Taryn Travels

Category: Uncategorized

• Mother/Daughter Disney Trip! August 2018

  Posted at 10:40 pm by taryngirl, on August 25, 2018

  I know I’m in the middle of writing my August Grandeur of the Seas trip report, but I have to also start my DISNEY WORLD trip report!  So I’ll probably be alternating, but to read straight through either report, be sure to check my Trip Reports tab where I will have links so you can follow in order.

  THE PLAN:

  • Who–myself, my two daughters, my cousin, her two daughters
  • What–all girl cousin trip!
  • When–August 11-18th
  • Where–Polynesian/Bay Lake Tower
  • Why–one last hurrah before school and soccer start, to use our DVC points, we all have an annual pass, and WHY NOT?!

  So we knew we wanted to go in August, but had to plan around school and soccer schedules, and other family vacations.  Also, because I am a Disney Vacation Club Member, my new points came available August 1st.  So I had to plan for some time after that.  My cousin, Alex, had already made her reservation at Polynesian Village Resort, by renting DVC points.  She planned to arrive 3 days before us.  We had gone once in August before and I swore NEVER AGAIN!  It’s so dang hot, and it rained every day.  But alas, August it was!  After several changes of resort for us, we decided on Polynesian Village Resort and Bay Lake Tower.  I wanted to do the split stay so I could experience more than one resort to share with my Disney clients.

  About a month ago, we made the decision that my oldest daughter would not be able to make the trip.  She is on a premier soccer team and we had gotten the schedule.  You guessed it…a tournament!  It’s her first year on this team and we just didn’t think it was a good idea to miss several practices and then a tournament.  So it would just be my youngest daughter and I making the trip.

  We had been cruising from August 2-11th from Baltimore.  Upon return to Baltimore, we had flights booked leaving at 1:30 p.m. ish.  After researching, I saw there was a flight that left at 11:05 a.m., and there were varying times you could depart the ship.  So I called Southwest and made the switch and canceled my oldest daughter’s ticket!  It was super easy, and we now have a credit for her to use.

  We departed the ship around 8:15 a.m., got our luggage, went through customs and met my husband in the parking lot by 8:40 a.m.  We headed directly for the airport.  He dropped us right around 9:00 a.m.  There was a flight leaving at 9:45 a.m. ish that I inquired about at the counter, but it was too late because our luggage still had to be checked.  It would not have made the plane!  So we could leisurely make our way to our gate.  One note at security…we had to take out any electronics that were larger than a cell phone.  I’ve never had to take my iPad out before.  Also, all food/snacks had to be taken out and put in a separate bin.  (This was the moment I found the huge zip loc bag my mother had given my daughter in case she got hungry.  It was filled with chocolate twizzlers and caramel creams…)

  We made it through security and headed to our gate.  We weren’t hungry because we had eaten breakfast on the ship before we got off.  I caught up on some work things and Kinsey caught up on her YouTube.  By the way…I LOVE MY NEW AMERICAN TOURISTER MICKEY LUGGAGE!

  We had a great flight, and once in Orlando, made our way over to the B side to head to the Magical Express transportation area.  I noticed a new sign!  AND hand sanitizer!  That was a definite difference I noticed on this trip.  Hand sanitizer dispensers near or in most restaurants on Disney property. I am a fan!

  

  This was about 1:45 p.m. on a Saturday.  Look how empty it is!  The Polynesian was lane 2 and we were the only ones in it!

  

  

  A few people did eventually come in behind us before we were able to board a bus.  But it was still very empty in this whole area!

  

  If you are brand new to Disney World, or have never used Disney’s Magical Express, GO HERE to read all about it!  It really is so convenient.  In summary:

  • Disney will send you luggage tags in the mail once you register with Magical Express.  They are yellow, and you attach them to any luggage you are checking at your airport.
  • You get to the airport and make your way to the B side of Orlando Airport and head down to the Magical Express.  Watch for signs!  And there’s a map they will send you with your luggage tags.  DO NOT GO TO BAGGAGE CLAIM if you put the yellow tags on your luggage!
  • You scan your Magic Band at the check in area, and they tell you which lane number to get in.
  • You board the bus and they drop you directly at your resort!
  • Your luggage will be delivered to your room…normally within 4 hours of arrival at the airport.

