To the Mothership!!! A WDW First-Timer's Trip Report! UPDATE 9/23

[jsbgeo]

Subbing in too! My DH and I are planning our first trip to WDW for next year. We've both been a couple of times in the past, but never since we've been together. I've also looked at staying at Port Orleans Riverside and your photos are definitely making me think that is the way to go! Curious about yours and others impressions on whether to stay in the mansions or Alligator Bayou.

 

[DisneyFreak06]

It is hard not to compare DL and WDW when you've been to both. I'm not as familiar with DL as you are (I live in PEI, which is on the East coast of Canada so it's quite a trip to get there, but I've been twice) and I've been to WDW a few times, but I still don't feel like I "know" them like the locals of DL would!

And your POR pictures are beautiful. I can't wait to be back there again!

What camera do you use? Maybe you should work on learning to use it!

 

[PirateFish989]

Hi Everyone! This last week as been crazy and life is just going to get crazier! Between multiple bridal showers for my cousin in the next two months and Jordan's cousin's wedding next week and Disneyland with my mom in May, things are busy here!

Jordan and I went to Disneyland this last Sunday (I had a major case of the Disney Blues and Thunder Mountain had just opened after a year-long refurb and I NEEDED to ride my Space Mountain) and it was a great day but we couldn't stop comparing it to WDW! Disneyland is just so small. Equally as magical, but small. And I love it with all my heart.

My DH has the exact same Star Wars t-shirt

I LOVE Big Thunder... it's my favorite!!

I'm thinking about Crystal Palace right now... it's almost lunch time here and I'm starving

Next time I would love to eat at Crystal Palace! Disneyland just reopened Thunder Mountain after a year-long refurb and it is completely awesome! But nothing beats the tracks going out over the water like it does at WDW!

Im in for what seems to be a fun ride! Love reading peoples reports who havent been to the World. But even better because i get to hear the comparison to DisneyLand!

They're so similar yet so different (if that makes ANY sense)! It's awesome to experience both!

I'm in! Loving your TR so far. Looks like y'all had a blast! Can't wait to read more.

We did have a blast! I want to go back!

Joining in also! Looks like a great time. Also I love the comparisons, it is always neat to see how things stack up.

Each park has its strong points but they're both incredible!

I appreciate the comparisons! I know I'm going to do the exact same thing when I finally make it to WDW.

You will and I'd love to read all about it!

Joining in! I'm loving reading about your experiences and seeing your pics! Can't wait to see more!

More is coming up!

Erin I'm loving the TR! The feeling you experienced when you entered MK for the first time is so unique. I hadn't been to WDW since I was 12 but went back this Xmas and felt the same thing. It's just an overpowering feeling.

Count me in for the rest of your adventures.

It's such an amazing feeling! I can't wait to go back!

I love reading about the comparisons to Disnelyland - having never been there it is cool to try to picture. Glad you have been encountering minimal lines so far.

your foreshadowing was a bit foreboding

All was well in the end, I just had minor meltdown - you'll hear all about it next!

I love this for so many reasons!

1 - your sweet guy reminds me TONS of my great husband
2 - you write the way I think (and maybe the way I write too...I just re-read my own TR from 5 years ago...the last time we went...)
3 - I am just as excited about Disney as you!

Loving this and waiting with bated (not baited...) breath!

Jenn

Jordan is pretty darn sweet! I'm a lucky girl! I'll have to read your report! I'm excited you're here!

Subbing in too! My DH and I are planning our first trip to WDW for next year. We've both been a couple of times in the past, but never since we've been together. I've also looked at staying at Port Orleans Riverside and your photos are definitely making me think that is the way to go! Curious about yours and others impressions on whether to stay in the mansions or Alligator Bayou.

We LOVED POR! So beautiful! I would love to stay in the mansions next time, they're so incredibly gorgeous!

It is hard not to compare DL and WDW when you've been to both. I'm not as familiar with DL as you are (I live in PEI, which is on the East coast of Canada so it's quite a trip to get there, but I've been twice) and I've been to WDW a few times, but I still don't feel like I "know" them like the locals of DL would!

