Disney Trip Report (Editing in Progress)

[ScottieMouse]

OK so let's start off by mentioning that this trip was a LOOOOONG time ago. October of 2014 to be exact. I am having a good case of Disney withdrawal so decided it was time to upload the 500+ pics I have and talk about the amazingness that was my last Disney vacation.

To start off I'm Scott and I haven't posted much on DIS. I usually enjoy browsing the forums and checking out how much other people enjoy Disney. I had the fortunate of going to Disney as a BDAY present to myself with my Aunt, cousin, and cousin's fiance. I'm not big on the short hand so I'll probably just use names because Dear Aunt (DA)...just sounds weird to me.

So how about we get down to it?

WHAT'S IN STORE?
Pre-Trip
Day 1: Magic Kingdom & DHS
Day 2: Epcot & Wishes
Day 3: Animal Kingdom & Epcot
Day 4: DHS
Day 5: What did we miss??? MK, Epcot, DHS, and More!
Day 6: Universal Studios & Halloween Horror Nights
Day 7: Universal Sutdios & Good Night


Pre-Trip

Any smart Disney goer is prepping way ahead of time. This was a somewhat out of the blue decision to go so I only had about 100 days to plan which made getting some dinner reservations tough. This made me switch my plan to eat table service lunches and do quick service dinners. It turns out I really loved this decision. It gave us time to catch our breath in the day and have more energy at night. Below is a simple schedule I put together to keep us on track. We didn't do all the shows or entertainment...it was more just info for me to have on hand easily. (CS stands for counter service)

Scottie's Tip: Always, always, always go to Disney with a plan. There is way too many things to do and see to try and 'wing' it. When it doubt ask others who have gone. You will get plenty of information and good advice from Disney Vets...just make sure to tell us to shut up eventually...we may never stop droning on otherwise.

I had no problem getting any of the FP+ options I wanted. I had to push 7 Dwarves Mine Train to our last day since they were booked up, but everything else was easy.

As a quick aside I loved the magic bands. Having everything I needed right on my wrist was a big plus for me. I know its still touch and go on how everyone feels about it, but you won't get any complaints on my end!

How about we get to it?

 

[ScottieMouse]

DAY 1 - MAGIC KINGDOM & DHS

Arrival

We would be staying at All-Star Sports. I prefer Pop Century or Art of Animation, but with my somewhat late booking this ended up being the place. Nothing special, but the rooms were fine and transportation was pretty good. I don't remember having to wait too long for a bus at any point. Much, much easier than driving and parking on our own.

The first day we would be starting out at none other than the Magic Kingdom itself. Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party was going on that night so we were going to switch over to Hollywood Studios when that happens. It had been a few years since my last trip so I was definitely ready to get out there.

Magic Kingdom
Halloween decorations were up throughout the parks!

Nothing will ever beat that first view of the castle as you walk in. No matter how many times I see it...it will never get old.

To start the day off we hung a left towards Adventure Land.

***Ride Review - Jungle Cruise***
First ride of the trip would be a Disney classic. Now a bit of a rookie mistake here in going for the first ride you run into since we waited longer for the Jungle Cruise than we did almost anything the whole trip...almost being the key word here. A 30 minute wait isn't bad, but its a little longer than I like for this ride. If you haven't been on it before then you are in for a treat. Corny jokes fly as you float along some nice jungle scenery. I admit that it might be a little dated, but it still has a warm place in my heart. If you are a first timer then its a must-do. Disney vets can skip if they want, but I bet many find it charming just like I do!
Scottie's Note: This ride is one of the few left that Walt himself helped design!

Pirates of the Caribbean would have to wait since the line was at 50 minutes at this point. I'm sure this has to do with the FP+ changes since I don't remember ever waiting that long for it. Oh well we are here for 5 days! We will get it in at some point.

We continued on to Frontierland...don't worry Disney Vets...Scottie would never forget about Aloha Isle...I definitely had to drag myself past it. I was going to get that delicious pineapple treat...just not quite yet.

***Ride Review - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad***
Of the 'Mountains' at Disney World this sits in third place for me. Its a fun ride, but the thrill is lower than I would like. It definitely fits the "family coaster" genre and is fun for everyone so I try not to knock it too much. I personally strongly suggest FP+ rather than waiting in line for it. At busy times the lines can get long and that makes the ride less worth it. We had our FP+ reservations ready so we were on and off in no time.
Scottie's Tip: Sit towards the back (as with any coaster) to milk as much thrill as you can out of this "thrill ride".

***Ride Review - Splash Mountain****
Unlike its neighbor Splash Mountain lives up to the term thrill ride. It is easily one of my favorite rides at the World. Where does it fall on my list? Well...you can read my ride rankings at the end of this report. Anyway, lets just say it is an absolute must do for thrill seekers, but the true beauty of this ride is in all the details. The scenes that play out as you take your log ride through the briar patch are nothing short of incredible. I seem to find new and interesting things to look at each time I ride. First timers will want to ride again since I'm sure they will be too nervous waiting for that drop. (Hint: there are a number of them so get ready!) Do I have to say it again? You MUST ride this ride!

Normally at this time I would hit up Liberty Square for some Hall of Presidents or hop over to the Haunted Mansion, but we were excited to go over and check out the new Fantasyland. I will say in general it didn't live up to the hype I had in my mind. (The exception is Be Our Guest which we will get to later). The area just didn't seem like that much of an overhaul that they were touting it as. In my mind it was also tarnished by my first visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter that I would visit for the first time 5 days later...Sorry Disney, but even a huge Disney Fan Boy has to admit that Potter is killing you when it comes to expansions...lets hope Avatarland and the Star Wars expansions can strike back!

***Ride Review - Under the Sea: Voyage of the Little Mermaid***
Meh. Ok Ursula looks really awesome. By far the best part of the ride. Other than that its your typical dark ride with some songs. If you really enjoy the Little Mermaid you should definitely hop on board. Its new so its worth a shot even for Disney Vets. I wasn't disappointed by any means, but it also didn't leave a lasting impression.

***Ride Review - Philharmagic***
You should know what to expect here. Its a 3D show with some 3D gags in it and great music. Sure it isn't anything insanely awesome, but it does get you out of the heat for a little bit if its a hot day. I like it, but it isn't a requirement to go see by any means.

Time for some Tomorrowland fun!

***Ride Review - Space Mountain***
Man I love me some Space Mountain. Our ride that day was a little bright since they had some type of cleaning light or something on for some reason...fortunately we had a few more shots at it later in the trip and it lives up to expectation. I love the theming of the ride being space and sci-fi nut. Although the coaster is tamer than Everest or Rockin' it still has its moments with some good turns and sudden drops. It is an absolute must-do for first-timers and vets alike.

***Ride Review - Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin***
Vets know by now that this isn't as good as Toy Story Midway Mania, but it is still a lot of fun. I wish there were more interactive rides like this.
Scottie's Tip: Just hold the button down. No really. You don't have to press it each time to shoot. Just hold it down. You're welcome.

***Ride Review - Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor***
This a great family experience. The Disney Imagineers have made great strides in their attempts to make "living" characters. While I think Crush at Epcot and on the new cruises is slightly better...the Monsters Inc. show is still really cool to see. I can't imagine how awesome it must be in a child's eyes to see their favorite characters actually call them by name!

Oh and I was "That Guy."