  WHAT I PACK IN MY CARRY ON!  Since it can take up to 4 hours to receive your luggage, pack your carry on with any essentials you think you might need in that time frame.  For me:  Wallet, electronics, chargers, medication, deodorant, bathing suits if I think we will swim, MagicBands, a brush.  This is all in case the luggage does not show up before we head to a park or to dinner, etc.

  I spy!  This particular bus was stopping at three different resorts.  We were lucky, and drew the first stop!  Taken through the bus window because we were very near the front seat.

  

  I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS RESORT!  This is 100% my decor and atmosphere.  We actually had professional pictures taken here at this resort when the girls were 3 and 5.  This was one of the spots!

  

  

  UP NEXT…another piece of my cruise trip report!

  Posted in Disney, Uncategorized, Vacation, Walt Disney World Resort | 1 Comment | Tagged August, Disney, Disney's Magical Express, Magical Express, Planning, Polynesian, Polynesian Village Resort, Trip Report

• Grandeur of the Seas, Windjammer and Deck Pictures

  Posted at 7:54 am by taryngirl, on August 23, 2018

  Continuing on with embarkation day…

  We headed straight up to the pool deck, deck 9, and went to the Windjammer for lunch.  It was about 11:45 a.m. at this point.  The Windjammer is the buffet restaurant that is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  It has several different “stations.”  There’s a Kid’s Corner, Healthy Corner, Dessert area, Bread/Soup area, Beverage station (lemonade, mango water, iced tea, water, coffee, hot tea), and regular hot choices, salad bar, etc.  When we arrived it wasn’t full yet, but by the time we left, people were looking for tables!

  Here are some pictures of some of the food offerings during this lunch:

  

  

  

  

  And this is what I decided on!

  

  I wasn’t super hungry at this point, so I just nibbled on a few different things.  I personally LOVED the bolognese sauce and would eat this several more times throughout the cruise!

  After lunch, I walked around and took some pictures of decks 9 and 10.

  

  This is where we spent a majority of our time!  This is the Main Pool.  There are also 4 hot tubs all around the pool.

  

  Shot from the 10th deck.

  

  

  This is the Solarium.  Also on the 9th deck, and exclusive for adults only.

  

  

  A hidden gem on this ship is the Park Cafe.  It’s located in the Solarium on deck 9, and offers some good eats!  Sandwiches, salads, nachos, cookies, etc. etc.  It’s a great place to grab a quick snack.  Just not the serving hours in the Cruise Compass!  Even though this is located in the “adult only” Solarium, children are permitted to go here to eat. 

  

  Not shown are a bunch of tables and chairs, where people will sit and play all kinds of games they bring onboard.  I even saw someone painting on a canvas!  It’s super quiet compared to the outside main pool area.  It’s also a little bit warmer and stuffier in my opinion, because there is no outside air coming in.  I did hear from someone that while in port, they did open the roof.

  Also located in the back of the Solarium is the spa.  I personally did not spend any time here on this cruise!

  

  Up Next…Our cabin and some inside pictures!

  Posted in Cruise, Dining Review, Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Baltimore, Buffet, Cruise, Park Cafe, Pool Deck, Royal Caribbean, Solarium, Windjammer

• Grandeur of the Seas, Embarkation Day, Baltimore Cruise Maryland Terminal, Check In

  Posted at 9:28 pm by taryngirl, on August 21, 2018

  Our adventure began bright and early in the morning.  My husband was driving us and dropping us directly at the port.  It was about a two hour drive and our boarding time was anytime after 11 a.m.  I like to budget in time for traffic, accidents, etc. and I like to be EARLY!  So my goal was to be in the at 8:30 a.m.  SUCCESS!  We managed to fit 6 people and alllllll of our luggage and carry-on bags in my Sorento.

  

  The drive was very easy and we didn’t really hit any traffic.  We were to the port by 10:45 a.m.  I didn’t get any really good pictures of the Baltimore Port drop off area as we were very rushed!  Since we were being dropped off, we were in a line of cars, and the porters were waiting to take our luggage right away.  One note…porters generally do not work for the cruise line, but rather the port itself.  I always tip them $1 per bag that I’m checking with them.  They load the bags on carts that are driven to the ship.  They are then delivered to your stateroom sometime throughout the afternoon.

