jiifigment
09-12-2007, 09:42 AM
Hi all!
I don't want to take the time for a million details, but I wanted to post this for those about to go, as it might help with planning.
Things I noticed:
1) Most importantly, crowds were bigger this year than last year. Last year, the day after labor day was amazing. I don't think we waited in any lines all week that were longer than 5 minutes. This year the longest was 15, and there were a couple of things we chose to avoid because of the lines. Still off season crowds, and I'm not complaining, but they were noticeably larger. I know more people should know about the free dining this year, but I really don't think that was the only cause of the crowds...read #2.
2) Most of the crowds seemed to be European. Most of them had NO idea what the year of a million dreams was, and NO ONE we talked to standing in lines was on free dining. Weird. We saw some of them in restaurants, but not in lines. Apparently schools in Europe started THIS WEEK (hope for those of you going soon)! I think this is more of a reflection of the value of the dollar vs the euro than free dining.
3)Table Service Restaurants seemed to be big time booked for dinner, but not so much for lunch. If you're looking for last minute ressies, you may just want to switch your big meal for the day.
4) We saw LOTS of "Dream Cast Members." They were in every park first thing in the morning. We saw LOTS of people win stuff. No big stuff, but it was still cool. We won the lanyard/pin set. Most people around us were like..."what's this?" Europeans mostly. :shake:
If you want to increase your chances of winning DEFINITELY be waiting at the gate when it opens. Besides, it's fun to talk to the cast members while you wait! :mickey: We didn't see any "Dream Cast Members" at the Waterparks or Disneyquest, just the main parks.
5) We had a few problems with Coronado Springs busses. Primarily to and from MK, but it seemed that they took a long time from AK too. Maybe we're just spoiled from previous off season trips, but we've never waited for 30 minutes for busses until this trip. Last year's POR busses for example we NEVER waited more than 10 minutes.
Cool things that happened to us:
1) We won the lanyard/pin set at Muppetvision! WE LOVE PINS! :thumbsup:
2) We got special passes for a reserved seating area for illuminations! :cloud9:
3) We saw the Muppet Labs on it's last day. My dd's caught one of the streamers it shot out for their scrapbook. We LOVED it!
4) My dd got to be Sergio's assistant. Too cute!
5) We were chosen to be the first family for the American Adventure. Sorry, but this one actually bummed me. I like to sit on the floor inside the dome to listen to Voices of Liberty. The special bench upstairs is cool, but the acoustics aren't as good. :(
6) The chef at Boma made us a special gluten-free dessert you wouldn't believe! I mean WOW! It looked more like a mountain than a dessert, and he even had them make special gluten-free zebra domes! Truly magical!
7) My daughter drew an AMAZING Kim Possible at DisneyQuest. Even the animator was impressed. (Is it weird to like going to DQ just for the classes? :blush:)
8) We had a showing of Philharmagic all to ourselves. Literally no one else in the theater.
9) We went on Test Track 3 times without getting off!!!
10) We LOVED the changes to Living Seas! We didn't do it last year, because it sounded too little kiddish, but we loved it! Normally, I'm a purist, but on this one, we hadn't done living seas in years because we hated the movie, and there was nothing to grab our interest. The Nemo ride, Turtle Talk, and new theming changed that! We'll go to LS every trip now!
11) We got some new characters, and some of them were great fun, like Darth Vader and the Storm Troopers, and especially Jafar! Hilarious!!! He keeps walking, and acts like he doesn't want to sign your books! He even holds the autograph book like it's a dirty sock! :D
Over all, it was a magical trip, as always. Lots of great pictures. Lots of incredible memories! And if they offer free dining next year, we'll probably go the same week again! Let me see...357 days and counting! :thumbsup:
I don't want to take the time for a million details, but I wanted to post this for those about to go, as it might help with planning.
Things I noticed:
1) Most importantly, crowds were bigger this year than last year. Last year, the day after labor day was amazing. I don't think we waited in any lines all week that were longer than 5 minutes. This year the longest was 15, and there were a couple of things we chose to avoid because of the lines. Still off season crowds, and I'm not complaining, but they were noticeably larger. I know more people should know about the free dining this year, but I really don't think that was the only cause of the crowds...read #2.
2) Most of the crowds seemed to be European. Most of them had NO idea what the year of a million dreams was, and NO ONE we talked to standing in lines was on free dining. Weird. We saw some of them in restaurants, but not in lines. Apparently schools in Europe started THIS WEEK (hope for those of you going soon)! I think this is more of a reflection of the value of the dollar vs the euro than free dining.
3)Table Service Restaurants seemed to be big time booked for dinner, but not so much for lunch. If you're looking for last minute ressies, you may just want to switch your big meal for the day.
4) We saw LOTS of "Dream Cast Members." They were in every park first thing in the morning. We saw LOTS of people win stuff. No big stuff, but it was still cool. We won the lanyard/pin set. Most people around us were like..."what's this?" Europeans mostly. :shake:
If you want to increase your chances of winning DEFINITELY be waiting at the gate when it opens. Besides, it's fun to talk to the cast members while you wait! :mickey: We didn't see any "Dream Cast Members" at the Waterparks or Disneyquest, just the main parks.
5) We had a few problems with Coronado Springs busses. Primarily to and from MK, but it seemed that they took a long time from AK too. Maybe we're just spoiled from previous off season trips, but we've never waited for 30 minutes for busses until this trip. Last year's POR busses for example we NEVER waited more than 10 minutes.
Cool things that happened to us:
1) We won the lanyard/pin set at Muppetvision! WE LOVE PINS! :thumbsup:
2) We got special passes for a reserved seating area for illuminations! :cloud9:
3) We saw the Muppet Labs on it's last day. My dd's caught one of the streamers it shot out for their scrapbook. We LOVED it!
4) My dd got to be Sergio's assistant. Too cute!
5) We were chosen to be the first family for the American Adventure. Sorry, but this one actually bummed me. I like to sit on the floor inside the dome to listen to Voices of Liberty. The special bench upstairs is cool, but the acoustics aren't as good. :(
6) The chef at Boma made us a special gluten-free dessert you wouldn't believe! I mean WOW! It looked more like a mountain than a dessert, and he even had them make special gluten-free zebra domes! Truly magical!
7) My daughter drew an AMAZING Kim Possible at DisneyQuest. Even the animator was impressed. (Is it weird to like going to DQ just for the classes? :blush:)
8) We had a showing of Philharmagic all to ourselves. Literally no one else in the theater.
9) We went on Test Track 3 times without getting off!!!
10) We LOVED the changes to Living Seas! We didn't do it last year, because it sounded too little kiddish, but we loved it! Normally, I'm a purist, but on this one, we hadn't done living seas in years because we hated the movie, and there was nothing to grab our interest. The Nemo ride, Turtle Talk, and new theming changed that! We'll go to LS every trip now!
11) We got some new characters, and some of them were great fun, like Darth Vader and the Storm Troopers, and especially Jafar! Hilarious!!! He keeps walking, and acts like he doesn't want to sign your books! He even holds the autograph book like it's a dirty sock! :D
Over all, it was a magical trip, as always. Lots of great pictures. Lots of incredible memories! And if they offer free dining next year, we'll probably go the same week again! Let me see...357 days and counting! :thumbsup: