6 parks, 5 days, 2 adults - a Trip Report in 5ish parts

I’m so glad you enjoyed the food AND the view from here. We are planning to do the same thing when we are there at Christmas time, but it seems to get mixed reviews re: the food and the possibility of getting relatively clear views.

But you never know when someone is just being overly fussy either!

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I was very nervous about the mixed reviews as well and went back and forth quite a few times on what to do. I finally posted on the liner app to see if people had been recently and got resoundingly positive feedback so stuck with it. So glad we did.

Definitely request a table by the window if you’re after the view. We sat closer to the open kitchen, but the windows are enormous, especially toward the far end of the restaurant where I’m betting you get a lovely picture view of most of the hotel grounds out to the lagoon.

What a fantastic day at the MK! You accomplished a TON in that afternoon to yourself. I’m glad your reluctant husband gained some affinity for some Disney touches on Splash and at the fireworks- this gives me hope!

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Sounds like you both had an awesome day in MK. Please keep the details coming.

What an amazing day you had at MK, you achieved so much! And your DH was happy too, great bonus :wink:
It’s funny, I was deciding between Citricos and Narcoossee for our Anniversary in October, I’ve gone for Narcoosse! Decisions, decisions :grin:
Looking forward to hearing about Universal…

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What a great report - you packed so much in to the two days and used the FPs like an expert. It sounds like your husband was pretty happy overall so you managed well. Thanks for all the tips. Can’t wait for Universal report.

I’m loving this report. Can’t agree more about the Buzz queue! I did MK solo from 6pm-8pm last summer and did the same, FP after FP. I concentrated on FL as DH and DS didn’t want to ride much there, and had such a good time!

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Entry #4 - Universal: All things Wizarding World (including food)… and not much else, and an impromptu trip to the Port Orleans

So, let me preface this entry with a little more background on me and my husband.

  1. Since we are 31, we were the perfect age to have grown up with Harry Potter. We are basically the same age as Harry, and we were the target audience for each book. So, we love them… and we love the movies.

  2. Our friends and family (particularly his) are also gigantic HP fans.

  3. Unrelated to HP, I am a huge roller coaster fan, but I will admit I am also a bit of a roller coaster snob. I blame my childhood, as I was raised going to Cedar Point 1-2 times each summer. For those who have never been, Cedar Point is in Ohio and is, arguably, the best park for roller coasters in the world. For that reason, I do tend to be a bit “roller coaster pretentious.” I also tend to value a true ride over a simulator because that’s what I grew up loving - both through Cedar Point and Disney.

I tell you all of this to explain why my husband and I went to Universal Studios and basically ignored the entire park except for Harry Potter… With a very full trip, we just didn’t feel a need to squeeze in a lot of things just because they were there.

Now, the other big deciding factor was my husband’s (and what turned out to be my) physical state. He had been awesome on the first two days of the trip, but even with the afternoon playing golf, I could tell he was wearing down. So, after fireworks on MK day, I spent some time with the Universal plan and did some prioritizing.

Our plan had us arriving at opening (for us) and spending some time in other parts of the park before heading back to Diagon Alley. For me, it was important to do Diagon Alley first because, even though it opened second, that’s the way it works in the stories - London-Diagon Alley-Hogwarts Express-Hogmeade and Hogwarts. In the interest of my husband’s sanity, I decided to cut the attractions we had scheduled before Diagon Alley and just focus on Harry Potter. So, the new plan was to arrive in time to head to Diagon Alley at 10AM (according to the TP) - focus on Harry Potter… then leave, or he may leave and I may stay, etc.

We drove to Universal, leaving at about 8:00. We parked and made the trek from the parking garage to the entrance… feeling very very non-VIP I might add. We had no early entry, no express passes… we were basically the peons of Universal Studios society. To be honest, I had prepped my husband, telling him that the day would probably be the most difficult day because we had no perks of staying at a resort here. So we were prepared to wait in lines, stand in the sun and pretty much do what we had to do all in the name of Dumbledore’s Army… We stopped to grab some Starbucks on the way in, and as if to confirm my worst fears, I promptly dumped half of my orange juice down my dress.

