The Good, The (Very, Very) Bad, and the Adorable - Day Two

[BrerSchultzy]

Day two -
Sleep is good. DS & DD got to watch Disney Junior while DW and I got everything ready (we haven't had cable hooked up at the new house yet, so this was quite the treat). Note to self for next trip...Disney has not put any rapid refill restrictions on the coffee...so bring all the mugs you can find for next trip.
Our plan was to go to the Magic Kingdom today. My travel agent had even sent me the link for a FP+ to Be Our Guest, and DW (the living embodiment of Belle) was very excited. But when we got to the buses, the line for MK was ridiculous. This was one of only three days this week where the Magic Kingdom was open past seven, and MAJOR FASTPASS PLUS PROBLEM NUMBER ONE you can't get Fastpasses for two different parks in one day, so most everyone at Pop Century this week stuck with one park per day. So we got on the Epcot bus, which didn't have any kind of line. Unfortunately, MAJOR FASTPASS PLUS PROBLEM NUMBER TWO, DW and I don't own smart phones, so we would have to wait until we got to the park to change our FPs.
Sam has decided that Figment must be first, so Erin and Sam head off to JII, while Zetta and I go to sort out our FP+. This is when we discovered that (MAJOR FP PLUS PROBLEM NUMBERS 3, 4, 5 and 6) we could NOT get regular Fastpasses, despite what our hotel guest services had told us the night before. And other guests were able to get both FP + and regular FPs, so the FPs were going quickly. And we could NOT change them at the Epcot FP+ kiosks. And the CM's at the kiosk did not not know why, and didn't even know that Pop Century was only using Magic Bands. There was a CM with an iPad right there, and I hesitated to use it, since I would have to enter my password on a computer that thousands of people would use that day. But I did anyway because (MAGIC BAND TIP NUMBER ONE) we used a pre-paid debit card to pay for our trip and to put on our account, so that if anyone did get ahold of our information, it wouldn't be very useful to them. We got FPs for the Mickey and Pals character experience (since that was our priority that day, and since Soarin' FPs were already gone from the website...at 9:30 AM.). We also got FPs for Spaceship Earth and The Seas, knowing that there would be no need for them that day. See, since Epcot did not have any EMH that day, and the Studios had Evening EMH, and MK was open until 10 PM, Epcot was empty. Except for Soarin' and Test Track. More on that later.
Well, I raised enough of a stink about FP+ that the CM gave me a voucher for a FP for Soarin'. Which was n ice. I guess. But I had wasted 30 minutes of my morning trying to sort out the FP+ situation.
That said, we definitely made the right decision with Epcot today. We went over to Test Track before the late morning lines got too long, and Sam and I got on within 15 minutes (even though there were only about 20 people ahead of us in the standby line....MAJOR FASTPASS PLUS PROBLEM NUMBER 7...the sheer number of FPs was mind-boggling. There was a five minute stretch where NOBODY from the Standby line got in. This is especially frustrating when you have a 5 year old who doesn't understand the system, and is getting more and more upset that we're not going into the other line.
Anyway, we got in, and Sam designed his car. It was a thing of beauty. Flames, crazy tires, lots of accessories. And he loved the ride! He doesn't like roller coasters, but he loved this ride so much, we ended up riding it 7 times this week. We also really liked making the commercials at the end. A lot.
Well, we decide it's time for lunch, and that means Sunshine Seasons Food court at the Land. So good. Soooooo very very good. Caesar Salad for me. Tuna for Erin. Grapes and yogurt for Sam, who gave Zetta his PB&J. Very happy group.
After lunch, we head over to Soarin' as a group, so we can get the rider switch...which is luckily still available (part of me was convinced Disney would get rid of this too). I got to ride with Sam first, while Erin and Zetta went shopping. Sam loves this ride, and can't wait to take his sister on it some day.
We decide to save the Rider Switch pass until later in the day, and it is time for our FP+ for meeting Mickey and friends. On our way, we see Chip and Dale, and since Sam has decided this year that he's into autographs, we wait.
RANDOM RANT: I don't mind when adults want their pictures with characters. I don't. I DO mind when a group of six adults make a long line of children wait while they get EVERY POSSIBLE COMBINATION OF PEOPLE WITH EACH CHARACTER. The people behind us timed the group ahead of us. They spent almost 10 minutes with Chip and Dale getting at least 100 pictures. Honestly. Somehow, I blame Fastpass Plus.
Well, we meet Mickey, Minnie and Goofy. It was adorable seeing Zetta run up to each character and insist on giving and getting kisses. Our kids are in love with the characters. Both of them will carry on conversations with them. Minnie got an earful of Sam talking about how his sister wouldn't let him hug her that morning. And the characters were great...and this experience is wonderful with FP+, since we don't have to wait at all for each character. BUT, the Photopass photographers have started getting more and more pushy, and would not get out of our way for us to take the pictures ourselves.
Well, we decide it is time to head on to Mexico...we were hoping to hop on Test Track, but the line 60 minutes long. Luckily, Sam's disappointment is eased by meeting Duffy in a Santa suit. More adorableness. More kissing. Lots of fun.
Gran Fiesta Tour time. This is a family favorite. And it turns out that Zetta adores it as much as her brother does. At no time during our two days in Epcot was there any kind of wait for this ride. And that was a blessing indeed.
Time to wander World Showcase. Shopping. Drinking. Snacking. But Sam is getting upset that we're not doing anything he likes, and I decide that it's worth waiting an hour for Test Track to make him happy. So we all wander back over to get a pretzel and some popcorn, then while Sam and I go to Test Track, Erin and Zetta head out to meet Snow White.
Well, the Test Track standby line sign says it's only 10 minutes long, and we jump in. 30 minutes later, we are finally on. At this point I am shaking my fist in the air and cursing the name of Fastpass Plus, in the same way Captain Kirk yells “KHAN!”
We meet back up with the girls, and I find out that Zetta and Snow White had a great time together. Erin says that Zetta treats the princesses like peers. It's true. She is among her people.
I get the Tacos Carnitas at Mexico. Not nearly as good as last year....very, very soggy. My family, however, enjoys eating my churros. Then we head over to Morocco to get my wife's dinner...the Shwarma combo platter. This is easily the best value meal on the entire property. All four of us snack off her plate, and are quite full. I purchased the Hazelnut liqeur coffee drink there....and it was life-sustaining and amazing. I highly recommend it, even though it seems expensive for a small coffee.
Well, Erin and Sam head over to Soarin', and Z and I get to ride Livin' with the Land. Since we THOUGHT this would be our only day in Epcot, Sam and I head back over to Test Track to wait one more time.
Let me just note that the shops are almost empty. We haven't had to wait to order our food...there was always a cashier waiting without a line. The paths are clear. But Soarin' and Test Track are both looking at hour plus waits almost the entire day. Luckily, we got on in half an hour again, even though the sign said 60 minutes this time. Sam thoroughly loves this ride, and he has really gotten into the idea of saving gas, and looking out for the environment.
Well, we finish the night with Spaceship Earth, and get back to the room.
Where my adventure really begins. The family is asleep by 9 PM. I get online. An hour later, I finally have FP+ set up for the next day. The Studios don't have any EMH on Tuesday, so that's our scheduled park (to avoid the crowds). I had planned on getting a TOT FP for myself, RNRC for Erin, and Star Tours and TSMM for all of us. BUT, the website wouldn't let me split it up like that. I called the help line. He swore that I could. I said it wouldn't let me. His only solution...restart the computer. I did. Still nothing. “Could you restart it again?” Seriously? A billion dollar investment and THAT is your solution? Nevermind...we'll just all get FPs for Disney Junior Live and hope for the best with RNRC and TOT. Oh well.

