Sailing the Skyliner: Life is the Bubbles on Spring Break - A March 2024 Trip Report

[jrmint427]

Luminous, The Symphony of Us​

Since our server had offered to take us to the patio for Luminous, we hung out at our table until she was ready for us. The girls played with their scratch-off pads and DD9 copied a pattern she saw on the wall at Rose & Crown.





Around 8:40pm, we were led to the patio of Rose & Crown. There was a roped-off area that a CM let us into. There were tables on either side of us, where I’m pretty sure you can purchase a meal package with a fireworks view. We were the first people let into the roped-off standing area, which meant we had a fantastic view!




Of course, DD7 needed a restroom soon after we got there, so we ran back into the restaurant quickly. When we came back, I think two other families were let into the roped area as well, but there was plenty of room for everyone to stand right at the railing for a great view.

I thought it was a beautiful fireworks show. I can see why it’s not everyone’s favorite, and it isn’t one I would need to watch every night, but I was glad we made a point to watch it this evening. Pictures never do fireworks justice, but here are a few.




Music, fireworks, and a Disney story always gives me all the feels. It was the perfect way to end a fun day at Epcot.

We were close to the back exit, so we were in line for the Skyliner by 9:22pm. Even with the short walk, we couldn’t believe how many people had gotten out in front of us to get in line! We waited 18 minutes to get on the Skyliner, which I think was one of our longest waits of the trip. It was definitely our favorite transportation option.

We were back at our resort at 10:04pm and back to our room around 10:14pm. I noticed the walk between our room and Skyliner took 1-2 minutes longer in the evenings!

I filled the tub with an Epsom salt bath and the girls and I soaked our feet for a few minutes. I’m not sure if it actually helped, but it definitely felt nice after a long day of walking. Then the girls got their pajamas on and went to my parents’ room for a sleepover.

Day 1 – Epcot Stats

Fitness Stats
Steps: 20,530
Miles: 8.18
Stand Hours: 17

Park/Crowd Stats
Crowd Prediction: 7/10
Crowd Actual: 7/10
7% of ride capacity unexpectedly offline (Remy’s was down 25% of the day)

Ride/Genie+ Stats
Rides/Attractions/Shows: 15
Total time waiting in line: 105 minutes
Average wait time per ride/show: 8.75 minutes
Longest wait: 23 minutes (Anna & Elsa Meet)
Genie+: $21 per person
LLs Used: 5
Time saved with LLs: 173 minutes (almost 3 hours)
Cost per minute saved per person: $0.13 (or $0.15 if you don’t include SE which only my dad & DD7 rode on LL)
ILL for Guardians: $17 per person
ILL Used: 1 (for 3 of us)
Time saved with ILL: 35 minutes (estimate)
Cost per minute saved per person: $0.52

Dining Plan Running Total
$264.73 value vs. $1,746 paid

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Your daughter’s scratch drawing is amazing!

Wow, what an excellent viewing location for Luminous! That was very nice of your server - giving her a Cast compliment was the right thing to do.

And goodness, you packed a ton into your Epcot day! I can’t believe you (and your girls!) walked that many miles and “stood” that many hours. You also accomplished many attractions and ate a ton of good food. That was a very successful first day!

 

[Araminta18]

Around 8:40pm, we were led to the patio of Rose & Crown. There was a roped-off area that a CM let us into. There were tables on either side of us, where I’m pretty sure you can purchase a meal package with a fireworks view. We were the first people let into the roped-off standing area, which meant we had a fantastic view!

ooh nice! That's fantastic!

Music, fireworks, and a Disney story always gives me all the feels. It was the perfect way to end a fun day at Epcot.

100% agree - Disney is so good with the feels and the music.

I filled the tub with an Epsom salt bath and the girls and I soaked our feet for a few minutes. I’m not sure if it actually helped, but it definitely felt nice after a long day of walking. Then the girls got their pajamas on and went to my parents’ room for a sleepover.

oooh that's such a smart idea!

Day 1 – Epcot Stats

I love your stats! Super interesting!

 

[awrites]

Awesome close to your Epcot day! I’ve heard good things about Rose & Crown for fireworks viewing, and it looks like you had an excellent spot!

Of course my family agrees with yours about the Skyliner being the best transportation!