And your POR pictures are beautiful. I can't wait to be back there again!

What camera do you use? Maybe you should work on learning to use it!

I have a Canon PowerShot SX30 IS. It is technically a point and shoot but it is more the size of a small DSLR. It has so many incredible features and I get so overwhelmed. I knew how to use it really well when I first got it but I haven't used it a ton in a while and, well, it probably would have been beneficial to have reviewed before the trip! Oh well, now I have a goal for the next trip!

 

[PirateFish989]

Jordan and I were leaving the Magic Kingdom to head back to the hotel for an afternoon break. We were still on California time and were looking forward to some down time. We had our three FP+ for later that afternoon and evening plus dinner reservations at Be Our Guest (guess who got up at 2:45am California time to make that reservation?!?!).

Our first FP+ reservation for Space Mountain was for 3:00-4:00 followed by Pirates of the Caribbean from 4:20-5:20 and Voyage of the Little Mermaid from 5:20-6:20 and then dinner at 6:45. I had it AAALLLLLL planned out and it had been for months. We were anxious for a relaxing afternoon before getting ready for going back so we decided to try and rearrange our FP+ so we could have a little more time at the hotel.

Oh dear.

So far I had had a wonderful experience with the My Disney Experience app and everything had been great. I loved that it showed all of our reservations and confirmation numbers and was just a really handy little thing to have on me.

On the bus I logged on and tried to switch our Space FP+ to a later time. In doing so I managed to delete ALL of our FP+ for the day.

Gone. Completely gone. Never to return. We would never get to experience Space Mountain (my most favorite ride at Disneyland). We would never get to sing along with Pirates (again). We would never get to live Ariel’s story happily from a clam shell in Florida (because California Adventure has the same ride and it’s so cute). Never. Our trip was ruined. And I couldn’t get those same reservations back.

(Have I mentioned that I’m an ultra perfectionist? And that because of this little snafu my perfectly planned trip WAS RUINED?)

Obviously the logical thing to do in this situation is to start panic crying on the bus.

Obviously.

Jordan clearly heard me repeatedly saying “oh god” in a very panicked voice and was doing everything he possibly could think of to calm me down and help me figure it all out. Poor guy.

I don’t remember exactly how it all worked out, but I managed to get our Little Mermaid FP+ back and was able to get Space FP+ for after dinner. I wasn’t able to get Pirates FP+ but we agreed that since we had ridden it just two hours before, it wasn’t critical we ride again. We may have gotten a Buzz FP+ but I honestly don’t remember.

So we made it back to the hotel in one piece (okay, I made it back to the hotel in one piece. Jordan was always in one piece). It was about 12:30 and we were getting hungry! I talked Jordan into walking to the food court to get lunch. It was getting to be a tad warm but it was a beautiful walk. We noticed some awesome hammocks in some secluded areas near the main pool and I made a mental note to return during the week to read.

We got to the dining hall and we each got a personal pepperoni pizza plus chocolate cake to share.







After lunch, we headed back to the hotel and Jordan decided to take a nap while I was itching to go to the quiet pool one building over and read.



After about an hour and a half at the pool, I headed back to the hotel to rinse off in the shower and get ready to go back to the Magic Kingdom because we had a much coveted dinner reservation at Be Our Guest!

We got back to the Magic Kingdom and again I was in complete awe at how beautiful and magical the whole place was.

We randomly entered a store and came across the glass blower (maker?). We watched him for a while. He was incredible!







We walked down Main Street and Jordan wanted to get a drink. There happened to be a cart in the middle of the street as we approached the hub and the cast member insisted he and Jordan do a secret handshake.





There was a show going on in front of the castle with princesses and Minnie and Mickey and I just had to stop!







When Mickey says, “you’ll always be my princess, Minnie” there was an audible “aww” from Jordan. He’s such a big softy.

We walked to the right of the castle toward New Fantasyland. We had a date with Prince Eric!