Tiny silver lining of Florida June heat? When you dump orange juice down your t-shirt dress and rinse it off in the bathroom… thus soaking half your dress… it’s actually slightly refreshing and you dry really quickly.

We arrived at the ticket area and had to pick up our tickets… this proved to be the first line of the day. Though it was extremely frustrating to watch far less organized tourists dig for confirmation numbers (mine was in my hand ready to go on my plan for the day… which was laminated…), I will take this moment to acknowledge all CMs and employees at both Universal and Disney. God bless you and your patience as you tell people all day to do the obvious (have a confirmation number ready, stand behind the yellow line, etc.). My only consolation at this point was the the e-kiosks were also backed up. So at least we chose the right line.

Finally, after turning down a dining plan sales attempt at the ticket booth, we made our way into the park - starting with Universal Studios.

Now, at this point, I was a little stressed. It was already 9:30, and I’m not very good about waiting in things like ticket lines. However, my nerves were quickly calmed when I realized that even at 9:30, the park was fairly empty… Hadn’t it opened at 9:00?? My only reasoning was that everyone must be in line for Minions and Rip Ride Rockit… both of which we had decided to bypass.

We made our way, leisurely, back to Diagon Alley stopping for one ride along the way… E.T.

Now, this ride made my list because it is one of the very few rides I actually remember from my very first trip to Orlando at the age of 7. It is supremely weird and really only for those who love ET or who love nostalgia and dark rides. The line is actually quite good - especially considering how old it is. The first half of the ride is fabulous… and the second part, once you get to ET’s home planet, is just super super weird. We walked right on, despite the fact that TP had warned me of a longer wait in the morning, and then continued our beeline to Harry.

We made it back to Kings Cross Station and the London facade. We watched for Kreacher in the windows of Grimmauld place and then headed between the brick walls and entered Diagon Alley.

It really is quite beautiful, and they have done a spectacular job bringing the world of the movies to life in a theme park. I was prepared to have a long wait - since we actually got to Diagon Alley before TP recommended. However, after a quick check on the Universal and Liners apps, we decided to start Diagon Alley with the ride, rather than explore first.

Escape from Gringotts was absolutely spectacular. First, we did basically walk on. The only time we took in line, we took because we were taking in all the details in the cue. The bank is beautiful and the goblins are very impressive. I loved the pre-show. The elevator effect (think Haunted Mansion stretching room on steroids) before getting to the ride vehicles was a nice surprise, and the ride itself was simply mind-boggling. The combination of the roller coaster and simulator effects was impressive and very well done. I loved the characters - especially Bellatrix - and they did a wonderful job incorporating a ride with an existing sequence in the movies. All around great experience.

If you have not ridden it, do NOT watch a video before you go. Let it be a surprise. I know some people worry about motion sickness and the fact that it is technically a roller coaster, but I found that the motion and visuals are so well matched that it does’t actually feel like either of those - it is truly simply a thrill ride. There is a plot, you are in danger, and that’s what you experience… you don’t really experience the feeling of a simulator or a roller coaster.

Anyway, after that experience we made our way out to Diagon Alley to explore. We walked through the shops, got ice cream at Florean’s (delish!!! I had the the earl grey and clotted cream flavors), enjoyed some butter beer, and then searched out Knockturn Alley. We explored Borgin and Burke’s, then headed back to take another quick look around before getting a ride on the Hogwarts Express.

So far so good for being Universal peons.

At this point, my husband realized he had lost his entry ticket (probably thrown away with a receipt), which was a big problem - we thought - considering you need to have a park to park ticket to ride the Hogwarts Express. Luckily, there is a staff member at the ride that is able to assist. He took his finger print and using our confirmation number (laminated card to the rescue again!) he invalidated the old ticket and printed him a new one.

We walked through the cue to the train - again, no waiting… this was between 11:00 and 12:00… and hopped on the Hogwarts Express. It is a delightful little ride, if only a wee bit claustrophobic, and certainly beats walking from one park to the other. If you find that it is a long wait and you would prefer to be moving rather than waiting, you are not missing a whole lot by not riding it both ways, but I would definitely take the time to ride it at least one direction (we found Kings Cross to Hogsmeade to be more interesting).

