Day 6 – 15th August 2013
We had disembarked the Disney Dream after the most amazing cruise around the Bahamas. Check that blog out here. For the next 9 nights we were staying in Saratoga Springs. This would be the part of the holiday where we were also on the dining plan and had resort refillable mug, 1 quick service, 1 table service and 1 snack each day. We managed to get the dining plan for free as we were staying in a deluxe resort. If we were paying, at the time, it would have cost $55.59 a day.
Check in was a nightmare as they could not find our reservation number in the system. This was a time to panic as it was the part of the reservation which had our dining, hotel and theme park tickets on it. The cast member seemed to think that because we booked it on the UK Disney Site we had a reservation number that would not fit into the American system. To make matters worse they could not phone the UK as it was shut due to the time difference. It took well over an hour and lots of phone calls to sort it out. Eventually we were checked in, we were taken to our room by golf buggy as the resort is so big. The room was huge with kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and balcony.
We decided to make Hollywood Studios our first park, which turned out to be our favourite park of the trip. Our first attraction was The Tower of Terror. Before our trip we decided not to look at any of the attractions online so they would be a surprise, well Tower of Terror was a little more than a surprise. I was so scared getting into the lift, the cast members are so in character and that scares you even more. So the Tower of Terror is basically a lift that drops 13 floors. It was the scariest but best ride I had ever been on. I love the rides that make you panic and you get butterflies in your stomach. Next up was Rock ‘n’ Roller, which again gets your heart racing. This is a roller coaster that zooms off so quick you cant move. This was one of our favourite ride photos of the trip.
We walked around the park and took advantage of the PhotoPass. We payed $199 for PhotoPass, which is a service where there are photographers around all theme parks taking photos of your party. Ride photos are also included. We thought this would be worth it as we find it difficult to have photos of the two of us. Here are some that were taken in Hollywood Studios, we particular like the magic shots.
We decided to head back to the resort after lunch as it was getting a little too hot. Once back we relaxed for a few hours before heading over to Downtown Disney. Saratoga Springs is the perfect location for getting to Downtown as your able to walk or get a boat. We decided to walk as the weather was so nice and it was starting to cool down a little.
We had dinner at Rainforest Cafe which had amazing themeing. Outside they have a volcano that erupts with fire and smoke. It felt like we were sat in the rainforest with the trees, animals and sounds. We then walked around the shops and loved the Lego store and the World of Disney before going back to the resort.
Food and Drink
Lunch: Catalina Eddies. We both had Chicken Caesar Salad and a Coke. We asked the cast member if we could substitute the Chocolate Cake for a bottle of water. We were met with the most shocked expression and reply ‘you don’t want cake’. Well not really seems as its boiling hot and only just midday. The salads were really good but the portion sizes were ridiculous, we could have easily shared a meal and still be full.
Dinner: Rainforest Cafe
- My Main: Taste of the Islands – Caribbean Coconut Shrimp, Dynamite Scallops and Shrimp served with mango salsa.
- Mike’s Main: Ribs, Shrimp and Steak Trio served with coleslaw and safari fries.
- My Desert: Chocolate Fudge Cake
- Mike’s Desert: Cheesecake
We couldn’t face desert so took it with us back to the room, where it stayed in the fridge and then went to the bin.
The Highs
When we arrived back at our resort that night the resort had left us a gift to apologise for the wait at check in and to celebrate our honeymoon. We had balloons, mugs and snacks.
The Lows
The check in at Saratoga Springs was so stressful, we actually thought we were not getting a room.
Day 7 – 16th August 2013
What We Did: We went to the Premium Outlets in the morning. We got the bus to Sea World and then changed onto another bus to go to the Premium Outlets. The buses were easy to work out once we had a map of the route. We had heard lots about the outlet stores and that it was a must while in Orlando. However we didn’t find anything really and were underwhelmed by the stores. The stores were not much cheaper than the UK and it was very old stock. Even in the Disney store we couldn’t find anything that we wanted. We walked around to see what shops they had and then made our way back to the bus bay and headed back to the resort.