Next Day: Studios!

[yjgirl32]

That stinks about the fastpass + situation. I hope your able to get on your rides. Thanks for sharing.

[ftwildernesskid]

I think your trip reports should be required reading material for whoever is making decisions regarding fast pass+. I have a short trip planned with my sister in March. I am nervous

[faline]

Despite your issues with the fastpass+ system, it sounds like you still got to do a lot on your Epcot day! (It's one of the issues I have with fastpass + and I haven't even experienced it in person yet - it does not allow you to change plans as you did easily - AND limits you to one park in one day regardless of what is going on in that park!! I'm used to jumping to another park whenever the first park is too crowded and just getting fast passes as needed in the new park - clearly not an easy process under the new system!!)

[vizsla]

Thanks for the report.

[Kenny1113]

Day two -
(MAJOR FP PLUS PROBLEM NUMBERS 3, 4, 5 and 6) we could NOT get regular Fastpasses, despite what our hotel guest services had told us the night before. And other guests were able to get both FP + and regular FPs, so the FPs were going quickly. And we could NOT change them at the Epcot FP+ kiosks. And the CM's at the kiosk did not not know why, and didn't even know that Pop Century was only using Magic Bands. There was a CM with an iPad right there, and I hesitated to use it, since I would have to enter my password on a computer that thousands of people would use that day.

We had the same frustration because the app didn't work for my sister it said she was note legible for FP+, but website worked however the website is not optimized for mobile use so it made it very difficult for her to change FP+. We went to a kiosk no one in our party was able to use the kiosk. We each got an error message. The line for the CM with iPad was long!!!!

We also experienced CMs who didn't know that we were not reviewing KTTW cards. At the pirate adventure at MK the CM gave me an attitude when he asked for our cards and I told him we didn't have one. He didn't ease up until I explained that we were not given them upon check in.


Side note: we also had just purchased a new house prior to our WDW trip.
Hadn't moved in prior to the trip though...

[emerzmom]

My Disney Experience needs a LOT of improvement!!!! I share your frustration.
Sounds like a fun day at EPCOT.

Julie