Just got back from first Fort trip - it was soooooo awesome!

[BradyBz12]

I do like the idea of the Disney Drinking Plan!

TCD

Sign me up!!

We haven't done the DDP since they changed it to no longer include appetizer/tip. But in planning our trip for this year, we decided to crunch the numbers again and see if it's worth it.

It's kind of a tedious exercise, but what we did was actually do a sample itinerary of where we thought we'd eat each day, then we perused the menus to come up with what we were likely to order, and we added it up with DDP (figuring about $80/day for 2 adults) and without DDP but with TiW (being sure to add in DDP OOP expenses like tips, and appetizers).

Totally depends on where/how/how much you eat, but for us it actually ended up being cheaper to eat OFF the dining plan. And that's even including the fact that I've made a bunch of ADRs at signature dining locations where I know dinner is going to be $100+. Apples to apples, for 3 weeks the savings amounted to almost $300 and that was figuring we'd eat out EVERY meal - which realistically we won't do, as we usually eat breakfast/lunch at the camper.

Plus the big thing for us was the loss of flexibility - especially because we're going to be there 3 weeks. The last time we did DDP ('08?) we found ourselves planning our days around dining and just being very restricted by feeling like we HAD to always eat on property. We always have a car, and this year we wanted to venture out a bit and try some of the restaurants around WDW that come highly recommended.

We're also planning a few days at Universal this year, and that threw a major kink into the DDP plans.

Every time we've done DDP we also found that we had WAY too much food. DH and I are "good eaters" but we're not huge dessert people either. We ended up with a fridge full of desserts and still had quite a few credits leftover. When we crunched the numbers for this little experiment, we managed to use most of the TS credits thanks to all the signature dining, and we figured we'd use a bunch of the snack credits our first weekend for F&W, but we were going to end up with almost HALF our QS credits leftover.

So.... for us, now we know for sure that the DDP doesn't really work anymore. Gotta say it was an interesting little exercise and not a waste of time. If nothing else we got to look over all the menus and get our taste buds ready for our trip!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Plus the big thing for us was the loss of flexibility

That is the deal-breaker for me, too.

In order to take full advantage of the DDP, you have to play the game.

And, the game includes making ADR's 180 days before you arrive.

That doesn't work for me.

I don't plan that far ahead.

And, because I don't, that would mean if I purchased the DDP, I would be relegated to scavenging for ADR's at the lesser desired restaurants. And, I probably wouldn't be able to get ADR's at them either. And, I'm not going to wait an hour plus for a table at a restaurant because I don't have an ADR.

The bad thing is that the DDP has made it impossible to be spontaneous with dining at table service restaurants at WDW. Since we are campers, that just means more meals at the campsite, or at the counter service restaurants. I really miss the days of being able to walk up to any restaurant on property without an ADR, and being seated within a reasonable time. Those days are most assuredly gone. The DDP is clearly a cash-cow for Disney. Good for them, bad for me.

mgsmom- Sorry for the thread hijack. But, we are discussing an issue you raised. Please continue with your report. You are really doing a good job.

TCD

 

[kampfirekim]

Sign me up!!

We haven't done the DDP since they changed it to no longer include appetizer/tip. But in planning our trip for this year, we decided to crunch the numbers again and see if it's worth it.


Totally depends on where/how/how much you eat, but for us it actually ended up being cheaper to eat OFF the dining plan. And that's even including the fact that I've made a bunch of ADRs at signature dining locations where I know dinner is going to be $100+. Apples to apples, for 3 weeks the savings amounted to almost $300 and that was figuring we'd eat out EVERY meal - which realistically we won't do, as we usually eat breakfast/lunch at the camper.

Plus the big thing for us was the loss of flexibility - especially because we're going to be there 3 weeks. The last time we did DDP ('08?) we found ourselves planning our days around dining and just being very restricted by feeling like we HAD to always eat on property. We always have a car, and this year we wanted to venture out a bit and try some of the restaurants around WDW that come highly recommended.

We're also planning a few days at Universal this year, and that threw a major kink into the DDP plans.

Every time we've done DDP we also found that we had WAY too much food. DH and I are "good eaters" but we're not huge dessert people either. We ended up with a fridge full of desserts and still had quite a few credits leftover. When we crunched the numbers for this little experiment, we managed to use most of the TS credits thanks to all the signature dining, and we figured we'd use a bunch of the snack credits our first weekend for F&W, but we were going to end up with almost HALF our QS credits leftover.

Good to know. Now I'm fully convinced that the DDP is NOT for us. Except for our one lunch blunder at Epcot this year we ate in the parks for under $25 a day and we're a family of 4. Thanks for the info

That is the deal-breaker for me, too.

In order to take full advantage of the DDP, you have to play the game.

And, the game includes making ADR's 180 days before you arrive.

That doesn't work for me.

I don't plan that far ahead.

