So as the tale continues, we began our Day 7 heading to HS. We grabbed a RotR and a SDD at 7:00am. I can’t remember which day we did this but one day we did miss the RotR at 7:00am. But refreshed for a bit (not 20 minutes) and got it. In fact, it popped up a few times in that time frame and then would quickly get snatched of course. So the 7:07-7:22 rule is there for sure. We came in a did a Disney Jr. Dance Party and then Frozen Sing-a-long for the morning and then had a Sci-Fi lunch. Always a family favorite! Had terribly slow service there this time which is weird for burgers. There is only so many Plan 9 and Gigantic Woman trailers I can watch. But it is fun nonetheless. After lunch we did RotR, ASS and SDD. I should mention that our DD6 gets to rack up on LL because all the height restriction rides we did rider swap. So she got two rides on a lot this trip. I told her to savor the moment because her sister will eventually get big enough to negate that. DD6 had never been tall enough to ride RnRC so she got to do this right at park close. Rain started then and we had our rain covers for strollers and ponchos but we got pretty wet getting out of HS to grab our Uber. Plus, I passed the lane I should have taken next to the buses which made it a longer rain walk. Not that I would hear about that from the spouse or anything. But it was a great day at HS and we got back to Aruba to crash and get ready for a pool day next on Day 8.
So Day 8 we started with a Topolino’s breakfast. You can still order multiple entrees but now they want to take those orders at the time your first order and then prepare smaller side entrees of what you are testing out. So this was a little different. It was a great breakfast and we got some good character shots. It should be noted that the kids can stand now within three feet of the characters. So this was cool. Made a big difference here and at Tusker House. We always attempt pictures out on the terrace but our girls never cooperate. I mean never. So we never get any good pics there it seems. The quest will go on. We headed back to the room and changed into our swimsuits for some pool time. It was a beautiful day and the pool at CBR is fun. I like the spanish fort style and the slides were great. The kids splash pad is being refurbished so that was closed. Our DD2 mostly hung around hte shallow end and explored the two walk up turret areas. After pool we headed back to clean up and go over to EPCOT for the evening. We had landed a FEA and a Remy so we went over about 4:30 and kicked those off and then had a fun meal at Via Napoli. That is when we headed out and grabbed a viewing post there at Italy at the benches to watch Harmonious. DD6 and I went to Japan to shop for some Gudetama and fans and wife and DD2 set up camp. It was a great viewing spot and an incredible show. I really like Harmonious. We went back to grab the Skyliner and the line was just crazy as you can expect during Spring Break after a show. Then it stopped as well. So I made a quick change of plans and we walked on to BC and grabbed an Uber. It was pricy because of the time but I bet it saved us 45 minutes. And we waited maybe 2 minutes for it to arrive. Got back to the room and began to prepare for Day 9 at AK.
Gudetama is made by Sanrio that makes Hello Kitty. It is a lazy egg. It is big in Japan. My DD6 picked it up on YouTube a few years back and we have gotten a few things here and there. She isn’t nuts about it but it is kind of fun.
The ears have pizzas on them. Pepperonis are sewn on and everything. Those came from Disney. A friend had picked those up for us that was down there earlier.
Day 9- AK
So we get over to AK via Uber. Really short trip from CBR. That is one thing I really like. You Skyliner to HS and EPCOT and a very short trip <10 minutes to AK. MK is the only outlier travelling from CBR. So two thumbs up for short trips and convenience. We had TH rez first thing so we dined there. Had an incredible waitress which was nice. Food is still family style so we miss the old buffet but still good. Characters spent plenty of time in each room and each table was served well. Again, you can get pretty close which is nice for the kids. We had done a LL$ for FoP and a LL for KS. So we hit our KS trip next then went over to FotLK. From there we went to FoP and then KRR for a LL we picked up. Girls hung out at the Boneyard for a while (really did a good job updating it. Spongy flooring was nice). Got a couple of Triceratops Spins in for the little one and some carnival gaming for the big one. Headed over to Nomad Lounge from there. We stayed inside since the heat was a little tough. I had never been to Nomad prior but all the sacred spaces talk had it on my list. We had a rez for Boma later so I didn’t want to eat much but we had a couple of great drink specials. Wife got a twist on an old fashioned and I think I got a Tempting Tigress. Or something like that. Kids got the tacos and we got lobster mac and I cannot remember exactly the other special but I think it was wings. Good resting place and a good waiter as well. Rode Na’vi River after this and then off to Boma. I had been to Jiko and many times to Sanaa but this was my first Boma trip. I have to say, it was very good. Girls loved it too. So it was a good spot to have a meal and try a lot of different things. Desserts were kind of meh. But it is a buffet so I didn’t expect a lot there. After Boma we went back and had a little pool time before bed.