We chilled out a little in the hotel and then headed over to Ohana’s for tea. This was an amazing place for food, which is served “family style”. So it’s a buffet that comes to your table. When we walked in you could see the huge coal grills where the skewers of meat are cooked, they are brought to your table on the skewer and the server slides some off for your plate. In all the places we have eaten so far they refill your soft drinks before you have even finished the last. They don’t just refill the glass but bring you a whole new drink.
We then caught the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. The castle is so pretty when lit up at night. We had time to hit a few attractions before the Fireworks show. We decided to go on Space Mountain which was very rough, Splash Mountain which was so much fun, and another favourite, and Big Thunder Mountain. With all the mountains done it was time to get our spot for Wishes and Celebrate the Magic.
Wishes was one of the best fireworks shows I have seen. It is so clever how the fireworks, music and voice over all work together. It made me have goosebumps at the end when they hit the big button (what we call the last firework) and there are so many fireworks you can barely see the castle! Celebrate The Magic was also very good and the projections were so clear on the castle. At one point it actually looks like the castle is moving.
Food and Drink
Dinner: Ohana’s
- My Drink: Lapu Lapu which was a tropcial cocktail served inside a pineapple
- Mike’s Drink: Red Stag Lemonade
- Starter: Bread Service, mandarin and passion fruit salad, dumplings and chicken wings.
- Main: Pork, Chicken and Steak Skewers with noodles and vegetables.
- Desert: Banana Bread and Butter Pudding with Toffee Sauce and Ice Cream.
The Highs
It was our first fireworks show of the holiday and the bar was set high. I cant believe they manage to put a show like that on every day of the year. It was the most amazing thing I have seen and since being home we sometimes watch them on YouTube.
The Lows
The Lows: The premium outlets did not impress us and we felt as if we had wasted a morning, which could have been spent in the parks.
Day 8 – 17th August 2013
Date: 17th August 2013
What We Did: It was our first ever day at a proper water park today. We were a bit later arriving than anticipated thanks to the Disney transportation system! We waited ages for a bus from the resort, we even had to ring the front desk to check there was a bus even coming! Once we got there we got changed and put sun cream on. We were nervous about burning like in the Bahamas so we doused ourselves in cream! I have to be really careful in water as my sun cream is not water resistant, as my skin is sensitive and gets heat rash easily. I have found that water resistant creams makes it worse. I will only use one type of cream now which is Piz Buin Allergy.
First we hit the wave pool. WOW! The waves were so big, they took you off your feet and whisked you away. I couldn’t believe how strong they were even in the shallower part of the pool. It made us very tired fighting against the waves and we were losing. We soon decided to have a rest on the lazy river which takes you around the whole of the park. We got on our tubes and relaxed until we went under water falls which were freezing cold. We both love a lazy river and could sit and chat all day.
Next up was Gangplank Falls which is a family raft tide. It was a lot of fun, you are sat in a huge tube which fits a lot of people so be prepared to share a tube. You go through a rapids which have lots of water spraying and waterfalls. A very fun slide.
We then went onto the Storm Slides, which were very fast and in enclosed tubes. Mike liked these however I did not as they were a little fast and you could feel all the joins of the slide in your back. Next was our favourite slide of the park which was Crush n Gusher which is a tube slide. We liked being in a double tube and we laughed all the way down. It even pushes you up slopes which is really cool. They even have a photopass photographer at the bottom!
We then had lunch at Typhoon Tilly’s before heading back to the resort to get changed and ready for the evening.
It was still rather early once we were ready so decided to walk to Downtown Disney and into Disney Quest. We played on many of the arcade games such as Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam, Race Zone and Buzz Astroblaster. We also played old style machines such as pin ball. This is a cool place to spend some time in the air conditioning playing games.