And, because I don't, that would mean if I purchased the DDP, I would be relegated to scavenging for ADR's at the lesser desired restaurants. And, I probably wouldn't be able to get ADR's at them either. And, I'm not going to wait an hour plus for a table at a restaurant because I don't have an ADR.

The bad thing is that the DDP has made it impossible to be spontaneous with dining at table service restaurants at WDW. Since we are campers, that just means more meals at the campsite, or at the counter service restaurants. I really miss the days of being able to walk up to any restaurant on property without an ADR, and being seated within a reasonable time. Those days are most assuredly gone. The DDP is clearly a cash-cow for Disney. Good for them, bad for me.

mgsmom- Sorry for the thread hijack. But, we are discussing an issue you raised. Please continue with your report. You are really doing a good job.

TCD

I don't plan that far ahead either. We definitely would not like planning our vacation around eating. We prefer the reverse. We like to decide what we want to do the night before and plan accordingly. If its a park...then tons of snacks are packed along with plenty of water and maybe even a soda or two. We only do lunch at the campsite on a park day when it's MK since it is easy to get back without wasting a lot of time.

If we decide to do a big TS meal then so be it, but it sounds like we still save by not doing the DDP.

The DDP game will not be played by me.

The game we play is trying to figure out how to avoid giving the mouse more of our money than we absolutely have to.

I don't think this is a bonafide hijack since OP brought it up. Besides, nothing wrong with a little convo while we wait, right?

 

[loveysbydesign]

Great tr...thanks for sharing!

 

[mgsmom]

[/QUOTE]Paris, the gateway to Mount Magazine, is about 45 miles east of Fort Smith on Hwy 22. I'm originally from Iowa but have fallen in love with AR. Where did you grow up? Your DD is soo cute, love the pics, makes me even more excited to take my DGS 3 & DGS 5 next year.[/QUOTE]

Oh, I know just where you are! Beautiful area! It's easy to fall in love with AR - I grew up in Texarkana. We spent our summers camping, waterskiing, canoeing, fishing, hiking - really enjoying the beautiful areas that are in AR. I live near some nice areas in the Carolinas, but nothing beats AR for outdoors! Well, okay, the Blue Ridge Mtns are pretty good...

Sorry you couldn't get much checked off your list at DHS. I think it is a hard park to do. If you are waiting for a show, there isn't too much to do to eat some time (as you found.) Your DH is wonderful to divert attention like that!

DHS is really hard! I think next time, I will get there early enough to really study the entertainment times guide and make a better plan that morning. It is totally different than the other parks - and I wasn't expecting that hitch. DH really did do a good job of preventing meltdowns (by me and DD!)

Oy!

Newbies!

You had a car, right?

And a cabin with a full sized fridge, right?

And you paid 8 bucks every time you wanted a beer?

Earlier, you mentioned picking up a Sprite at the Hess Express.

Did you happen to notice the beer department there?

The beer prices at Hess Express are downright reasonable.

Remember that for next time.

Although I do like the idea of the Disney Drinking Plan!

TCD

Yes, we had a fridge FULL of beer, Capri Sun, etc. But, when I'm at Epcot trying to enjoy the countries, it just doesn't count.
BUT, like the night we came back from MK and wanted to hang out at the Settlement a while, we thought that would have been a nice time to have a GC. We figured we could have left a cooler on our GC with some beverages and cups and would not have had to buy them at Crockett's.
DH is going to find a cooler with a lock, he says, so we can do that next year.

Sign me up!!

Every time we've done DDP we also found that we had WAY too much food. DH and I are "good eaters" but we're not huge dessert people either. We ended up with a fridge full of desserts and still had quite a few credits leftover. When we crunched the numbers for this little experiment, we managed to use most of the TS credits thanks to all the signature dining, and we figured we'd use a bunch of the snack credits our first weekend for F&W, but we were going to end up with almost HALF our QS credits leftover.

So.... for us, now we know for sure that the DDP doesn't really work anymore. Gotta say it was an interesting little exercise and not a waste of time. If nothing else we got to look over all the menus and get our taste buds ready for our trip!

I've heard a lot of people say it was too much food - and we hate wasting food. That really was a red flag for me - like I said, I can be happy with a Kids Meal many times. And our fridge would prob be full of desserts too!

That is the deal-breaker for me, too.

In order to take full advantage of the DDP, you have to play the game.

And, the game includes making ADR's 180 days before you arrive.

That doesn't work for me.

I don't plan that far ahead.

And, because I don't, that would mean if I purchased the DDP, I would be relegated to scavenging for ADR's at the lesser desired restaurants. And, I probably wouldn't be able to get ADR's at them either. And, I'm not going to wait an hour plus for a table at a restaurant because I don't have an ADR.