  Once our luggage was taken care of, we took our carry-ons with us into the terminal.  What do I pack in my carry-on for a cruise?  Normally, a bathing suit, deodorant, prescription meds, passport, wallet, ID, any valuables and electronics.  We then got into the security line.  This is where they check your ID and booking information.  The carry-ons do go through a scanner.  We were able to bring a 12 pack of bottled water with no problems at this specific port.  After security, we headed to the cruise check-in line.

  Here are a few pics from inside the terminal.

  

  

  

  At the counter, they gave us our first CRUISE COMPASS!  This had all of the general information we needed for our boarding day.

  

  

   

   

  We also received a paper with all of the Officers onboard and other useful information.

  

  

   

   

  We also received information about the various Adventure Ocean Kid Clubs onboard.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  MUCH MORE TO COME!

  Up next…Grandeur of the Seas, Windjammer Buffet, and more!

  Posted in Adventure Ocean, Cruise, Cruise Compass, Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Adventure Ocean, Baltimore, Cruise, Cruise Compass, Embarkation, Kid Clubs, Royal Caribbean, Terminal

• Royal Caribbean Cruise Line—Grandeur of the Seas

  Posted at 8:08 pm by taryngirl, on August 6, 2018

  Every summer, my children and I take a vacation with my mother. The past few years it’s been to the Jersey Shore. However, this year we had a special guest…my aunt from Australia! So we decided on something different. A New England/Canada cruise aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Grandeur of the Seas. One deciding factor was the ability to drive to the port vs. having to pay for flights. And RC was having an amazing sale at the time I was looking!

  The itinerary:

  • Baltimore
  • At Sea
  • Boston
  • Portland, Maine
  • Bar Harbor, Maine
  • Saint John, New Brunswick
  • Halifax, Nova Scotia
  • At Sea
  • At Sea

  • Baltimore

  This was also appealing because I have never been to any of these ports! We always go south to the Caribbean.

  After booking, I kept a close eye every time Royal Caribbean would run a special promotion. One benefit of using a Travel Agent…they can check for discounts automatically when they are released! No need to have to do it yourself.

  Up Next…Day 1–Royal Caribbean Cruise on the Grandeur

  Posted in Cruise, Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Baltimore, Bar Harbor, Boston, Canada, Cruise, Grandeur of the Seas, Halifax, Maine, Massachusetts, New England, Nova Scotia, Portland, Royal Caribbean, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Saint John

• March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 5}! Part 2–Satu’li Canteen and Mobile Ordering

  Posted at 7:57 pm by taryngirl, on August 1, 2018

  DID YOU KNOW…that for some Quick Service restaurants throughout Walt Disney World, you can order ahead?  This fantastic service is called MOBILE FOOD AND BEVERAGE ORDERING!  (You can read all about it directly through that link that takes you to Disney’s official page.)

  Basically, instead of waiting in line, you can go onto your My Disney Experience App,

  This is the menu shown outside of the restaurant:

  

  The restaurant itself does have both indoor and outdoor seating.  One note, there are signs on the tables stating you must be a patron of the restaurant in order to use the tables.  So don’t plan on getting a table and sitting there while you wait for the rest of your party who is riding Flight of Passage.

  We stood outside the restaurant and used the My Disney Experience App to order our food. We walked in immediately.  When entering, just look for the separate Mobile Order Pick Up window.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT IN THE REGULAR LINE!  There was only one person in front of us in this line.

  

  If you didn’t order ahead, this is what the line looked like:

  

  What you can’t see is that the line snaked and then went out into the foyer area of the restaurant.  SO WORTH ORDERING AHEAD!  You can save so much time.

  Confession time…I was skeptical.  I always have modifications, no this, extra this, etc. etc.  You can still modify with the app! 

  Now to the good stuff…the delicious food!  I ordered the Chopped Wood-Grilled Chicken Bowl with Rice and Creamy Herb Dressing and NO Boba Balls!  This is also served with Crunchy Vegetable Slaw.  I also asked for all three sauces on the side when I got up to the window.  The other two sauces are the Black Bean Vinaigrette, and the Charred Onion Chimichurri.  I mixed all three together in the bowl and it was SO GOOD.  I will definitely eat here again and I will definitely order this exact same thing!