We then headed to Epcot, we saw the ‘golf ball’ from miles away. I didn’t realise there was a ride inside the ball called Space Ship Earth which was rather good and made a future for us based on questions the vehicle asked. We then went on Soarin’ which was amazing, I loved flying over Disney with the fireworks going off.
Before food at the Coral Reef we joined Nemo and Friends inside our very own clam. I loved this ride, the exit pushes you out through an aquarium where you can see manatees and other fish. This is Mike’s favourite place. I could leave him watching the manatees for hours.
Coral Reef was a really good place to eat, the food was tasty and fresh. The best thing though is you can see into the huge aquarium tank and watch the fish and sometimes divers. You are given a card that shows what fish we could see in the tank, we even saw a turtle.
Food and Drink
Lunch: Typhoon Tilly’s
We shared a Typhoon Tilly’s Sandwich, Salad and Cookies. Food was ok, not as good as the theme parks.
Dinner: Coral Reef, Epcot
My Main: Orange and Ginger Glazed Salmon
Mike’s Main: Grilled Mahi Mahi with Shrimps served with Rice and Coconut Lime Sauce
My Desert: Coconut and Mango Chiffon cake
Mike’s Desert: Bailey’s and Jack Daniels Mousse
We also received an anniversary cake which was a lovely touch.
The Highs
Crush n Gusher. I absolutely loved this ride, it made me laugh and scream and was so much fun. It was very quick and the corners were sharp. It was so nice to be able to go down together in the double tube.
The Lows
Waiting for the bus to get to Typhoon Lagoon. It took so long and definitely wasted a good 2 hours of our time.
Day 9 – 18th August 2013
What We Did: This morning we headed to Blizzard Beach, a much better bus ride than yesterday. It was on time and far quicker!
Once we arrived in the park we hired lockers and got changed. We then headed over to Summit Plummit. We watched people come down and it was so fast. I was defiantly not going on that! So I waited at the bottom while Mike began the hike up to the ride. While I was waiting it was so funny watching people come off the slide making sure they were still covered by their swimwear. Mike loved Summit Plummit he said it was scary at the top as you can’t see the edge of the slide when sat at the top.
We then decided to go onto Teamboat Springs which was a family raft ride. We had to ride with another couple as they need more than two in the raft. This slide was so much fun, as you go up the sides of the wall and get splashed…a lot. It goes very quick around the corners has some small drops, but is a great family ride. We loved it and laughed all the way down.
We then spent a few hours in our favourite place the Lazy River. I love sitting in the tube and going around and around the river, there are parts with waterfalls and hoses spraying people in the tubes, which Mike took great pleasure in pushing me under! There were also Photopass photographers in the lazy river with us!
We then went for lunch at Lottawatta Lodge before riding Downhill Double Dipper. This is where you sit in a tube side by side and race to the bottom of the slide. Mike won the race! We then went back to the resort for a well needed rest.
It was Extra Magical Hours in Magic Kingdom tonight we started by taking photos with the PhotoPass people. The shots were really nice in front of the castle and main street train station.
We went on Stitch’s Great Escape and Mosters Inc Laugh Floor. Both rides were ok but I don’t think we will rush to do either again. We went to Be Our Guest for Tea and it was magical. You eat inside of Beast’s Castle which looks exactly like the film. We ate in the ballroom with the baby pictures on the ceiling and the falling snow in the window, you can also eat in the west wing complete with rose! The Beast makes an entrance every hour and walks through the dining rooms. I loved eating here and can’t wait to eat there again. On the way out we met The Beast.
We were on the way out of the restaurant when the biggest storm rolled in. It was pouring down, I have never seen rain like it. The rain fell so fast it was bouncing off the ground and flooding the place. Then came the thunder and lightning. There is a reason they are called the lighting capital, needless to say we waited until it stopped before steeping out of the restaurant!
As it was raining the shows and fireworks had been delayed. The Main Street Electrical Parade was the first show of the evening. We loved how Pete’s Dragon made an appearance and the spinning turtles. Next it was Celebrate the Magic and Wishes which were breath taking as always.
