Bricker Family Disney World Trip Report — Pt 4
Our pace on this trip was slower than it’d normally be, but we had actual destinations. We weren’t just walking around with purpose to nowhere in particular, which is normally what Sarah and I do. This made for a more efficient trip to Walt Disney World than normal.
A big part of the slower pace was the dog. Not her inherent slowness (to the contrary, I think she was built for speed), but because having a dog in Walt Disney World is probably the easiest conversation starter I’ve ever seen. From kids asking to pet the dog to adults wanting to know about the breed and beyond, my dad was constantly stopped.
I’ve shared before that I’m far less social in person than my writing might lead you to believe, and that undoubtedly comes from my dad. I used the term ‘stoic’ to describe him before, which isn’t totally apt but seemed like a nice way to put it. Let’s just say a regular fixture of his attire is those novelty Disney shirts with Grumpy on them.
I don’t know how he talked to so many people. I cannot imagine doing that, and I have 20 fewer years of ‘eroded patience’ than him. To his immense credit, though, he was friendly with everyone who talked to him, and even accommodating to the kids’ requests. Maybe age mellows the Bricker men rather than making us even more surly. That would sure be a pleasant surprise.
At this point, my parents headed back to Fort Wilderness, with my mom thinking they might take a break and return for evening Extra Magic Hours.
Sarah and I headed to the Grand Floridian, eager to try the new Gasparilla Island Grill. We’ve already reviewed the menu changes at Gasparilla Island Grill (they’re exceptional!), so I won’t fixate on that.
After eating, we faced a dilemma: return to Magic Kingdom for sunset or stay at Grand Floridian. On the pro leaving side: Magic Kingdom is way more photogenic, and there’s a specific shot I wanted in New Fantasyland with a sky like this. On the pro staying side: the sky was already starting to look pretty good and we were thinking we might be hungry again in an hour, making a Gasparilla Island Grill redux appealing.
When it comes to Disney, we almost always vote with our stomaches…so we stayed.
The sunset turned out to be beautiful. I won’t go overboard sharing photos of it here (I took 200+), but here are a few:
I could’ve had even more, but right as the light peaked, I had an idea for a cool and unique (to my knowledge) photo of the monorail. So I went where I needed to be, and waited. And waited…
After seeing two monorails in the other direction, I was starting to suspect the monorail on the track I needed was not running, but I didn’t want to give up since I’d already invested a lot of time in this shot. It was one of those situations where you’re stuck between cutting your losses and being fearful you’ll miss out if you do.
After finishing with the sunset and dusk, we headed back into the hotel to find a Grand Floridian mug we had seen on display in Gasparilla Island Grill. After our stay at the Grand Floridian Villas at Christmas, I’ve really come around on the resort, and coffee mugs are one of the few souvenirs I actually use.
Today’s coffee mug–picked this up on our last trip to Walt Disney World. pic.twitter.com/ALceACPCsJ
– Tom Bricker (@Tom_Bricker) February 17, 2017
I wish I had a good photo of the mug because it’s really cool, but all I have is the above that I posted on Twitter. Unfortunately, I can’t take a good photo now because I ruined the mug the very first time I washed it. (If you want to skip a pointless rant, just scroll down to the first ‘Once Upon a Time’ photo. You’ll probably be happier if you do.)
I’ll ready admit that this is a pretty common occurrence with me. I’ve been “banned” from washing Sarah’s clothes because I’ve ruined so many things in the washer and dryer. Same has happened with the dishwasher.
I accept zero responsibility for this. If you’re a manufacturer, how can you live with yourself producing a food holder or clothing that’s incompatible with modern technology?! This isn’t 1932 and we are not barbarians. Hand-washing anything is distinctly unpatriotic.
Thanks to this philosophy, laziness, and/or ineptitude, I continually (accidentally) buy stuff that is incompatible with our washing robots, and ruin things. I call it ‘Dishwasher Darwinism.’
While I present this in jest, it really does frustrate me (at least when it comes to dishes–I understand some nicer clothing is made with materials that must be hand-washed). There’s no good reason a coffee mug should not be dishwasher safe. Cheapness of production methods on Disney’s part is not a good reason.
Now that you know more about my appliance-compatibility philosophy than you ever cared to know, let’s head back to Magic Kingdom…
We arrived around 45 minutes before Once Upon a Time, which was about perfect timing as I could choose any spot for viewing the show thanks to off-season crowds.
I chose one of the worst spots available (at least for the fireworks): directly in front of Cinderella Castle. I’ve wanted to shoot from this location for a while, but it’s always packed with people when I arrive, even when other spots farther back are relatively uncrowded.
As we indicate in our Magic Kingdom Fireworks Viewing Guide, this is a poor spot because you’re too close to Cinderella Castle. It actually blocks out a good portion of the fireworks!