  

  My friend ordered the Kid’s Meal–Cheeseburger Steamed Pod which is served with Chips and a drink.

  My other friend ordered the Combination Bowl:  Grilled Beef and Chicken with Rice base and the Chimichurri Sauce.

  

  They each also ordered a dessert.  This is the Chocolate Cake (chocolate cake with a crunchy cookie layer and banana cream topping).  We all tasted it.  It was really good and super rich!

  

  The other dessert was the Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse.  (blueberry cream cheese mousse with passion fruit curd)  I didn’t try this one, but they said it was good!

  

  I have eaten here on a past trip as well.  These are some pictures of food my group ordered during that trip. 

  Chopped Wood-Grilled Chicken with Romaine and Kale Salad Base.

  

  Regular order of the Cheeseburger Pods served with Chips.

  

  Overall, this quick service restaurant is one of my favorites!  Be sure to give it a try at least once.

  Up next…Cruising on Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas!

  Posted in AEP, Animal Kingdom, Dining Review, Quick Service, Satu'li Canteen, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Animal Kingdom, Avatar, Disney, Foodie, Mobile Ordering, Pandora, Quick Service, Satu'li Canteen, Walt Disney World

• March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 5}! Part 1–Animal Kingdom

  Posted at 8:40 am by taryngirl, on July 18, 2018

  Sadly my departure day was here.  BUT!  I always get the latest direct flight home on Southwest.  So I had some time to hit the parks until the afternoon.  I started off with my usual breakfast at French Quarter, Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory:

   

  

  Mickey Waffles with Sausage!  This is by far, my favorite Quick Service breakfast!

  After breakfast, I headed to Animal Kingdom.  I went straight to Pandora to meet up with my roommates.  I spent some time taking pics!

  

  Pongu Pongu–a popular drink stand:

  

  Satu’li Canteen entrance:

  

  Inside Windtraders Shop:

  

  

  

  This land is so amazing!

  

  

  

  From there we headed over to Africa because we had a Fastpass+ for Kilimanjaro Safaris.  This was taken on the bridge heading into Africa.  It is just so amazing to me, how different each of the parks are!

  

  I rarely have the opportunity to “check out” every kiosk, etc., so I made sure to do that this time!  This is Tamu Tamu Refreshments.  I never knew they had Dole Whips here!  AND you can get it with rum!

  

  I also got to look around the Harambe Market.  It was just before opening time at 11 a.m., and there were a few people in line waiting already!  I personally have never eaten anything from here yet.  This area is really neat though!

  

  

  This is one of the “famous” walls throughout Disney World.  See if you can find it next time you are there!

  

  

  

  

  

  One of my favorite places for a quick snack is Zuri’s Sweets Shop!  I can always find a sweet treat here.

  

  The Harambe Fruit Market is another great place to grab a snack.  You can see the Corn on the Cob counts as a Snack on the Disney Dining Plan (the purple and white logo DDP).  The corn is not listed on the official menu online, but it was there in March!

  

  

   

  All of the items with the DDP symbol count as a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan!

  

  

  It was finally time for our Fastpass+!  So we headed over to the Safari entrance.  We were so lucky to see Augustus!  The cute baby hippo!

   

  

  Lots of animals were out today!

  

  

  

  

  Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery menu (March 2018):

  

  You can also see more snacks as noted with the DDP symbol.  From here we went to see the Festival of the Lion King.  This is a DO NOT MISS show!  It’s really fun to watch and action packed.  I unfortunately didn’t take any pictures.

  We wanted to eat lunch at Satu’li Canteen back in Pandora, so we started to make our way there.  Did you know there’s a path that can lead you there directly from the Festival of the Lion King?  If you pull up the map on My Disney Experience you will see it.  It was a really nice walk with not a lot of people!  This ice cream cart was on the way.  Note the DDP symbol for snacks!

  

  Looking from a spot on the path over towards Harambe.