Okay, maybe I had a date with Prince Eric.

We loved the theming of New Fantasyland and I cannot wait for the Seven Dwarves Mine Train to open! From what we were able to see, it looks like it will be an awesome ride!

We got in the FP+ line for Little Mermaid and we both loved the theming of the queue. Disneyland’s version is beautiful however not as immersive as WDW version. Little Mermaid is one of the few rides that is identical in both parks. And I loved every minute of it.







We next headed toward Gaston’s Tavern because I had mentioned LeFou’s Brew and we just had to try!

The statue in front is just amazing.

"A Tribute to Gaston...From Mr. Gaston"



We both loved the Tavern. So manly. So Gaston-y. LeFou’s Brew was pretty tasty too. I think it’s worth a try!









We left Gaston’s Tavern to head to Be Our Guest. How gorgeous is that?!?!?

We checked in and waited just a few minutes until we were called in and given the brief tour that they give all new guests.



Holy cow. This restaurant is one of the most amazingly beautiful and intricately decorated. Ever. We were seated in the ballroom at a table next to the window where there was SNOW FALLING OUTSIDE.

Okay. Disney wins. At everything.

I had the salmon (amazing) and Jordan had…pork?



I had been looking forward for dessert here since I had made the reservation back in September. All throughout dinner I had been watching the dessert cart come and go. I had even picked out which cupcake I wanted!

And then my stomach started doing flips. That LeFou’s Brew was not sitting well. I won’t bore (or gross you out) with the details, but I did not end up getting dessert and was contemplating not even riding Space Mountain. We opted to skip taking a picture with the Beast and left to see how I’d do walking around.

What a beautiful restaurant. There really isn’t anything that can compare. The food was great. The atmosphere was wonderful (if not a little dark). And our server was so kind.

I did manage to get a blurry picture of the Beast as he walked through the dining room!

 

[PirateFish989]

Once we got out of the restaurant and started walking toward Tomorrowland, my stomach was feeling better so we decided to go ahead with Space Mountain. I was super excited to ride Disney World’s version since Disneyland’s version is my favorite ride there. We walked up and the dome itself it just magnificent! We made it there about 10 minutes before our FP+ were to expire and had no issues with our Magic Bands. We walked through and were a little taken aback by how large the queue is! I’m so used to Disneyland’s (which is completely awesome because as you’re approaching the loading area, you are walking around and above the track so you can watch people come in from the ride and watch people get on and for some reason I find it all completely fascinating).



I honestly don’t know how we got to the loading area, there were so many people in there and the line splits at one point and I was confused but we waited no more than 10 minutes before it was our turn to load.

Now my disappointment with Disney World’s version begins here. The cars themselves are, um…outdated and very uncomfortable. But that’s okay. So are the Matterhorn’s and I still love that ride.

We took off and I was really thrown for a loop when I realized how quiet it was. I got very confused. And then about half way through the ride I realized that these cars don’t have on-board speakers! I’m used to an awesome soundtrack right next to both ears and honestly, it really makes a big difference.

The ride itself was fine. Much more jerky and illuminated than what I was expecting (and used to). When we got off and made our way out of the building we both agreed that we were disappointed in it. We had such high hopes going in because our version is just really wonderful (my opinion) and this one seemed just really outdated.

Now to be fair, I realize that Disneyland’s Space Mountain was completely rebuilt for the 50th celebration almost 10 years ago and that is really the only version I know (I did ride once before the complete overhaul but I don’t remember). I also really don’t want to offend anyone by my constant comparisons and critiques. These are simply our opinions and in no way mean that we are “right.”

After Space we headed over to the PeopleMover and WHY DID DISNEYLAND EVER GET RID OF IT?!?!? Greatest ride ever.











We then went over to the Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor. There isn’t really anything quite like it at Disneyland (except Turtle Talk with Crush) so we weren’t sure what to expect.

Wow. SO MUCH FUN. I could have spent all day in there.

