As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
Sorry it's taken me so long to get ANYTHING posted. Immediately following our trip, I packed the boy up for a week of summer camp and then went and started a new job. So it's been slow writing...
Instead of a full fledged trip report, I'm doing an overview. I'm also blogging about the trip (which breaks things down a bit more than they would here, since everyone here is in the "Disney Know."
The first day went something like this:
Early morning flight out on Jet Blue: I was supposed to get up at 3; I was awake before 1. There was a line for curbside check in at 4:10 (the airline kiosk inside the airport does not open until 4:15, which makes no sense when the flight is set to go at 5:55 and you're supposed to be at the airport two hours prior to departure.) The line moved at t decent pace and then it was on to security, which at that hour of the morning was not too much of a wait. However, Newark Airport security (the way it's laid out) is depressing and claustrophobic. (My experience at Orlando was the complete opposite. While security is never fun, at least there it is friendlier and more open.) We arrived at our gate with an hour to wait (give or take). The gate area was COLD. (And of course we were all dressed for the weather in Florida versus the early morning temperatures of NJ.) Not much was open (for food choices or ANYTHING). Boarding was the usual hoarding of cattle. I don't fly much, but the roominess of our row was ok. Flight took off on time (I guess). Crew was pleasant. I like Jet Blue for the free fly-fi and seat back tvs which offer lots of options (except that there's nothing good on tv these days; that has nothing to do with Jet Blue). I will note whenever we fly, my husband always seems to have a dud tv and this flight was no exception. Flight landed on time and relatively smoothly. Review: I'd give the airport experience a so-so (bordering on bad just due to the overall depressing atmosphere of Newark airport) and the flight itself good. Crew members are always a thumbs up.
Orlando Airport and Disney Magical Express Ride to Resort: MCO is so much brighter and open than Newark. It is a pleasure to walk through. Of course I (we) were excited to be in the Sunshine state. Getting from the gate to the main terminal via monorail tram is a pleasure. Finding the DME area is easy due to good signage. (Although we did have a long haul to get there). We had put on our magic bands while on the plane so we were greeted, scanned and put in the proper line for our resort quickly. We were the only ones in our line for a while, which led me to believe that a bus for our resort might have recently left. But, after about 10 or so minutes we were allowed to board a bus that was almost full and within another 10 or so minutes we were on our way to the Caribbean Beach Resort where we were staying for the first leg of our trip. Some buses share resorts, but thankfully this bus was making one stop and one stop only. Review: I'd say our Orlando Airport experience was good, as was our DME experience. I know some people find the Magic Bands to be too big brother like, but I LOVED the experience. Plus I figure if Disney is tracking me, good. Maybe they can use my "moves" to make improvements.
Arriving at the resort no check in was necessary as I had pre-checked in on line ). I had requested a corner room (which means more windows and a little more room) and a water view, but ended up getting neither in the end. We just went to Bell services and checked our carry-ons. We could then head directly to the park of our choice (which would be Disney's Hollywood Studios) to play for the day. However, the boy was a bit hungry so we took the internal bus from the Custom House (where we were dropped off, but had to go inside) to Old Port Royale . This was probably the longest wait we had for a bus during our stay at the CBR. I'm guessing 15 or so minutes. Once at OPR, we had to decide what to get and how to pay. As it was still early in the day, it was quite crowded. We grabbed a cinnamon bun for the boy, went outside to eat (too crowded inside) and take in the atmosphere. As always, I was hopping to go. (Try as I might, I cannot get myself to slow down and relax at Disney. I just want to go, go GO!) The cinnamon bun was consumed quickly and we headed back to the OPR bus stop to wait for a bus to DHS. Since our last visit, they have added digital screens which display wait time for buses which are continually updated. NICE feature. So far, so good. Review: Our initial CBR experience was definitely very good (although I wish crowds were a little less, but that was going to be an issue throughout our stay and was the result of it being summer vacation time.) A definite thumbs up for the updated bus schedule. (Now if they would only do that at the kiosks at the parks when you are heading BACK to your resort.)
Arriving at DHS, I was the "carrier of all items" which meant I had to go through the bag check line. (Mommy has always been another word for pack horse. This year I carried a smaller backpack than I usually do. Next trip I would like to try something even smaller. I DO have to carry a bag with phone, camera and various medical supplies, but thankfully now I have cut down quite a bit of what is needed.) Lines for bag check were always long (not surprising in light of recent events in Orlando). After going through bag check, I was randomly selected to go through the metal detector. (Detectors could be found at all the parks we went to. I believe one time at Epcot everyone was asked to go through; otherwise it was hit or miss.) Again, in light of all that has been going on in the country and around the world, it was no big deal. Once done, I rejoined the guys and we took advantage of Disney's Photopass photographer (I pre-paid for savings) and had our first set of photos taken even before we entered the park. Review: The bag check is a pain and always has been. (Someday I'm going to write a blog on how terrorists have ruined my vacations.) I have to wonder how safe this is really keeping us.
We had a limited amount of time before our scheduled lunch. What first caught our attention when we entered was the Chinese theater (formerly obscured by the giant Disney hat. (http://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/...d-im-okay.html). It looked like there might be a long wait, but as it turned out it wasn't too bad (and most of the wait was inside the building out of the sun). Soon we were on our tram heading through Hollywood. We all love this ride and it was an excellent way to start our trip. Review: DHS is looking much nicer without the hat. Walking down Hollywood Boulevard was not too terribly crowded and a nice way to start things off. The partnership between the Great Movie Ride and TCM is a big winner!)
It was on to lunch. It was a little early, but I knew the Sci Fi Dine In was a popular choice. I checked in and the family was seated within 10 minutes. Our server was Jorge and due to my allergies (and difficulty reading the menu) he brought out a chef. In the meantime, we ordered sodas. Chef Kit assured me he would keep my burger safe and that the fries did not share a fryer with anything else. (As I have recently learned MANY places use the same fryers for multiple items which is a MAJOR cross contamination problem and a resulted in disappointment for me later on in our trip.) As my husband said, you're paying $18 for a burger and fries, but they were delicious. And the atmosphere had my son entranced. He would have been perfectly happy to spend the rest of the day just sitting there (and perhaps eating another sundae). Review: The food is good, but you're really going for the atmosphere. It's an experience for all the senses and a perfect way to cool down in the heat of the day. Service by Jorge was excellent and I felt very safe in Chef Kit's hands. For me, this is never miss and worth the cost.
Our lunch took approximately an hour (we viewed the entire loop that runs on the screen) and then we were off to explore the park. We had FP+ for the Little Mermaid Show (totally unnecessary as it turned out), Star Tours and "tier 1" Toy Story Midway Mania. As we had time before our FP+ window (approximately an hour long slot for which you are able to use them), we went to visit the Muppetvision 3 D attraction. (For those Muppet/Disney nuts: the key WAS still under the mat.) It is worth noting that the film has been digitized and cleaned up. Then it was on to the Voyage of the Little Mermaid, a stage show that we definitely DIDN'T need FP+ for. The show has not changed over the year, although I do recall it "raining" on stage at the start of the show, which it did not do when we were there. From there it was onto Star Tours. I was a little apprehensive on this one, as my son sometimes gets motion sick. But he had taken a Dramamine earlier in the day, which I thought might still be flowing in his system. No worries, he LOVED the ride and felt fine (sigh of relief). It was still too early for our FP+ for TSMM, but we headed that way and found that the stand by wait time was only 30 minutes. I was sorry to see that the interactive Mr. Potatohead was nowhere in sight. (Is this temporary or a new cost cutting measure?) Our wait was far less than 30 minutes. Soon we were in our car and shooting away at the virtual gallery. When we were finished we headed back and did it all over again using our FP+s (and this time we were sent to the newer third track.) I was thrilled that we were able to do this. Review: Muppetvision: Always fun for the whole family. Voyage of the Little Mermaid: So-so and definitely not a thrill for my son (which I should have figured) Star Tours: New, improved and AWESOME. TSMM: LOVE it. Could do it over and over again (except my arm would fall off from pulling on the "string" to shoot the targets. The same can be said for its "sister" attraction in the Magic Kingdom, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin). The perfect way to end our short day at DHS.
