Sue Holland Rayford's early Flower & Garden Trip - March 7-9 2014, Jambo House

Who/When/Where:

Who: Sue (55), DVC Member
Dates: March 7 - 9, 2014
Resort: Disneys Animal Kingdom Villas Resort Jambo House
Experience: Very Experienced 18th stay at this resort

INTRODUCTION:
It feels like its been forever since my last trip, but in reality it was early January. That IS a long time when youre only 2 hours away, but since the last trip preceded a 7-night HAL cruise and I dont normally take a full week off from work at any one time, I didnt book my usual Martin Luther King weekend trip, or an anniversary trip in February. Our anniversary was on a Monday this year, so we celebrated (on the Sunday before) in Gainesville. I booked this trip because its just after the Flower & Garden Festival starts, which normally wouldnt be a big deal but since they added the food kiosks last year the event has risen from a once to a twice per festival for me.

March typically has nice weather, so thats a plus. It can sometimes be fairly busy with spring break guests, but since the parks & attractions are really secondary to me (after the overall resort experience), and with the new fastpass+ program, thats not a problem. If the weather is nice, Ill simply enjoy being out of Gainesville to enjoy the sun/pool/water park and that alone will be worth the trip! If the weathers not nice, Ill have fastpass+ reservations made and will do some favorite attractions and enjoy being back at one of my favorite places.

This is a short trip only 3 nights. Originally I planned to leave work early on Friday and return Monday morning thus not taking any vacation time. However, at my January dental appointment it was discovered that a back molar (with large filling) had cracked in 2 places, so I went ahead and had the prep work done for a crown. The temporary crown was done that day, and the permanent crown was installed on March 6th in Ft Myers. I also moved my annual dental exam up to that date. On the plus side, it means that rather than leaving work in Gainesville at noon for the 2-hour drive to WDW on 3/7, instead Im free to leave Ft Myers for WDW whenever I feel like it (since my dental appointments were late afternoon 3/6). It also means I get to see Chris & Amanda the night of 3/6. I definitely believe you have to look for and embrace the silver lining, and there pretty much always IS one, no matter the situation!

Since SBs days off are Thurs/Fri he wont be joining me for any part of this trip. My next trip starts on a Wednesday, so that will work for him. Our Tables in Wonderland expired late last year and I dont plan to buy it again until April, so this trip doesnt have any table service reservations. Since Im solo, I can make do with the Flower & Garden Festival kiosks, and if I decide to add a meal chances are theyll have a 10% dvc discount to ease the pain somewhat.

I decided to keep this trip on the cheap side, and booked a value studio at Jambo House. The value studios are in those leftover spaces that werent big enough to be a regular studio when they converted the AKL hotel 5th floor to dvc units. Some have a savannah view but many do not, so its the luck of the draw whether Ill have a nice view or not. For 3 nights its not an issue I can make do. The studio cost me 43 points for the 3 nights, vs 63 points for a savannah view (I would not consider the standard view option that falls in-between). Normally Im not one to cheap out on the room view or location, but since Ive booked so many reservations for Chris & Amanda, plus more 1-bedroom villas for when SB will be with me, points were a bit tight and I was willing to book the lesser room for this short solo trip. Itll be hard seeing the concierge lounge up above the lobby and not be able to go there, but that would have been 69 points and I knew Id be in Epcot some of the evenings.

During Flower & Garden Festival they do concerts on Fri/Sat/Sun nights, and this weekend its The Guess Who. Being 55 years old, I remember them, lol! Ive never seen them in concert, but will be sure to check them out Friday night in case theyre so good I want to see them more than 1 night. As I recall, they were a big deal when I was in high school & maybe in college.


The plans so far are:
Friday 3/7: Drive to WDW, Outlets, Epcot
Saturday 3/8: Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon or pool, Epcot
Sunday 3/9: Magic Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon or pool, Epcot
Monday 3/10: Drive to work in Gainesville


DAY 1 Friday 3/7/14
Who: Sue (55), DVC Member

Plan: Drive to WDW, Outlets, Epcot

Actual: In the old days Id get up early and drive to WDW to arrive before the parks opened at 9am. Those were my park commando days, which lasted for years. Now Im much more relaxed, and the priority today is to arrive when my room is ready so I dont have to leave my stuff in the car or with bell services. It was a real pleasure waking up in Ft Myers this morning, especially when I saw it was sunny, dry and upper 60s here and only 42 degrees in Gainesville! Gainesville weather really sucks, and I will be so glad to move back here when I retire many years from now.

I left just before 9:30, stopped for gas on the way out of town, and then made the boring 3-hour drive to the WDW area. It became overcast very quickly, and by the time I arrived at the Outlets 3 hours later it was almost 10 degrees cooler and there was a cold north wind. Im so glad I stuck with my original choice of long sleeves and long pants! At the outlets I only went to Character Premiere, and picked up a serving tray and cutting board in a design that matches a couple cereal bowls we have at home. I didnt really need either, but for half price and since this design is probably discontinued, I figured what the heck.

