The Skeleton of the Trip
The whole trip was built on a three night stay at the Polynesian Resort and two days of park hopper tickets, plus annual passes that let two of us slip into the parks a little early and a little extra. We flew in Monday and flew out Thursday afternoon, four friends, one deluxe studio, and a lot of Lightning Lanes.
I wrote about each day as it happened, but if you want the whole trip in one place, here it is, day by day, with links to the full posts if you want every last detail.
Day 1: Thrift Store Treasures and a Sneaky Night at Epcot
Travel day went off without a hitch. We landed, grabbed the rental car, and drove straight to Recycling the Magic, a thrift store that only carries Disney merchandise, before dinner at Three Birds Cafe in Winter Park. Pricey, about $25 a person after drinks and tip, which had us laughing about how badly we needed to be back in the bubble to save money on food.
We checked into our deluxe studio at the Polynesian, booked with DVC points, and it might be one of the best rooms on property for a group. It has two bathrooms, one with a shower and sink and one with a toilet, shower, and sink, which made getting four of us ready for bed and for the morning so much easier.
Then my friend and I snuck off to use a Lightning Lane for Guardians of the Galaxy. The ride went down while we were in line, so we got bumped to the next day, then rode Test Track single rider before heading back for a late dinner with the rest of the group.
Day 2: Animal Kingdom Thrills and a Guardians Trick That Actually Works
Tuesday started at Animal Kingdom with Everest, which had me nervous the whole ride, followed by a safari with hippos, okapi, painted dogs, and giraffes, and then Flight of Passage. A coffee break at Creature Comforts and lunch at Connections Cafe carried us into the afternoon.
The real win of the day came at Guardians of the Galaxy. I used to get scared and a little sick on it, but a cast member told me she gets sick on it too and that riding in the front row helps the most, since you can actually see the track. She was right, and I want to ride it again.
We ended the day at Hollywood Studios for Frozen Ever After and the Villains show, then made an OpenTable reservation for Cake Bake Shop on the Boardwalk instead of trying to eat dinner in the park before Fantasmic. The German chocolate cake was excellent, though the frosting was rich and dark without a ton of flavor.
Day 3: A World Showcase Food Crawl and a Hallmark Movie Cameo
Wednesday started slow, with a little tiff about how long it took one friend to get ready, but we worked it out over a to-go breakfast from Kona Cafe. Then it was Soarin’, Remy in France in 2D, and a full food crawl around World Showcase: the Dinde BLT, macarons, tarte aux fraises, and a pretzel bread pudding in Germany that we are still not sure we liked.
The DVC lounge nearly didn’t happen. We were told eleven parties were ahead of us, then got in anyway, and had to rush our mobile order at Columbia Harbour House to make it back before closing, in the rain. Worth it. That lounge was cozy, warm, and inviting.
Magic Kingdom that evening brought Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Haunted Mansion, a rainy double ride on the People Mover, and a surprise Lightning Lane save on Space Mountain during extra evening hours. Walking down Main Street afterward, we spotted a crane camera and the back of Lacey Chabert’s head. They were filming a Hallmark Christmas movie at Disney World, our big claim to fame for the whole trip.
Day 4: One Last Dole Whip Before MCO
Our last morning started with coffee on Main Street after a ferry ride over, plus a new pecan bacon caramel cinnamon roll in Frontierland that sounded better than it tasted. The caramel sauce was good, but you could barely taste the pecans or the bacon.
We walked over to the Poly Tower to admire the architecture, a modern take on Polynesia that is genuinely stunning, and peeked at the menu at Wailulu Grill before deciding it was a little pricey for our crew with a menu too limited for the moment.
Lunch back at Captain Cook’s, one last shared Dole Whip in pineapple and coconut, and then the drive to the airport for a flight that was, of course, delayed. Gotta love MCO.
What We Would Do Again
If I had to boil four days down to a few things worth repeating: book the deluxe studio for the two bathrooms, ride Guardians in the front row, and always check if the DVC lounge has room before you assume it doesn’t. Pin trade at every resort you pass through. And never skip the Dole Whip, no matter how many days in a row you’ve already had one.
never miss the magic
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