Sounds also like you went in-depth with your dining plan planning! When I talked to my DH about it that was the main reason he was against getting it—he didn’t want to spend time calculating how to get our money’s worth out of it. (And plus there was no discount/promo running for it during our dates.)

I’m on the fence about it myself. If I had enough time leading up I could see planning out how to use it, but then again food is one area where I like a bit of spontaneity and often don’t make my final order decision till I’m at the restaurant.

Curious to see how it shakes out for you at the end!

 

[lulu2121]

Sounds like a great day at Epcot! I enjoyed your stats too and am super impressed by the amount of detail. It really helps make the argument for purchasing Genie+.

 

[blabbermouth]

Oh good to know, I will try to remember that! I've never noticed a camera flash but there must be a lot going on at that point. They always seem to get people looking in the right general direction so I thought there has to be something of interest to look at when they take the picture.

Yes he was! He was on a mission for those margaritas

Oh that makes so much sense! I had no idea, I guess the restaurant is only open for dinner? We got to sit indoors for lunch in the past, but we probably ate earlier in the day. It's nice they can flex the space in that case.

I saw a sign that it closes at 1:30 when we were there at... 1:40. We got a table but it was in a really busy location so we felt a bit rushed, but the food was really good!!! I just had the lime marg from there and it was decent, but not as good as Cava.

ile we were eating, the Gran Fiesta Tour was posting a 25-minute wait! The line looked long when I went indoors to check on the margaritas, but TouringPlans said it was lower than that, and it was indoors in A/C, so we decided that was where we were heading next. We were in line at 3:53pm and waited only 8 minutes.

I tried to bring my Cava margarita in there because it said the wait was 20 mins, but when I got there she said we had to finish it first because the line was only 5 minutes!

The first item on my list was the Tipsy Ducks in Love drink at Joy of Tea in China. This is a drink with bourbon, black tea, coffee, cream and chocolate ($14.50). It sounded so good, but was just okay for me. The bourbon was really strong even after stirring it. When there was only about ¼ left, it tasted like straight up bourbon. I shared with Pat and his mom

I looked at this drink, but got the same one as your daughters + the alcohol. It was OK, but not great as well.

We forgot all about these treats in general and didn’t end up sampling them until after we got home! They were amazing, of course. But I forgot to give my parents their treat before we left Orlando, so I have it in our freezer to give them next time we see them.

I really wanted Karamel Kuche, but I just couldn't find time to eat it, we ate a lot less treats than I wanted to, sadly.

Guinness was better than I remembered! We went to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin when we were in college, and I was not able to drink it at that time. I ordered the Snake Bite which was half cider and half Harp lager. I apparently forgot to take a picture, but I really liked the combination and would order it again. It was just the right level of sweetness.

I like a snake bite as well!

DD7 said she liked the fries and the mashed potatoes on top, but she did not like the “meat” underneath the potatoes. DD9 did not care for the hot pot at all. She sometimes likes mashed potatoes, but was not a fan of these, nor the impossible meat underneath. She loved the fries though; fries are her favorite food!

This looks really yummy to me! My dd annoyingly doesn't like mashed potatoes, it's such a staple food I really wish she would!

We were close to the back exit, so we were in line for the Skyliner by 9:22pm. Even with the short walk, we couldn’t believe how many people had gotten out in front of us to get in line! We waited 18 minutes to get on the Skyliner, which I think was one of our longest waits of the trip. It was definitely our favorite transportation option.

This is our same experience when we watched on the bridge to France! A lot of people were leaving during the fireworks.

I love your daily stats at the end!!!

 

[jrmint427]

And goodness, you packed a ton into your Epcot day! I can’t believe you (and your girls!) walked that many miles and “stood” that many hours. You also accomplished many attractions and ate a ton of good food. That was a very successful first day!

I was really impressed with the girls this day, and really the whole trip! I was expecting some complaining about the amount of walking or their feet hurting, but I really don't remember hearing that from either of them. It was a really great first park day!

I love your stats! Super interesting!

Thank you! I find it really interesting to compare park days. I also looked back at Epcot last year and we paid $0.11 per person per min saved compared to the $0.13 on this trip. Genie+ cost less on our last trip though.

Of course my family agrees with yours about the Skyliner being the best transportation!

You can't beat it!

Sounds also like you went in-depth with your dining plan planning! When I talked to my DH about it that was the main reason he was against getting it—he didn’t want to spend time calculating how to get our money’s worth out of it. (And plus there was no discount/promo running for it during our dates.)