  

  I had a Fastpass+ for Na’vi River Journey.  It’s a really neat boat ride.  It’s a little bit short, but the details are amazing!  It’s very slow, no drops, a little bit dark inside, but perfect for anyone no matter the age or size.  Here’s a short video I took!

   

  Up next….Satu’li Canteen and Mobile Ordering!

   

   

   

   

   

  Posted in AEP, Animal Kingdom, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged AEP, Africa, Avatar, Disney Dining Plan, Harambe, Harambe Market, Kilimanjaro Safari, Kusafiri, Na'vi River Journey, Pandora, Pongu Pongu, Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory, Snacks, Tamu Tamu, The World of Avatar, Windtraders Shop, Zuri's Sweets Shop

• Joy Through the World! Holidays at Walt Disney World Resort Return November 8!

  Posted at 7:55 pm by taryngirl, on July 9, 2018

  

  Taken directly from Disney Parks Blog:

  It’s Christmas in July! Today we are announcing the return of the holiday season to Walt Disney World Resort. Starting November 8, you will be able to celebrate this magical season with festive parties, captivating holiday décor, delicious treats, spectacular entertainment and enchanting experiences that make this season one of the most wonderful times to visit our theme parks, resorts and more!

  A Flurry of Fun comes back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the return of Sunset Seasons Greetings. Featuring impressive new laser effects and “snow,” holiday magic transforms the famous Hollywood Tower Hotel with spectacular projections of beloved Disney Characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Olaf sharing their favorite seasonal stories.

  Another returning favorite is the nighttime spectacular Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! The new Toy Story Land also gets special seasonal fun including holiday songs on Alien Swirling Saucers and more!

  Magic Kingdom Park will transform into a world of holiday enchantment that includes the specially ticketed event Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, offered during select nights in November and December.

  At Epcot you will discover joyous holiday traditions of 11 World Showcase nations during Epcot International Festival of the Holidays beginning Nov. 18. One of our favorite holiday traditions at Epcot is the Candlelight Processional and this year it starts performances on Nov. 22

  New this year at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the magic of nature will receive a holiday touch with the inclusion of Diwali, the holiday Festival of Lights in India, as part of the new live show UP! A Great Bird Adventure.

  There is even more holiday fun at the resorts across Walt Disney World with festive seasonal décor as well as life-sized edible creations. And at Disney Springs you will find the perfect destination for holiday shopping, dining and entertainment, with the chance to experience holiday magic along the way.

  You can find everything holidays at disneyworld.com/holidays.

  Now is the time to play big and start planning your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World Resort!

  Posted in Breaking Disney News!, Holidays at Disney, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged Animal Kingdom, Announcement, Disney, Epcot, Holidays, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World

• Ultimate Disney Fall into Magic Package!

  Posted at 11:20 pm by taryngirl, on July 3, 2018

  

  Kick off fall in the most exciting way of all with a unique 4-day/5-night package from September 3 to 8, 2018 at select Disney Resort hotels. With this limited-time offer, you’ll delight in an itinerary full of magical must-dos and exclusive experiences just for Guests on this package. You’ll also enjoy a 5-night stay at a select Disney Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resort hotel and 4-day Magic Your Way theme park tickets with Park Hopper Option!

  For example, starting at $149 per person, per night, a family of four—2 adults, 1 junior (ages 10 to 17) and 1 child (ages 3 to 9)—can stay in a standard room at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and delight in the enchantment of this offer for a total package price of $2,980.*

  Here’s a peek at what your incredible itinerary includes:

  • Tuesday, September 4, 2018: an exclusive “Welcome to Fall” dinner at Epcot inspired by the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
  • Wednesday, September 5, 2018: a nighttime Kilimanjaro Safaris tour followed by an exclusive showing of Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park after park closing
  • Thursday, September 6, 2018: two hours of exclusive evening access to Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
  • Friday, September 7, 2018: tickets to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom park

  Book now through August 19, 2018―and get excited for a vacation packed with adventure and spook-tacular memories!