This was something I could live with, as we’ve seen Wishes! hundreds of times, and I was only going for a few, specific photos of castle-level fireworks.
There was a bonus with this that I didn’t consider, and that was Once Upon a Time viewing.
It’s a solid spot for Once Upon a Time, since that show is almost entirely projections, which are best viewed closer.
I want to give other guests the benefit of the doubt and assume this is their rationale for going so close, but…guests still claim viewing spots each night for the Main Street Electrical Parade and refuse to be discouraged even when Cast Members inform them there’s no parade.
I think the more likely scenario is that most of these guests assume closer to the castle = better view for fireworks.
Another upside, at least for Once Upon a Time, was that everyone in our area remained seated. That was quite pleasant. For Wishes!, Cast Members made everyone stand and fill in all available space.
This elicited an audible groan from the viewing area.
It was still enjoyable watching Wishes! from this location (little did I realize it’d be the second-to-last time we’d ever see it), but it’s never a spot I’d recommend to a first-time viewer.
Perhaps that’ll change once Happily Ever After debuts, as I assume that show will be more projection-heavy and lighter on pyro.
My mom had returned to Magic Kingdom, so we did all of the attractions she wanted to do, which were basically those my dad couldn’t. Splash Mountain and Big Thunder were first on the agenda, followed by Dumbo and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which we did twice, managing to get in line the second time 2 minutes before the end of Extra Magic Hours. We might’ve also done Space Mountain–I don’t recall.
Both times we did Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, I was really adamant about everyone getting the mine buckets spinning to produce Snow White in the center. No one else shared my enthusiasm the first time, so we failed.
I thought I’d be vindicated the second time as I got multiple buckets spinning at once (I think other adults were giving me some side-eye at this point, but whatever) and others managed to do their part, too. However, one of the dwarfs never appeared, meaning Snow White never appeared. We were robbed.
We finished with the attraction after the park closed, so I was limited in what I could photograph, and stuck mostly to Fantasyland followed by Main Street as a result.
Lines were among the shortest during Extra Magic Hours that I’ve seen anytime in recent memory. I remember around 5 years ago when Magic Kingdom would be open until midnight in mid-August (despite many schools having already gone back into session), with 3 hours of Extra Magic Hours.
We’d plan visits during this time of year (despite the weather) due to those late hours. By 1:30 a.m., almost everything was a walk-on…which is probably why they cut back on EMH and stopped doing closings so late in mid-August. It was a good run while it lasted. The strides Walt Disney World has made in ‘operational efficiency’ in only a few years are pretty impressive. There used to be several hacks for beating crowds 5 years ago that simply do not work today. While I miss being able to take advantage of these, I can hardly fault Disney for ‘fixing’ the inefficiencies that knowledgeable guests could once exploit. Anyway, that wraps up Part 4 of our Walt Disney World trip report!
We’ll pick up the following day at Magic Kingdom (again) in Part 5. If you’re planning a Walt Disney World trip, read our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for comprehensive advice, and the answers to just about every frequently-asked question.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you miss the good ole days of 3 a.m. Extra Magic Hours at Magic Kingdom during the summer? Have you ever viewed Once Upon a Time or Wishes from this ‘front row’ spot? Thoughts on the Disability Access Service Card process and service at Walt Disney World? Any other feedback or opinions about anything else we discussed in this installment of our Walt Disney World trip report? Share any questions, tips, or additional remarks you have in the comments!
I miss the days when MK was open until 3am in August. My husband and I used to love spending early morning hours wandering around the park and doing everything as a walk on. I still remember getting 3am dole whips and just soaking in the atmosphere in Adventureland with no one around. On the other hand, as we are getting older, our touring style is slowing down so I don’t know if we would even make it to 3am anymore!!
Also, count us among those who love the walkway from tomorrowland to storybook circus. I do wish it wasn’t a smoking area though, because the stench can be overwhelming at times.
What did you mean about “Snow White in the center”
Just curious
On the ceiling in the queue, if all the buckets are spinning fast enough, Snow White appears.
I have seen Wishes sitting smack dab in front of the castle. I thought it might be a bad spot, but loved it. I think I would love Wishes no matter what and where I was. I am SO sad it is gone. For those who grew up watching WWODisney on Sunday nights with Jiminy Cricket and Tinkerbell, Wishes IS Disney. Not sure about the change. I am very sad Wishes will be eliminated.
Going to WDW in 100 days. Keeping notes of odd and ends to do. The information of the path just made that list.
makes me feel a little less shattered that i dropped our new Yacht Club mug a few days after we returned,.. it never even lived long enough to get dirty.