I really did! We wouldn't have gotten the dining plan if it wasn't for the promo. We got our money's worth but only because we bought way more food and alcoholic drinks than we would have if we weren't on the plan. I still have mixed feelings overall and would probably only do it again if there is a (significant) discount.

I saw a sign that it closes at 1:30 when we were there at... 1:40. We got a table but it was in a really busy location so we felt a bit rushed, but the food was really good!!! I just had the lime marg from there and it was decent, but not as good as Cava.

Oh wow! It is nice to have the indoor space if you can grab a table there. I agree, the lime margarita was fine but it didn't compare to our other two.

I tried to bring my Cava margarita in there because it said the wait was 20 mins, but when I got there she said we had to finish it first because the line was only 5 minutes!

Oops, hope you had time to finish it! I would have done the same, a line will go much quicker with a margarita.

I really wanted Karamel Kuche, but I just couldn't find time to eat it, we ate a lot less treats than I wanted to, sadly.

We couldn't eat the treats at all while on our trip! We gathered so much, but took them all home with us and froze a lot.

This is our same experience when we watched on the bridge to France! A lot of people were leaving during the fireworks.

I love your daily stats at the end!!!

Ah, that makes sense, I bet there were people leaving toward the end of the show. Thank you! I have fun pulling the stats together.

 

[Jsharp13]

Luminous, The Symphony of Us​

Since our server had offered to take us to the patio for Luminous, we hung out at our table until she was ready for us. The girls played with their scratch-off pads and DD9 copied a pattern she saw on the wall at Rose & Crown.

View attachment 855157
View attachment 855158
View attachment 855159

Around 8:40pm, we were led to the patio of Rose & Crown. There was a roped-off area that a CM let us into. There were tables on either side of us, where I’m pretty sure you can purchase a meal package with a fireworks view. We were the first people let into the roped-off standing area, which meant we had a fantastic view!

View attachment 855160
View attachment 855161

Of course, DD7 needed a restroom soon after we got there, so we ran back into the restaurant quickly. When we came back, I think two other families were let into the roped area as well, but there was plenty of room for everyone to stand right at the railing for a great view.

I thought it was a beautiful fireworks show. I can see why it’s not everyone’s favorite, and it isn’t one I would need to watch every night, but I was glad we made a point to watch it this evening. Pictures never do fireworks justice, but here are a few.

View attachment 855163
View attachment 855164

Music, fireworks, and a Disney story always gives me all the feels. It was the perfect way to end a fun day at Epcot.

We were close to the back exit, so we were in line for the Skyliner by 9:22pm. Even with the short walk, we couldn’t believe how many people had gotten out in front of us to get in line! We waited 18 minutes to get on the Skyliner, which I think was one of our longest waits of the trip. It was definitely our favorite transportation option.

We were back at our resort at 10:04pm and back to our room around 10:14pm. I noticed the walk between our room and Skyliner took 1-2 minutes longer in the evenings!

I filled the tub with an Epsom salt bath and the girls and I soaked our feet for a few minutes. I’m not sure if it actually helped, but it definitely felt nice after a long day of walking. Then the girls got their pajamas on and went to my parents’ room for a sleepover.

Day 1 – Epcot Stats

Fitness Stats
Steps: 20,530
Miles: 8.18
Stand Hours: 17

Park/Crowd Stats
Crowd Prediction: 7/10
Crowd Actual: 7/10
7% of ride capacity unexpectedly offline (Remy’s was down 25% of the day)

Ride/Genie+ Stats
Rides/Attractions/Shows: 15
Total time waiting in line: 105 minutes
Average wait time per ride/show: 8.75 minutes
Longest wait: 23 minutes (Anna & Elsa Meet)
Genie+: $21 per person
LLs Used: 5
Time saved with LLs: 173 minutes (almost 3 hours)
Cost per minute saved per person: $0.13 (or $0.15 if you don’t include SE which only my dad & DD7 rode on LL)
ILL for Guardians: $17 per person
ILL Used: 1 (for 3 of us)
Time saved with ILL: 35 minutes (estimate)
Cost per minute saved per person: $0.52

Dining Plan Running Total
$264.73 value vs. $1,746 paid

Wow, these are amazing details!

 

[vamassey1]

Impressive! She did a really great job on this.