Upon arriving at Hogsmeade, we took the time to walk around a bit and slowly made our way to the castle. Checking on the wait time, it was only 10 minutes, so we went ahead and hopped in line. Again, basically a walk on, with delays only to watch and listen to the talking potraits and other parts of the pre-show in line. We got to the ride, and this was where I got nervous.

  1. I have a horrible fear of spiders and knew, from research and friends’ accounts, that Aragog the gigantic horrible spider (that as an adult I still cannot watch in the movies) made a pretty dramatic appearance.

  2. It was going to be a bit of a crapshoot as to weather or not this ride made me a nauseous. Like I said, give me a real actual tangible thrill ride any day, but simulators just make me nervous - sometimes they get to me sometimes they don’t.

We strapped in, with a father daughter team who seemed nervous too, and off we went.

Now, I was not as much of a fan of the story line for this ride (you are there for a tour of Hogwarts that goes a little crazy - and our three heroes have bewitched a bench for us to fly on). However, the effects, again, are very cool. The simulation on this ride, again, was very smooth and very well-synced with the visual; so I did not at all get nauseous from the movement. Also, thanks to my research, I did not have to confront Aragog…

How to avoid the spider (and you know still ride the ride): 1) Enjoy the ride and wait for the dragon. 2) Once you see the dragon on screen, wait until you see the set piece dragon. 3) Close your eyes and keep them closed until Hermione is DONE talking… ask your seat buddy to give your knee a squeeze when it’s okay (just be clear that you want all spiders gone before you open your eyes… my husband was not aware of this so gave me a false signal once… not cool).

He is not very sensitive about my spider issues… but even he admitted that it was pretty terrifying and would have completely freaked me out.

With Forbidden Journey checked off our list, we headed out of the castle and noticed that Flight of the Hippogriff was a walk-on, so we enjoyed that ride as well. From one serious Harry Potter fan to another - you can completely skip this ride if the line is more than 15 minutes. The ride is truly a kid’s coaster and with all Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley have to offer, you don’t really need to spend time here unless it is a short wait or walk on.

At this point, even I was feeling a little shady, so we decided to stop for some food at the Three Broomsticks and collect our thoughts on what to do next (everything had been walk on - so our TP was basically out the window at this point).

We decided to head to Jurassic Park and ride the one other ride that was on our list outside of Harry Potter and then return to begin finishing up our day in the Wizarding World. Jurassic Park was also a less than 10 minute wait, and it really is a great way to cool off. If you have kids or family members that are nervous, if they do Splash Mountain, the drop is comparable.
There are just some scary dinosaurs in place of Brer Bear and Brer Rabbit.

Back in Hogmeade, we rode Dragon Challenge (both sides - we preferred the blue one) and then hopped the train back to Diagon Alley - this time waiting for about 15 minutes.

In Diagon Alley, we picked up our Christmas ornament and then stopped for a drink and something more to eat at the Leaky Cauldron. With that, by about four o’clock, we were good to go.

Two random notes about the Wizarding World:

  1. We much preferred the Leaky Cauldron to Three Broomsticks. Three Broomsticks seemed to have more selection, but the quality of food at the Leaky Cauldron was a bit better for us.

  2. I went back and forth lots of times on whether or not to get an interactive wand. If you are only spending a day there, I would say skip. Most of the wand locations we saw had a couple people lined up waiting to try. For us, it would not have felt like a good use of our time. I also don’t think we would have done it enough to get our moneys worth out of the wands. I tried to find one on Ebay, but there seem to be too many people willing to pay face value for them (so if you want the risk you might be able to resell) even on Ebay.