From there I drove back to WDW property and checked in at Jambo House, arriving around 1:30-1:45. My studio was ready, which was the good news. Its also overlooking the small handicapped & short-term parking lot, which isnt so great. But, its a short trip and I can go wander around to see the animals for the umpteenth time, so Im fine with what Ive been given. The most important thing is that it was ready now! It wasnt too far down the hall (up on the 5th floor) but I had to pass the gate at the stairs to the concierge lounge and that really hurt to not have access!

The studio was fine I guess its smaller (less wide) than a regular studio but I cant really tell. Everything fits, with enough room to walk around, so I cant see anyone having a problem with the room. There was a staircase a short distance away so I used that and came outside right in that little parking lot where Id left my car. I got the little cooler and my bag for the pool (wishful thinking at this point, lol) and then learned the door I came out of is locked and doesnt have a magic band reader to let me back in. So, I had to use walk up and go through the lobby.

I took pictures of the room but didnt have time to unpack. I put the refrigerator stuff in the fridge and then took the stairs back down to the car & parked it in the regular lot before walking over to the bus stops. There were already people waiting for an Epcot bus, so I took that as a good sign at least I hadnt just missed it. While there I saw 2 Animal Kingdom buses and 1 for the Studios, and then the Epcot bus arrived. Some young women and a lady wearing a media lanyard were complete idiots when the bus pulled up they stood right at the door as soon as it opened. Hello perhaps the people ON the bus would like to exit to make room for us??? The lady next to me caught my eye and just shook her head, mumbling that youd think someone in the media would have a clue <g>.

The bus was pretty full, although I think everyone had a seat. Soon we were at Epcot, being dropped off at the bus stop about as far away as you can get without being in a different county. I believe it was the bus stop for one of the value resorts those tend to be furthest away. The bag check area was not busy, thanks to the fact that I just happened to arrive when there wasnt a monorail or tram that recently unloaded a bunch of guests! I generally hate the front entrance of Epcot but since Im usually staying at one of the Epcot resorts I hardly ever see whatever is being displayed at the entrance of the park so this trip is my chance to see that. There was also no wait at the entrance a far cry from when I left around 7-7:30pm and there were long lines waiting to get in!

It was quite cold, and it was funny to see some people wrapped in blankets. I saw many people wearing a handful of the same sweatshirts kind of ugly sweatshirts, so no doubt they were bought for warmth rather than fashion and this is what Disney was pushing. Spaceship Earth had quite a line outside, and overall the park was much more crowded than I expected. It wouldnt be a problem for me, since I had my fastpasses already booked.

By now it was 2:45 and I really didnt have time to check out the Festival Center, or to make a loop around World Showcase. So, I used the time to take pictures of the topiaries. Ill save the pretty pictures for a nicer day when the sky isnt so dark and gloomy. I cut through Mouse Gears (for warmth) and saw them bringing out rolling carts of the same ugly sweatshirt choices, lol! At World Showcase I turned right towards Canada and checked out the food kiosks I passed. Id already seen the menus online before the festival started, but for some reason I still have to check the actual menu boards as if theyd be any different <g>. I got to the United Kingdom just before 3 and wandered through to see if Dusty was in there. Weve never met, but hes a facebook friend (from Disney boards somewhere) and wed agreed to meet at Rose & Crown Pub at 3. I didnt see him, so I wandered into France for a bit and then returned to the pub. I still didnt see him, but when I went back outside I spotted him (from his description) coming down the hill from International Gateway.

Unfortunately his wife wasnt feeling well so she stayed back at the resort. He had a cocktail and I had a glass of pinot grigio (thanks again Dusty), and we stood at the end of the bar closest to Carol Steins spot (she wasnt working until later) and enjoyed talking about a variety of things. We talked to a guy next to us who Dusty thought hed met before at the pub, but it turned out it was a stranger from MA who just looked like the guy Dusty was thinking of. He & his wife were really nice, and theyre staying at Boardwalk (smart people). A little later a couple came in and waited behind Dusty to order drinks. She looked a little familiar to me and she must have been looking at me because after a while she came over and asked if I was Sue Holland. I said yes even though my last name is Rayford now, Im who she meant. Its always nice to meet trip report readers, who are fellow wdw fans. After that, another person came over to say hi, but this time it was a dvc online friend Id never met before Marcia! How nice to put a face with the name after all these years! Overall my time at Rose & Crown was delightful, and I really enjoyed getting to know Dusty. Hopefully our paths will cross again when our spouses can be there.

