The Tenth Honeymoon is the Best One of Them All! - May '14 TR - COMPLETED 4/19

[Buzzfanmom]

It worked, let's try a few more since your awesome flip phone couldn't capture the awesomeness that was our evening!

 

[mirage0306]

OK, how totally rad that you're there with friends. That's the coolest.

We are going to DL in August and while I'm totally pumped (I think I like it better than WDW, shhhhh), I will never get over the lack of World Showcase there. I love the World Showcase so much. That croque monsieur (love those) looks absolutely delicious.

 

[Britbrie]

Awesome trip report!!! I'm glad I finally caught up... but please come back and post some more soon!

Great pics of the CSR pool, and of EPCOT! Bummer about the beer though, hope you eventually found some!

 

[MEK]

When entering the boat, the mother almost fell, and what would've been the name of the missing Trip Report was said by the captain: "Whoa, careful! This is the Jungle Cruise, not the Jungle Gym!" Kristin and I laughed at that so hard after the ride that other people in Adventureland were giving us odd looks.

But that was last year. This is this year. And now, it's Day Four!

That IS pretty darn funny!

Yay for Day 4! Are you always the first one up. Everybody looks pretty happy for day 4. Big smilies all the way around.

Ah, yes, the cronut. I tried it. I didn't love it. It was just carb overload and believe me, I really wanted to love it!

Fun that you met you friends. I have to go back and reread since you did a mega update and my brain is not very attentive right now.

 

[nilla]

Yay, Jenn with the photo hook-up!

I'm unable to post any updates or respond to comments until Wednesday at the earliest, but will be putting out an update bonanza next week. Stay tuned!

 

[KatMark]

Great updates, Jon. We have not done Test Track our last two trips. First, we aren't fans of the new version and we much prefer Soarin' and with the dumb tier system you only get one of the two.

We've never eaten at that place for lunch...looks really yummy. Perhaps in September we can try it. And I missed Club Cool in May so definitely have to get there in September too

Glad your friends have phones that take pictures, and very nice pictures they are.

 

[Clarf]

Where is THAT Trip Report???

I didn't even know trip reports existed in 2001. That was MY first trip ever and so awesome. I don't think I'd have too many pics to go with it either, as that was the beginning of digital cameras and so all our pics are PRINTED! From film. Can you believe that? It was a fun trip, though. Parks every day. Swing dancing every night.

Great update! That food looks amazing. I don't eat beef or pork anymore, but when I'm on vacation, all bets are off, so I may try one of those delicious looking sandwiches.

Can't wait to ride the Test Track refurb. Last time we were there, they were still working on it.

I hope you get some beer.

 

[QueenJen]

So glad I searched you I'd to see if you had a new trip report. I so enjoyed your 2012 report. I kept hoping for a 2013 before our end of year trip, but alas, that sounds like a subject to be dropped.

Thanks for starting a 2014 report. Love your writing style.

 

[Elandon]

Just discovered your TR and am subscribing! I like your writing style--very entertaining. LoveLy to "meet" your family.

I would like to try my hand at a trip report for our august trip but have never done it before. Any suggestions or tips? Is there a thread dedicated to such advice?

 

[mamasuttles]

I abosutely love your sense of humor in your trip reports! I have literally laughed out lout while reading several entries! Thanks for the laughs.

 

[nilla]

I'm in Tallahassee for work, but will be home tomorrow. I'll answer all comments then. Believe me, I've already looked into the feasibility of a quick trip to WDW, if only for one ride on Space Mountain or Haunted Mansion Not in the cards, though. Unfortunately.

Thanks for following, everyone! More updates are on the way later this week.

 

[KatMark]

I'm in Tallahassee for work, but will be home tomorrow. I'll answer all comments then. Believe me, I've already looked into the feasibility of a quick trip to WDW, if only for one ride on Space Mountain or Haunted Mansion Not in the cards, though. Unfortunately.

Thanks for following, everyone! More updates are on the way later this week.

Too bad you couldn't sneak up there for one ride. Hopefully, it is a successful work trip.

 

[shan23877]

Entertaining update as usual! You never fail to make me laugh.

Why no beer? Is Epcot trying to hurt you?

Lunch looks awesome! We'll have to try that CS someday!

 

[nilla]

OK, how totally rad that you're there with friends. That's the coolest.

We are going to DL in August and while I'm totally pumped (I think I like it better than WDW, shhhhh), I will never get over the lack of World Showcase there. I love the World Showcase so much. That croque monsieur (love those) looks absolutely delicious.

There are VERY few friends we have whom we would actually want to go to WDW with, for various reasons. The ones we did meet qualify, so it's great

I want to go to DL, but it would definitely be an adjustment with the lack of Epcot!