My overall impression of Universal:
It has been a long time since I’ve been to Universal, but I have to say that I was just not very impressed with what it has to offer. I think I like the Harry Potter lands because they have staying power - something that will always be there, that it is truly part of our entertainment culture… and always will be. I think what turns me off about the rest of the park is that there doesn’t seem to be an overarching, higher calling. To me, at Disney, each park has a higher purpose. Magic Kingdom is about wishing, dreaming and believing in your happily ever after. Epcot is about a love for the world and hope for a better future. Animal Kingdom is about nature and learning to live with your natural environment. Even Hollywood Studios - though seemingly always searching for it’s purpose - has a feeling of the Hollywood dream where movies aren’t just entertainment but are larger than life stories of heroes and underdogs. Universal, feels - to me - a bit like a mishmash of whatever the most recent box office hits have been, and it’s hard for me to get on board with that… but that’s just me. They’ll still get me through the gate for Harry.

OUR RELAXING EVENING

After our day with Harry Potter, we headed back and took a nice nap at the campsite. As we got closer to the evening, we started to think about dinner - considering heading back to Disney Springs. Instead, I suggested we go take a look at the Port Orleans resorts. I had told my husband that that would be my pick for a place to stay if we picked a hotel next time, and I had heard that the food there was pretty good.

We had a lovely evening walking around both the French Quarter and the Riverside - would be curious which one people prefer and why - then stopped for cocktails and dinner at Riverside. The lounge there has a lovely cocktail menu and Boatwright’s was a nice, relaxing impromptu treat. Without an ADR, we were told we may have a 20 minute wait but ended up waiting only 5 minutes for a table. We had a dinner of fried seafood appetizers, catfish and jambalaya… with no room for dessert this time.

It was a much needed relaxing evening, and I think it was just what my husband needed: to see ways our next Disney trip could be more relaxing. My plan was working :slight_smile:

Up next:
Hollywood Studios - with lunch at the Brown Derby and another half day for my husband

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Another fun report. Shame you didn’t do Hulk, it’s fantastic.

I prefer POFQ - I couldn’t be doing with a huge resort, multiple bus stops etc. I enjoyed a walk around POR though.

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Thank you! I am going to Universal in October and this is great information!

I prefer POR. I love the QS dining and Magnolia Bend (the Mansion section) is one of my favorite areas to walk at night.

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You and I share that same feeling for Universal - it’s very hodge-podgey. I’m trying to convince my husband to visit Universal on our next trip. We went on our trip to California in 2015 and he was NOT a fan but I tried explaining that while Hollywood and Orlando share similar attractions (WWHP was not open there yet), they feel completely different. We both have a deep affection for HP and I think he’d love it if he gave Universal another chance. I’m really pulling for it this trip because I have yet to visit Diagon Alley.

Great report though. I’m loving it

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Hodge-podgey is a great word for it. I’ll be curious to see if that changes any as the Orlando parks head more toward the immersion approach.

If he is an HP fan, it is definitely a don’t miss. I didn’t mention in my report, but this was the one park my husband had been to before (he went with friends the year after Hogsmeade opened), and he was very excited to go again - even with he general dislike of theme parks.

I also did not feel like I didn’t get my money’s worth, even though we did not do much outside of HP. If we had had a longer trip and more rest time between park days, I probably would have adhered to the original plan and fit in more rides outside of HP (particularly Kong, Hulk, Rip Ride and Mummy) but HP on its own was well worth the time for us.

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I agree. We would only spend one day for sure and I don’t think we’d venture far from HP except for maybe Jurassic Park and The Mummy as that’s one of my favorite rides in any theme park oddly enough.

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The Mummy is a great ride!

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Really appreciate you taking the time to share all this with us. Was especially interested in your Universal report, as this site tends to be very Disneycentric.

Like you, I can’t watch the spiders in Harry Potter 2 (I’m rewatching them all) and Aragog reappears (dead) in HP6. So I’ve been worrying about the ride. I guess I’m going to have to go with your strategy, though I’d love to hear other people’s experiences.

We have three USF days – a VIP tour day, a second peon day, and a final half-day on my own, for which I have an Express Pass and intend to buy an interactive wand.

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If you are there that much I would definitely get an interactive wand. They looked like loads of fun - just would have taken up too much time for only one day. I think I will probably do it next time.