I left around 4:15 since my Soarin fastpass window would be closing at 4:30. The sun was shining briefly by now, but it was still pretty chilly. Someone said the temperature dropped as the day went on, and I believe it. At Soarin the standby wait was 100 minutes um, I dont think so. I tapped my magic band on the little reader and was sitting front & center in hardly any time at all maybe 10 minutes or so. The 4 people to my right were older adults who seemed to be riding for the first time and it was fun listening to them laugh and exclaim over almost everything.

After Soarin I was already in my window for Living with the Land so I went over there and was on a boat (front row, all to myself) in less than 5 minutes. The standby wait was posted as 15 minutes or so. Some of the greenhouse areas looked a little sparse, so theyve recently done a lot of planting. I was glad to ride while it was still light outside, as this ride isnt as good (to me) after dark. After my boat ride I went over to the restrooms but turned around when I saw a line of people waiting inside the ladies room. I dont do waits like that. Instead, I walked over to Imagination and had my pick of several empty stalls over there and then continued out to World Showcase.

By now it was 5:15 and the first Guess Who concert was 5:30 so I headed over there. As I crossed the bridge to France I could see the theater in America was full, lol! Wow either these guys are very popular or this is just a symptom of the park being so crowded. I took my time, checking out the menus as I went <g>. At America there were big crowds standing at the back of the theater, and the side walls were all occupied. I decided to stand on the other side, by Italy, since Id be headed in that direction afterwards. First though I walked by the Smokehouse to check the menu and I got to see the bacon cupcake thats on the menu. I might try it, but didnt want it right now.

I found a spot to stand along the side wall and had a clear view of the stage. The Guess Who started their concert about 2 minutes later, starting with 2 songs Id never heard (or didnt remember) before doing more familiar stuff. There was 1 old guy who had been in the band for 52 years (James something) but the rest were way too young to be originals. The audience was definitely on the older side, and the band mentioned one song was a hit in 1969, so the older crowd makes sense. The older ones knew all the words to the songs, lol!

I left before the last song, which was probably American Woman Ill catch it some other night when its not so cold. I kept walking and menu reading, deciding on China for dinner. Unfortunately, the wind was blowing really bad where the tables were set up around the lake, and it was freezing. I ordered the spring pancake w/chicken & green apple, but took it over to an outside table at Lotus Blossom (counter service) that was sheltered from the wind. It was good, and a large portion. The food kiosks at Flower & Garden never have lines, so its easy to get your food. The portions are more expensive than at Food & Wine, but theyre a lot bigger too. It makes it hard to try multiple items, unless youre with someone and share the choices. As a solo, it would take several days to try everything.

As I was finishing eating, a family arrived to a table and they had a kid in a Disney stroller who was kicking his legs, screaming/shouting/whining and generally being miserable. I think I may have set a record for a middle-aged person getting up and rushing out of the area, lol! Im sure my brother & I wouldnt have been allowed to act like that, and I know my son never did, so I just dont get why there has to be so many miserable children out there these days.

While I was eating my spring pancake I used my smartphone to move my Spaceship Earth fastpass up since it was so cold. I wasnt going to bother with another concert tonight, so I headed into Future World and made a detour to the Land. At Seasons I asked if they had boxes for the cupcakes and they have those clear plastic things, so I bought a carrot cake cupcake to take with me. I hope its good I dont think Ive had one from here before but I may have read online that this is a good one. From here I walked over to Spaceship Earth and used my fastpass, and that was my final ride of the day. There was still a wait here, but with the fastpass I pretty much walked right on.

I left the park, noticing the fairly long lines of people waiting to get in. That made no sense to me, but maybe they came for Illuminations 2 hours later?? At the bus stops I was happy to see my resort has a very close bus stop. Unfortunately, but the time the bus arrived the line was quite long and we had a lady in a rental scooter. That meant we were standing out in the windy cold even longer, and I swear this lady had molasses running through her veins and was inept at backing up the damn thing! It took forever for her to back it up, pull forward, back it up, turn a little, pull forward, back it up, etc before it was finally in the right spot. By now the line was huge, and with 4 seats out of service for this lady & her scooter, it was standing room only on the bus. I was pleased to see the people with small kids put the kids on their laps and made seats available to other people, but I think we still left some people standing at the bus stop. I can see why some of my friends cant stand taking Disney buses Im spoiled staying at Beach Club and Boardwalk so often.

I had already decided that if the scooter lady was getting off at Kidani Village (the first stop) then so was I no way was I sitting through the process of getting her and the scooter off the bus and then driving over to Jambo House. At Kidani a bunch of people got off, and then I saw scooter lady get up and go put the key in the ignition so I got off the bus and walked back to Jambo House. I definitely beat the bus, and I was just walking normally.

Back in the studio I unpacked my stuff, checked email, and then got ice from the ice machine. I fixed a few crackers & cheese and poured some wine, taking it to the sofa to enjoy while I worked on the report and semi-watched HGTV. Today was a much colder day than I prefer, but it was still a terrific day. Im very happy to be back, especially after what for me is a fairly long time between trips. Im really shocked by the crowds, and have to assume itll be like this the next 2 days also. Thank goodness for fastpass+, because I can still do the attractions that are most important to me, and do them without big waits.