Tom, maybe this will make you feel a little better…I bought a mug from Splash Mountain on our last trip that looks to be the exact same style and decoration technique as your Grand Floridian one. I did follow directions and wash only by hand and in 4 short months, a good third of the decoration has come off. There’s really no excuse for this. Disney should do better.
That doesn’t really make me feel better. If anything, more aggravated that Disney sells mugs like this at all. From what I understand (which isn’t much, really–I’m just believing what the internet tells me), hand-wash only mugs are much cheaper to produce. That’s an incredibly lame justification for selling them, especially at Disney’s premium prices.
I also wish Disney didn’t sell so many non-dishwasher safe mugs. The only Disney mugs I have are the “You Are Here” ones from Starbucks because they ARE dishwasher safe. I have destroyed more than one thing in the dishwasher. I would love to buy more Disney mugs, but way too many aren’t dishwasher or microwave safe.
Also, I completely agree that if Carousel of Progress is closed, you just leave and come back when it’s open. It’s not that I don’t like other things at MK, its just that CoP is my favorite and I would be so sad if I couldn’t visit.
What is this Snow White appearing trick I’ve never heard of before?
I gotta ask — what happened to the mug?
I got a travel mug from DLP and braved my dishwasher anyway. So far it’s been okay, but I noticed the plastic base is starting to unglue. It baffles me that mugs wouldn’t be dishwasher safe!!
The graphic started to fall off and now it looks like Mickey and Minnie’s faces are melting. Not a pretty sight, but I suppose it’s one way to wake you up in the morning without even having caffeinated coffee! 😉
I realize it could be annoying, but I might be one of those people who asked about your dog. I’d try not to, but I might fail. I know Disney accommodates service dogs, but I’ve never seen one in the park so I’d be unbearably curious how it works.
You comment made me look up the name of “Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid”. We just call it “The Little Mermaid Ride”. I think Toy Story (minus Midway Mania) might be the only other ride we don’t use the full name. I’m also with you on buying only dishwasher-safe items and I can’t fathom why everything isn’t in this day and age.
Lastly – I’m glad you guys stayed at the Grand Floridian after dinner. I really enjoyed those photos.
When people actually stop him to ask about it, I think my dad likes talking to them. He’s a very vocal supporter of the service dog organization, and he likes to share his story about them.
It’s when people come up and pet the dog without saying anything that (I’m guessing) tests his patience a bit more, but he was quite friendly with a number of kids this trip…
The smoking section on that path is unbearable, probably part of why it’s so empty. I usually just peek over at it from the People Mover and JUDGE the parents standing there smoking with strollers…ga-ross. Your dad deserves accolades for dealing with all the dog questioning! I didn’t realize people actually did that, it seems polite to just let you guys have your vacation in peace. Although I do take stealthy ninja pics of service dogs at Disney to send to my friends. THEY’RE JUST SO CUTE.
Glad to know I am not the only one who judges people smoking with their kids. Number one pet peeve!
Tom, our whole family loves your blog… your photos and writing! We just returned from two weeks at WDW. Like you, we love the path from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland — when the smoking section isn’t overflowing! That was our experience this time. Smokers were using most of the path, instead of just the designated smoking section. When it’s quiet on the path, we love to wait for the train to come by 🙂
The changes just in the last 2 years have been incredibly notable in the Magic Kingdom by way of “normalising” crowds. I will now only consider doing the headliners via Fastpass+.
I do question the wisdom of it in the long term though. While one-and-done visitors expect it to be ridiculously busy and plan accordingly, repeat visitors benefitted from the peaks and troughs in crowds even during a single day.
If the MK operates in one mode (frenetic), those people will stop planning impromptu trips to Disney World; it becomes a chore (“for the kids”) instead of a pleasant pastime (which accurately describes the majority of those at WDW, I believe – it is I would suggest a minority who visit it for pleasure!). I personally do not visit WDW for the MK’s headliners as I know I’ll have a much nicer time at any other park’s “Disneyland” park, not least DLP.
As it stands, I still get great enjoyment by combining the Fastpass+ Reservations with less popular attractions (even if the idea of waiting 5 minutes for the TTA Peoplemover strikes me as bizarre), but I’m sure these low-guest-satisfaction attractions will be next on the list for “enhancement”. As we know, a walk-on can be turned into the hottest FP+ ticket in town by the addition of the right hot property. Again, can’t blame Disney for it, but there simply has to be the capacity for “Tier 3” attractions with <20min wait times even during busy days to make the park enjoyable. In my opinion.
This problem is most pronounced at Magic Kingdom, where additional capacity is really necessary. This will become even more clear once Star Wars Land opens, as it’s going to draw more guests to Walt Disney World–and not just DHS.
Unfortunately, I don’t see a short term fix. DHS and Epcot are both badly in need of updates, and those will (understandably) take precedence over Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney World should’ve invested in more capacity for New Fantasyland when that project was being developed. The best short-term solution is conversions of attractions like Stitch’s Great Escape to something better (but short of headliners). I think we’ll see some of that in the next few years.