Food and Drink
Lunch: Lottawatta Lodge
We shared a chicken burger, salad, and cookies.
Dinner: Be Our Guest in the Magic Kingdom.
My Starter: Seasonal Salad Trio
Mike’s Starter: French Onion Soup Topped with Crouton and Gruyere Cheese
My Main: Grilled Strip Steak with Garlic Herb Butter and Pommes Frites
Mike’s Main: Layered Ratatouille with Quinoa and Bell Pepper Sauce
My Desert: Lemon Meringue Cupcake
Mike’s Desert: Strawberry Cupcake
Anniversary Gift: Grey Stuff
The Highs
Be Our Guest is one of the best themed restaurants I have ever been in. It was truly magical inside and made you feel as if you were really inside the Beasts castle. The food was super tasty and we got to taste the grey stuff, which I did not like but Mike did. It just tasted of icing!
The Lows
I can’t remember any lows from today. What a good day!
Day 10 – 19th August 2013
What we did: It was an early wake-up call this morning, breakfast at Chef Mickey’s in the Contemporary Resort. We phoned the front desk last night to see when the bus would be to the Magic Kingdom to get us to our reservation. The bus was at 6.45 am, way too early for me. Once at the Magic Kingdom, we decided to walk over to the Contemporary which was nice at this time in the morning. It was time for a buffet breakfast with Chef Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy. It was just ok and we would not return, I think it is more to do with how early the reservation was. After breakfast the plan was to go into the Magic Kingdom however we were so tired we decided to go back to the resort to sleep for a few more hours.
We were in need of a rest from all the fun and walking over the last few days! Then we headed over to Hollywood Studios for extra magical hours. We went on the Great Movie Ride which we both enjoyed as the car transported us through some of the most iconic movie scenes and was a different kind of ride. We then ,went to see the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular. This show was really good and showed you how a lot of the stunts are filmed on set, including fire, guns, fight scenes and explosions. It was fun and fast paced.
We then headed for a quick service at pizza planet before riding Star Tours. This ride made me feel so sick from the simulation movement. I didn’t know where to look to make it better and shutting me eyes did not work! It was time for fresh air to get rid of the sick feeling!
We then went on Toy Story Mania, which I won! I love this ride it is so exciting and competitive but so much fun. On the way to Tower of Terror, we went into Walt Disney’s One Man Dream. I learned a lot here about Walt and Mickey Mouse. It is a nice place to see original artwork, models of the Theme Parks, and a film. Then on to the Tower of Terror which still scares me even after riding it loads of times!
Fantasmic is definitely my favourite show on Walt Disney World property. I love the storyline the characters, villains and an incredible soundtrack. It is exciting and has so much going on and even finishes with fireworks. It was then definitely time to go to bed!
Food and Drink
Breakfast at Chef Mickeys in the Contemporary Resort. This was buffet service and included everything from omelettes, fruit, mickey waffles up to breakfast pizza and lasagne. The food was alright, not the best we have had in Disney. We totally understand that you are there to meet to characters but by the end of the trip it was our least favourite restaurant.
Dinner at Pizza Planet where we shared pizza, salad and cookies.
The Highs
Fantasmic! AMAZING! MUST SEE!
The Lows
The tiredness hit today. The bus ride to breakfast was such hard work and I could have stayed in bed. I am glad we went but looking back we should have gone for lunch and had a morning to rest up. We did not think we would walk so much.
Day 11 – 20th August 2013
For this blog we will place the food and drink in this section as that was basically the whole part of our day!
We have been looking forward to this since we booked our trip. We read a couple of blogs on how to plan our day. We decided to get there early and try a drink each in each country and to share a snack in each place too.
We arrived at Epcot early and got a few photopass pictures by spaceship earth.
Next we headed over to the World Showcase starting at Mexico. It was around 11am and we decided to get some food before we started to drink around the world!