Awesome trip report!!! I'm glad I finally caught up... but please come back and post some more soon!

Great pics of the CSR pool, and of EPCOT! Bummer about the beer though, hope you eventually found some!

More updates coming next, and they include beer! Lots of updates coming in the next week, too. Those will also include beer

That IS pretty darn funny!

Yay for Day 4! Are you always the first one up. Everybody looks pretty happy for day 4. Big smilies all the way around.

Ah, yes, the cronut. I tried it. I didn't love it. It was just carb overload and believe me, I really wanted to love it!

Fun that you met you friends. I have to go back and reread since you did a mega update and my brain is not very attentive right now.

Yes, always the first one up. I'm showered and basically ready to go by the time the others are up!

I wasn't the biggest fan of the cronut, either, but Kristin and Dylan certainly were.

Are you writing a new TR for your last trip, or will it just be a continuation of your last TR?

Great updates, Jon. We have not done Test Track our last two trips. First, we aren't fans of the new version and we much prefer Soarin' and with the dumb tier system you only get one of the two.

We've never eaten at that place for lunch...looks really yummy. Perhaps in September we can try it. And I missed Club Cool in May so definitely have to get there in September too

Glad your friends have phones that take pictures, and very nice pictures they are.

I'm sort of split on the new TT updates. I love designing the car, but I think I liked the actual ride slightly more before. But not much more. Soarin' takes a back seat for us when put up against TT. Soarin' is a once-or-twice per trip for us....well, now that we have the new FP rules!

I still prefer the pics we get with our camera, but since we didn't take pictures of our friends with our camera....

I didn't even know trip reports existed in 2001. That was MY first trip ever and so awesome. I don't think I'd have too many pics to go with it either, as that was the beginning of digital cameras and so all our pics are PRINTED! From film. Can you believe that? It was a fun trip, though. Parks every day. Swing dancing every night.

Great update! That food looks amazing. I don't eat beef or pork anymore, but when I'm on vacation, all bets are off, so I may try one of those delicious looking sandwiches.

Can't wait to ride the Test Track refurb. Last time we were there, they were still working on it.

I hope you get some beer.

Film? What's that?

It's amazing the amount of pictures we have from our first trip as opposed to more recent trips. I often ask why we didn't take more back then! Of course, I will say that writing a Trip Report did cause me to start taking even more photos than usual

We've eaten lunch in France the last few years. It's one of our favorites. Check it out! But get their early if you want a table!

I hope I get beer, too!

So glad I searched you I'd to see if you had a new trip report. I so enjoyed your 2012 report. I kept hoping for a 2013 before our end of year trip, but alas, that sounds like a subject to be dropped.

Thanks for starting a 2014 report. Love your writing style.

Sorry! Hope your last trip didn't suffer because of it I'll bring up bits and pieces of the last trip in this TR, because there were some great moments.

Thank you for reading! I love writing these. It's funny how I think about the TR while I'm in WDW, too.

Just discovered your TR and am subscribing! I like your writing style--very entertaining. LoveLy to "meet" your family.

I would like to try my hand at a trip report for our august trip but have never done it before. Any suggestions or tips? Is there a thread dedicated to such advice?

Tips? Oh my...where to start? If it's your first TR, the most important thing is a catchy title. Problem children and alcohol are usually attention grabbers

As for the actual report, as Kristin said, "write from your heart!" Lots of photos and lots of details! It also helps to get a Disboards superstar like MEK or KatMark plugging your TR in their report, too!

So happy you're reading, and I hope you stick around!

I abosutely love your sense of humor in your trip reports! I have literally laughed out lout while reading several entries! Thanks for the laughs.

You're welcome! And thank YOU! I try. Life is actually really funny (for the most part) to me, so I just write what I'm thinking.

Too bad you couldn't sneak up there for one ride. Hopefully, it is a successful work trip.

It was all but impossible, but I certainly considered it!

Entertaining update as usual! You never fail to make me laugh.

Why no beer? Is Epcot trying to hurt you?

Lunch looks awesome! We'll have to try that CS someday!

I don't know what's up with the lack of beer. I'm guessing the people from RibFest in Naperville got a hold of the people at Epcot and said, "cut Jon and Garry off BEFORE They start."

BTW, I'm caught up on your TR, and will comment tomorrow. I'll also catch up on the other TRs I'm reading at that time.

Updates coming next!

 

[nilla]

Once again, two thumbs up to Jenn (Buzzfanmom) for the photos! Here's who is whom.