The bad thing is that the DDP has made it impossible to be spontaneous with dining at table service restaurants at WDW. Since we are campers, that just means more meals at the campsite, or at the counter service restaurants. I really miss the days of being able to walk up to any restaurant on property without an ADR, and being seated within a reasonable time. Those days are most assuredly gone. The DDP is clearly a cash-cow for Disney. Good for them, bad for me.

mgsmom- Sorry for the thread hijack. But, we are discussing an issue you raised. Please continue with your report. You are really doing a good job.

TCD

You have an excellent point - and we didn't have any trouble getting into the two TS places we tried - but they also weren't terribly expensive. So, paying OOP was cheaper anyway. I'm with you - I don't like having to plan that far ahead.

Don't worry about the thread hijack - I was starting to get offended that no one was interested enough to hijack it...

I don't plan that far ahead either. We definitely would not like planning our vacation around eating. We prefer the reverse. We like to decide what we want to do the night before and plan accordingly. If its a park...then tons of snacks are packed along with plenty of water and maybe even a soda or two. We only do lunch at the campsite on a park day when it's MK since it is easy to get back without wasting a lot of time.

If we decide to do a big TS meal then so be it, but it sounds like we still save by not doing the DDP.

The DDP game will not be played by me.

The game we play is trying to figure out how to avoid giving the mouse more of our money than we absolutely have to.

I don't think this is a bonafide hijack since OP brought it up. Besides, nothing wrong with a little convo while we wait, right?

You guys sound like us! We eat on the fly a lot and pack snacks. We won't be playing that game, either, unless we decide to do several character meals for DD.

Love the convo... it's good to see I'm not just writing into the air!

Great tr...thanks for sharing!

Thanks! I'm glad you're joining in!

 

[mgsmom]

Are we already on the last day??? Well, we really were only there 4 days so it really goes fast.... Right about the time we get the hang of things...

Saturday morning was our last day, and our last morning at MK. I wanted to get up early and leave the cabin at 8:15. That way, I figured we'd be sure to get to MK for rope drop at 9. I was also hoping that after all the madness that was EMH the night before, that it would not be as crowded first thing.

Well, DD didn't get us up until 7:40! Every other day she has been getting up at 7 and it's worked out great! So, today, we'll be rushing. I haven't broken the news to DH yet. So far, he's been singing my praises about giving him coffee time in the mornings... As soon as I see what time it is, I'm like "We gotta move" He really didn't give me any pushback, just said he didn't think there would be any way we'd be out by 8:15.

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, a friend of DH's and his son are camping here as well. They live in FL and have AP's, so we haven't exactly been doing the same things. Today, we all wanted to go to MK together. DF called to see what time we were leaving - I said "Tell him we're leaving here at 8:15... or shortly after" Uh-oh. Can't wimp out now!

Got the stroller packed, DD fed, showered & dressed, showered & dressed myself, and we got out the door at 8:22 - but who's counting - pretty good, huh? I didn't do it all myself - DH fed & showered DD - I just dressed and pigtailed her.

It's still a little cloudy this morning, but chance of rain has reduced tremendously. Hope the sun comes back out!

So, we hopped on an internal bus (so quick!) and were at the Settlement to meet DF & DFS at 8:30. DF brought a bike and had a seat on it for DFS.

We walked out on the dock and probably waited about 5 or 10 min for a boat. Apparently, we had JUST missed the last one. Even when you miss one, it's really not that long for the next one.

We arrive at MK and as the boat is docking, I see the RD show going on. Dang! We just missed it! But, I'm still impressed that we got there that soon!

First stop (after the castle, of course) is Dumbo! Even walking straight in right after RD we waited about 10 min.

Ready to go!

Look how high it goes!

View over the wall - construction area - I'll complain more about this later. Oh, and I didn't need to put my camera on a pole with duct tape, either!

She just couldn't get enough!

So, enough of Dumbo, we need to move toward Toontown Fair. It opens at 10 and we need some serious Princess meetings! We walk over and notice the CMs are already standing guard at the rope. I ask her what time they drop the rope - she said 9:45. Plenty of time to ride the tea cups! There was NO line and it was right there - why not???

DD was not quite sure what to think about all the spinning, but she was a good sport! So, we get back over to the TTF rope and there is already a small crowd gathering. It's 9:40. Guess what? Somebody has to go potty... are you serious?! Ugh! I ask the CM for the nearest potty and she sends me just around the corner from the tea cups. I pick DD up and RUN to the potty. We get back just moments before they drop the rope. Whew!

Short pause for weather discussion: Let me just say, we are doing a LOT of sweating this morning - more than usual. Something about the weather today is making it worse - this is also the only time we run out of water in our water bottle. Usually, we start out, get a sweat going, then our bodies somehow adjust and we do fine. We keep sweating, of course, but not like it is right when you get out of the a/c. Well, today we just kept on sweating!!!

Okay, pause over.

About this time, DF and DFS decide to go ride the Tomorrowland Speedway cars and leave us to our princess chasing. We'll catch back up in a few.