  *The number of rooms allocated to this offer is limited. The number of packages available for purchase is limited. Valid theme park admission required to attend theme park events on September 4, 5 and 6 included with this offer. Theme park tickets with Park Hopper Option must be used within 14 days of first use. First use must be by December 31, 2019. Special event tickets to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party only valid on September 7, 2018.
  Walt Disney Travel Company CST# 1022229-50

  Contact me if you would like a quote for this special offer!                                                     Email: taryn@madhatteradv.com Phone:  (610) 914-9754

  Posted in Breaking Disney News!, Special Offers, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged Disney, Fall, Package, Resort, Special Offer, Walt Disney World

• March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 4}-Part 2! (Common Areas and Kid Clubs)

  Posted at 9:36 am by taryngirl, on June 15, 2018

  Moving on now to other “common” areas around the ship.

  This is the entrance to the Quiet Cove Adult Pool.  One great thing about the Disney Cruise ships is they all have adult only areas.  And they adhere to them!

  

  Yes, this pool has its own bar.

  

  Another adult only area is Satellite Falls.  This is hands down my favorite area to be when I’m kid free on the Dream or the Fantasy!

  

  

  You can’t see good in this picture, but all around the perimeter are padded loungers.  And there’s a glass wall to block the wind.

  This next picture is showing the Mickey Slide and Mickey’s Pool.  Above you can see the AquaDuck slide.

  

  At the other end of this area is Donald’s Family Pool. (not pictured)  There’s also a big screen where they play movies throughout the day.

  In case you didn’t know, in order to swim in the regular pools, children must be POTTY TRAINED!  NO SWIM DIAPERS!  And please, please, please adhere to this.  If there’s an accident in the pool, the entire thing is shut down, which is no fun for anyone.  So please, just follow the rules!  Available for children ages 8 and under is Nemo’s Reef.  This is more of a “splash pad,” but is a great option for those kids who wear swim diapers.

  

  From here we moved to the Kid Clubs.

  There are a few different age-specific experiences on Disney Cruise ships.  For children under the age of 3, group babysitting and play time happens at It’s a Small World Nursery.  A small fee DOES apply here!

  Children ages 3-12 have the option of going to the Oceaneer Club or the Oceaneer Lab.  There are so many activities going on at both of these locations!  Here’s a quick summary of the CLUB.  And here’s a quick summary of the LAB.  One note…your child can participate in a scheduled activity, or they can just go there and find something to do on her/his own.  All kids participating will get one of these Magic Bands.  They scan this everytime they enter the clubs.  One topic I read about often is parents in clubs.  The only time parents are permitted inside the club is during “Open House” hours which will be listed on the Navigator (schedule of events for the day).

  

  Oceaneer Club:

  On the Dream you have Andy’s Room

  

  Pixie Hollow

  

  Star Wars Millenium Falcon

  

  Disney Infinity Game Room

  

  This is the large room right where you enter.  It has a magic floor!

  

  This is the way to get to the Lab once inside the Club.  Kids don’t have to walk out in the hallways, as you can get back and forth once inside.  This is also where they eat if they are eating a meal in the club.

  

  EDGE:

  This club is meant for kids ages 11-14.  Unfortunately I got no pictures!

  VIBE:

  This club is mean for kids ages 14-17.  This space was….AMAZING!  If I was a kid, I would never leave this space.  It has its own sundeck!

  

  Watch this video of Vibe that I took!

  Up next…{Day 4} Evening!  Magic Kingdom and Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue

   

  Posted in Disney Cruise, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Cruise, Disney, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Dream, Edge, Kid Clubs, Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab, Vibe

• March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 3}!

  Posted at 1:59 pm by taryngirl, on May 31, 2018

  Thursday was a team building day for our agency.  We were split into scavenger hunt groups of three to four people, and were given a list of things to find.  My group, “The Poor Unfortunate Souls,” teamed up with another group, in hopes to be able to get pictures of most of the things on the list.  We just had to photograph things and then upload them into albums on Facebook.  Our strategy was to park hop.  The group decided to begin at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  I however, had to remain back in the room while still trying to book these Disney Cruises!  I had been unsuccessful with getting through thus far.  I met up with somewhere around 10 a.m. in the area of Rock N Roller Coaster.  While I was waiting for them to come off the ride, I walked back to Sweet Spells for one of my favorite snacks!  Which in this case doubled as my breakfast.  The Carrot Cake Cookie.  {Just a heads up, Sweet Spells has recently closed.  This snack IS still available though at The Trolley Car Cafe.}  I can never eat this whole thing in one sitting.  Ever.  So I shared with my teammates.