Tomorrow Im headed to Animal Kingdom in the morning, and the park opens at 8 for everyone (surely an indicator that big crowds are expected). Ill have to check the weather, because it may be colder than originally forecast, at least in the morning. Im thinking my water park or pool time might not happen tomorrow! But, hopefully Ill catch a Guess Who concert thatll include American Woman.


DAY 2 Saturday 3/8/14
Who: Sue (55), DVC Member

Plan: Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon or pool, Epcot

Actual: I was up later than Id like last night, but had a lot to do and after being out a little later gave me less time in the room before bed. I remember the old days of being up until 2 or 3 am writing up Comedy Warehouse reports, then being at a park for 9am opening, lol! I miss Comedy Warehouse but I dont miss those hours! Anyway, I cut a quarter of the carrot cake cupcake and its very good. The small piece was just right for a little snack (few bites). I slept really well, and woke up with the alarm at 5:50 wondering why I was being woken up, lol!

I took my shower and then made cappuccino, an egg and slice of bacon for breakfast. Its a chilly morning, but at 50 degrees thats warmer than the low-mid 40s I saw forecast the other day. Im torn between wearing yesterdays pants again (the only pair I have with me) or the shorts Id planned. In the end I went with the shorts and was glad I did. Although the temperature was colder than yesterday it felt much warmer with the sun and lack of cold wind.

I went down to the bus stop and arrived there about 7:45. It was a short wait this time the first bus that arrived was mine!! The passengers on the bus got off to have breakfast at Boma, so I had the bus to myself until a family showed up at the last minute. Their daughter was in a wheelchair so the driver had to tie that down, but we still made it to the park (Animal Kingdom) just before opening.

As I walked towards the entrance I heard my name, and got to meet Patty from the radp newsgroup! Ive known her online for many years, but this is the first time wed met. We knew each other would be at AK this morning, so how nice we ran into each other right off the bat! We chatted briefly, then I headed into the park and she continued waiting for her son & his family to arrive from their resort. Patty did mention shes at Old Key West and thought the room was badly in need of refurbishment. LOL, they just did that resort not too long ago, but I dont think they did a very wise or high quality job. She said the dark furniture is all scratched up, which is why that dark furniture was a really poor choice well, ONE of the reasons. It also looks out of place with the Key West theming in my opinion.

There was no wait at the bag check but Id come prepared to avoid that silliness. I had my phone in a cross body cell phone case/bag (Disney of course), which was completely covered by my zipped-up sweatshirt. The camera was slung on my shoulder, and that case/bag was left in the room. With the magic band I dont need park passes, but I did throw it in my pocket in case I decided to buy something and wanted the passholder discount.

At the entry there was also no wait not many people were out and about yet. It was just a little after 8 and my safari fastpass started at 8:10 but I knew there was no reason to rush over there. Instead I went to Dinoland and rode Primeval Whirl three times in a row without having to get off. I could have still ridden again, but I decided to make my way back to Harambe.

I cut through Asia, which wasnt busy at all. The park felt really deserted the first hour, and I wonder if most people dont bother to do any research & thus didnt know the park opens at 8 this week. Oh well, their loss is definitely my gain! At the Safari there was no wait at all. I used my fastpass and in hindsight should have just canceled them all and rebooked fastpasses in Epcot for later. I walked right onto a safari truck, and we had a few rows that were completely empty, so the fastpass was completely not necessary this early. The safari was great I think every animal was out and about. At one point we had a white bearded wildebeest walk onto the road right in front of us, then another joined him. They strolled along the road, with us following at their pace, until they decided to turn off onto the grass.

After the safari it was like someone had opened the floodgates the park was much busier, with hordes of people everywhere! I walked back to Dinoland and decided to do Dinosaur on a standby basis rather than sticking around for my 10:10 fastpass time. I had 1 party ahead of me waiting for the preshow. Quite a few more came in shortly, and it was a pretty full preshow. The attraction seemed really dark today, to the point that it was difficult to see the dinosaurs. Riding around in pitch blackness isnt as interesting as riding around SEEING stuff. We did save the iguanadon once again.

From there I walked back to Primeval Whirl and used my fastpass for one last ride, and this was the only fastpass I really needed but I could have easily skipped it since I rode 3 times earlier. Once that ride was finished I left the park, and on my way to the bus stop heard my name being called (the sun was in my eyes). It was Rick, who Id met before Osborne Lights a year ago he & his family were entering the park. Back then they had a baby, and now that baby is a toddler. It was nice seeing him again.