Another tip for the spiders. I adamantly did not watch ride videos for gringotts because I wanted to be surprised, but in the interest of my arachnophobia, I did watch a ride video of forbidden journey up to the part with the spiders and aragog. It gave me a bit of prep for what to look out for and helped me prepare my strategy. I didn’t watch the video past there so the rest of the ride was still a surprise. Something to consider, perhaps.

Really enjoyed reading about your Universal day!
The first time I rode Forbidden Journey, I had no clue about the spiders coming! Completely freaked me out!!
Looking forward to the next instalment…

Thanks for your report and all the things to look out for. My sons will do the exact opposite re spider and keep their eyes wide open! The scarier the better. Interesting that it seemed so quiet in July. We were thinking of buying an express pass for US park only in September but it really doesn’t seem necessary. Sounds like you had a great immersive day.

I can’t thank you enough for such a detailed report - my husband and I are going to WDW and then Universal for the first time EVER this December (total newbies in all things Orlando!) and I also have a less than totally thrilled partner. I can’t imagine trying to plan without the help of TP in general, but all of these personal stories are helping me immensely, as well! I was up at 3 am to make my ADR (the joys of planning from California) and like you, I was agonizing about Citricos for one of our holiday “nice meals”, but now I’m very glad I made a reservation there. And your detailed comments about all things Harry Potter are just super! Thanks so much for doing this!

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Entry #5 - Hollywood Studios: half day break for husband, lunch at the Brown Derby, rain, and F!

Okay so July got the best of me, and I’ve been a little lazy finishing this up. This is the second to last of the entries. So here we go!

We started the morning with another RD. Husband was getting pretty good at this, and definitely saw the value in the early start. So, even though we were both a bit tired (despite our very relaxing evening prior), we got ourselves moving and headed of to Studios.

Now, this park, as a kid, was always my favorite. I remember it when it was MGM, when it had the water tower, when it had the giant sorcerer’s hat… sigh. It’s also one of the reasons I fell in love with “The Movies”, and it makes me nervous all the changes they are making. Oh well, Disney I am trusting you, don’t fail me now!

For this morning, we opted to drive to the park for 2 reasons.

  1. It allowed for a little more sleep time, since we had total control over our departure time and did not need to rely on any buffer.
  2. Husband was planning on playing golf in the afternoon, and from DHS driving would be easier. (However, for those without cars, he could have taken one of the boats or a bus to a nearby resort and hopped a taxi again if he wanted).

We arrived at the park, parked the car, remembered to snap a picture of where we parked the car and then headed in. Taps were already open (at about 8:30 I believe) so we walked on in to where they held us near Echo Lake. Our sights were set on TSMM.

Looking at the map to make sure I knew where I was going, I checked in with a nearby security guy. He confirmed what I thought - you do (as of now) have to walk all the way to the right of the Chinese Theatre, toward Animation Courtyard (where Star Wars Launch Bay is). For us, they didn’t even let us cut down before we walked through the Animation Courtyard entry way. We had to walk through the arch and then hang a hairpin to the left to make our way back to Pixar Place. Three things:

  1. Eventually you will be able to cut through on the left of the Chinese Theatre. Just not yet because of construction.
  2. There will be CMs directing you the whole way… thank goodness, because it really is the scenic route.
  3. I’m kind of think Hollywood Blvd would have been a better location to start from. Most of those people will head toward ToT and RnR and with the current detour, it actually might put you in a better locale. Eventualy, Echo Leake will be better, but until that cut through is open… Hmmm… perhaps someone has first hand experience from there?

Either way, we made it to TSMM and had very little wait. We never stopped moving in line and got on in 5-10 minutes. The ride is loads of fun, basically a 3D Buzz Lightyear Space Spin. I will say, you have no control of the motion of the car and it is a little hurky jerky so if you are a very sensitive motion sickness person, maybe dramamine up for this one.