When I get back to TTF rope, I see DH chatting with a woman and her kids. She looks familiar somehow... something about her shirt... can't quite put my finger on it...
DHF

So, the rope drops and everyone is strongly encouraged to walk! Really? It was tough, though, DH wanted to get up on the sidewalk and they wouldn't let him. It was hilarious - like "attack of the killer strollers" I really wish I had some pics of it. I was too busy trying to keep up!

We go straight to the princess line - and we are like 4th in line or something like that. They are running a montage of the princess movies in the little holding area. We wait about 10 min, and they start letting people come back. We were in the first group.
Okay, if you've never seen the princesses, this is how it goes. You are let back in groups of about 5. The princess are lined up, each under a canopy, and you see each of them in a type of receiving line. I was surprised at how much time they allowed each child with the princesses. Didn't feel rushed at all.
So, they let our group come back, and there they are (L to R) Belle, Cinderella, and Aurora.

Hang on, lemme start a new post...

 

[MomofSixinSC]

The suspense is killing me!

 

[mgsmom]

There's Cinderella! She's my personal favorite.

Well, we walk in, and DD freezes in her tracks. She just stares at Belle. I'm trying to talk her into waving or something - I don't want her to freak out or anything - then she starts smiling and jumping up and down "It's Belle, Mommy!" Belle gets out of her little area, walks over to the rope to where DD is having a cow, and gives her a hug!

I really did tear up a little bit. DD was so happy and that was so sweet of Belle to come over. I guess she had a minute since the first child hadn't made her way over to her yet. She stayed a minute and talked to DD until she had to go back and greet the other kids. Wow! That was special!

So here we go - the Princess Parade!

Aurora - she was pretty but they can REALLY do better with her wig.

Cinderella tells her a secret...

But, she only had eyes for Belle! Does anyone else think Belle looks a bit like Sandra Bullock?

So, we start to walk away and Belle calls DD back to tell her something else and give her a kiss! It was really so sweet. Never thought I'd get such a kick out of meeting the Princesses!

Next, we head over to the Judge's Tent to see Mickey. Here it is 10:30ish and the line is already 20 min long. Guess we gotta do it - last day! Thankfully, it is air conditioned and they're running some cartoons on the wall. However, we get halfway into the line and DD says... you guessed it... she's gotta go potty. I look behind us and the line is almost twice as long as when we got in. Errrr. So, we did it. DH held our place in line, I RAN with DD over to the bathrooms and RAN back with her. (Did I mention the sweating today?) Then, we came back and got back in line. I did apologize to the few people we had to get by and told them we had been in line and went to potty. Please, no flames. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. She had just been before the princesses and usually holds it longer. This was a #2 so we couldn't have seen it coming. TMI?

Another 5 min or so and we're in to see the main mouse!

After that, all this standing in line is really getting to us. So, we set DD loose over at Donald's Boat. Then, I decide the cool water looks so nice, I have to join her!

After playing a bit, I saw the lady I mentioned earlier - the one DH was talking to waiting for TTF to open. I got it! She's a Dis'er on the July thread - that's why I knew her shirt!! So, I went over to say hello and we chatted a bit and took our picture together. It was pretty cool to actually meet someone from the boards!

We decided to take DD on Goofy's Barnstormer - even though we weren't sure how she'd do. There was NO line - and she was just tall enough! I rode with her and DH rode behind us, so the only pic is the back of my head. Not much excitement there unless you want to admire my highlights and hair clips.
She did pretty good - at first she wasn't sure about it - but I convince her to scream and told her it was like a fast car. Pretty quick after the initial shock, she was screaming and saying "Look how fast we are!" She was a good sport. After, I asked her if she wanted to do it again and she said "No. No thanks." Oh well - no trauma anyway.

I take DD to change into some dry clothes. Then we stop in the shop there at Toontown Fair. DD gets a stuffed Lady (she loves Lady and the Tramp) to take home. We met back up with DF and DFS and head back toward the castle.

Didn't even check on the Peter Pan ride today - I think we'll save that for our next trip! See that - I'm workin' it!! I would have liked to do it, but it was just out of the way and we were all pretty hot and hungry.

Came around the castle (closed again) and they were having the parade and street party again. I was worried I'd never get that song out of my head! DD loved the thing so we watched it. Again. DFS was into it, too - it is fun watching them!

After the parade, we get a parting shot by the castle.

Even gave Lady some shades on that one...

Okay, so now we need to eat some lunch... hang on and I'll start a new post...

 

[mgsmom]

Okay, so I ask DF and DFS where they like to eat in MK. DF says they have never eaten there. So I whip out my handy-dandy MK info card that I made before the trip and said "We can go to Casey's for hot dogs, Tony's for Italian, or Plaza for sandwiches/salads" Everyone agreed on Plaza, and I was all happy that my cards had been used. We actually used them more than that, this was just one time I specifically remember it. Hm.