Garry, Jenn, Jon, Kristin:



Kristin, Jenn, and some random kid we don't know:



If you don't recognize these two, STOP READING NOW:



Gwen, Beth, Mason:



Jenn and Garry:

 

[nilla]

...but back to Epcot. World Showcase, to be specific. The Japan pavillion, to be even more specific. Mitsukoshi, to to painfully specific. And if that's still not specific enough for you, we're in the front of the store, where this monkey was:



Oh, they sell the plush monkey she's holding there, too.

This is by far my favorite store in WDW. Not only does it have the solar bobbleheads (to be appearing in this TR in about 30 seconds), but they have many, many Japanese gifts that I think are cool. Which isn't hard, because there are so many Japanese things that I think are cool. Like these bags:



Kristin got one a few years back that reads, "I'd like to travel some place far away...until it gets dark." Now if you don't think that's even remotely cool, you probably shouldn't be reading this Trip Report. Unless you're a masochist. In which case, by all means, read on!

Here are those bobbleheads I spoke of earlier:



I got the dragons this year, which are to the immediate right of the big Maneki Neko (lucky cat). Your right, not the cat's right. This is my ninth solar bobblehead, which makes sense, since it's our ninth visit as a family. Previous purchases are an owl, snake, Maneki Nekos, ninja, Geisha girl, Donald Duck (got that at Animal Kingdom, actually), panda, and a "sunshine buddy". That was what it said on the box, and I'm not sure how else to describe it - it's a big, pink thing with an oval head. I think they have these things in the China pavillion now, too, but the selection isn't as large. I have all of mine lined up on my desk at work. As a software developer, I typically have the lights off in my cube...but when I have to go to my "happy place", on goes the lights, and the heads start to bobble. Instant serenity!

The owl and the snake I have can be seen in this photo:



The owl is probably my favorite one. Kristin and Emily have to hit the restrooms. While I pay for my purchases (Magic Band scanned!), Dylan decides to go as well. Afterwards, I meet Kristin and Em outside, and they decide to walk around some more while I wait for Dylan.

But he's nowhere to be found. Ok, photo time!



Still no Dylan. The girls return, and I head up to the restrooms to see if he's up there. Nope. I do get to check out the quick service restaurant up there, though, and it looks good. Possible destination later in the week!

Ok, photo time!



Wait, that's not Japan. It's China. My bad. Anyway, we eventually found Dylan in the "Spirited Beasts" exhibit in Japan (change this already! It's been like five years!) on his iPod. The iPod has been a major point of contention this trip so far, since we don't want him playing on it, texting, etc., while we're in the parks or at dinner. He disagrees. But he's not the parent, so we win!

But not without arguing. ALWAYS with the arguing. I tell Dylan MANY times, at home and here, that arguing is basically the only thing that ever gets him in trouble, yet he persists. I tell him, at home and here, that he's never won an argument with us, yet he persists. So he's on thin ice if he keeps it up. Think he'll persist?

 

[nilla]

After Japan, it's over to meet up with Jenn/Garry/Beth/Mason/Parker/Addy/Gwen in China, but first, grapefruit beer!

They have it on draft at the cart outside Germany, which is FANTASTIC since Germany's outside beer selection has been inexplicably weak since they dropped the Franziskaner Hefeweizen a few years back. This one is a winner, though. I drink it en route to China, where I eventually took the picture I accidentally said was in Japan earlier.

Now that we've met up with the others, the picture taking frequency AGAIN takes a significant plunge. But the fun does not!

Kristin and I take Gwen, Addy, and Emily into the China movie. The others aren't fans of this movie (WHAT????), but that's not going to stop us from seeing our "beloved China".

Afterwards, it's over to Norway. There's a decent-sized line for the Maelstrom, but Beth and Mason have FastPasses...or something. Not sure, but they think they can get in. Actually, they think they can get all of us in. And whattayaknow, they're right! So on we go (still don't know how they pulled it off, but Beth is amazing like that), and into the boats they squeeze us. Literally, squeeze us. As in Jenn, Kristin, 6'5" Mason and I, all in the same row. The CMs are actually laughing as our boat passes them. If this boat were on an actual waterway, we'd probably be submerged by now.

Of course, we find it hilarious, too, and enjoy the ride, as usual. And, as usual, no post-ride movie for us. Update this already! You won't get me to transfer to a job in Norway by showing me what it was like in Oslo in 1982!

Kristin and I both want to move to Norway. Not sure why she does, but I have since watching "Trollhunter" and "Let the Right One In". Not sure why giant monsters and pre-teen female vampires would attract me to the place, but I want to move there. Also not sure why we'd want to move some place even MORE cold than where we live now, but we do. Either there or Florida. Similar places, right?