With TSMM off our list, we headed over to ToT to mark it off my list. Now, ToT is my favorite ride in all of Disney… and I don’t like drop rides…

It is my favorite because to me the theming, the CMs who run it, the ride itself is all so artfully done. It broke my heart that they rethemed the one in Disney Land, but a CM explained to me that the ride in Disney Land was just the drop part - so apparently the WDW one will not be getting a retheme.

We arrived at ToT and the posted wait was 45 minutes… ughhhhh… but we had been doing so well! We already had FPs for RnR. So we didn’t really have anything to do other than jump in line. So we did… and we walked all the way to our elevator. I don’t know if they were just being weird (those ToT CMs can be a bit weird sometimes), but our elevator was not even full.

As for the ride itself, it is still awesome. I love the effects they use on the track part of the ride, and the drop is what it is. For those on the fence, the reason why I’m okay with it is because I can’t see how high I am. So you still have the sensation of a drop (and it actually bounces you, so yet get the up and down motion) but the height is no longer a factor. As for the “terror” part, the anticipation is insane, but that’s part of the fun. I also love that the WDW version is different each time you ride it. Genius.

After ToT, we headed over to TnR and hopped in our FP line. Walked right on through to pre-show then into the loading area where it took us about 10 minutes to make our way to our limo. It really is a great ride, and though husband was loving it, but alas… he was fading fast.

With RnR done, we took a break from rides and headed over to the Star Wars Launch Bay. I had originally planned this for 2 reasons.

  1. I didn’t think I would get my husband near any characters, but figured I could definitely get him to take a picture with Chewy. Turns out I was wrong and he obliged with numerous character pictures.
  2. We needed a picture with Chewbacca!

I was unsure of how long this experience would actually take because a lot is dependent on what you want to see while you are there. We opted out of watching the movie since most reports bill it as montage of the existing films. We went right into the character meets with our eyes on Han Solo’s sidekick. They have some memorabilia in the character lines. So even though we waited about 10 minutes, we were busy looking at light sabers and didn’t notice. We got our picture, and moved on.

Kylo Ren had a shorter wait posted, so we decided to visit him as well. He was lots of fun, and all evil and dark side. He even tried to bring us to the dark side, which he completely succeeded in… My brain was tired and not ready for improv. So I just said yes.

We skipped BB8 (he had a 20 minute wait posted) and instead took a look at some more memorabilia. I’d say all up we spent about 30-40 minutes there during the mid-morning hours.

With Launch Bay done, we crossed the park to ride Star Tours. After passing the Jedi Training thing (wish we were kids!), we headed into the ride. We had FPs and walked right into the loading area. The ride itself is fun - though it is not as smooth as a simulator as I would have hoped. It didn’t get to me, but again, those who get motion sick should probably dramamine up for this one.

After Star Tours, I got a couple FPs for the Muppets (adorable!), and while heading into the Muppets, I was able to snag rolling FPs for the Great Movie Ride, which was a big win for me. It is one of my favorites and I really wanted my husband to see it. The ride, I know, is outdated, but I really will miss seeing this ride as the centerpiece of DHS. To me it just embodies what the park is about.

With that ride under our belt, it was time for lunch at the Hollywood Brown Derby. We had selected to do the F! package, and I was so looking forward to this meal. It was the first signature restaurant experiences I had as a kid, and really one of my first “fancy” restaurants in general.

The restaurant itself is beautiful with Hollywood charm and very classic decor, and the food is delicious. If you want to do an in park signature dining experience and are more of a meat and potatoes person, this is your spot for sure. The food is very trustworthy but done up perfectly. My husband had the Cobb salad as an appetizer and a waygu burger as his main. I had their corn chowder as my appetizer and a grouper and lobster combo as my main. For desert with the package you get a little trio sampler. Everything was delicious with the exception being the grapefruit cake - my husband hated it. I loved it… but I’ve heard that in general and can definitely agree (even though I liked it) that it is an acquired taste.

During lunch my husband and I had a minor spat. He had been complaining a bit that morning and kind of moaning about whether or not he really wanted to go play golf. I told him very clearly (and mostly calmly) that he wasn’t helping anyone by doing what he thought he SHOULD be doing. If he needed rest, he needed to leave the park and skip golf. It didn’t bother me at all, and it shouldn’t both him either. He finally gave in and admitted that he just wanted a nap. So we canceled his tee time and I sent him back to the campsite.