Plaza Restaurant is a TS restaurant - they take ADRs. But, I had done enough checking online to know that it's not one of the "big" places to go to in MK. It's also not on the main path, so easy to walk by and not even notice. So, I ask the nice CM if they have availability for 3 adults and 2 kiddos.

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

We had to wait all of 5 minutes!

It is a nice looking restaurant, but the first thing I noticed as we walked in was the awesome air-conditioning!

DH and I both ordered the cheese steak sammich - yum - sorry no pics. I ordered DD the PB&J with fruit - here is a pic of that one:

Love the Mickey shaped sammich! And, as you can tell, DD was pretty hungry. She was not at all amused by the picture taking...

This meal, I think our plates were $11 or $12 a piece, and DDs was $5. So, let's say $29 + tip. We usually tip 20% so it was probably $35 altogether. We were happy with that. The service was good, the food was good. During the meal, the Main Street mayor came in to greet everyone. That was pretty cute. He named one child "Mayor for the Day" or something like that. He gave her a Fastpass for any ride in the park! Cool! Wonder how you get to be THAT kid?

Feeling more refreshed and satisfied, we walk down Main St to the Emporium to do a little shopping. I always like to get a t-shirt on trips, DH likes to get a hat. We also get a magnet for the fridge.

Right when we're walking in, that PARADE starts coming down Main St again! ha ha ha I pull DD right up to the curb in her stroller and we enjoy it one last time!

After shopping, we head out to catch the boat - here are some pics on the way out:

Waiting for the boat (DD and DFS)

We waited about 10 minutes for the boat - maybe a tick longer - our longest wait yet! But, the kids were running around playing and there were nice people to talk to. One lady and her daughter were taking the boat to FW to check it out - thinking about staying there sometime. I was sure to tell them how great it was!

Back at the Settlement...

After that, we said goodbye to DF and DFS. They rode off on their bike and we went to the bus stop. Internal bus was quick as usual, and we were back at the cabin in no time.

Nothing major to report housekeeping-wise. She did the towel bow on the oven and a couple of bows in the bathroom. She must have run out of ideas from all her work before!

That's all for today, folks. See you tomorrow with our last visit to Epcot.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Yes, we had a fridge FULL of beer, Capri Sun, etc. But, when I'm at Epcot trying to enjoy the countries, it just doesn't count.
BUT, like the night we came back from MK and wanted to hang out at the Settlement a while, we thought that would have been a nice time to have a GC. We figured we could have left a cooler on our GC with some beverages and cups and would not have had to buy them at Crockett's.
DH is going to find a cooler with a lock, he says, so we can do that next year.

OK, you redeemed yourself with that response.

I was thinking you bought every beer at the Trading Post.

Tell your DH to make sure that his locking cooler is otter-proof.

View over the wall - construction area - I'll complain more about this later. Oh, and I didn't need to put my camera on a pole with duct tape, either!

It would have been a better photo if you had.

What a great photo!

Can't wait to read more!

TCD

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

Even gave Lady some shades on that one...

Loving your trip report!

I know you've been cautiously hiding your daughter's face in your report, but the last day or two there have been several pictures that aren't covered up. I don't know if you did this on purpose or if you thought there were sunglasses on her face when there weren't. Just wanted to mention it in case you thought she was hidden.

By the way, she's adorable and looks like she had a fantastic time on the trip!

 

[mgsmom]

OK, you redeemed yourself with that response.

I was thinking you bought every beer at the Trading Post.

Tell your DH to make sure that his locking cooler is otter-proof.

TCD

I haven't warned him about the otters yet - don't want to scare him off!

Loving your trip report!

I know you've been cautiously hiding your daughter's face in your report, but the last day or two there have been several pictures that aren't covered up. I don't know if you did this on purpose or if you thought there were sunglasses on her face when there weren't. Just wanted to mention it in case you thought she was hidden.

By the way, she's adorable and looks like she had a fantastic time on the trip!

Thank you so much for the heads-up! I did notice that they weren't covered up when I first posted. Then I checked my desktop and they were covered - I wasn't sure what that was about. It must be something with Photobucket. I Checked again last night after I read your post, covered. Now, they are still covered so I think I'm okay. Again, thanks for letting me know!

She did have a great time! I can't wait to go back to the "green doors" next summer!

 

[mgsmom]

DD didn't take any sort of nap whatsoever today! ha ha ha DH was lying down on the murphy bed in the living room and we tried to get her to sleep there with him, but no dice. Oh well, another "rest time" will be good enough!

Well, this day is my birthday and the last time we were here, it was also my birthday! I have the best date for a birthday - it's value season on the cabins. More on that later...

