Intro
Do your trips always go exactly as planned? Do you ever have to change things up completely because of that lovely Florida rain? This week, I will be sharing about my recent Disney trip and how it matched up (or didn’t match up) with what I planned. Every trip to Disney is different and no matter the amount of planning you do, something is bound to happen to change things up! Follow along as I go through each day and share which plans worked out and which plans got completely changed.
Breakdown
- Theme: Anniversary Celebration
- Length: 1.5 weeks
- Age and Group: Couple
- Spending: $$$
Check-In
Our flight got into Orlando super early, so our room was not ready yet at Pop Century when we arrived. Luckily, we had actually planned for that and were able to give our bags to Luggage Services. We hopped on a Disney bus and made our way over to Disney Springs. If you think you will be arriving before your room is ready, definitely plan to drop your luggage off so you can make the most of that time!
Food
First things first, we were so excited to get to Gideon’s and try a few cookies! We ended up getting the Coffee Cake, Chocolate Chip, and the flavor of the month, the Calavera (or Churro) cookies. We also tried the Pumpkin Chai, which was amazing! The cookies are so huge that we ended up snacking on them for most of the trip, so if you like having something at your room when you get back from a busy day at the parks, definitely grab a few Gideon’s cookies! For lunch, we went to Wine Bar George, which is right next to Gideon’s. I would definitely recommend the Mac and Cheese Bites and the Frozcato made with Dole Whip! Dinner was at Narcoossee’s, where we had reservations that perfectly lined up with seeing Enchantment from our table. The whole experience at Narcoossee’s was amazing and we have decided to always do a nice sit-down dinner on our first night from now on. It was a perfect way to start out the trip!
Day 1: Magic Kingdom
Our Magic Kingdom day started nice and early with a quick breakfast at the resort and making it to the park for rope drop. Currently, guests staying on property can get into each park 30 minutes early, so we were able to beat a lot of the usual rope drop crowds!
We did purchase Disney Genie+ today and I plan to do a separate post outlining my experience and advice for Disney Genie and Lightning Lanes. In short, I think it works well for Magic Kingdom, so I am glad we got it today!
Rides
We were able to line up at the Tomorrowland entrance before rope drop to run straight to Space Mountain. Then, we went to Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Lightning Lane), Splash Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean (Lightning Lane). After lunch, it was back to Space Mountain, a short wait for Small World, Peter Pan (Lightning Lane), Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin (Lightning Lane), a relaxing ride of the People Mover, and Dumbo (Lightning Lane). We didn’t purchase the individual Lightning Lane for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, so we waited about an hour to get on that one. Finally, to end the night, we rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad after Enchantment.
Food
We had a ton of great food and snacks today, so I will share a few that we loved! We stopped for a Cheshire Cat Tail and were lucky enough to get to the Spring Roll cart right as it was opening. Lunch was at Casey’s Corner, where we tried the 50th Celebration Hot Dog (a hot dog with Strawberry Jam and Funnel Cake pieces). It was surprisingly good for such a strange combination! Grabbing lunch from Casey’s and eating on the hub grass was the perfect break during a busy day. For dessert, we had a cinnamon roll and the Mickey Dome Cake from Gaston’s, which I would really recommend! Lastly, we grabbed a few flatbreads from Pinocchio Village Haus for dinner.
I should note that currently, all quick service locations are requiring guests to mobile order their food. Be sure to download the My Disney Experience app to be able to mobile order at these locations.
We were able to find a great spot to watch Enchantment for the first time (we couldn’t really see it too well from Narcoossee’s and I made sure to not watch any videos before the trip). I was a huge fan of Happily Ever After, so I was skeptical of a new show, but I actually really enjoyed it! I think Happily Ever After is still always going to be my favorite, but Enchantment was still a great show.
Day 2: Hollywood Studios
Staying at Pop Century made it extremely easy to get over to Hollywood Studios for rope drop, since we could get right on the Skyliner from the resort. This was the first time we were able to try the Skyliner and we loved it. If it were up to me, I would only stay at Skyliner resorts from now on!
