NHshorty’s and BuffaloBill’s May 30 to June 3, 2012 Trip Report - LAST installment added

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Tue, 06/12/2012 - 15:37

BuffaloBill

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NHshorty’s and BuffaloBill’s May 30 to June 3, 2012 Trip Report - LAST installment added

OK, here is the first installment of NHshorty's and BuffaloBill's May 30 to June 3, 2012 Trip Report.

Originally we were going to go to WDW on May 9th and come home on May 13th, but at the end of April we had to change our plans. NHshorty was able to rework the flights, hotel, and ADR's in pretty quick order (less than an hour) on-line. In fact, we were even able to adjust the ADR's up until a few days before our actual departure. NHshorty is really good at all this!

As a starting point for this trip report, I'd like to share our plan for this trip. Coming up with a broad-brush plan for each day is pretty straight forward. First we planned around meals and our ADR's and then we factor in the park hours. Then over a number of weeks, we develop a want-to-do list. Granted it is a lot easier when there is only the two of us and we're both WDW veterans, but this is also how we plan when my kids are with us. Here's a copy of our original plan and want-to-do list.

====================================================================
Thursday 5/31
Breakfast: Trails End (walk or boat over)
Lunch: Grazing or Crystal Palace or Casey's Corner
Dinner: ADR at California Grill @ 7:40

Morning to Mid Afternoon: Magic Kingdom
Afternoon: Pool & Down Time and/or Hollywood Studios
Evening: Monorail Bar Crawl after dinner & fireworks

Friday 6/1
Breakfast: Unplanned
Lunch: Grazing
Dinner: ADR at France @ 7:20

Morning to Mid Afternoon: Animal Kingdom
Afternoon: Pool & Down Time and/or EPCOT
Evening: EPCOT we have an 7:30 ADR at France, them MK till 1AM

Saturday 6/2
Breakfast: Unplanned
Lunch: 50's Primetime Cafe (dessert: carrot cake at book store)
Dinner: Boardwalk Area (Flying Fish or Brewery)

Mid Morning to Afternoon: Hollywood Studios
Afternoon: Pool & Down Time and/or Hollywood Studios (Parade @ 3) (Fantasmic @9)
Evening: Hollywood Studios

Sunday 6/3
Breakfast: Whispering Canyon
Lunch: Typhoon Lagoon
Dinner: Airport Grazing

Mid-Morning: Typhoon Lagoon (10-5)
Afternoon: Typhoon Lagoon (10-5)
Evening: Fly Home

Want to do list:
MK
" Jungle Cruise
" Buzz Lightyear
" New Dumbo
" Crystal Palace
" Casey's Corner
" Space Mountain
" Haunted Mansion
" Railroad
" Let the memories begin
" Wishes Fireworks

EPCOT
" Caramel in Germany
" Mission Space
" Maelstrom
" American Singers
" Rose & Crown
" Illuminations
" Japan Gardens
" Cottage in Canada

Animal Kingdom
" Expedition Everest
" Kilimanjaro Safari
" Lion King Show
" Nemo Show

Hollywood Studios
" Parade
" Carrot cake at bookstore
" Mulch, Sweat, & Shears
" Tower of Terror
" Rock 'n Roller Coaster
" Star Tours
" Muppets
" 50's Prime Time Cafe
" Brown Derby
" Great Movie Ride
" Fantasmic
" Toy Story Mania
=================================================================================

In the upcoming installments of our trip report we'll see how we did against our plan or lack of plan.

Tue, 06/12/2012 - 17:27

Ollie

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A good start!! Glad to see you worked in the food 'want to dos' . . .

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Tue, 06/12/2012 - 22:09

BuffaloBill

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NHshorty's and BuffaloBill's May 30 to June 3, 2012 Trip Report - Part II

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Tue, 06/12/2012 - 20:55

Vettelover

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First time I have ever seen anyone put it on adobe reader, but it worked out out OK.

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Wed, 06/13/2012 - 00:27

Ollie

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Nice job! Can't wait for the cupcake part. . . .

