back a couple of days - thoughts.

[Powlay]

We did disney only this visit, stayed off site on the 192. From hotel door to finger print at animal kingdom was like 10 minutes!

9 of us in the party (2 bookings) with grand daughter the youngest at 3, then daughter in laws niece 8 being the only first timer.

Intentions were to hit the parks, do a lot of shopping on the second week on thanksgiving night and black friday.


Negatives first.

As others have mentioned disneys lost a little sparkle. The cast members on the way out used to be happy smiley and wave with their mickey hands, now most just seem to be there to point you in the exit direction.

Fast Passes. Off site i know its hard to get them but its becoming impossible to get any of the big rides at all. Gone are the days when you could hot foot it to rides and get a return time fast pass and ride every big ride in a day. I accept that, but its now a case of perfect planning, you cant decide the day before where you want to go.

Typhoon lagoon, its looking very dated.

Traffic, the I4 was its usual self but the 192 was backing up more than ive ever seen.

Outlet parking. Ive always defended the parking at the outlets but they've gone way over the top with the paid parking now. its taking up too much space, especially when employees are using the free parking spaces.

Meal at longhorns (192) wifes steak came out under cooked and cold.

Positives

Step daughter received a proposal from her partner in Epcot. She said yes.

Grand daughter had on a beautiful minnie dress and met her, they shared cuddles and smiles and it was great.

Got to ride avatar flight of passage, got to ride slinky dog dash with my grand daughter, got to ride smugglers run.

Car only had 180 miles on it


The slightly mental


Thanksgiving night black friday morning at the Vineland outlets.
Daughter (14) wants to go into Zuminez looking at tee's. Shes in the changing rooms trying some on and i get shoved in the back and go forward some way luckily staying on my feet. Turn around and see a tall athletic american having a go at a member of staff and chasing him about. It gets worse with him throwing clothes rails about, pushing people over who got in his way. The staff were useless trying to push him out of the shop. He was screaming he was going to stab the employee, he was going to stab him up etc and would be coming back later

In the end i made my daughter go to the back of the store and walked forward to confront him if he ran again, he then seemed to realise the seriousness of the situation and ran off. (or he was scared of me!)



All in all a fantastic family trip, few new places, new rides etc.