We got Disney Genie+ again for today and bought an Individual Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance. In the future, I’m not sure I would buy Disney Genie+ for Hollywood Studios, but depending on the price, I would pay for Rise of the Resistance again.
In terms of how our plans went for today, I would say this is the day that changed the most. It rained the entire day, so after a while, we had to go back to the resort to change and ended up not park hopping at all. Ultimately, still a great day, just a little different (and rainier) than planned! Maybe one day I’ll write a post about how to survive Disney in the rain, because we should all really be prepared for at least one rainy day when we are at Disney!
Rides
After getting to the park, we went right to Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. This was a new ride for me and I thought it was so cute! Next, we headed down Sunset Boulevard and rode Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (Lightning Lane). We spent a good amount of time just checking out Galaxy’s Edge, then got on Rise of the Resistance (Lightning Lane). I have a soft spot for Star Tours, so we got on that next, followed by Muppets 3D and Toy Story Mania. Lastly, we went back to Batuu for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run (Lightning Lane).
Food
We had reservations at Oga’s Cantina where we tried a few fun drinks. Our favorites were the Fuzzy Ton Ton and the Carbon Freeze. Definitely try to get reservations for Oga’s if you can. They have a few snacks and non-alcoholic drinks if drinking isn’t your thing and the atmosphere is so cool. I would definitely go to Oga’s again! For lunch we grabbed a Ronto Wrap, then mobile ordered from Docking Bay 7, and washed it all down with Blue Milk. I was also able to warm up with a Num Num cookie, which I was so excited to finally try! Since we called it a night early, we just had a quick dinner at the resort.
Extras
Probably the coolest part of the day (and the entire trip if you ask my partner) was building a lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop. This is something we booked in advance because it is pretty popular. It is extremely immersive and the lightsaber is actually really good quality. It even comes with a carrying case and you can purchase additional accessories afterward. If you have a Star Wars fanatic in your group, I would definitely suggest trying to get a reservation at Savi’s!
Day 3: EPCOT
Today was another easy day to get to the park for rope drop! EPCOT currently opens the latest of all the parks and the Skyliner gets you right to the International Gateway.
The weather on our EPCOT day was a little strange for Florida, as it stayed in the 50’s most of the day! Luckily, it was sunny, but it still did change our plans a bit. Once the sun went down, we decided to find a place to hang out inside until Harmonious and didn’t get to do as much as we hoped at night. I did come out of the day with a new Spirit Jersey to keep me warm though!
We also learned our lesson and will try to plan our next Food and Wine Festival trip when it doesn’t line up with a race weekend. The Wine and Dine Marathon weekend was going on while we were there and it made EPCOT extremely crowded. It was also a Saturday night, so next time we will definitely go on a weeknight and not during the race!
We didn’t get Disney Genie+ today or buy any Individual Lightning Lanes, but did get in the Virtual Queue for Remy’s. Even without Disney Genie+, we were able to ride just about everything we hoped to ride!
Rides
Test Track was our first ride of the day and even at rope drop the line was a little long, so we decided to do the single rider line. If you are by yourself or don’t necessarily care about riding with your group, the single rider line is the way to go. They don’t have them for many rides, but when they do, it is typically a good deal shorter! After, we went to the Land Pavilion to ride Soarin’ and Living with the Land. We went over to Mission Space, where we typically do the Orange side that is a little more of a wild ride. A lot of people can’t handle either side of Mission Space, so be careful if you suffer from motion sickness. We luckily got in the Virtual Queue for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and were able to ride that in the afternoon. When we were at Disneyland Paris we actually were able to ride the original and still love it! We snuck in one more ride on Soarin’ before the night was over and were able to get in section B1 (which has the best view).
Food
We had a quick breakfast at the resort and then everything else we ate today was in World Showcase at the Food and Wine Festival. We knew a few spots we wanted to check out, but also loved just walking around and seeing what each booth had to offer.
- India- Warm Indian Bread, Korma Chicken, Taj Mahal Premium Lager
- Alps- Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese
- Japan- Tempura Shrimp Sando, Ozeki Platinum Sake
- Les Halles- Strawberry Tart, Macaroons (not Food and Wine, but a must-do for me!)