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If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.
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Wed, 06/13/2012 - 00:32

MrHub

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That was different, but yeah, it works! Good job.

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Mark

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Wed, 06/13/2012 - 01:53

Jess

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Great trip report....Can't wait to read more

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Wed, 06/13/2012 - 02:41

JoAnn C

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Looking forward to reading more. Good idea on the PDF.

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Wed, 06/13/2012 - 03:35

BuffaloBill

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Thanks for going with me on the pdf idea. I write very long technical reports as part of my job, so I'm just doing what comes naturally. I'm using MSWord for the raw text, dropping compressed pictures in where I want them and adding the captions. Lastly, I "print" the MSWord document with an Adobe file converter to generate the pdf.

I am also trying to give some of the nitty-gritty about the costs of things and will be including copies of some receipts. (Wait till you see the bill from the Cali Grill, and it was worth every penny.) I hope that by showing the planning technique we used will help someone. I also want to show how being flexible and realistic about what can be accomplished without killing yourself or your family will still give you a great experience.

Above all, y'all should know that NHshorty made the trip possible and the best one I've ever had (sorry kids).

Wed, 06/13/2012 - 15:55

nhshorty

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awwwww....thanks! It was wonderful to selfishly focus on what we wanted rather than take into account various and sundry kids and adult relatives.....can't wait to go back!

Thu, 06/14/2012 - 03:17

BuffaloBill

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NHshorty's and BuffaloBill's May 30 to June 3, 2012 Trip Report - Part III

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Thu, 06/14/2012 - 12:02

Vettelover

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Great trip report. Great detail and excellent pictures.

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Thu, 06/14/2012 - 13:00

nhshorty

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A couple of side notes.......My shirt the first day was made by a lady from Alabama who has a shop on Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/shop/Mem0598?ref=pr_shop_more) - she makes initial applique shirts for kids and I begged for an adult version with an "L". I bought it back in February! I also bought a hair accessory from another Etsy shop. This isn't the same as mine but similar..(http://www.etsy.com/listing/84674997/mouse-ears-headband-perfect-for-disney)

I always cruise through Etsy to find unique handmade Disney stuff - there's a LOT there.

Bill mentioned the little boy, George, in the trip report. He was wearing a blue and white gingham check shortall which matched the blue and white gingham outfits of his older brother and 2 older sisters......it was a sea of gingham....

Thu, 06/14/2012 - 13:32

nhshorty

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OK - one more thing. I can't believe we don't have a picture of my Owner's Locker. It was waiting for us when we checked in....and contained useful stuff like our ponchos, bandaids, condiments, coffee filters, Brita pitcher, hair dryer, toothpaste, laundry detergent and Mickey Hands! I love having stuff available that we don't have to pack - especially when we take a short trip and don't check bags.

Fri, 06/15/2012 - 20:49

JeffC

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I love the trip report, Bill! And congrats on crossing off so many things on your lists! WOOO!!!

Fri, 06/15/2012 - 23:51

Ollie

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Great report, Bill! Gotta love the Cali Grill!

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If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.
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Sat, 06/16/2012 - 05:17

Jess

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I'm loving your trip report....What's the story with the lawnmower tree?

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Sun, 06/17/2012 - 13:06

Nancy D

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That sounds like it was a WONDERFUL TRIP!!!

Mon, 06/18/2012 - 21:28

BuffaloBill

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NHshorty's and BuffaloBill's May 30 to June 3, 2012 Trip Report - Part IV

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Tue, 06/19/2012 - 01:13

JeffC

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Wow, a 3 park day! And it sounds like accomplished ALOT!

I think I'd agree with you about Nemo - was really enjoyable to see, but probably not a re-do for us either. But he Lion King - we see that every time and have yet to get tired of it.

Too bad about Yak & Yeti for lunch. Sometimes you can get lucky without an ADR and sometimes not so much. I Yak & Yeti.....

Tue, 06/19/2012 - 04:06

Ollie

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Love the reports!!!
Too bad about the rain, and I am with you on the creme brulee debate; Cali Grill is awesome and those in France? Not quite as good. The Best, in our WDW official creme brulee aficionado opinion, is at Jiko.

