You & Me & A Bottle Makes 3 (UPDATED! 4/7/14)–F&W Fest & the Rest in 5 days!

[BeerMe]

There you are!

I really didn't expect those crowds! Not just F&W but all of the parks!

It took me a while to find this thread! The reason we didn't stay for the full F&W was because we had to come back to watch grandkids, so I've been rather pre-occupied. Watching two of them now.

I must say, you kept better notes than I did, but next week I may get down to posting a TR. We're going back after Thanksgiving, but I'm not as excited as I was about F&W. I may be burned out a little by Disney.

 

[Nakkira]

It took me a while to find this thread! The reason we didn't stay for the full F&W was because we had to come back to watch grandkids, so I've been rather pre-occupied. Watching two of them now.

I must say, you kept better notes than I did, but next week I may get down to posting a TR.

I actually kept really lousy notes (aside from my tasting notes) but I took a ton of pictures, which helps me past back together my approximate chronology and remind me of what we did.

All stories are true, but the details may be slightly off, and I do not vouch 100% for my timelines.


I look forward to reading your report when you get there, but grandkids come before blogging any day!

We're going back after Thanksgiving, but I'm not as excited as I was about F&W. I may be burned out a little by Disney.

I wish I could afford to go more than the once every 4 or 5 years that I have been able to manage thus far in my life, but I think if I went several times a year, I too would be burnt out.

 

[Nakkira]

I'm here!

Your pictures are making me hungry... I need to remember to wait until I get home from work to read your updates!

Welcome aboard!

I have to confess it is one of my goals (making people hungry).


I read so many great trip reports before I went and they had me in a constant state of hunger (and anticipation)!

Your pictures with Mickey are so cute!!!! Can't wait to read more.

Thank you very much!
Yeah, I was crazy happy to see him.
100% a caught in the Disney spirit moment!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

you both did a great job plowing through and stopping at all the booths!

It's funny that I felt like we tried quite a few things when we went but not that many overlaps with what you got - guess that goes to show how hard it would be to try every single item offered

You have some lovely pavilion scenery shots. It's funny how you see these great shots of Canada and thing "wow, Canada really is the nicest pavilion!" ... but then two posts later see Morocco and thing (no, I take that back, it's Morocco" ... then two post later thing "Wow, Japan is definitely the best!"

 

[Nakkira]

you both did a great job plowing through and stopping at all the booths!

It's funny that I felt like we tried quite a few things when we went but not that many overlaps with what you got - guess that goes to show how hard it would be to try every single item offered

I think the only reason we got through as much as much as we did, is that aside from breakfast, we ate no other meals those days. No lunch or dinner, just a solid graze throughout the day.

You have some lovely pavilion scenery shots. It's funny how you see these great shots of Canada and thing "wow, Canada really is the nicest pavilion!" ... but then two posts later see Morocco and thing (no, I take that back, it's Morocco" ... then two post later thing "Wow, Japan is definitely the best!"

Thank you!


I really do think Epcot is the most beautiful of all the parks.

 

[Nakkira]

I do not like getting up early in the mornings.
I have a personal “rule” that unless I am trying to do something special (like my failed attempt to make rope-drop)
I do not wake up Earlier on my vacation than I do during the work week.

Since we had learned the joys of the public bus that runs every 30 minutes we had less transportation rush issues too.

I also did not want to get to the parks super late and “S” can sleep past noon if you let him. So using the fact that breakfast if over by 9am as a reason, I had been getting us up close to 8am each morning and on the bus right around 9.

Thankfully I had pre-set outfits for the week.

Since this was my Hollywood Studios Day and we were going out for dinner after, I decided to glam it up with my black Audrey Hepburn dress, and pearls. (Yes, leggings were worn under)

FTR, if I had known then what I know now about how harsh the sun was going to be that day, I would never have worn black. I would have told my inner diva to give a rest and dressed myself in cotton.

Hindsight is 20/20

I am getting side-tracked (or is that ahead of myself) again aren’t I?


Waffles, half a banana and diet coke for breakfast.
I usually cannot do soda in the mornings but who knew when, if, I would find a decent cup of coffee?
Lynx bus to TTC to HS.


While we were waiting for the Disney bus to HS a mother came by with a fussy 5 year old in a stoller yelling, “Kid for sale, Kid for sale”

I offered her $10 and she accepted!
You should have seen the look on that kid’s face!


HE stopped fussing and Mommy decided she could never part with her angel.
I gave the “angel” a sticker and said goodbye.