I continued to the bus stops to wait for a bus to Epcot. It took a little while to come, and a family with a hyperactive little boy was already waiting. He was climbing all over the place, chattering away constantly. I decided Id sit as far away from them as possible, but of course they sat right smack in the middle of the bus. To my surprise, once on the bus the little boy sat there quietly the entire ride its like someone flipped a switch to turn his energy off or something. Or, maybe he just really likes Disney buses <g>.

At Epcot I again skipped the bag check and at the entry I saw fairly short lines but there was absolutely nobody at a set of band readers just over to the right. Lets see wait in line or walk right in? I chose to walk right in. By now it was warming up to the point I didnt need the sweatshirt at all, but I left it on rather than carry it around. Spaceship Earth was quite busy, as expected.

It was around 10:15 at this point so I went over to the Festival Center (open 10-5) to check it out. After Id browsed around I went to the caf there and ordered the caprese push pop (only $1) but they were sold out. Both I and the couple behind me were incredulous I asked the cast member if he meant theyd sold out TODAY and he said yes. The guy behind me said in 20 MINUTES???? and the cast member said yes. I guess we need to camp out the night before like Black Friday. I got a glass of the Martini Prosecco ($5.50) and wasnt thrilled when the cast member left me an inch of fizz/bubbles. For $5.50 they should fill it, but I didnt say anything. It was ok not spectacular, but I might get it again if the mood strikes and Im in the area. Well see.

I walked over to Test Track and sat outside to drink the 75% glass of Prosecco. Once that was gone I joined the single rider line, and should have realized when I saw it was backed up outside the door it was going to be a long wait. I was playing on my phone, so at least I had something to do. After a while I decided I should just leave, but the line behind me was so filled in I didnt want to have to fight my way through so many people to get out. It was a much longer wait than the ride is worth I wont do that again! The ride itself was over in about 2 minutes, lol.

By now it was well after 11 so everything was open in World Showcase. I walked back there, pausing to wait for the monorail to come by for the facebook photo I posted, then started on the Canada side. In United Kingdom I got the apple & pork sausage roll, which came with piccalilli. I liked the sausage and puff pastry Id get this again. It wasnt spicy at all, and had a nice flavor. Continuing on, I stopped in Italy and saw the caprese salad. I think I got this last year, and while it was pretty good I think $5.75 for a slice of mozzarella and a little bit of produce is a bit much. I skipped it.

Just past Germany I stopped at the Florida Fresh stand, which had a fairly long line. I got the watermelon salad I enjoyed last year, and a glass of the Garda Italian wine (white) blend. Both were very good Id gladly have both again. I shared a table with a lady whod also gotten the salad plus the shrimp & grits. I asked about that, and she said she doesnt usually like grits but this was very good bit spicy, but good. I think SB will like it next trip.

I decided to head back to the resort for a while, but before I left I made another visit to the Festival Center because the cast member said they were making more caprese push pops. This time they had them, so I bought one ($1). He cautioned me they were a single bite and to push the entire thing into my mouth because if I tried taking it in smaller bites I wouldnt have all the ingredients at one time (could end up with a mouth of vinegar). Its a tiny little thing, and frankly the idea of buying something by the bite seemed a bit much, but it was so delicious and full of flavors I stopped caring about the size! This was really outstanding, and now Ill have to return to the Festival Center at some point.

Back at the bus stop it seemed to take a while before a bus came. Im really over the whole bus thing, lol! I miss my Beach Club and Boardwalk. Eventually it did arrive, and it was an easy ride back to the resort. At the Kidani stop a lady in a wheelchair or scooter was waiting to board, so I got off there and walked back to Jambo House.

I transferred the photos off the camera and after a few struggles got them started uploading to Shutterfly. What that was happening I took the camera and wandered around the resort, seeing lots of animals out. They must have recently laid out the food for them. On my way back in I stopped at Mara and bought one of the peanut butter brownies Ive seen online. This is a round brownie topped with a thick layer of peanut butter icing and some chocolate chips. The icing is the best part, and I ended up eating half of it. I knew it would dry out in the fridge, so at least I got to enjoy some of it while it was fairly fresh.

Just before 4 I left the studio, and this time went out to the parking lot rather than deal with the buses. I drove over to Boardwalk, kicking myself for not bringing my credit card since I want to get gas at the Hess station before going home. Ill have to do it tomorrow. The cast member at the Boardwalk entry scanned my magic band and let me in without me having to explain why I was there. I was able to find a parking spot in the main lot, and then walked up the hill in order to walk down the stairs to the boardwalk. It was beautiful out there, and it was a pleasant walk into Epcot.

The boat was arriving so I hustled a bit, getting through the entry before the boat unloaded its passengers. Epcot once again was mobbed it resembled a Saturday during Food & Wine Festival, which is not what I was expecting at all. Last April it wasnt anywhere near this busy, so hopefully my April trip this year will be a lot less busy. Lines at the food kiosks were ridiculously long, and forget about trying to get anything from the regular carts either.

