Disney World Christmas Trip Report – Part 2
On Wednesday, we again started out at the Magic Kingdom. Even though we were getting to bed early, we were both fully sick by this point, and the constant walking during the day plus that sickness was taking its toll, and causing us to require more sleep. Consequently, we weren’t up as early as I would have liked, instead arriving at the park between 10:30 and 11 am most mornings, right with the rest of the masses.
While Sarah and my parents waited in line at the Bakery to get breakfast, I did some shooting. The line, as usual, was ridiculously long. Why there aren’t more breakfast options in the parks is beyond me. We usually eat breakfast in our room, but some mornings the allure of those delicious ham, egg, and cheese sandwiches is too much. Unfortunately, it comes at a huge cost: $6, ~13,000 calories (okay, maybe that’s an over-estimate), and 30 minutes of time waiting in line. Doesn’t Disney realize people eat breakfast?
These guys looked like a foreign boy band. No clue who they are, but I thought I’d post this for everyone who likes this sort of thing.
We did a few things this day before our lunch reservations at the Plaza. This was our first time eating at the Plaza. I remember back in 2007, I read some rather negative reviews of the Plaza and Tony’s. This year, I read and heard a lot of positive things about the Plaza (and a few positive things about Tony’s, but mostly still negative). It was cheap, so I figured what the heck and made ADRs for a few days. I figured if we liked it, it was worth doing a few times, as it was only slightly more expensive than counter service.
Suffice to say, we only ate there once. All of us found it to be exactly in line with counter service food. I got the Plaza Club and Sarah got the burger. A lot of things on the menu sounded good, so we got these items based on volume of Twitter responses (yeah, we really can’t think for ourselves, I guess). Sarah asked the waitress if the burger was comparable to Beaches and Cream. The waitress didn’t know, but she said it was a “real” burger as opposed to the burgers at Pecos Bill’s or Cosmic Ray’s. I knew it! Bill and Ray were serving imposter burgers! I had to alert the authorities at once!
Joking aside, I had no clue what she meant by a “real” burger. In any case, Sarah’s burger tasted no different than a burger at Cosmic Ray’s, and was certainly not comparable to Beaches and Cream. My Club was decent, but lacking. It seemed like it had about half the things listed in the menu’s description of it. Definitely not somewhere I’d go out my way to dine at again. My expectations for Disney restaurants aren’t that high, and this was one of the few restaurants I’d consider to be a dud. Hopefully the Magic Kingdom steps up the dining when the Fantasyland Expansion is finished.
We spent the rest of the afternoon doing attractions. Of note we did Hall of Presidents, PhilharMagic, and Carousel of Progress. During each of these shows, someone tall sat right in front of me. Without fail. I can understand this during PhilharMagic, as it plays to a packed house every show, but the other ones must have been bad luck. Part of my platform if I were dictator of WDW would be that no one over 6’ could sit in the front 75% of the theatre at any show. I meant it when I said I’d make a great dictator of WDW!
Then came our big decision. We had yet to see the Main Street Electrical Parade or Wishes, and this would be our last opportunity of the trip. However, if we stayed for Wishes, we risked not being able to get to EPCOT in time for Illuminations. To beat the crowds heading to the TTC after Wishes, we decided we’d compromise, and watch Wishes from the TTC. However, to do this, we couldn’t watch the entire MSEP, either, as it started at 7, Wishes started at 8, and there probably would be a decent line for the monorail already amassed by 7:30, the earliest we’d likely get out of the MK. We compromised, watching a little of the MSEP before bolting for the TTC. Even with leaving early, we still had to wait for a while at the monorail station. I can only imagine the line after MSEP or Wishes.
There are multiple pages in this Walt Disney World trip report installment. Navigate to the next page below!
How inconvenient do you find taking a wheelchair around the parks? My mom is going to have to use one when our family goes in mid-November, but like your dad she can walk, just not all day. You said that you frequently ditched them at stroller areas- are those at every attraction? I’ve been to Disney, but don’t remember the stroller areas as our party didn’t have one to worry about the last time.
I found your website through a random stroke of luck. It helped me do my research on this topic. Its amazing to think one site could contain so muck information. You are doing the great work!
Hey Tom – Lovin’ your trip reports! I completely agree with your statement about ADRs and the restaurant check-in process. They should post “no availability” or have a separate cast member address those guests.
Lookin’ forward to your next trip report!