Off to Hollywood!


As soon as we were in the park we dashed towards Tower of Terror and Rockin Rollar Coaster.

We snagged Fast Passes for TOT (they were already for mid-afternoon and it was still before 9:30) and went straight to RR.

Wait time already 100 minutes.

I was unconcerned, I had figured we would just go in the Single rider line.
Closed.

Too long of a line for them to allow it.
Fast Passes gone for the day.
Remember it is not even 10am yet.


Okay, already am sensing a repeat of my MK disappointments.
Still, it does us no good to be negative.

Right well, I don’t have much hope but we will check back later.

Now to stroll around, shop and head in the direction of Toy Story Mania to see how bad that is.

Photopass? Of course!

Snazzy.


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[missangelalexis]

I'm sorry you guys had a sad moment in Epcot :-/ Glad you were able to bounce back though!

Your character pictures are adorable, especially the ones with Mickey!

Love the HS pic, can't wait to hear more about the day!

 

[RGirl]

GAH! I can't believe the crowds you had in October.

Love all the F&W pics though.

 

[Nakkira]

I'm sorry you guys had a sad moment in Epcot :-/ Glad you were able to bounce back though!

Your character pictures are adorable, especially the ones with Mickey!

Love the HS pic, can't wait to hear more about the day!

Thanks!

GAH! I can't believe the crowds you had in October.

Love all the F&W pics though.

I am glad you are enjoying them. That was one of my "missions", to capture everything we tried on camera. It was my first time doing a photographic food blog, but I am enjoying it.

 

[Nakkira]

“S” really likes Pixar so I decided to lead him in that general direction to see what the TSM situation was and poke around.

We are not above stopping along the way at whatever catches our fancy so when we saw a posted wait time of 15 for “The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow” we jumped in line.
I really did not know much about this, but we are both POTC fans so why not?

45 minutes later, most of it standing in REALLY hot sun.
We were led inside.
I think I would have like this simple but fun attraction had it not been “standing” (after 45 minutes standing wait this was not fun) and had we not waited so long. I really think it was worth the posted 15 minute wait but not 45 minutes.
Also it was most certainly aimed mostly at the younger audience members, but that I really do not mind.


We continued on to Toy Story Mania, only to discover the same old story. The line was two hours.
The Fast Passes were gone! (Only 11 am here folks!)


I was really getting frustrated. NO, I think I was already frustrated.



We wound up wandering back towards the Animation Courtyard, where we were told there was only 5 minutes till the next showing of Little Mermaid. 15 minutes later we are still in line and “S” is bored. We must have just missed it.

So I decided we should check out the Animation class. One has just started and we were lead to the holding pen for the next class, which was full and roped off with a ton of other people waiting outside of that area. We asked how many each class held, did a quick head count and realized that there were at least 2 more class loads ahead of us not to mention the one that just started and wondered off again.


We walked back down Pixar place and decided to get on the Studio backlot tour. We only waited about 20 minutes for this.

If nothing else this is a great photo-op ride!

It's my buddy Herbie!!!!

Dramatic special effects moment.

Max!

Star Wars fan-favorite



By the time we were done with this it was getting close enough for our TOT FP time to head back that way. I was getting hungry but decided food could wait.

This is another picture I am rather proud of.


We had to cool our heels for about 15 minutes once we got there but that was just enough time for me to convince "S" that he really did want to ride.
He like coasters but does not enjoy "free falls"
He agreed though especially since we were not having much luck with other attractions.

Corny "selfie" for FB.

With our fastpasses it was only about 15-20 minutes before we were loaded and buckled into our Service Elevator.

The doors closed.
Then they opened


We had to unload. Something was wrong with our elevator.


We waited for another 10 minutes or so and were then loaded into another service elevator.
This ride is one of my favorites. The spooky Twilight Zone theming is fantastic!

Obligatory photo of the ride-shot screen. The girl in front of us hiding against mom.. priceless. "S" looks way too relaxed for someone who does not like free-falls.


We shopped around a bit in the dump shot, where I got some earring for a co-worker and "S" tried to find a hat. HE had been looking off and on all morning because of the sun.
My co-worker had asked me to find her a pair of Mickey earrings.

I took a pic to see if she liked and wanted these. (she did)

I rather wanted a pair for myself. I could not decided if I actually wanted them or if I only wanted them because I was in Disney.
IF course now, I vastly regret not buying myself a pair 9and they were less than $10!)

