. The second thing in my favor was that I was wearing a Who t-shirt from their 50th Anniversary Tour, which I saw at Nassau Coliseum in May 2015, as the dinosaurs love rocking out to Roger Daltrey (hey, who could blame them?). After joking around with these two CMs in the gift-shop, I was ready to take on more of the Animal Kingdom! Where would I go next? Find out in my next installment!

 

[1983DisneyFanatic]

It looks like you had a great trip! I love when trip reports are detailed and have lots of pictures, like yours is. I have never been to Disney World in January, but it seems like it is a great time to visit.

 

[disneywlf]

Thank you 1983DisneyFanatic! Glad to have you onboard and I cannot agree more, detailed trip reports with lots of pictures make the best reports in my book! I have been to Disney World in January five out of six times and once during Thanksgiving week. I like visiting in January, as crowds tend to be light and while you do run the risk of cooler weather, usually it is fine. Hope you get to visit Disney World again soon 1983DisneyFanatic!

 

[disneywlf]

The Wilderness Must Be Explored! Animal Kingdom 1/14/2016 Part 4
After learning about how it is tough to be a bug and avoiding getting eaten by dinosaurs, I then decided to explore Dinoland U.S.A., which I find to be corny, but fitting with its carnival theme. My next plan was to ride Primeval Whirl, as while it is not the best attraction in my book, I still find it to be a lot of fun.

I waited about ten minutes and soon enough, I found myself riding Primeval Whirl. The turns are sharp and the ride is fast, but it is still a fun ride as it illustrates the history of the dinosaurs in a cool and fun way. By the time I disembarked, it was about 10:20AM, so I decided to ride Expedition Everest and explore Asia, as I was not that far away. According to my camera, I was nearing Expedition Everest at 10:28AM and seeing it in action got my adrenaline pumping!


Once at Expedition Everest, I joined the Single Rider Line and I was onboard in less than five minutes! I loved riding Expedition Everest, as I find it to be exhilarating and well-themed, as the storyline of escaping the Yeti in the Himalayas makes the attraction amazing! What's more? When the attraction stops briefly, you have killer views of other spots on Disney Property and even a little bit of Downtown Orlando. Since the Single Rider Line was still open, I decided to ride again and had an amazing time once again! Since I still wanted to ride Kilimanjaro Safaris, I decided to explore Asia a little bit en-route and take in its immersive theming, which is reminiscent of nations in mainland Asia near the Himalayas, like India and Nepal.

On my way to Kilimanjaro Safaris through Asia, I was stopped in my tracks by some orangutans just hanging around!

After stopping to relax by watching the orangutans, I was nearly out of Asia.

However, I was distracted on my journey to Kilimanjaro Safaris yet again by an attraction I had not visited before. Where would I stop? Find out in my next installment!