MEXICO
Snacks: We ended up getting a counter service at La Cantina de San Angel, food was lovely we shared tacos and nachos.
Drinks: La Cava del Tequila where we drank wild passion fruit margaritas with berry foam on the top. This is by far the best margarita I have tasted and we would be back here for more on another day!
In Mexico we also rode Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, looked around the shop and met Donald Duck, something that Mike very much enjoyed. Mexico was one of our favourite pavilions in Epcot.
Norway
Snack: School Bread from Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe. This was a bun filled with vanilla custard and topped with coconut. Very tasty!
Drinks: Also at Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe. There was only one drink for Mike and that was the Galcier Shot which made him pull a face at after drinking! It smelt of nail varnish remover. I had a white wine which was a little too dry but was ok.
While in Norway we shopped and went on Maelstorm.
China
Snack: We went to Lotus Blossom Café where we shared pork and vegetable egg rolls. These were a snack credit and rather good.
Drinks: We drank a plum wine (so good) and Chinese beer with our snack inside the café.
The China pavilion is really pretty with streams, buildings and gates. We went to see Reflections of China which was in a 360 dergree cinema. Very cool and coming out we had now added China to the list of places we want to go.
Germany
Snack: Jumbo Pretzel at Sommerfest, it was salty but a little dry so luckily we had drinks to go with it.
Drinks: Schofferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefeweizen and a Jägermeister Shot to share. The pink grapefruit beer was really tasty.
Germany has a lot of great looking buildings but is not one of our favourite pavilions.
Italy
Snacks: We were hoping to get inside the Tutto Gusto however the cast member on the door was rather rude to us so we decided against it. She kind of looked at us up and down and said no. Their loss! In the end we decided not to have a snack.
Drinks: We bought peroni’s from a beer cart which were cold so good.
America
Snacks: We picked up a Jalepeno cheese stuffed pretzel from Fife and Drum, which was so good.
Drinks: This was another highlight for us, Frozen Red Stag Lemonade. This was so good in particular because it was frozen.
Japan
Snacks: We decided not to get a snack as we were rather full and our dinner reservation was just around the corner.
Drinks: Mike had never tried sake so that was the only drink he was allowed to get. As I have tried it and didn’t like it I opted for the plum wine. Mike did not like the sake as you can see from the following photos.
By this point we had been drinking for hours in the Florida sun and I was feeling a little drunk. We went into a shop within the Japan pavilion to look around. Mike found me walking around with a very large china owl… that I wanted to keep. Needless to say we left after that in case something got broken.
Morocco
Snacks: No snacks as we were eating dinner in the next country.
Drinks: We both decided on a frozen cocktail which were rather tasty and came in souvenir glasses… which we took home with us.
The Morocco Pavillion is very beautiful, with lots of colours and fountains.
UK
Food: We ate at The Rose and Crown out on the patio area.
Starters
Me: Prawn cocktail
Mike: Cheese Board
Main Course
Me: Steak, Fish with chips and Gravy. A very weird combination but delicious.
Mike: Chicken Curry
Desert
Me: Berry Cake
Mike: Sticky Toffee Pudding
I had a pint of snake bite and Mike had a cocktail with a glow cube. The food was lovely and we got to watch Illuminations from the balcony which was a perfect view of the fireworks. Illuminations was our least favourite show on property.
France
Snacks: Still full
Drinks: We both had a Grey Goose Slush which was amazing. It was very strong but so nice.
Canada
Snacks: No way!
Drinks: We both had frozen mojito’s which were horrible! They tasted like frozen toothpaste.
We did it! We managed to drink around the world. We both had a drink in every country. Snack around the world did not work out to well as we were so full. It was a really fun day and rather chilled out compared to other park days. It was now time to get to bed.
The Highs
I loved taking a slower pace and people watching while sitting at the bars drinking our tasty drinks. It was so much fun to have an adult activity within a theme park.
The Lows
Heartburn! Oh my god I had heartburn heading into the UK pavilion. It was so bad and the heat was not helping. I had to sit on a curb for 20 minutes until it had passed. Another low was going into the UK shops and seeing t shirts from England, Ireland and Scotland but nothing from Wales! Wales is a part of the UK too Disney!
Day 12 – 21st August 2013
What We Did: Our first stop today was Hollywood Studios, it was so hot. As soon as we opened the hotel door we were sweating. Once in the park we watched Lights, Motor, Action which was a stunt show featuring Lightning McQueen. This show was great, full of energy and danger. It was so hot sat in the metal stands though!
The next thing we did was Backlot Express Tour which I think was one of my favourite rides. You get to see behind the scenes and how they would record scenes with fire, water and explosions. It was super cool to watch and a little frightening in places. Then it was time for lunch at the Studio Catering Company which was a great quick service meal.
After lunch we saw the Voyage of the Little Mermaid which is a stage show filled with characters and songs. We then decided to head over to Downtown Disney for some much needed air con!
Once in Downtown Disney we headed over to Disney Quest which was such a cool place. The building is filled with old style arcade games and simulation machines. We had so much fun on the pinball machines and the racing cars, Mike took a lot of pleasure in beating about ten others on the NASCAR simulator. We then got to a part where we could design our own rollercoaster, not only that but then test it out in the simulation. This was so much fun but did make me feel really sick during the simulation. We really enjoyed our time here.
We then headed to T-Rex for dinner, which is an amazingly themed restaurant filled with dinosaurs, an ice cave and woolly mammoth. After dinner we went over the Goofy Candy Company and made our own Mickey Treat. This was a snack credit and was so big it took me 4 sittings to eat it all. We both decided on marshmallow treat, dipped in milk chocolate then mini m&m’s followed by a drizzle of white chocolate.
We were so tired now that we called it a night. This was a slower day following our drinking around the world.
Food and Drink
Lunch at Catering Company where we had a sandwich, chicken wrap and chocolate mousse to share. It was really good.
Dinner at T-Rex Café in Downtown Disney
Starter
Supersaurus sampler – spinach and pepper jack sauce with tortilla chips, bruschetta and onion rings. (way too big for a starter for two!)
Mains
Me: New York Strip with red skinned mashed potatoes and vegetables.
Mike: Gigantosaurus Burger with fries.
Desert
We shared meteor bites with caramel and chocolate dipping sauces. Amazing but we were so full we could hardly eat any of them.
The Highs
We both enjoyed eating in the T-Rex Café as the theming was so good. We also loved playing the old style games in Disney Quest.
The Lows
We were very tired today which was only made worse by the heat. The weather definitely got to us today. We could not get used to the Florida humidity.
Day 13 – 22nd August 2013
What We Did: Today we were in Animal Kingdom which is pretty much like a zoo and safari park all rolled into one. We loved it here but is was so hot and humid and it felt worse than any other theme park, not sure if that was because of all the trees.
We first went in hunt of the yeti on Expedition Everest. We found this ride rather boring and over hyped but the yeti part is really cool. We then went for breakfast at Tusker House. This was the best character meal we had over the course of three weeks. So much better than Chef Mickeys, but that could be because we were more awake for this one!
We then went on safari which was brilliant. We saw giraffe, rhino, hippos, crocs and elephants. The guide was full of information and jokes. We heard another person saying he saw more of this Safari than when he was in Africa! All the animals were out and easy to see. The safari is really well done as you cant see the boundaries and feels so real.
Next up was the forest trail where we saw gorillas, hippos and birds. It felt even more humid in the middle of the forest and we were seriously sweating by now! Onto Rafiki Planet aboard the train. The train ride shows you the back area to the safari where they keep all the animals. Rafiki’s Planet Watch was all about conservation and they had these really cool rainforest booths that were dark and pumped out sounds of the rainforest. They also had a place where you could watch vets operating on the smaller animals through glass. Mike’s favourite part was the affection section where you got to brush and pet pigs and goats, it took me a while to get him to leave!