Get thee one!

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If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.
J. R. R. Tolkien

Thu, 06/28/2012 - 21:32

BuffaloBill

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NHshorty's and BuffaloBill's May 30 to June 3, 2012 Trip Report - Part V

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Sat, 06/30/2012 - 00:28

JeffC

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Love it, Bill! Keep it coming to the end!

So which did you like best at Prime Time Cafe - the fried chicken, meatloaf or pot roast?

I've heard mixed reviews of that vanilla cupcake with the caramel drizzle from Germany - what did you think?

Enjoyed the hat pics - made me laugh

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 14:55

BuffaloBill

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NHshorty's and BuffaloBill's May 30 to June 3, 2012 Trip Report - Part VI

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Mon, 07/02/2012 - 15:03

BuffaloBill

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Yes, Jeff, the cupcake was reasonably OK, but it did hit the spot at the time. The carrot cake whoopee pie at HS was MUCH better.

As for the Meat Loaf vs. Chicken vs. Pot Roast at the Prime Time Cafe... It's definitely NOT the Pot Roast. The Meat Loaf and Chicken were Killer-B. So, I think for the next visit I will have to hit the Prime Time twice.

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 19:19

finngirl

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Thanks for the great trip report. I've really enjoyed reading it, and seeing all the pictures (especially the food! )

I've felt like I was there with you, and it helps to make the waiting time for our next vacation go faster.

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Mon, 07/02/2012 - 19:48

Jess

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Yeah I think all the wait staff at whispering canyon have fake names cause our waiter last time was name gepetto and he looked just like him

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Mon, 07/02/2012 - 22:40

JoAnn C

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BuffaloBill wrote:

As for the Meat Loaf vs. Chicken vs. Pot Roast at the Prime Time Cafe... It's definitely NOT the Pot Roast. The Meat Loaf and Chicken were Killer-B. So, I think for the next visit I will have to hit the Prime Time twice.

Good to know. I thought about getting this. I had the chicken the first time I ate there and loved it. I was torn between getting the chicken again or trying something new when I go in November. This seemed like a good way to accomplish both. Now to decide between the chicken or the meatloaf.

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Tue, 07/03/2012 - 01:30

JeffC

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Boooo!! I'm sad to see you go and end the trip report

Sounds like a fantastic time - you and NHshorty clearly made the best of it and let yourselves really enjoy the trip

AND...I got a homage shout-out! Woot!

Funny about MT's name on the receipt - that made me laugh when I saw it.

Thanks for the great reports, Bill!

Tue, 07/03/2012 - 02:08

LuvAllDisney

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JoAnn C wrote:

BuffaloBill wrote:
As for the Meat Loaf vs. Chicken vs. Pot Roast at the Prime Time Cafe... It's definitely NOT the Pot Roast. The Meat Loaf and Chicken were Killer-B. So, I think for the next visit I will have to hit the Prime Time twice.

Good to know. I thought about getting this. I had the chicken the first time I ate there and loved it. I was torn between getting the chicken again or trying something new when I go in November. This seemed like a good way to accomplish both. Now to decide between the chicken or the meatloaf.

I would say give the trio a whirl! I had the 3 in April when DH and I went and I would say the chicken, hands down was my favorite with the meatloaf coming in a close second. DH got just the Pot Roast and he thought it was good. I thought it was ok. I took a bite of it because all I really wanted was the Meat Loaf and Chicken. So, you could get the 3 and just eat the Meat Loaf and Chicken. That way you can try something new and have something that you know is really good at the same time, so incase you don't think the Meat Loaf is good, you won't be disappointed

Tue, 07/03/2012 - 13:45

BuffaloBill

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Jess, you asked about the Lawnmower Tree. Here's a link to a thread here in WDWFG.

http://www.wdwforgrownups.com/articles/lawnmower-tree

Bill

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NHshorty’s and BuffaloBill’s May 30 to June 3, 2012 Trip Report - LAST installment added