Also, we were here before on my 30th birthday and did all 4 parks in one day ! Yes, I hear you all gasping - WHAT?! We came to FL to visit some of DH's family and our ILIL had asked "Hey - don't you guys wanna go to Disney?" Of course we did! But we had just paid for our wedding & honeymoon and hadn't even thought about it. Thanks to ILIL, we got to do a day. I won't drag you through the whole boring day of us being silly - but we did end the day at Epcot. We enjoyed walking around WS and sampling the beverages. We get back to Mexico and got a reservation for 8:30 and got a couple of drinks and rode the boat ride 2 or 3 times while we waited. We were the ONLY ones on the ride every time! Hilarious. Then, we had a great meal at Mexico and just have so many great memories from that day...

WELL, when we were here on Thurs, we rode the boat ride in Mexico. While we were in line, DH said he had to go to the bathroom. Little did I know, he was making reservations for my birthday dinner! Yay! So, we have our 2nd ADR today at 7:45. Who says you need 180 days? This makes 3 table service meals - and only 1 planned before we came.

Back to our report...

We get to Epcot and slide right through FW. We make a stop at the fountain - DD just loves it - and I check the character spot. Line is crazy long, so we keep going. DD was up on DH's shoulders, and off we went. (DH would later pay for all that shoulder time...)

First stop, Mexico. Gotta get a birthday margarita, and DH wanted to see if we could get a slightly earlier dinner time. They told him to come back at 7 and we could probably get seated with little wait. Cool!

We mosey on over to Germany. DD really loves the music here!

DH was in line for a beer (he got a Spaten, I think) and we saw a group of girls in line there. It was someone's 21st birthday and they were drinking around the world - I think they started on the other side because there is no way this was their first stop! They were cute and having a wonderful time. They let DH get in front of them in line (there was at least 8 of them) and they flirted with DD while he got his beer. I love how happy (most) people are at Disney!!

We hung out there and enjoyed the music and the shade for a bit. Then, we headed on around the world! The sun was going down right in front of us, and DH was pulling the canopy on her stroller trying to cover her face. So, I took a shot and gave her our little umbrella to use for shade. Worked like a charm! And no, she didn't hit anyone with it, either!

We walked through some exhibits and shops and eateries. I don't remember the order of the countries, but I do remember that we thought Norway and Morocco had particularly yummy-looking food! There was more music at American exhibit - a band called 2U. Can you guess whose music they were playing? I paused for a Bud Light and we listened to some music here. We kept walking around, browsing and poking our heads in places. DH stopped in France for a beer - I think it was a 1664? Something like that?
Got on over the bridge and DD wanted to stop and watch the ducks a bit. She just loved watching them. She was yelling "come over here, ducks!" - poor kid - we gotta get her to a petting zoo...
Had a potty break across from UK and threw some pennies in the fountain. I had to teach DD how to "make a wish". She was funny. I wish I had gotten a picture of that! Ha! Get it - I made a wish? (Oh, I crack me up...)

Sorry for the lack of pics here - I seem to be really bad at that in Epcot. I'm like DD, I get so distracted looking at everything that I don't think to stop and take pictures much.

UK - we get our last bevs to get us over to Mexico to wait for our table. I got a Stella Artois and DH got a Bass. By this time, it's 7:00 already, so we hoof it on over to Mexico (San Angel Inn).

I have to say, the people at this restaurant have been MORE than helpful to us. They are so accommodating. I remember last time we were here, even though we were probably the last ones in the restaurant, we got top notch service. When I was here in '99 with late DH, we had a stellar time, too. It's a sentimental favorite for me (in my two whole trips so far! )

We get there, and check in. They give us a beeper and we go over to the fountain to throw in more change. DD is really getting better at her wishes. "I wish I could go to Disney every day" See? We were standing there, maybe 5 min, and our beeper went off! We still had our drinks in our hand from UK - that's how quick all this went!

Well, here's the sad part.

For those of you who have been to the San Angel Inn, you know the tables sit overlooking a portion of the boat ride canal. It is pretty dark in there, but the candles and low lighting make for a great atmosphere. On the otherside of the canal, there is a pyramid (is that right??) and a volcano. They both have beautiful lighting, and the volcano even smokes a bit.

You all see where this is going, right??

As soon as we sat down, DD started crying and fussing. I thought, "OK, she's either scared or hungry/tired. Let's figure out which" So, I gave her a Capri Sun and put some chips in front of her. I tried to get her to eat and drink, but she didn't want it. DH picked her up and sat her in his lap and tried, but she just turned and put her head in his shoulder. When I saw her look up at the volcano and her eyes... oh, I just knew she was scared.
So, we're outta here. No reason for my baby girl to be scared just because we want to eat at a certain restaurant.

DH was totally on board and I took off to get DD outside and DH stayed behind to apologize and try to tip the server who had set up our table. They wouldn't take his money - but we still appreciate their efforts.

We get outside and DH says "Now what?" He asked me that a lot. I was so glad that I usually had an answer for him. This was no different.