Now we come to the part where things start to go downhill. (There always must be a little bad to go along with the good.) My phone had died. (A problem that I continually had and still have: http://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/...gainst-me.html) When our room was ready it was supposed to be texted to me. Hubby TRIED to call and see if the room was available, but his phone kept disconnecting (his phone service is wi fi only). (I have no idea why we didn't use my son's phone.) It was mid-afternoon, we were tired. I ended up going to Guest Services while the boys did some shopping. They were incredibly helpful and quickly found out that our room WAS ready, the room location (Jamaica) and room number. We headed out the park as it started to pour. And it didn't let up. Rather than put on ponchos (which were in my backpack), we just went with it and got drenched as we made our way to the bus stop. We did have to wait a bit for the a bus. (Here is where I wish they had the digital trackers of how long it would be before the next bus.) Once we arrived at the Jamaica stop (first one) at the CBR, we made our way to our building and room without too much difficulty. Our luggage had already arrived from DME, but we had to call for the carry-ons we had left with bell services earlier. (This might be something Disney could work on better coordinating.) As I mentioned before, none of my room requests were met, but the room was ok. I didn't want to do a complete unpack as we would be moving to our second resort in a few days, so I just opened the bags and got out the basics. Both the boy and I were a bit restless, so despite the steady drizzle of rain, we went out to explore the resort a little more; walking from our room over to OPR. I decided to purchase a resort mug that I felt we could all use over the next several days. I was also talked into buying some candy by my son. (This would be a common theme throughout our trip). We eventually headed back to the room to rest before our 6:30 dinner (which I thought was at 5:30) at Shutters (the resort's restaurant). Review: Things went downhill after we got our room information. I have no complaints about the resort, but as the day went on the weather and the exhaustion got the better of me.
Dinner at Shutters = BAD. (But thankfully not a disaster, which it could have been.) This was completely my fault, but I think Shutters could have handled it better. We went over a little early and were seated promptly. They had noted my allergies, but since I have so many that are not typical, "Other" was listed and I had to tell our server what they were. Most Disney restaurants seem to have an allergy menu which is both good and bad. Good because it means they are paying attention to the problem and addressing it. Bad because it lulled me (that evening) into a sense of complacency and seemed to limit my choices. (I had to get over this and many of the chefs I spoke with were happy to modify ANY menu item for me.) I ordered a drink, my husband and son ordered appetizers and then we all ordered our meals. I do have to say that my son LOVED his chicken soup (I know, in the middle of summer?) and his steak meal (although veggies never touched his lips). I ate very little of my meal. It just didn't taste quite right and I didn't feel quite right. When I asked the waitress if there was any way my meal could have gotten cross contaminated with poultry, she said I hadn't mentioned poultry when reviewing my allergies. She was probably right. Again, I was tired and lulled into a sense of complacency by the menu. She brought out the chef who said that the grill HAD been shared. The chef said he would prepare another plate for me, which I agreed to. But by now, I was doing my best not to get upset or panic. (Not easy!) Because my poultry allergy is not quite as severe as my egg allergy and I had NOT eaten more than a few bites (which is a good thing) I thought I could control everything with some Benadryl. But I couldn't find any in my backpack. Hubby ran off to get some and I flagged down the waitress to say that I wasn't feeling well and I just wanted to bill. She quickly brought it to me and I didn't even bother to check it; I just handed her my Visa and had her run it. As soon as it was paid (and hubby came back with a newly purchased package of Benadryl which I immediately took), we all headed back to the room. Thankfully I WAS able to control everything with a large dose of Benadryl. (And again, the fact that I didn't eat more than a few bites was a good thing as well as there was less allergen in my system.) We all showered and went to bed shortly thereafter. It was not until the next morning when I looked at my receipt that I realized that I was charged for a meal that I didn't eat and a drink I barely touched. Again, I want to stress that the whole incident was MY fault and no one at Shutters was to blame, but in hindsight, I wonder if they could have at least taken my meal off the bill, or discounted it somewhat. Review: It was a bad night, but it could have been worse. My own stupidity could have caused a much larger problem. Thankfully we were all able to get some rest (although I did wake up at one point to the sounds of fireworks; I don't know if they were from Epcot or DHS). We would be able to start fresh the next morning.