- Appleseed Orchard- Cider Flight
- Canada- Canadian Cheddar and Bacon Soup
- Refreshment Port- Traditional Poutine
- Donut Box- Crispy Chicken on a Sriracha-glazed Donut
Day 4: Animal Kingdom/Magic Kingdom
It’s our last park day! Magic Kingdom is always going to be my favorite park, but this trip I think I was equally as excited to go to Animal Kingdom. We were able to have a very relaxing day, but still see and ride everything we wanted to get to.
We did not buy Disney Genie+ today, but did purchase an Individual Lightning Lane for Flight of Passage.
Rides
Animal Kingdom opens the earliest of all the parks, so we didn’t quite make it for rope drop, but we still got in early enough to get on Kilimanjaro Safaris before the line got too long. The animals were also super active, so definitely try to get to the Safaris in the morning if you can! We spent a good amount of time in Pandora after riding Flight of Passage, then took the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch. I can’t remember doing this on any past trips and I would definitely recommend it! There is a petting zoo, drawing classes, and viewing areas to look into the veterinary facilities. We also made sure to check out all the trails (the Maharajah Jungle Trek, Discovery Trail, and the Gorilla Falls Trail). Lastly, we rode Everest a few times in the single rider line.
Food
We started the day with coffee and a Colossal Cinnamon Roll from Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery. If you need coffee, try coming here if the Creature Comforts line is too long (which it typically will be). Lunch was over in Pandora at Satu’li Canteen and we both had bowls. Satu’li Canteen is a great quick service option if you want something more customizable! After lunch, we were able to get on the walk-up wait list for Nomad Lounge. This is the lounge connected to Tiffins and I think I will now be a regular here on every trip! The atmosphere is so relaxing and there are unique snacks and drinks to try. Our favorites at Nomad Lounge were the churros and the Spice Trader Classic (. You can also watch the character flotillas go by on the water if you get a good seat!
Next, we park hopped over to Magic Kingdom to finish out the night!
Rides
The wait at Space Mountain was only 30 minutes when we got to Magic Kingdom, so it was perfect timing! I’ve said this before, but I would ride Space Mountain all day everyday if I could, so I was glad to ride it one last time on our trip. We ended the night with the People Mover right before getting a spot for Enchantment.
Day 5: Cruise Day
Our cruise is finally here! We’ve been planning this cruise for a few years, so we are so excited to get on the ship and see everything! I plan to have a separate post about the cruise and go into more detail on the experience, so stay tuned for that.
We had the Disney Cruise Line transportation from the resort, so we got on the Disney Cruise Line bus to take us straight to Port Canaveral first thing in the morning. Once we arrived we did a quick COVID test and proceeded to check in. I’ll go more in-depth on this process in the separate post, but overall it was super simple and efficient!
Once on the ship, they sort of direct everyone to one of the sit down restaurants for lunch. We were one of the first boarding groups, so instead of going to lunch right away, we really wanted to just explore the fairly empty ship. We ended up going to lunch at Cabanas (the buffet option on board) and dessert at Vanellope’s. I could write a whole post about Vanellope’s because it was my favorite place on the entire ship! It is a small, Wreck It Ralph themed shop with ice cream, gelato, candy, and various desserts. Definitely don’t miss out if you are into sweet treats or Wreck it Ralph!
Dinner
We wandered around the ship and enjoyed the Adults Only area until dinner, which was at the first seating at 5:45pm. Disney Cruise Line does rotational dining, so you rotate through the three, family sit down dining options. Our dinner tonight was at Enchanted Garden, which was really cute! The theming makes you feel like you are in a French garden and the colors change throughout the dinner.
After dinner, we went to a trivia game in Pub 687, one of the pubs onboard. There are always activities going on throughout the ship, so you can always find something to do that matches what you are looking for! One of the other things we were really excited to do was see movies that are still in theaters while on the ship. We were able to see the new Marvel movie, the Eternals, in the Walt Disney Theatre!
Day 6: Nassau
Today is our first port day! We got into Nassau early in the morning, so we picked up coffee at the Cove Cafe, a coffee shop in the Adults Only Section. Then, grabbed a quick breakfast at Cabanas before getting off the ship to explore Nassau. We didn’t have any excursions planned in Nassau, so we just walked around a bit and stopped in a few shops.