The line for the 5:30 The Guess Who concert extended all the way through Italy and well into Germany! Thats with people being snaked around in that courtyard between US and Italy. It just seemed to never end! In Germany they have 2 beer kiosks (all the time). One of them had 34 people in line and the other had 31 people in line just crazy! The Florida Fresh line wasnt too long in that moment so I joined the queue and got the Garda Italian white blend again this one was barely half full. I wish Disney would just get cups with a line printed on it so the cast members would be more consistent in the pours and it would let guests decide in advance if its worth it based on where that line is.

I took my wine and sat at a shady table in Africa for a while, playing on my phone and doing a little people watching. A big (in numbers) LOUD group was drunkenly laughing and carrying on, evidently drinking around the world but perhaps on their second time around?? It reminded me that in the Rose & Crown yesterday a cast member said they all refer to Flower & Garden as Drunk & Dirt. For some its an excuse to get drunk, which has got to be awfully expensive at Disney prices!

Just before 5:30 I walked back to the USA and as expected the theater was full. I didnt plan to go in there anyway, so it was no big deal. I checked Smokehouse but the line was as ridiculous has it had been earlier. The Guess Who concert started, so I sat on a wall and enjoyed listening to it from outside the American Adventure. They finished up with American Woman, which I was happy about. They really did sound great, even though only 1 is the original guy.

I left as soon as American Woman ended, beating the massive mob. Since the Festival kiosks were so busy I took a chance on Sommerfest in Germany and stood in a short line to get the nudel gratin (mac & cheese) I think its $3.49 so a cheap dinner. Pete & Judy called just as I was walking out with it, so I talked with them while I ate eventually finding a trash can across from Snow White to use as my dining table. I wish they could have been here. I think the last time we were together at Flower & Garden we attended the Davy Jones concerts how sad those days are over.

After finishing with Pete & Judy and the nudel gratin I decided to head out of the park, since it was so crowded. Im hoping tomorrow many of the locals will have gone home, but well see. As I was passing through Canada I ran into Jack Marshall and stopped to talk with him. He told me hed had to park in the very furthest row of the cast member section of the parking lot and hes not a cast member! Its just that crowded today, they were running out of places to put all the cars. We continued on our way, with me exiting through International Gateway, walking back to my car and driving back to Jambo House.

As I was walking up from the parking lot I realized I should have just come back here for dinner since they had the coconut curry chicken soup in Mara today! Darn that was dumb on my part. I went up to the studio and finished up the report so I could just relax & do other things the rest of the night. Nothing too exiting just online stuff and HGTV. Later if I crave something sweet Ill cut another piece of the carrot cake cupcake & maybe make a little cappuccino.

Today was a beautiful weather day, and Im happy with what I was able to do. The crowds in Epcot are really disconcerting to me, as I wasnt expecting that. Ill have to give some serious consideration to next years plans and might need to take a pass on early March. Im also working around Chris & Amandas destination wedding next April too.

Tomorrow is my last full day boy, its shocking how quickly thats arrived! Ive got fastpasses in the Magic Kingdom so Ill spend the morning there, then hopefully get some time by the pool before a quick less-crowded visit to Epcot. Oh, and tomorrow will be here an hour sooner since we turn the clocks ahead tonight!


DAY 3 Sunday 3/9/14
Who: Sue (55), DVC Member

Plan: Magic Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon or pool, Epcot

Actual: I slept well last night, and turned in a bit earlier than the night before. That was a good thing, since we lost an hour with the time change. I got up with the alarm at 6:30, and called SB to make sure he didnt oversleep. He was already at work, so no worries there! I repeated the morning breakfast routine, and once again decided to go bagless with the cell phone worn under my sweatshirt. I was borderline on whether to even wear that, but its only 54 right now and my shirt is a yoga tank (shoulders are very bare) so I wore it knowing Id probably be carrying it by the time I left Magic Kingdom later this morning.

I have 3 fastpasses lined up for Big Thunder 9-10, Mermaid 10-11 and Space Mountain 11-12. My strategy will be to do the little attractions that build up big lines right off the bat, getting to Big Thunder just before my fastpass expires. I left the room just before 8:30 to catch the bus over to Magic Kingdom. When I got to the bus stop I realized Id left the camera in the room, but decided not to return for it & risk being delayed.

Today was the worst bus experience. People were already waiting, which again I took as a good sign. However, we saw every other bus (3 of them for Animal Kingdom) before our bus finally arrived shortly before 9am! Of course, due to the delay a big crowd had built up at Kidani so people were already standing on the bus when it arrived. The driver made us wait outside while he disembarked breakfast guests and then made his current passengers push as far back into the bus as they could to make room for as many of us as possible. Id had the sense to stand at the boarding area right from the moment I arrived (rather than sitting on a bench) so I knew I was getting on. I could hear parents telling their kids to just wait until the people whod been waiting longer got on the bus, which was a nice change from the free-for-all you sometimes see.