He had a pretty good afternoon off, but I will say that’s where we learned the tip about Fort Wilderness that shared in an earlier post. Remember you will be without A/C if you are camping. If you have a travel companion who wants an afternoon rest, the lack of A/C may be an issue.

With husband on his way back to camp, I headed off to start my afternoon of shows. I had an order on my TP, but needed to reorganize a bit so that my husband and I could watch Indiana Jones and Music of Pixar together when he got back. I also had already taken care of Muppets and the Great Movie Ride, which were on my afternoon schedule in case we didn’t get time in the morning.

So, with all that, here’s how my afternoon shaped up:
Watched Beauty and the Beast at Theater of the Stars

  • An absolutely lovely show. The costumes are lots of fun. The performers are great, and it really is just an enchanting retelling of the story. Everyone should enjoy.

Voyage of the Little Mermaid

  • I remember this being so much better than it was… perhaps it has changed over the years, or maybe I just remember it differently.
  • It is a lovely show, but unless you are a Little Mermaid fan or have kiddos with you, don’t worry if you don’t get to it.

Made my way back to RnR for an FP I snagged, and then made my way to TSMM for a FP I snagged. (I wanted to practice to try and beat husband when he got back).

For the First Time in Forever: Sing Along

  • If you love Frozen, this show is just magic! The actors are lots of fun, and you literally (like the words light up on a screen) sing along. There is also snow.
  • If you don’t love Frozen, this show might literally be your hell.

By that time, I was ready for a snack. It had been raining all afternoon (not a problem at DHS where everything is indoors - just a problem when walking); so I headed over to Sweet Spells and got the carrot cake whoopee pie thing and some fudge, along with a hot tea. I liked the fudge but was not much a fan of the whoopee pie. I only like carrot cake… for this you really have to looooove carrot cake. Also, it was refrigerator cold, and I felt like it should have been more room temp.

By then, my husband had texted me and let me know he was making his way back to the park via busses. I had my hot tea and a seat under cover. So I decided to stay put and wait for him to arrive.

Once he got there, we made our way to Indiana Jones (lots of fun!) and then headed over to the Music of Pixar. I would say Indiana Jones is fun for the whole family, Music of Pixar might be a bit long for little kiddos. The green army men from Toy Story were there entertaining the crowd before the show - and they were so much fun! The show itself was lovely, but it is long. We love orchestra music and have gone to a few of those events where the orchestra plays along with a movie; so this was right up our alley. For little kiddos, though, it might be more of an opportunity for a nap after the first 20 or so minutes.

After MoP, we headed back to TSMM for one last duel. I had snagged rolling FPs and was convinced I would finally beat him… I was sorely wrong… but we had a good time anyway. Side note, we saw a guest in a wheel chair board, with a service dog. I have a brother in law who is in a wheelchair, so it was wonderful to see how accessible they had made this ride!

With attractions done for the day, we went in search of a quick service meal for dinner. DHS really is a food desert. We settled on Rosie’s for location and variety of choices. Husband got another burger, and I had the fried green tomato sandwich (which was delicious!). So Rosie’s for the win if you are looking for QS in DHS.

Thankfully the rain stopped, and F! was a go. We enjoyed not having to be there until just 15-20 minutes before the show (because of the package), and husband saw yet again that there was a method to my madness.

I ended the night feeling a little sick to my stomach (I don’t blame Rosie’s. I actually blame the carrot cake.) so we opted for a taxi home rather than a crowded bus. The taxi fare was not bad, and it was definitely worth it for me to not feel ill on a bus.

All in all, other than one tiny spat and a little late night ickiness, we had a successful day. I do see why people choose to spend a half day at DHS right now, but I enjoyed my full day there. It was nice to have a day in the middle that wasn’t go go go and had an afternoon of watching shows. For people like me who can handle going to the parks from RD to close each day, it can even be relaxing. For people like my husband, they probably will still simply need time away from the parks.

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