I told him we would go back to FW and eat dinner at Trail's End. If they were booked up, we'd get another pizza or fried chicken to take to the cabin. DD was feeling MUCH better as we reassured her there was no reason to be afraid.

Off we go to the busses:

Again, the wait for the busses was really not long. We waited maybe 5 min for a bus. The only downside to the Epcot bus is that it goes to WL first, which adds like 10 min to the trip. I think they should drop us off first, we're more on the way!
But, we had a nice chat with another family on the bus who were camping. They come every year from Buffalo. They had a couple of really nice kids. The mom was cute - she had a stroller. She said she always takes one for all their stuff. They had a couple of bags and a small cooler. Plus, all the shopping bags.

We get on an internal bus very quickly - I think there was actually one at the Outpost this time and we walked straight from one to the other.

We get to the Settlement and DH checks in at TE. We have a big whopping 10 min wait.

While sitting outside, DH took DD to look at the carriage horses, and I sat in a rocker and struck up a conversation with a nice man sitting there. Having a margarita + 2 beers makes me a very good conversationalist, I'm sure

Turns out, he and his family have been coming to FW for 17 years -how cool! We talked for just a few min, and suddenly DH was saying "Come on - we have to go eat NOW" Hmmm Perhaps he had tried to get my attention for a few min... .

You know, I should have asked the person I was talking to if he was a Dis'er. I bet he was. HEY - if you're reading this and a thirty-something blonde was talking to you on the porch of TE - lemme know!

Okay - let me close this out and start a new post...

 

[mgsmom]

Okay, here we are at Trail's End.

Our server was very nice, and got us our water glasses and a high chair right away.

I was surprised at how small it was. I guess since it flows into Crockett's Tavern, the pictures make it seem larger? Anyway, the atmosphere is really good - very homey and relaxed. Very much in keeping with Fort Wilderness!

Went to the buffet - it was good. There was not a whole lot of different things to choose from - but what was there was good. The salad bar portion was adequate - but I honestly don't eat salads unless I'm on a diet, so that only got a glance from me...

The hot food was all good. There were some veggies, mac n cheese, mashed potatoes, the usual home-fair! There were ribs, fried chicken, and a carving station (yum). They also had some pizza and chicken nuggets for the little ones. There was cornbread - and it was really good - I'm a bit of a cornbread snob...

We both took several trips and enjoyed our food. DH particularly enjoyed the ribs. I enjoyed the beef from the carving station and cornbread. DD ate mashed potatoes. We brought her cooked carrots, mac n cheese, chicken nuggets - all things she normally loves - but all she wanted was mashed potatoes. So we just kept giving them to her!

The waitress came and I got a birthday "Yee-Haw!" from the restaurant. I also got this fantatic birthday cake (sorry, I started eating it before I remembered to take a pic) :

DD had some ice cream for dessert, then played with her bowl:

There was a very nice couple sitting on one side of us. The lady gave DD a little plastic ring with a sunshine on it - so sweet! There was a nice family on the other side with two sons.

All-in-all, it was a good experience. It was $26 a piece, so, by the time we paid the bill and the tip it was $65. Now, I don't mind spending that kinda money on something (esp. at Disney) if it's really awesome. I didn't think this was "awesome". Don't get me wrong - service was good, atmosphere good, food was good. Birthday cake, delicious. I guess it just wasn't AS good as the $70 meal we had at Crystal Palace.

But, this was dinner and by nature that is more expensive (even if it's the same food ).

I just have one question for Trail's End.

WHERE'S THE MEATLOAF???

I'm a meatloaf junkie and I really would have enjoyed it - seems like it would fit in with their other food, right?

Chant with me, everyone: Meatloaf! Meatloaf! Meatloaf!

Got back to the cabin pretty late and OMG - I almost forgot to tell you - how could I have forgotten???? It was one of the most AWESOME things that happened on the trip!!!

There are no pics - there wasn't time. I probably would have gotten terrible ones anyway.

I'm not sure why this night was different than previous nights for this to happen...

But....

Oh, you're really not going to believe this....

 

[ghester]

Got back to the cabin pretty late and OMG - I almost forgot to tell you - how could I have forgotten???? It was one of the most AWESOME things that happened on the trip!!!

There are no pics - there wasn't time. I probably would have gotten terrible ones anyway.

I'm not sure why this night was different than previous nights for this to happen...

But....

Oh, you're really not going to believe this....
__________________



Are you out of your mind? How can you leave us hanging on like this? I'm waiting Loving your trip report. Also love how even though I read along while you were planning your trip you are pretty good at going with the flow. Our first trip was last summer and I much time as I spent planning out our days it worked better to have an overall general idea of what we wanted to do and not get to worked up when that didn't happen

 

[rapriebe]

What a great trip report. It's been 15 years since I took my DGD to Disney and she was 3. So it was great to re-live the experiences of traveling with a little one. Can't wait to hear the final episode, the suspense is too much. . .