I ended up near the rear of the bus and noticed the guy standing next to me was wearing a sweatshirt from my college. I asked him when he graduated, and he explained his son is a student there now, so we chatted pretty much the entire ride. His wife and 2 older teen daughters were here, and they said their son absolutely loves Bentley University & theyve been nothing but impressed thus far (hes a sophomore).

As we got to the Magic Kingdom the bus driver slowed down to a crawl, which was ridiculous. At one point a bus passed us on the right to move into its spot! It was almost 9:30 by the time we were ready to disembark the bus, and of course with the ferry & monorail unloading it was a madhouse getting to the entrance. Thank goodness I didnt have to go through bag check, although to Disneys credit they had both sides open and had set up a few more tables on either side of the no bags entry aisle. They were moving people through quickly. At the actual entry once again there were lines but by simply looking off to my right I saw and went to a bank of readers that had nobody except the cast member. I got right into the park without a wait.

At this point Id abandoned any hope of doing Peter Pan or Pooh as walk-ons, and my Big Thunder fastpass would be expiring in 30 minutes. So, I walked up Main Street and crossed into Liberty Square and rode the Haunted Mansion. Now with fastpass+ this attraction can develop waits Id rather not deal with, so this was a good time to do it. I had a brief wait for the doors to open, but no wait otherwise. The attraction stopped right before the unloading area, but luckily it started up again in time for me to get to Big Thunder!

Big Thunder had a 20-minute standby wait posted and it was probably a little less than that. I used my fastpass and was on in about 5 minutes, getting a seat in the center of the train. I normally would wait for the back row, but didnt want to take the extra time today. It was a fun ride! After Big Thunder it was only about 5-10 minutes after 10 so I quickly walked over to Pirates of the Caribbean to check it out. The standby wait was 5 minutes, so I joined the queue.

The standby time was pretty accurate, and I was seated in the front row with another couple added to the row after me. That meant I would be on the right side of the boat, which meant I was possibly going to get wet at the bottom of the hill. Sure enough, once we got to the bottom the boat lurches around a bit and what feels like a pail of water gets splashed/dumped on me. I literally had water running off my legs, although the splash hit everywhere from my head to my lap. Once I got outside I brushed off the water I hadnt already brushed off inside (my sleeves mainly) and walked back to Frontierland.

Splash Mountain was down, but thats not where I was headed. I went to the train station and got up top just as the train arrived. I rode it to Fantasyland and disembarked there to use my Voyage of the Little Mermaid fastpass. The cast member was warning people that even with the fastpass it would be a 10-15 minute wait, giving people the option of coming back later. That really wasnt an option for me, so I chose to risk it and I was glad I did because I was on a vehicle in about 5 minutes! It did stop briefly twice at the start, most likely for people who didnt transfer quickly enough.

By now it was around 10:45 and the park was getting quite a bit busier. They were working on the top of the new mine train attraction possibly doing landscaping. I didnt see any cars running. This is due to open in mid-May, so well get to ride it Memorial Day weekend. I walked over to Tomorrowland and rode the PeopleMover, then went to use my fastpass at Space Mountain. It was 11am but the scanner wouldnt turn green. Thats when the cast member told me my fastpass was for 11:15 oops. I confirmed I could get in at 11:10 (5 minutes prior) and went to go sit on a bench. At 11:09 the fastpass return line was ridiculously long, so I made the decision at that point to just skip it. I walked back to Main Street and exited the park. After the bus hell this morning I guess Disney was done torturing me because a bus pulled up just after I got to the bus stop. I was the only passenger and as soon as I got onboard the driver closed the doors and we took off for the resort! This time I stayed on until we got back to Jambo House.

I went up to the room and fixed some crackers & cheese along with some wine for lunch. I used the time to also update the trip report. Id eaten more of the peanut butter brownie last night (instead of carrot cake cupcake) and finished the brownie off after lunch, then changed into a swimsuit & headed down to the pool for a bit.

It was beautiful down there! I lasted for about 1.5 hours, and then it was just getting too warm for me. I didnt want to be a total sweaty mess because I dont plan to shower until later. Before I went up to the room I checked out the restrooms and confirmed there are showers in there (along with towels and little bottles of shampoo/conditioner). Theres even a blowdryer mounted next to one of the sinks. I might modify my original 6 nights on the concierge level here over Labor Day weekend to leave after 5 nights but make that 5th night a value studio (already booked it just in case). Thatll still give me 5 nights in the concierge lounge, will get me home at my leisure on Monday rather than having to drive in the dark Tuesday morning to get to work at 8, and save several dvc points for another trip. The only negative is being homeless a good chunk of that Sunday but if I go to the pool Ill have the option of showering & getting cleaned up in the restrooms there, and then hanging out in the concierge lounge with my laptop until the other room is ready. Also if I go to the pool on my final day, I can shower before driving home. Its something to think about I have until July to decide for sure.