And Mike’s nephew Marvin…um, ADORABLE. Where can I get one?





Buzz is right next door so we got in line. Disneyland has something similar so we knew what to do however the guns are attached here which totally ruined my score.



The fireworks were at 10:00 that night and it was approaching 9:30. One of the one things I really really really wanted to do was to see the fireworks. And Jordan had never seen Disney fireworks so we had no choice but to stay.

We knew that getting out and on a bus when the fireworks were over was going to be absolutely insane so we found a spot under the train station and waited there. I really enjoyed just taking everything in and people watching. Jordan found somewhere to sit and when the fireworks started he joined me on the curb.















Just before the fireworks ended, we made our way out and walked to the bus. We could see the last few fireworks from the bus stop and we got pretty lucky and there weren’t too many people in front of us.

Our first full day at Disney World was over and it had been so wonderful. I couldn’t wait for the next five days!

Up next: So THAT is Epcot.

 

[jworthy]

Enjoying your trip. We are from Fresno and have gone to DL hundreds of times (had season passes for several years), then we went to WDW for our honeymoon and we keep going back as much as possible. In fact, later this year it will be our 8th trip in 12 years. I have a feeling you will be making several more trips also.

 

[jenninaustin]

Oh your poor tummy! Glad it got better. That happens to me so often on vacations - I think the richer food just shocks my system sometimes!

 

[Credit Man]

Enjoying your report Being a WDW vet, I would love to get out to Disneyland and compare.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I can confirm that WDW hm is longer than dl's. Also love the comparisons, I did the same thing in my first DL tr.

What did you think of wdw's potc?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

if I saw my perfect day of FP+'s just disappear in front of my eyes I would have been pretty upset too. Glad you were able to get the important ones back!

Ah, the joy that is Dreaming Along with Mickey!

uggh, bummer about your stomach acting up right before cupcake time

hmmm, in some ways I think I am glad I have never ridden the DL Space Mountain in that I love the WDW version but fear that once I ride the DL version it will be ruined for me.

wow, you guys got a lot done on your first day!

 

[BOG Obsessed]

Hi Erin,
Following along
First TR, where i've read someone bringing and XBox to Disney. That's valuable packing space for souvenirs....
Can't wait for more updates.

 

[TinkyCheeks]

Hi! Just joining in here. Its really fun to read your comparisons between WDW and DL. Seems like you guys are having a great time so far. Can't wait to read more!

 

[DisneyFreak06]

What a great day! You know, on my last DL trip, I sat near the train station to watch the fireworks from there! Too funny. All your comparisons are actually making me want to go back to DL too, on top of WDW. It's totally natural to compare.

I hope you got back to Be Our Guest for dessert! It's so good! Which dessert did you actually have picked? I had the strawberry cupcake and I LOVED it. I also had one of the cream puffs and it wasn't as good as the cupcake. I am going to try a different cupcake next time, or maybe two, since I have an ADR for the evening and I'll likely go for lunch too. I'm just like that, when I find desserts I like, I go for them!

Here's a photography tip: Read your manual and practice what it says. Seriously, so many people don't do that and they need to! I need to actually read mine to learn more things that my camera does and I've had mine for 2 years.

 

[PirateFish989]

Enjoying your trip. We are from Fresno and have gone to DL hundreds of times (had season passes for several years), then we went to WDW for our honeymoon and we keep going back as much as possible. In fact, later this year it will be our 8th trip in 12 years. I have a feeling you will be making several more trips also.

I can't wait to go back! I'm trying to get my mom to go with me for a girls only trip sometime next year because I know she would love it as much as Jordan and I did!

Oh your poor tummy! Glad it got better. That happens to me so often on vacations - I think the richer food just shocks my system sometimes!

Fortunately the upset stomach didn't last very long but it definitely wasn't fun while it lasted!

Enjoying your report Being a WDW vet, I would love to get out to Disneyland and compare.

They're both so magical but in different ways. It kind of hard to explain and I hope I'm doing them both justice because they both hold big places in my heart!