  We then ran into these fine people while making our way back to the front of the park.

  They are some of the Citizens of Hollywood!  And you can see them up and down Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard.  They also sign autographs and they NEVER break character!

  Here’s my fabulous team, “The Poor Unfortunate Souls.”  Rachel was so gracious enough to create these fun ears for us!  This pic is one taken by a PhotoPass photographer.

  

  From this park, we went to Animal Kingdom.  Upon exiting DHS, we went to the bus depot.  You CAN get a bus directly to the other parks from here.  So we stood in the AK line.  And we waited.  And waited.  And waited.  And one never came!  People queued in front of us were waiting 45 minutes already.  So we checked Uber.  They could be there in 5 minutes.  We walked over to the “Ride Share” area.  Yes, this is labeled, and certain parking spots are set aside for it.  We had such a large group that we took two different Ubers to get there.  One note about DHS parking lot….it was all jacked up on this day.  They were doing construction on the Skyliner Transportation System and everything is rerouted.  So multiple lanes were funneling into one, etc. etc.  I felt like we were riding on the bus forever through the parking lot!  Uber drops you off at AK right at the sidewalk leading to the gates, near where the tram picks up/drops off.

  We made our way to the Tree of Life, and got the GREATEST PhotoPass photographer!  She spent so much time with us and gave us all a “Magic Shot.”  Here’s some info in case you are interested:  https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2017/07/a-new-way-to-find-magic-shots-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

  

  Here is my Magic Shot!

  

  Our next park was Epcot.  We hopped on a bus to go directly from AK to Epcot.  We were lucky to not have to wait very long.  One was pulling up as we were getting in line.

  

  Did you know that there are some “famous” walls within the World?  Here we are at the Bubble Gum Wall!

  

  We made our way in, and once again hit some Flower & Garden food booths as we made our way around the countries.  I decided to wait, as I wanted to try a new quick service meal!  But first…we needed a picture with a viking!  This was another FUN PhotoPass photographer.  We did many poses, and she declared me the most “viking like.”  I’m not sure if that’s good or bad??!!

  

  We finally made it around to Morocco.  And Tangierine Cafe, which is the quick service restaurant in that country.  I have read report after report saying how good the Shawarma Platters are.  I had this on my list for this trip, and this was the perfect time.  I went with the Chicken Shawarma Platter, which is thinly sliced chicken served with a side of Hummus, Tabouleh, and Tangierine Couscous Salad with fresh Moroccan Bread.  This was SO GOOD.  And so much food, it is an easily shared meal.  I will definitely be getting this again!

  

  Next we made our way to France to see if we could catch some more of our agents.  While sitting on the wall, these two delightful men said Happy Birthday to me because I was wearing my pin.  (My birthday was Friday.)  They then asked me if I ever had anyone sing to me backwards, to which my response was no!

  I LOVE DISNEY PEOPLE!  Seriously.  These weren’t Cast Members, they were just park guests!  And we saw them on our way through Canada again with their wives enjoying the live entertainment.

  

  A quick stop in a phone booth…

  

  It was time for us to make our way to the Magic Kingdom now.  So we hopped on the monorail and headed over there.  I had plans to meet up with my roommates here as well.  I had to handle some more “cruise business” as I STILL hadn’t gotten through to make these reservations! So I sat on a rocking chair right outside of Tony’s Town Square Restaurant while I waited on hold and people watched.  My team went ahead without me.  I FINALLY GOT THROUGH!  And got all 4 cruises booked for my clients!  I also finally met up with my roommates.

  At this point, my feet were needing a little bit of rest.  So I hit up one of my favorites to do during a down time…the Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover!  In fact, we got off, and got right back on.  I love the views when on this ride!

  

  Next, we made our way to the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.  My family LOVES this show!  It’s different every single time we go.  If you haven’t been yet, put it on your list.

  

  We made our way to the Happily Ever After fireworks show.

  

  Next Up…{Day 4}

   

  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged AEP, Animal Kingdom, Disney, Epcot, Foodie, Happily Ever After, Hollywood Studios, Magic Shots, Tangierine Cafe

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