Sometimes I am a little too frugal.


It is, by now, way past lunch time and I need to eat.
Let's find lunch shall we?


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[BeerMe]

I wish I could afford to go more than the once every 4 or 5 years that I have been able to manage thus far in my life, but I think if I went several times a year, I too would be burnt out. [/COLOR]

This will be the third trip this year for a total of 9 weeks. The December trip will cost $600 total. $300/week for a condo and we have APs, airfare free, car is borrowed. Only extra cost is food.

All told for 9 weeks we will have spent $2,400 for condos, $0 airfare, $1,120 for APs, $240 for parties, $800 for cars plus $500 for POP, AoA, SOG rooms. That's roughly $560/week not including food. For 9 weeks. Not bad.

 

[Nakkira]

This will be the third trip this year for a total of 9 weeks. The December trip will cost $600 total. $300/week for a condo and we have APs, airfare free, car is borrowed. Only extra cost is food.

All told for 9 weeks we will have spent $2,400 for condos, $0 airfare, $1,120 for APs, $240 for parties, $800 for cars plus $500 for POP, AoA, SOG rooms. That's roughly $560/week not including food. For 9 weeks. Not bad.

WOW
How did you manage free airfare?

 

[BeerMe]

WOW
How did you manage free airfare?

Rewards on SW

Sent from my mobile device.

 

[BGK]

Work has had me deep in the weeds of late, so I missed the start of your report.

Did your title come from being a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy fan? If so, it's worth it to note they've been playing the last weekend of the Festival for a few years now. I saw all three shows Sunday night. Each set was different and they absolutely brought the house down every time.

 

[Nakkira]

Work has had me deep in the weeds of late, so I missed the start of your report.

Did your title come from being a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy fan? If so, it's worth it to note they've been playing the last weekend of the Festival for a few years now. I saw all three shows Sunday night. Each set was different and they absolutely brought the house down every time.

Welcome!

Spot on!
I am a big fan of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy!


I once saw them at the Bottle & Cork in Rehoboth. They put on a fantastic show.

I really wanted to time my F&W trip to see them (that would have been AWESOME) but I was unable to manage it.

 

[Nakkira]

On our way to lunch we stopped and watched some cute Streetmosphere performers do a little skit, very three stooges style.

S found them very amusing, I wish I had gotten a picture, but to be honest I was so hungry and hot I didnt even think.

It was these guys (not my pic)

They told us a Halloween story and showed off their costumes. "S" was really having fun with them, trading wise cracks and puns. HE is the kind of bad jokes and these guys were full of them.
I think "S" might be considering a new career.




So we stayed until they took off again in their car and I once more resumed our quest for lunch.

I wanted to see if the Sci-fi had any standby for lunch but I should have known better with a packed park. Reservations only.
My heart was not set on it so that was ok.

We went to the ABC Commissary instead.

The lines were unbelievable.
My DBF was going to order the Hamburger and I was going to order the chicken so we could share. I considered a beer but worried it would make me sleepy.

40 minutes later we had our food.
40 minutes for Counter service!

No tables available inside but we found one outside.

I was starving and wanted to dive in but I quickly set up our food to take a blog pic. The hamburger looked rather thin so I moved the bun slightly to better show off the meat.

Only there wasnt any.

It was an imaginary burger on a real bun.

S is a very patient man but he looked pretty darn frustrated (cant blame him) and took his tray back inside.

I should have ordered that beer.

I cut the chicken in half and started eating. I would have waited but I was actually starting to feel a little ill from hunger.
The chicken was okay but kind of dry and chewy

I started chatting with the lady at the table next door who was complaining about the crowds and rise waits. Turns out her group had one day in Disney with Park Hoppers and the intention of doing all 4 parks. She was rapidly realizing that was not going to be possible this day.

10 minutes later S returned with his burger, and a refund. I actually got a shot of it but I wish I had gotten a pick of the empty burger first for the humor aspect.

The burger was pretty good. Fresh and juicy anyway. I got all the pickles.
My DBF hates pickles and I love them, so he always gives his pickle to me.
See, we are the perfect couple!



After we ate we headed to Star Tours to try and collect a FastPass.
I was bubbling with excitement over the new Star Tours. I have been known to ride the old version over and over again.
I think my sister and I hit it at least 4 times in a row last time.

We collected Fastpasses and then got in standby as the wait was listed as only 10. That may have had something to do with the Jedi training happening outside.