For now that's all that good and bad in one day! There's plenty more to come. I hope you'll continue to read along!
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
I'm so sorry to hear about how your good day went downhill, especially with your dinner. It stinks that you paid full price for everything too but it's something I would end up doing too if I weren't feeling well - just paying to leave and looking later. Hopefully your next day starts off on a good foot again.
My friend has "other" allergies as well and had a very similar issue with the allergy menu so you are not alone there! DHS sounded like a great way to start the Disney trip!
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
Great start to your travel day with quite a bit of fun at DHS! So sorry the day went downhill with the rain and the cross contamination at dinner. I definitely feel they should have taken your dinner off, even without your asking.
So sorry that your 1st day ended on such a sickened note. I truly have read from more than one person that the new allergy menus have caused more issues than solved. I totally agree that you should never have been charged for a contaminated entree. However, I can see how it totally could have gotten past uou bc I know when something sets off my migraines (many many food sensitivities) all I want to do is sign my name and get out of there! I truly would expect better of Disney and I truly hope this was an isolated instance.
Last edited by cattailmarsh; 07-14-2016 at 02:38 PM..
Goodness, that was a rough start. I'm sorry things went so poorly at the restaurant but am glad the allergic reaction was not worse. Looking forward to more and hope things become more fun. The day of travel is always so overwhelming.
Thoughts on a Disney World Vacation: Day 2: Visiting Animal and Magic Kingdoms:
After a good night's sleep (Benadryl always helps with that), I got up first (as always) and got myself together. Once the boys were up, we headed over to the food court at OPR for breakfast. The boys were able to split a breakfast of pancakes and bacon (along with another cinnamon roll). My son and I shared a juice (thanks to the mug) before rinsing it out and having hubby fill it with coffee. So although the mugs are expensive, we were able to get three drinks that morning in one. The day was off to a good start. Review: If you use it right, the refillable mugs are worth the cost. (And being a small family we were all able to utilize that same mug). Food court breakfast was good and reasonably priced.
From OPR, we headed directly to the bus stop. Again, I loved the board which told us what bus was expected when. We and another family were the only ones headed to Animal Kingdom that morning. (They were even crazier than we were the previous day. They had left the west coast around midnight and had just gotten in and were hitting the park before all their energy tapped out.) Of all the parks, Animal Kingdom is our least favorite. (That doesn't mean we don't like it; it's just our least favorite out of the 4 theme parks.) The main reasons why it's on the bottom of the list is that I'm too much of a type A personality to kick back and enjoy and it's the hottest of the parks, which really gets to my husband. I had three FP+s planned for the morning: Dinosaur, Kilimanjaro Safari and Finding Nemo the Musical. After my son's positive experience with Star Tours, I figured Dinosaur would be a breeze. I was wrong. There was no motion sickness issues, but he didn't like it. . I was hoping to do the Primeval Whirl (a spinning coaster), but neither of my guys were up to it. So instead, we all did the Triceratops Spin ) which we had never done before. We still had time before our FP+ for the safari, so we headed over to the landmark Tree of Life and went inside to see the 3D show, It's Tough To Be a Bug. Cute show which we had never done with our son. He was only so-so on it, so it's something we might not do again. Onward to the safari which is always a wonderful experience as you never know what animals might be wandering. Despite it being mid-morning and hot, there were a lot of animals out and about (including the male lion lazing on his air conditioned rock and two females). Plenty of hippos and giraffes as well. It was hot though and my son wanted to go his favorite thing, go to the gift shop, so that is where we headed. I honestly can say we left empty handed because we had our purchases sent back to our resort. Once again my son walked away with new stuffed animal friends (a naked mole rat and an anteater.) The park was getting crowded as we made our way through the Asia section back to Dinoland where our final FP+ of the day was, Finding Nemo the Musical. We passed by Expedition Everest, which I thought the boys might want to do. The boy said no, so my husband passed too. So instead we headed directly to the Theatre in the Wild for the show. We had never seen this and it was the perfect attraction to end of morning at Animal Kingdom. (The fact that it was Father's Day made it all the more special. And yes, I cried) I'm so glad we had a chance to finally see this. The only other thing I had hoped to do in the park was Kali River Rapids, which I have only done once (right after the park opened), but I didn't want to do it alone, so we headed to the bus area and back to the resort. Review: Animal Kingdom is a lush and lovely park; I only wish I could manage to slow down and enjoy it more.