Back in the room I packed up most of my stuff and cooled off a bit. I exchanged some texts with Alan & Kelly from Ft Pierce, who were at the Flower & Garden Festival with some people. Around 3:15 I decided to head over there too, so I brought a bag of stuff I wouldnt need any longer and went to the car. After trying to get gas at Hess (they were mobbed, with cars waiting at every pump I dont do waiting) I pulled across the street to the Boardwalk. They were playing the password game this afternoon, and the cast member gave me the password to give the guy at the main lot. When I got there the guy just waited for me to say the password, then he smiled and waved me in. Strangely, when I left later the parking lot wasnt manned at all, and there were plenty of empty spaces.

I stopped for a drink of water from the fountain inside Boardwalk, then headed outside and walked into Epcot through International Gateway. Once again there was no wait, except for the large man in a scooter blocking access while he sat there at the readers chitchatting with a cast member. I managed to squeeze around him, as he was oblivious.

Epcot was busy but nowhere near as crowded as the past 2 days, thank goodness!! None of the food kiosks had significant lines and most had no line at all. The lines were long at the regular carts, as usual. I decided to go over to the Festival Center for a couple caprese push pops, although I knew I was taking a chance they wouldnt have them. It was 4pm and that venue closes at 5pm. It was a hot walk over there, but I was rewarded with air conditioning! I had to wait in line to order, and sure enough they had none. To my surprise they hadnt had any most of the day. What is Disneys problem with these things??? Either keep making them or take them off the menu! I got a glass of the Garda Italian wine blend and sat at a table & played suduko for a while. It was fairly pleasant there it would have been a lot nicer without the very LOUD party seated nearby, but thats partly my fault for not moving away.

Just before 5 I headed back outside so they wouldnt have to throw me out <g>. When I passed Test Track the standby wait was 80 minutes. I cut over to Mexico and began walking around World Showcase. The line for The Guess Who concert was very long again pretty much to the edge of Germany. There were already people lined up along the entire back of the outside of the theater, too. I checked out the Smokehouse and there was no line so I got the pulled pig slider, which was just ok. It was certainly enough to be a meal, but at $5.75 it wasnt a great bargain. I guess we dont come to Disney looking for bargains, though. I ate it while sitting on a shady wall and stayed to listen to most of the concert.

Towards the end I moved over to Japan and listened to the last couple of songs from there, so I easily beat the crowd exiting the theater. I made another loop around the countries since it was so pleasant outside now. As it got closer to sunset the temperature was ideal, with a light breeze making it even nicer. I made one last stop in Morocco, where I got the Baghrir (Moroccan pancake with honey, almonds & argan oil). I had it last year and remember being underwhelmed. This year was no different, lol. Remind me to skip it next year, please!

At this point I left Epcot and walked back to Boardwalk. I didnt mind leaving so much because in less than a month Ill be back and will staying at Beach Club! So, Ill be in this general area. I got the car, filled it up with gas at Hess, then started driving back to Jambo House. I ended up making a detour down Sherberth Road to see what lodging was close to there. Ive listed Chris & Amanda in my concierge studio over Labor Day, but didnt book them their own room. They might want to stay out here (cheap) and just drive to Jambo House each day. I only went about a block traffic and lights were too much of a pain. This is truly a horrible way to vacation, compared to staying at dvc resorts! I went back to Jambo House where I belong <g>.

I stopped by the front desk to use a $50 Disney gift card to settle my account. All the room charges added up to just over $47, so that worked out perfectly. Unfortunately, I couldnt find the gift card! I figured I had to have left it in the car, so I went back out to the parking lot and sure enough it had fallen between the 2 front seats. I went back to the front desk, paid the account, then went up to the room.

I finished up the photos I took today thank goodness I took the time yesterday to upload and caption all the others. The album is out on shutterfly at
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...ZNGTdm2bMWjH_A

Tonight after Amazing Race I plan to shower/wash my hair, to save time in the morning. My first meeting is at 10 tomorrow, so I plan to leave here by 7 so I can get home in time to have breakfast and relax a bit before going to work.

This has been a nice little trip shorter than Id like, but long enough that the frigid temperatures Friday seem like a distant memory at this point <g>. I was not expecting the huge crowds in Epcot Friday & Saturday, and I hope that was just due to it being the first weekend of the festival, and not a sign of what it will be like the whole time.

My next WDW trip will begin April 2nd at Beach Club Villas for 5 nights! SB (my husband) will be there for first couple nights, and then Chris & Amanda arrive to their studio on April 4th. This will be the main Flower & Garden Festival trip, and itll be nice to have 5 nights to more fully relax!