I do not think we waited even 10, we pretty much walked right on.

I stopped briefly to take my usual blurry C3PO and R2 pics.

I loved every minute of it! The scene on Kashyyyk with the Wookie on the windshield cracked me up so hard I almost peed myself.



The only downside is that we had a bunch of people on our transport that decided to act like we were on a really roller coaster and scream the whole time. Kind of ruined the sounds.

Oh well.

I decided we needed to race right out and get back on the ride since there was no wait.

"S" thought I was a little crazy but followed along like a sport!


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[happybelle]

I am still here. I just had to shake my head at the hamburger with no meat. Was there anything on the sandwich at all?

 

[Nakkira]

I am still here. I just had to shake my head at the hamburger with no meat. Was there anything on the sandwich at all?

Nope.
The lettuce, tomato , etc. are one the side.
We got an empty bun.
Or an imaginary burger...
However you choose to look at it.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Glad S is enjoying the street performers - definitely one of my favorite parts of DHS/MGM

We went to ABC commisary too and I had the same opinion about the chicken sandwich. Fortunately all of our food came with our initial order - though I did have to go back up as when we opened my daughters bag of carrot sticks they were all mushy and gross.

I love the new Star Tours and that there are different scenes so it is a different ride each time! Glad you got on with little/no wait - that is one ride that seems like the wait time can fluctuate between 10 mins and 40 mins and back to 10 mins rather quickly

 

[Nakkira]

The Jedi training had broken up by now so this time we had a 20 minute wait. I really did not mind because I am quite fond of the Star Tours que.

Once again we boarded and once again we were stopped and a droid scanned the ship in search of the Rebel Spy they suspected to be onboard!
They found me!
Yes, thats right, I am the Rebel Spy!!!!

Okay, really, for a Star Wars fanatic that is enough to make my day!!!!

Princess Leia Organa pleaded rather eloquently for Star Tours help delivering me safely.
I am very important to the Rebel Cause.
We're close, the princess and I.


I had to talk myself out of buying the tee-shirt in the dumpshop after.
Part of me still wants it but I own far too many t-shirts.



This time we went to Hoth which was a great scene and then Coruscant,
Outside I started snapping pictures of the Imperial Walker.

I posted one to my Facebook with the proud status I am the Rebel Spy


I would have happily ridden again but S was done for the moment and point it out that we still had FPs for later.



>insert< So, I forgot to mention that after lunch (before Star Tours), We walked over to Indiana Jones, but we had just missed a show and "S" was feel pretty hot and out of sorts and did not want to wait. He continued looking at hat in the shop and I chatted with a CM. She herself was baffled by the high volume of the parks this week. She was super nice and complimented me on my dress.
"S" found a couple of hats he liked but not that would fit his melon.


Moving Right Along.....
(If you are a Muppets fan I un-apologetically hope that song is now stuck in your head too)

Time for my Muppet fix then.
I LOVE the Muppets.
Just wanted you to know that.
I am a Muppet fanatic.

Muppet Vision 3D here I come!

We actually got there just as they had changed over, so we had to wait outside for a couple of minutes but then were let into the pre-show area.

It was the first time that I have gotten to see the entire pre-show so I was fine with it.

I also played with my camera trying to get some better dark shots and had a little bit of luck with the "Sports Mode"

Quality entertainment

I always love the show, and "S" enjoyed it a lot too. He really like that Waldorf and Statler were in the balcony!
He loves those two.
He like that Sweetums came out too.

I am still not pleased with their Muppet shop. I can find more at the Disney Store and Target than I can find there. I was hoping that since The Muppets had come out that they may have done more merchandising.

Since we are one the topic of Muppets I can happily say that over the course of my trip I managed to find and trade for two more Muppets pins for my collection!
I have decided to save my Pin-trade showing of for one of the "wrap-up" posts.

"S" was really needing some caffine and a cold drink so we ducked into Pizza Planet Arcade so he could order an iced tea.
I know, I know, I had just had lunch less than two hours ago but the second "pizza-smell" hit my nose I had to have some.

We got one to split. Besides, dinner would not be till later than we were used to anyway!

It doesn't look like much but it was actually pretty tasty. The salad hit the spot too, apparently I needed some green stuff.

Honestly, I figure that between walking and sweating, calories were canceled out this week anyway.
We enjoyed out snack and the air conditioning. After "S" played a few games we hit the loo and went back out.

It was time for our FP's for Star Tours so we went over and rode that one final time.






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