After getting back onboard, we relaxed in the pool and tried out the AquaDuck! The AquaDuck is a water coaster that takes you around the ship and has some really cool views, as it actually goes off the ship a bit and over the water. For lunch we had Cabanas, then headed to a few more trivia games in different lounges around the ship.
Dinner
Dinner was at Royal Palace, which is inspired by the Disney Princesses. After dinner we did some shopping and went to the District Lounge to hear a violinist play songs by Taylor Swift. If you know me, you know that I am a huge Taylor Swift fan, so I was in heaven this whole night!
This cruise was one of the first Merrytime Cruises of the season, so there was decoration, special merchandise, and other holiday offerings on the ship. One of the most exciting being the Merrytime Fireworks! On our cruise they offered these on two separate nights, to help limit the number of people on the deck and it was followed by a holiday dance party on the main deck. The fireworks were really fun and it was cute to see families enjoying the deck party!
Day 7: At Sea
Today is our anniversary and since it is our day at sea, we decided to make this day all about relaxing! We started with ordering Room Service for breakfast, which is actually included in the cost of the cruise (minus gratuity). The morning was spent enjoying our breakfast on the verandah, then relaxing in the Adults Only section. Most of our down-time was spent in this section, because it was quieter and had amazing views. We even went by Castaway Cay and saw the Fantasy (another Disney Cruise Ship) docked there!
Lunch was at Flo’s V8 Cafe, which is a quick service option with sandwiches, pizza, and salad. It is right next to the Adults Only section, so it is really convenient to grab food from there and eat it back in the Adults section. We were supposed to have a dessert experience at Remy for our anniversary and it was cancelled last minute, so we decided to celebrate with some snacks from Vanellope’s instead! In the afternoon, we went to a few more trivia games and actually won one of them!
Dinner
Dinner was at Royal Palace again and afterwards we went to see Beauty and the Beast. This stage show was adapted from the live action Disney movie and is a Broadway-style performance. It was an amazing show and the cast was spectacular. We didn’t get a chance to see the other show currently on the Dream (Disney’s Believe), but would definitely recommend seeing Beauty and the Beast if you can!
We ended the night by ordering Mickey Ice Cream Bars to the room, which I really should have done every night! It was so easy and such a good way to end the night. We also really loved that the TVs in the room had almost every Disney movie (including Marvel and Star Wars) and you could watch them at no extra cost!
Day 8: Castaway Cay
I think today is the day I was most looking forward to on the cruise! I don’t have a lot of memories from my first cruise, but I know I loved Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island. We wanted to get off the ship pretty early once it docked, so we had coffee at Cove Cafe, breakfast at Cabanas, then got in the virtual queue. To keep the process safe for everyone to get off the ship, they are doing a virtual queue through the app and it moves very quickly. We actually really liked the process since it helped keep the lines down and make it all pretty seamless to disembark.
At Castaway Cay, we got on the tram to Serenity Bay, the Adults Only beach, and stayed there until our excursion. The Adults Only beach was amazing and so relaxing. We were able to see stingrays, crabs, and other fish in the water because it is so clear!
Excursion
Our excursion was a Glass Bottom Boat Tour to the island’s barrier reef system. We saw a lot of fish and were actually able to feed them as well! I would definitely recommend doing some sort of excursion while you are at Castaway Cay, because there are so many cool options.
After our boat tour, we headed to the Family Beach for lunch at Cookie’s BBQ and then spent the rest of our time on the island at the Head’s Up Bar. It was the perfect spot to read, relax, and have a great view of the ship!
Dinner
Our last dinner is at the final restaurant of the rotation, Animator’s Palate. This is the restaurant that I was most excited about on the cruise! The theming is so fun and you actually get to interact with characters from Finding Nemo on the screens around the restaurant. The food here was also my favorite, so for me, this was the best meal overall!