Day 10 was a day back to MK. I really think we did it as good as it could be done for our family. We had been parking it quite a bit so we took our time in the morning to let the girls sleep and to rest some. The wife and I got a 7DMT and a SM LL for the afternoon. So we rolled into MK after 12:00 and went straight to SM. We had a made a rez for the Cafe at the GF so we could get dropped off there and grab the monorail. Easier than a TTC drop off. DD6 got a couple of rides in and we headed to TS. Then to Teacups, then to Peter Pan. Then over to the Splash Pad at the Circus with some snacks. Girls got soaked and luckily my smart and beautiful wife packed a change of clothes in the girls’ park bags. Took some playground time at Dumbo and rode the elephants. Rode the Carousel Then went to see Ariel. Had our LL for 7DMT and happened to meet some friends there. So my DD6 got to hang with one of her old classmates that had moved to Orlando last year. We rode iasw next and then grabbed a snack at Storybook with the friends. We said our goodbyes and then rode BTMM with a LL. Then to HM and PotC and out of the park. So for that day, we got in 11 attractions between 12:30 and 9:30. That was 14 rides for our DD6 with rider swap as well. Just a great day at MK for us. LL’s were pretty readily available for the afternoon time frames since we had priortized the hard ones of course. So our stacking worked splendidly. Came back and got a ready for a Day 11 pool day/HS.
Yeah, the little one is not to be outdone. She is wide open most of the time. DD6 is the rule follower. DD2 blazes her own trail.
And I didn’t actually buy that cookie. I was getting snookered by my DD6 to buy loads of candy by the pound at the market store. The wife bought a few things from the case. One was a cool cupcake for DD2.
So I kind of inherited the cookie as the girls ate the cupcake, street corn and a giant pickle! And a pretzel by the way. Apparently, a safari makes one extra hungry. Of course that also means they didnt eat much at TH as well!
It is funny how more and more of the pics become family pics as time goes on for us. I suppose we have been enough that those moments are what we want to document the most. Maybe next time I will try to focus on food and sites a little more. My iPhone 12 Pro has a camera that is cracked. So my pics aren’t very good right now. My wife has a 13 and I try to use hers some but it is easier to just grab mine for a quick photo. But there is a lot of blurriness and cloudiness in certain light.
Yeah, they could not be more different. I guess in my mind, my kids would be similar. Not sure why I thought that. I started late in life so I am 48 now. You would think I would know better. But they are their own person. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Going to be a challenge though!
Thank you for saying that. We are foodies so we usually are pretty good to document that. But we did not do it so much this time. I think we just tried to enjoy ourselves more on this trip. We may go back in late June for a long weekend but we definitely spent more time there this time than usual.
It’s funny, you did the reverse of our trip right after we left (we did CBR then Poly). We didn’t have a problem with bell services, exactly, but we did call down around 7:30 and ask them to come at 8am on our last day to get our bags and then at 8:05 the phone rang and they said “Are you ready for us to come?” Yes, obviously, that’s why we said 8! But I imagine people are occasionally optimistic about how quickly they’ll be able to get packed up.
The instructions get lost in translation sometimes. I know our calls for towels and coffee at CBR kind of got mixed results. Sometimes we got a fast response with more than we have even asked for. And sometimes it was a waiting game.
Your DDs are adorable! I was already super impressed with the matching themed outfits and hair accessories but then I noticed that their shoes were also themed to their outfits. I AM IN COMPLETE AWE OF THIS! And also wondering if you had to have a whole suitcase just for their shoes!
Some pictures just hit you. I love this one. Both of your daughters are adorable, and the outfits are perfect. But the look on your little girl’s face here is just too cute. I’m loving see how much you accomplished at MK by stacking - thanks for keeping hope alive for me! We go in July for the first time in three years and I’m a little worried.