.
Back at OPR at CBR we had lunch. My son is a big pasta fan, so he had an adult's pasta meal and I had the children's pizza (with a side of grapes and a Go-Go Squeeze applesauce). He took the children's drink and I refilled the mug. Can't remember what my husband had Review: This worked out perfectly for us. You don't have to be a child to partake of the children's menu.
We took a mid-day break back in the room. My son refuses to nap (sigh) as he's "too old" but did play games on his phone. After I had charged my electronics (which CONSTANTLY needed to be recharged; I believe it was after this day that I started to carry the portable charger with me and use it in the parks so my phone would not die), I wandered around a bit and took some photos around the beach area (where fences were going up). There was a cast member "on duty" at the beach area who told me they rotated beaches every half an hour or so. Sounds like a long, tedious job, but I guess once all the fences go up around the beach areas at all the resorts there will be no more of that. I also spent some time at the quiet pool, but it started to rain, so I retreated back to the room. I also called Bell services because I wanted a taxi to take us from the CBR to the Polynesian resort on Tuesday morning. (I had debated using Disney transportation, but figured that a taxi would be easier in the long run.) Bell services wasn't much help (I thought they'd make arrangements for me). They did give me a number to call for a car service. They were very helpful and a plan was made to have them pick us up in the Jamaica parking lot at 8:15 on Tuesday morning.
Midafternoon we took the bus to the Magic Kingdom. My son's eyes got big when he saw the monorail and then the boats. (All this told me that the plan to move to a monorail resort during our stay was good. I only wish we could have afforded to stay at one the whole time.) We were not heading into the MK until after dinner (I gave the boys a choice on this), but instead hopped on the monorail. We got out at the first stop, The Contemporary Resort, which had been our "home" on our previous visits. Getting off the monorail, there is a distinct smell to the Contemporary and I was so happy to experience it. As we made our way down from the monorail to the concourse we could see several characters out on the room floors waving to the guests below. They were obviously preparing for their evening stint at Chef Mickey's restaurant, but it was so cool to see them just out. (Can't imagine what it must have been like to walk out of your room on the 5th or 6th floor and come face to face with Chef Mickey or Goofy!) Another reason why I miss staying at the Contemporary. We wandered around and did some window shopping. Sadly, I could find no Contemporary specific merchandise. (Something that exists at just about every other resort, so I don't understand this.) We eventually got back on the monorail and headed to the Grand Floridian where we were to have dinner at the Grand Floridian Cafe. Review: I SHOULD have stayed at the Contemporary. (Even though I couldn't afford it.) There is something that just draws us in there
My son also loves the Grand Floridian. My husband and I have stayed there (1999) and liked it, but didn't LOVE it (like we do the Contemporary). But then my son loves all things "elegant" which is why he also adored the Grand Floridian Cafe. I'm sure he'd love the higher end restaurants but the Grand Floridian Cafe fits our budget a little bit better and as he is a VERY picky eater it was the best choice. With an early dinner (5:30), the restaurant was not crowded. Our server was Rob and he was very attentive, immediately bringing out Chef Nick to review my allergies and what he could do. I cannot say enough good things about Nick. Besides providing me with a delicious meal (He modified the Miso Salmon for me), he checked back with me several times to make sure everything was all right, as did Rob. This is the kind of service that has made Disney MY place to relax. (Having Florida Sunshine: Peach Schnapps, Chambord, Skyy Vodka, and splash of Cranberry and Orange Juices didn't hurt either.) It was a lovely and delicious meal. Elegant but family friendly. Review: A perfect way to start our evening. This might still be an undiscovered gem (so perhaps I shouldn't have said anything). I would return to this restaurant in a heartbeat.