 

[jebiford29]

Got back to the cabin pretty late and OMG - I almost forgot to tell you - how could I have forgotten???? It was one of the most AWESOME things that happened on the trip!!!

There are no pics - there wasn't time. I probably would have gotten terrible ones anyway.

I'm not sure why this night was different than previous nights for this to happen...

But....

Oh, you're really not going to believe this....
__________________



Are you out of your mind? How can you leave us hanging on like this? I'm waiting Loving your trip report. Also love how even though I read along while you were planning your trip you are pretty good at going with the flow. Our first trip was last summer and I much time as I spent planning out our days it worked better to have an overall general idea of what we wanted to do and not get to worked up when that didn't happen

I know! Cliffhanger, much?!?! Geez!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kampfirekim]

Okay, here we are at Trail's End.

- I'm a bit of a cornbread snob...


All-in-all, it was a good experience. It was $26 a piece, so, by the time we paid the bill and the tip it was $65. Now, I don't mind spending that kinda money on something (esp. at Disney) if it's really awesome. I didn't think this was "awesome". Don't get me wrong - service was good, atmosphere good, food was good. Birthday cake, delicious. I guess it just wasn't AS good as the $70 meal we had at Crystal Palace.

Any self respecting southerner is a corn bread snob. I too am one!

I agree TE is no longer awesome. It used to be! Actually it used to be one of the "Best kept secrets at WDW". They priced us out several years ago when we had to pay a small fortune for a 3 year old. Now with two kids who won't eat nearly enough to qualify the cost....we reserve our more expensive meals for something they will at least enjoy such as a character meal.

Love your TR. WDW is extra special when you get to enjoy it through a child's eyes.

 

[mgsmom]

Are you out of your mind? How can you leave us hanging on like this? I'm waiting Loving your trip report. Also love how even though I read along while you were planning your trip you are pretty good at going with the flow. Our first trip was last summer and I much time as I spent planning out our days it worked better to have an overall general idea of what we wanted to do and not get to worked up when that didn't happen

Glad the suspense is working! I actually did it partly for fun, and partly because DD woke up from her nap and I was outta time!
Definitely going with the flow is the way to do it - but it really does help to have a good idea of what you want to do so you don't spend a lot of time wandering around and searching maps.

What a great trip report. It's been 15 years since I took my DGD to Disney and she was 3. So it was great to re-live the experiences of traveling with a little one. Can't wait to hear the final episode, the suspense is too much. . .

Thanks! It was so much fun to do Disney with DD - I was nervous about it, but it turned out great! Final episode, coming right up...

I know! Cliffhanger, much?!?! Geez!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope I don't disappoint you!

Any self respecting southerner is a corn bread snob. I too am one!

I agree TE is no longer awesome. It used to be! Actually it used to be one of the "Best kept secrets at WDW". They priced us out several years ago when we had to pay a small fortune for a 3 year old. Now with two kids who won't eat nearly enough to qualify the cost....we reserve our more expensive meals for something they will at least enjoy such as a character meal.

Love your TR. WDW is extra special when you get to enjoy it through a child's eyes.

The lunch prices at TE look reasonable - if the food is similar to dinner then that would be a good deal. Especially since it's right there at FW - get off the boat, have lunch, go take a nap!
It is extra special with the little one - I'll never forget it!

 

[mgsmom]

Let's pick up where I left off yesterday...

We catch the bus back to the cabin after a REALLY busy day - well, really busy 3 days! We gave DD a quick bath so we won't have to deal with it in the morning, and put her to bed.

DH and I grabbed our beers (out of the fridge, TCD!) and went out on the deck for our evening chat-time. We talked about all the fun we'd been having and what we couldn't wait to do again NEXT TIME (woo hoo!).

Soon after, we hear the fireworks starting up in MK. I told you earlier that we could hear them from the deck, right? With DD being tired so early this trip, I figure we'll just listen to them this year and maybe next year we'll actually get to see some.

All of a sudden DH says "Oh my gosh - look at that!"

I look up, and we can see the fireworks just over the trees!!! WHAT?? I've never heard of this before!!!

Now, obviously we can't hear the music and can't see the lower level fireworks, but we had a lovely fireworks show RIGHT THERE from our picnic table AT OUR CABIN. Are you kidding???

We saw stars and Mickey heads and all the big ones - it was awesome!

It's like they knew it was my last night and wanted to make sure I got some fireworks for my birthday...

I only wish that I had gotten some pictures. But, the camera was in the cabin and I wasn't going to waste time going to get it. All these pictures will just have to be in my head...

So, that's my grand finale, folks. Hope you liked it! I sure did!

We got up the next morning and packed up and headed home.

I will have a follow up post coming with some *bonus* pictures and our post-Disney breakdown.