I can confirm that WDW hm is longer than dl's. Also love the comparisons, I did the same thing in my first DL tr.

What did you think of wdw's potc?

WDW's Pirates was good! Shorter but good! We loved the mermaid skeleton towards the beginning of the ride! The queue was way more intricately themed than Disneyland's (which is mostly outside winding around itself).

if I saw my perfect day of FP+'s just disappear in front of my eyes I would have been pretty upset too. Glad you were able to get the important ones back!

Ah, the joy that is Dreaming Along with Mickey!

uggh, bummer about your stomach acting up right before cupcake time

hmmm, in some ways I think I am glad I have never ridden the DL Space Mountain in that I love the WDW version but fear that once I ride the DL version it will be ruined for me.

wow, you guys got a lot done on your first day!

We were able to get a lot done our first day! If you do ever get the chance to ride Disneyland's Space, I highly recommend it! I went to Disneyland just a couple weekends ago and gladly waited almost an hour in the sun to ride it because it really is a great ride. Just the loading area is fun (you wind your way down a ramp around the loading area and can watch, from above, cars come back in to the loading area and see people board. I don't know about others but I love watching it)

Hi Erin,
Following along
First TR, where i've read someone bringing and XBox to Disney. That's valuable packing space for souvenirs....
Can't wait for more updates.

He's such a nerd. He wanted to bring it to connect it to Netflix so we (he mostly) could watch during our afternoon breaks (I was planning on spending my valuable rest time by the pool with my book!) but I think it only got used once, maybe twice, the entire trip. He brought it in his backpack so MY precious souvenir space was preserved.

Hi! Just joining in here. Its really fun to read your comparisons between WDW and DL. Seems like you guys are having a great time so far. Can't wait to read more!

What a great day! You know, on my last DL trip, I sat near the train station to watch the fireworks from there! Too funny. All your comparisons are actually making me want to go back to DL too, on top of WDW. It's totally natural to compare.

I hope you got back to Be Our Guest for dessert! It's so good! Which dessert did you actually have picked? I had the strawberry cupcake and I LOVED it. I also had one of the cream puffs and it wasn't as good as the cupcake. I am going to try a different cupcake next time, or maybe two, since I have an ADR for the evening and I'll likely go for lunch too. I'm just like that, when I find desserts I like, I go for them!

Here's a photography tip: Read your manual and practice what it says. Seriously, so many people don't do that and they need to! I need to actually read mine to learn more things that my camera does and I've had mine for 2 years.

I wanted the strawberry cupcake! Next time I will HAVE to get one, upset stomach or not! And my camera is a couple years old and when I first got it, I read the entire manual and knew all the cool features and all was well! And then life happened and I wasn't using it much and forgot how to use all those cool features! I should have brushed up on at least some basic ones! Next time!

 

[PirateFish989]

Hi guys! I’m baaaaaack!

The last couple weeks have been crazy and the next couple weeks are going to be (slightly less) crazy but I happen to have a some time this afternoon and now that I’m sitting down with my big bowl of freshly rinsed strawberry-stand strawberries (seriously, the main thing California’s Central Valley has going for it is that it can grow some wickedly amazing produce and the fruit that most of America finds in the grocery store doesn’t even come close to the fruit stands we have all over the valley), I’m ready to tell you AAAALLLLLL about our first morning at Epcot!

So let’s do it!


It was our second morning in Disney World and our plan was to go to Epcot today! Disneyland doesn’t have anything similar to Epcot (as a park) so we were both really excited to see what all the fuss was about!

As was quickly becoming our routine, I got up a couple minutes earlier than Jordan and got ready and then walked to the food court to get breakfast while Jordan showered and did his morning thing. I really didn’t mind how far the walk was because the resort was just so beautiful. That morning I think I got a chocolate muffin and orange juice for myself and I honestly can’t remember what I got the boy. Cereal maybe?