After our delightful dinner, we got on the monorail for the Magic Kingdom. As I had used up our 3 FP+ earlier in the day, I managed to get one more for the evening for Peter Pan's Flight. (Which seems to always have dreadful lines for such a short, but charming ride). My son wanted to head to Frontierland, but we ended up in Liberty Square and walking on his favorite attraction (and probably mine too), The Haunted Mansion. (Love that the hitchhiking ghosts now identify you by name or location. Another reason to love the magic bands.) It was now time for our FP+ for Peter Pan, so we headed into Fantasyland where we flew with Peter Pan and sang along with the children of It's A Small World. We then ventured into the new (to us) section of Fantasyland. The 7 Dwarves Mine Train had a long wait (if I recall correctly every time I looked it was at least 50 minutes or more) so we passed on that for the evening (I had FP+ for it later in the week), but there was no wait for Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid, so we did that. Impression: Cute but not a must do again for us. Moved into Tomorrowland where we found light crowds and were able to do the Peoplemover (2 x), Stitches' Great Escape, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and The Monster Laugh Floor with no real waits for anything. We even were able to see some of the evening parade from the Peoplemover. (Parades are not necessarily our thing so we did not even attempt to wait and see any of them.) We decided to head back to the CBR and were pleasantly surprised that we were allowed to exit the park from behind Main Street (as the streets were packed with people). We found our bus stop and while we waited for a bus, took in some of the fireworks from the park. The packed bus pulled away just as the fireworks ended. Review: A wonderful evening at the Magic Kingdom. Crowds were very manageable (a rarity on this trip) and I was thrilled that we were able to do so much with such ease.
The evening ended at the CBR. I was very thirsty, so I went back to OPR to fill the mug. On my way back to the room, I somehow got turned around and couldn't seem to find Jamaica. I stopped a cast member on a bike but unfortunately she was of no help. Obviously new, she had a map, but couldn't read it (and I couldn't make anything out in the dark). Not exactly what I would expect from a Disney Cast member. She went on her way, I back tracked to OPR and tried again, this time realizing where I had gone wrong and got back to the room with no problem.
And so ends day two of our trip. Two days and we've visited three parks already. Tomorrow it would be time for Epcot.
Wow! You were definitely on the go! So sad to hear about Shutters. Not at all what I would have expected from Disney...and no follow-up to make sure you were ok? Not cool. Even if you forgot to mention, it would have gone a long way to making things at least a little better.
I love Grand Floridian Cafe! Lovely location, good food! Hidden gem indeed! Can't wait to read more!
You were really able to accomplish a lot this day. Amazing accomplishment with the crowds. We love the GFC. We have always had a wonderful meal there - never rushed either. Your drink sounds wonderful and after my day today it would surely hit the spot. The way your family feels about the Contemporary Resort is how we feel about the Poly (haven't been since the remodel). We will likely need to do a similar split stay if we can afford any time at the Poly. I was trying to figure out your son's age...12?
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
You were really able to accomplish a lot this day. Amazing accomplishment with the crowds. We love the GFC. We have always had a wonderful meal there - never rushed either. Your drink sounds wonderful and after my day today it would surely hit the spot. The way your family feels about the Contemporary Resort is how we feel about the Poly (haven't been since the remodel). We will likely need to do a similar split stay if we can afford any time at the Poly. I was trying to figure out your son's age...12?
10...11 in a few weeks...and when we were in WDW he somehow became taller than me!
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
I definitely feel they should have taken your dinner off, even without your asking.
Dana
]
We are going to have to try the Grand Floridian Cafe! 
Linear Mode