We, too, found the Disability Pass situation odd when we took a guest who needed it. We never knew, at each attraction, how to bring it up, to whom, and then which entry would be provided. Some happily waved us through a designated spot, others sent us in the fast pass line, others seemed doubtful of our guest’s situation. (Though is was fully visible.) Our guest couldn’t overdo, and we often worried that the fast pass line would still be too long a wait for her to stand. Thankfully it was a lower season, and the pass was a wonderful help, even though a few cast members were not sure what to do with us!
My dad’s disability is also fully visible, so we had no issues there. However, I’ve heard horror stories about Cast Members calling into question guests with invisible disabilities. Not only is this not their place and incredibly poor service, but it’s borderline illegal under the ADA. Disney should really do a better job training the Cast Members who interface with these guests, as some encounters are opening them up to (legitimate) legal claims.
I also found the system for using the disability access pass inconsistent, depending on the park, cast member, attraction, or even possibly the weather. Who knows. One thing I learned (from a cast member) is to speak up at each attraction. By that I mean explain a little about the type of disability I have, as it is not visible. This should not be necessary and could be considered a violation of my privacy, but if I want to experience an attraction, I offer the information. Still, some cast members are dubious as to my ‘so -called disability’ and are wary of allowing me to use the pass. Sad to say, it is not problem-free.
In a few days I’ll be at WDW. Hopefully, things will go smoother. One upside to the pass (I almost feel bad saying that) is I get free valet parking at the hotels and up close parking at theme parks. There are a few other perks too (at least there used to be, if they didn’t take them away), which I’m sure you will cover in your article.
Btw, great photos Tom.
Correction: while I’m sure about free valet disabled parking, the thing is you may be eligible only if you have a state issued disability parking placard. I bring mine with me. Not sure if it’s available with just the Disney access pass.
Thanks for the info! We did not drive at all during the trip, so we had no firsthand experience with this.
Hey Tom….I used the DAS card on our last trip in January…Haunted Mansion was pretty awkward, but it was cool, too. They loaded us near the normal exit and we got to ride our doombuggy from that point to where the normal loading area is. Not very exciting (they could put up the wallpaper or some self knocking door knockers or scary portraits) but it was previously unchartered territory for us.
Excellent Sam the Eagle reference. Also, I have to wholeheartedly agree with your parents (and your) ride preferences. Carousel of Progress is in my top 5, also Country Bear Jamboree. Although our last trip it seemed like they had the volume turned down or something, we could hardly hear the lines. Side note; I had no idea about this proposed ski resort. And unfortunately, Hall of Presidents was closed for refurb per Disney “to welcome our new President” on our last trip. Add that to the list of reasons for another WDW trip in the near future!
Rumor is the Enchanted Tiki Room is scheduled to close. I’ll miss it.
WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Did the rumor mention “when”??
The return to Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room has done poorly since ~6 months after it debuted. I haven’t heard this rumor, but I’d be shocked if it lasted more than a few more years.
The thing is, with so many current and future projects, how high of a priority is this? I could see it being modified to become a table service restaurant (as originally intended by Walt Disney), as a way of making it “profitable” even with low visitation numbers.
My daughter and I did the Tiki room in December, not knowing it had switched over. After it started, she looked at me and said “This is sad.” Both of us couldn’t wait to get out of there. We missed Iago, Zazu, and the tiki god.
I’ve had the same mug issue! My ToT mug graphics disappeared in the dishwasher which given the ride I thought was some clever Disney merchandising 😉 It probably was as I just replaced it on the next trip and now hand wash it…
delightful write-up!! I consider my grumpiness an alternate form of social exuberance. Perhaps there is some echo here of the manic-depressive syndrome but I prefer to pair the terms ‘melancholy’ and ‘euphoria’ which grant an authentic status to the moods rather than treating them as some deficiency that needs correction. You’re extremely generous with your blogging and it’s perfectly fine for you to be shy in person. But that won’t stop me from crushing you in a bear hug if our paths ever cross!!
Hahah, nice way to look at it.
I don’t mind meeting people in person (and always encourage people to say hello), but some readers seem to think meeting us would be a “fun” experience, and I am almost certain if you have any sort of expectations, you will be disappointed. By me–not by Sarah. She’s cool. 🙂
that’s because you’re a reserved mid-westerner and i’m a brash easterner. but i dislike people who are demanding and aggressive like me and admire those who are methodical and thoughtful. You may not be dramatic and wildly spontaneous but as I have said a number of times, you possess a genuine artistic eye for beauty and your verbal descriptions are witty and insightful. You have nothing to prove ‘in person’,..