Once back into the main part of the park we watched Flights of Wonder. We loved this show as it featured owls (my favourite). We got to see vultures fly and do tricks and we got to see a Bald Eagle. WOW! He was massive! Such a beautiful bird. We then walked through the Maharajah Jungle Trek where we saw tigers, komodo dragons and the biggest fruit bats I have ever seen!
I couldn’t believe how many animals we were seeing up close. They all looked happy and their enclosures were huge. We were so hot we then went onto the Kali River Rapids to cool down. What a ride, I have never been on a rapids ride that has this much of a drop. Honestly it stops at a point and when you look back you can’t see where the drop end! It was so scary and to make it worse it was rather misty. It is the best rapids ever, and you get soaked!
We then lined up for The Festival of The Lion King, this is by far the best stage show in Disney World. It is so fun and has you singing and dancing all the way through. It is great because its not the exact story as it has its own spin on it. The dancers and singers are really good in this show and in particular the tumbling monkeys. We then went on my worst ride of our stay, It’s Tough to Be a Bug, I hated it as it felt as if bugs were running around your feet and at the end you get a poke in the back, meant to be a sting. I jumped so much. I will never do this again!
We went for dinner at Boma at Animal Knigdom Lodge which was super yummy and then headed to Downtown Disney to buy some gifts for home. We made our own candle in Basin where you can fill with different scented waxes.
Food and Drink
Breakfast at Tusker House in Animal Kingodm where it was a buffet style restaurant with lots of African flavours. It was really good and fresh. The best part though is meeting safari Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy.
Dinner was at Boma in Animal Kingdom Lodge. This was also a buffet style restaurant serving African food. It was so good we ate lots of curry, breads and rice dishes. They had a carvery station with salmon, pork, steak and chicken. The best though was the zebra domes in the desert section which are so tasty, also they are alcoholic!
The Highs
The food today was really good. We had two buffet meals that were so good as it wasn’t full of American food. We really liked the African themed foods with different herbs and spices.
The Lows
We were disappointed with Expedition Everest. We were really looking forward to this ride before our visit as its the main attraction. After riding Tower of Terror and Rock n Roller it doesn’t compare in our opinion.
Day 14 – 23rd August 2013
What We Did: Today we went to Universal Studios! We caught the bus from Downtown Disney and within 15 minutes we were at the TTC…we’d caught the wrong bus. So annoying as we then had to wait about 40 minutes for the next bus. The bus drops you off by Sea World where you have to wait for another bus. You have to transfer bus again on the I-Drive. The bus took so long to get to Universal.
Once there and through security we decided to go to Island of Adventure. The first ride we came across was The Hulk. We liked that you could put your bags in lockers free of charge while you ride. This is great as it makes the line shorter, you don’t have to wait for others to collect all their stuff before they exit. We loved it and we only had to wait 15 minutes in line. The initial acceleration of the ride is amazing!
We then went on Spiderman which was a simulation, and made me feel sick. The ride was really well done though and so immersive. You wear 3D glasses and are placed in a car following Spiderman fighting off bad guys! It was again very hot and humid so we went on the water rides next. We went on Ripsaw Falls and Bluto’s Barges. These two rides got us drenched. We were so wet the barges were like tidal waves that would come over the boat. We were both getting a little angry and tired as our clothes were so wet and because it was so humid would not dry quickly or easily. It took all day for them to dry.
The Jurrasic Park theme tune made us feel happier, and walking under the gates. This was my favourite ride of the day, although it did add to the wetness. It was so cool and I loved all the theming.
Next up was Harry Potter Land and this was brilliantly themed, including snow topped roofs. We rode the rides within this land. I really enjoyed the forbidden journey but had to close my eyes going through the forest full of spiders! We went into Honeyduke’s, saw what a chocolate frog cost and walked straight back out. We then had a picture with the Hogwarts Train.