Before going back to the room to start packing up, we did a Mouseketeer Game Show and another trivia game. I would recommend taking full advantage of the free games, activities, and entertainment while you are on the ship. There are also activities that come at an additional fee (and many you need to book in advance), but if you are wanting to stay on a budget, the free options are perfect!
Day 9: Debarkation Day
It’s sadly time to end our cruise and our vacation! Debarkation day is set up in a way to make it pretty seamless to get off the ship. You have the option to leave your luggage outside your room the night before, so it is ready for you once you get off in the morning and you don’t have to worry about it. You are also invited to have a sit down breakfast at the same restaurant as your last dinner, the timing based on which dinner seating you had. So, we had an early breakfast at Animator’s Palate and waited for the announcement that our luggage was ready. We got off the ship, grabbed our luggage, went through customs, and got on a Disney Cruise Line bus back to the airport.
It was really hard to end this vacation, but we booked a placeholder cruise while onboard, so we know we will be back soon! I’ll explain what a placeholder is and the perks on booking one while onboard in the separate cruise post!
Takeaways
Overall, I think one of the biggest takeaways I have from this trip is to take time to relax and enjoy the vacation. I am usually someone who needs to be sure to see and do everything, but taking time to sit and enjoy just being at the parks or on the cruise was definitely much needed. Sometimes we get so invested in all the planning, that we forget to enjoy the actual trip! So, be sure to take time to appreciate being on vacation, even if things don’t go exactly as planned!
Thank you so much for following along on this vacation and I can’t wait to share more trips with you in the future. Until then, keep checking out the blog each week to see what I’m planning!
Overview
- Resort: Pop Century (Value Resort)
- Check-In Day: Disney Springs, Grand Floridian
- Food: Gideon’s, Wine Bar George, Narcoossee’s
- Day 1: Magic Kingdom
- Rides: Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Small World, Peter Pan, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, Dumbo, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Food: Breakfast at Pop Century, Cheshire Cat Cafe, Spring Roll Cart, Casey’s Corner, Gaston’s Pinocchio Village Haus
- Day 2: Hollywood Studios
- Rides: Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Rise of the Resistance, Star Tours, Muppets 3D, Toy Story Mania, Millennium Falcon
- Food: Oga’s Cantina, Ronto Roasters, Docking Bay 7, Milk Stand, the Market at Pixar Place, Dinner at Pop Century
- Extras: Savi’s Workshop
- Day 3: EPCOT
- Rides: Test Track, Soarin’, Living with the Land, Mission Space, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Food: Food and Wine Festival (see post)
- Day 4: Animal Kingdom/Magic Kingdom
- Rides: (Animal Kingdom) Kilimanjaro Safaris, Flight of Passage, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Expedition Everest, Maharajah Jungle Trek, Discovery Trail, Gorilla Falls Trail. (Magic Kingdom) Space Mountain, People Mover
- Food: (Animal Kingdom) Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery, Satu’li Canteen, Nomad’s Lounge. (Magic Kingdom) Lunching Pad, Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
- Day 5: Cruise Day
- Food: Cabanas, Vanellope’s, Cove Cafe, Enchanted Garden
- Extras/Activities: Luxury At Sea Package, Movie Quotes Trivia (Pub 687), Eternals (Walt Disney Theatre)
- Day 6: Nassau
- Food: Cove Cafe, Cabanas, Royal Palace
- Extras/Activities: Nassau, AquaDuck, Pub Trivia (Pub 687), Disney Trivia (District Lounge), Taylor Swift Violin Performance (District Lounge), Merrytime Fireworks
- Day 7: At Sea
- Food: Room Service – breakfast, Flo’s V8 Cafe, Vanellope’s, Royal Palace, Room Service – Mickey Bars
- Extras/Activities: AquaDuct, Marvel Trivia and 90’s Music Trivia (Pub 687), Beauty and the Beast (Walt Disney Theatre)
- Day 8: Castaway Cay
- Food: Cove Cafe, Cabanas, Cookie’s BBQ, Animator’s Palate
- Extras/Activities: Glass Bottom Boat Tour, Mousekeeter Game Show (D Lounge), Know it All Trivia (Evolution)
- Day 9: Debarkation Day
- Food: Animator’s Palate (breakfast)