As we reach the front of World Showcase, it's time to ultimately split with our friends. They have FPs for Test Track, I believe, and we have other things on our agenda. Their trip is coming to a close. Prior to splitting, we do manage to get someone to take a group photo of us:



From left: Me, Dylan, Kristin, Emily, Jenn, Garry, Addy, Gwen, Beth, Mason, and Parker. An oblivious other guest almost walked in front of us, to which Beth said, "you can be in the picture, too, as long as you smile." He declined, but I do notice that the guy who took the photo managed to get his thumb into the top of the shot. I don't have his name, though...sorry.

Goodbyes are said, and it was great to FINALLY meet them in WDW! We'll have to do it again in nine years!

Ok, that was a short update. But more updates are coming tomorrow! Stay tuned!


[POST=51706581](next update)[/POST]

 

[MEK]

Great group shot, even with the barely noticeable thumb print! Photographic evidence of a meet is definitely the best.

Yup - we have a kid who always, ALWAYS has to get the last word in. We learned to stop arguing with him. Just give the instructions and what's going to happen if the instructions are not followed. It was tough to not argue, but apparently kids who do argue do so because it gives them a sense of power and control. See - there is actually psychology behind this stuff.

Anyway - we made great strides with our son while he was still living at home. He's living full-time in his college town now. So all I can say is - it DOES get better!

Since Cynthia & I traveled together on the May trip and since we both have TRs going on now, we decided to wait to write the May TR. Neither of us are good at handling multiple TRs.

 

[nilla]

Yup - we have a kid who always, ALWAYS has to get the last word in. We learned to stop arguing with him. Just give the instructions and what's going to happen if the instructions are not followed. It was tough to not argue, but apparently kids who do argue do so because it gives them a sense of power and control. See - there is actually psychology behind this stuff.

Anyway - we made great strides with our son while he was still living at home. He's living full-time in his college town now. So all I can say is - it DOES get better!

Since Cynthia & I traveled together on the May trip and since we both have TRs going on now, we decided to wait to write the May TR. Neither of us are good at handling multiple TRs.

We actually tried that psychology, if only somewhat, on this trip. I'll elaborate in my updates on either Monday or Tuesday. We could definitely stand to use it a bit more, though. Nice to hear a success story, though, and great to know there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

I'll be on the lookout for the next TR. I fear I'm too far behind on the one you're currently working on, and if I start reading it, I'll probably fall behind on Kathy's

Updates coming RIGHT NOW!

 

[nilla]

Now that we've ditched the dead weight - um, I mean, friends (oh my God, you don't think they're still reading, do you?), we have some time to kill before dinner. Kristin wants a hat, and that sounds like a good excuse to go to our second-favorite store in Epcot, MouseGear! But first, Epcot water shot!



We've said before that we don't know that we'd recognize this park outside of the Flower and Garden Festival, and don't know that we'd want to. It looks so nice this time of year, and I couldn't picture it any other way.

Completely off topic, here's a really cool birdhouse:



Back on topic, we buy who-knows-what (apparently not a hat) in MouseGear, and then it's back over to Club Cool!

We really, really love Club Cool. It's a nice break from the rest of the park, and free beverages in a Disney Park is a rarity indeed. I took a photo of ALL of the flavors this time:



As you can see, this includes the favorite of Greece, "Please Try Another Flavor". They must not be very hospitable in Greece. But hey, at least they told us nicely.

One of my favorite aspects of Club Cool is the eventual "Club Cool brainfreeze because Jon doesn't know how to pace himself". It's actually not a fun as I made it sound. But it's my problem, so I have to deal with. Not by drinking more slowly, of course...that would be just plain absurd. Besides, that splitting headache makes you stronger!

Speaking of stronger, nothing says "strength" like Innoventions! Ok, so A LOT of things say it much better than Innoventions, but give me some leeway here...I'm trying to segue into us going to Innoventions. And speaking of segues, or similar words, there do not appear to be Segway rides in Innoventions anymore. They've been replaced by FastPass+ kiosks. Or, at least FastPass+ Cast Members with tablets. Well, at least I'll probably use those, as opposed to the Segways.

Innoventions is (or "are", since there are two of them) one of those things (or "two of those things", because, well, you know) that we (or at least I) always (sometimes) say we should spend more time in. There really is a lot to do in here, from the "Home of Tomorrow" to whatever this is...



...as well as whatever this is...



Ok, that's Kristin. I know that. I was referring to whatever it was she was doing. Hey - I actually know what this next thing is!



And what is that? Age discrimination, that's what it is. And height discrimination. And discrimination against cats. And hamsters. And pigs. But you know what doesn't discriminate against pigs?

My next segue!