We were done for today as it was getting late and we had the dreaded bus journey home. We checked how much a taxi would be but could not justify paying that much. On the way out we went to Margaritaville for nachos and cocktails. Yummy!
Food and Drink
Dinner at Margaritaville where we shared the biggest portion of nachos and beers and cocktails. Food was yummy, can’t go wrong with nachos.
The Highs
The rides were great as they were aimed at adults more. There were more thrill rides and a lot of simulation that were fun.
The Lows
It’s not Disney World. I don’t think we will ever get service like we get in Disney. Everyone seems more willing to help and the theming of the queues are so much better there. We wanted to be back in the happiest place on Earth.
Day 15 – 24th August 2013
What We Did: Today we changed resort to Art of Animation. We were sad to say Goodbye to Saratoga Springs as it was such a nice resort and the bed was so comfy. The good thing was Saratoga Springs took our bags to the resort, well at the time this was a good idea.
Art of Animation was easy to check in and really well themed. It had a Cars, Lion King, Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid themed rooms. The lobby was full of sketches and drawings of the characters and looked really bright and colourful.
Our room was so cute, we were staying in The Little Mermaid Room. The shower was Ariel’s cave full of treasure which was really nice. We loved our new room, the beds were not as comfy though!
This was the part of the day that got us super stressed and angry. We were eating at Victoria and Alberts in the evening and were waiting for our bags to be delivered. In Victoria and Alberts it is smart dress only, including a dinner jacket for men. We had to have our cases and were running out of time. So I phoned the reception to ask about our cases and because there was lightning in the area they were unable to deliver them until it had passed. So I asked if we could come down and get them which they also said was not possible. We were therefore left waiting for the storm to pass.
In the end we had to ring Victoria and Albert’s to explain why we may be a little late. Our bags finally arrived and it was a mad rush to get ready and dressed and over to The Grand Floridian by taxi, but we finally made it after the bag issue! It looked so lovely inside the Grand Floridian, with it’s crisp and clean décor.
When we checked into Victoria and Albert’s they supplied a dinner jacket for Mike as we were unable to pack it in our suitcase. The cast member who checked us in could guess Mike’s jacket size and once we sat down he casually brought the jacket over and put it on the back of Mike’s chair and asked him to put it on when he next stool up. We had a small table and the whole restaurant was really small. As it was our Honeymoon we received personalised menus. The food was delicious, especially as I didn’t really know what I was eating. The best thing is that every course came with a little story about where the food had come from and how it was cooked. Definitely the fanciest place we have ever ate. It was expensive but worth it. Mike really liked the coffee that was brewed at the table.
On the way out we received a rose, our menus, sweets and a fruit bread for breakfast. This made me so happy.
As we were all dressed up so we headed into the Magic Kingdom to get Photopass photos in front of the castle.
Food and Drink
Dinner at Victoria and Albert’s in The Grand Floridian. The menu had a choice of two things for each course so we just ordered both.
1st Course
Amuse Bouche
2nd Course
Petit Poussin with Violet Mustard and Crispy Skin
Octopus A La Plancha with Black Garlic Aioli
3rd Course
Maine Diner Scallop with Cauliflower and Glace de Viande
Black Bass with Yellow Tomato Bouillon and Almonds
4th Course
Crispy Squab with Agnolotti and Cherry Jus
Veal Napoleon with Chanterelle Mushrooms
5th Course
Mangalitsa Park, with Roasted Beets and Toasted Caraway Vinaigrette
Roasted Duck with Fennel and Leeks
6th Course
Colston Bassett Stilton, Gouda Reypenaer
Roasted White Chocolate Gelato with Balsamic Glaze
7th Course
Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Souffle
Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee
8th Course
Celebes Coffee and Friandises
The Highs
Most definitely the meal at Victoria and Albert’s. It was so amazing and brilliant experience.
The Lows
The luggage issue. When we phoned they still ended the conversation with “have a magical day”, which angered me even more!!