Once we finished breakfast, we went down to the bus stop and I don’t remember waiting too long for an Epcot bus. We had FP+ that morning for Test Track within an hour after Epcot opened so we were planning on getting to the park right around the time it opened. The bus trip didn’t take too long and before we knew it, we were pulling into the Epcot bus drop off area. The very last stall. The one farthest away from anything. I don’t know why because there were plenty of open stalls super duper close. It’s probably because Disney just knew that we could use the extra walking because we weren’t going to walk at all today. NOT.

Anyway, we walked to the bag check area and it was crazy crowded and there didn’t seem to be any sort of organization as to how people were smashed into the designated bag check space. The space seemed really roped off and cramped compared to any other park we had been to and were going to go to and I’m not really sure why.

Once we made it through bag check (which took a lot less time than I thought it would), we got to use our wonderful Magic Bands to get in. Jordan actually had his sitting on his desk this last weekend and I felt the pangs of the Disney Blues seeing it and remembering how wonderful they were.



Our first FP+ was for Test Track but we had some time to kill before we needed to be there so I somehow managed to get us over toward The Land Pavillion. We had a spontaneous date with Nemo!

I’m going to be honest, and I’m sure you’re not going to like it. But we had no intentions of riding Soarin’. No intentions at all. We hadn’t scheduled FP+ and weren’t planning on running over there the minute the park opened. Why, you ask? Because over here on the West Coast, we have Soarin’ Over California and it is the exact same ride and I’ve ridden it until my heart is content and it just wasn’t a must-do for me. And Jordan is deathly afraid of heights and the one time he did ride it, he had a panic attack on the ride so he wasn’t exactly eager to ride it again.

Anyway, we walked over to The Seas with Nemo and Friends and walked through the queue. We never saw anybody else in line until we boarded. I know that it isn’t exactly the most exciting ride but it is cute! Finding Nemo is probably my favorite Pixar movie so I was excited to ride it.









After we got off the ride, we explored the aquarium for a while, which is awesomely cool, and took the obligatory picture in Bruce’s mouth.





Our FP+ window for Test Track was approaching so we started walking toward Test Track. Or at least where I thought Test Track was. I was so turned around in Epcot. I never did really get my bearings there. Whenever I looked at a map I got totally confused as to which was North was and the park seemed backwards and we somehow ended up in front of Test Track a couple minutes before our FP+ window was open so we sat on a plantar wall until we were good to go.







We ended up on the number 1 circle for Studio A and we only waited a short while before we were let in to design our car! I wanted to design something awesome and good for the earth and green. Jordan on the other hand wanted something with ridiculous horsepower and big and lots of other manly car words I don’t know. We compromised by letting him mostly design the engine and I GOT TO PICK THE PAINT COLOR AND FLOWERS ON THE SIDES!

Anyway, our car lost every single test except the last one (speed or power or whatever it is). Jordan was proud.







We then made our way towards the World Showcase because we had to get to Italy for lunch!

Up next: Lunch it Italy!

 

[PrincessJo]

I've never gotten to design a car because my son always gets to do that, but I swear I'll get to do it one day. It looks like fun

Italy.... MMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

 

[Nairnyn]

I am really enjoying your trip report!!

And as a southern California girl myself who grew up going to DL, I also find myself comparing things between DL and WDW. You can't help it. It took several trips for me stop referring to the Magic Kingdom as "Disneyland on steroids". But when people ask me which is better, I can't give an answer. They are each better at different things.

Can't wait to read more about your trip!

 

[DisneyFreak06]

Too fun! Don't tell anyone, but I don't absolutely HAVE to ride soarin' either. I like it, but it's not an absolute must do, although I tend to try to get one ride in a trip. I like the part at the end flying over Disneyland though, especially now that I've been!

I am confused about Test Track. Why didn't you both design a car? My friend and I both designed a car and we were on the same FP+. That was a nice way to compromise!

Are you at Via Napoli for lunch?

 

[jenninaustin]

Enjoying this so much and makes me ready to go with just my husband!

 

[awalker1015]

So enjoying your TR!! We love POR. Can't wait to read the rest!!!