We were the first people let into the roped-off standing area, which meant we had a fantastic view!

Score!

I thought it was a beautiful fireworks show. I can see why it’s not everyone’s favorite, and it isn’t one I would need to watch every night, but I was glad we made a point to watch it this evening. Pictures never do fireworks justice, but here are a few.

Thank for the honest review. I still haven't seen this but really want to.

 

[jrmint427]

Wow, these are amazing details!

Thank you! I have fun with the stats

Impressive! She did a really great job on this.

I will tell her!

 

[jrmint427]

March 11, 2024 – Hollywood Studios​

HS Early Entry / Toy Story Land​

Our plan for the second day was to do Early Entry at HS, come back to the resort after our lunch reservation (with a Fantasmic package) to rest and possibly swim, and then to go back to HS for Fantasmic.

Early Entry hours began at 8:00am so our goal was to leave our room by 7:00am. We were skipping Genie+ and ILLs this day, with a plan to focus on rides during Early Entry while lines were short, and then to watch shows and meet characters the rest of the day. Lines get so long at HS that we weren’t counting on riding anything after EE.

We left our room at 7:08am, just a little later than planned (which admittedly was probably my fault despite begging my family to be ready by 7:00am).

We were in line for the Skyliner at 7:17am this morning, and this time the line was longer, wrapping back to the blue yo-yo at Pop. We still only waited 7 minutes to get on the Skyliner. I took this picture of the sunrise from the Skyliner at 7:26am.



We were at the CB transfer at 7:29am and only waited 3 minutes to get on the Skyliner that would take us to HS.



We were at HS at 7:37am and already through security at 7:40am. I didn’t realize they had changed the security process and was pleasantly surprised that we were not stopped once for a bag check the entire trip – no one in our party of seven! It might have helped to not have the stroller and large diaper bag, but I think they lightened up on the bag checks in general. This saved a lot of time each morning.

We did the early entry check-in at 7:42am near the entrance and were in the park by 7:44am. For those tracking the timing (I include times because I find it helpful in other reports), it took us only 36 minutes from leaving our room to enter Hollywood Studios. The girls pointed out a bird sitting on Mickey’s ear as we entered the park, welcoming all the guests.



Our rope drop goal was Toy Story Mania. Our hope was that it would be a less popular rope drop ride and we would walk right on. Unfortunately, as we entered Toy Story Land, CMs were announcing that Slinky Dog Dash was down. My heart sunk because I knew that meant some of the SDD crowd would have joined the TSM queue ahead of us instead. I wasn’t sure what time they started letting guests into the queues at the park, given we walked right in at 7:44am for 8:00am EE.

We entered the TSM queue at 7:50am with a 10-minute posted stand-by wait. The queue slowed down in the Mr. Potato Head room but didn’t totally stop until a little after that. I was sad to see a blue bandana covering over Mr. Potato Head’s stage and wondered if we were just too early to see him since the EE didn’t even officially start for another 10 minutes. However, this bandana was up every time we rode this trip, so I think he may have been on vacation.



We were on the ride at 8:04am, with a 14-minute wait (vs. the 10 minutes posted time).




DD9 does not like anything 3D, rides or shows, and chose not to wear the glasses. She still did pretty well without them and said she had just as much fun! Our scores:



Not bad for DD9 considering she wasn’t wearing the glasses. I don’t remember everyone else’s score, just that Pat beat us all.

We decided to check out the Alien Swirling Saucers line next, and it didn’t look bad at all, so we walked in at 8:16am.



Stand-by was posted at 5 minutes and Touring Plans said to expect an 8-minute wait. Touring Plans is usually more accurate, but we only waited 4 minutes. This ride was one of the girls’ favorites on our prior trip, so it was a must-do.




We commented that this ride was shorter than we remembered. The line was still really short, so we decided to hop back in line for another ride on Aliens. I’m out of picture limit, so stay tuned for the second ride!

 

[vamassey1]

I took this picture of the sunrise from the Skyliner at 7:26am.

Beautiful! The promise of a new day in Disney.

For those tracking the timing (I include times because I find it helpful in other reports), it took us only 36 minutes from leaving our room to enter Hollywood Studios.

Thank you for including this. We're set to stay at AOA in July and this will help.

My heart sunk because I knew that meant some of the SDD crowd would have joined the TSM queue ahead of us instead.

Oh noooo!

However, this bandana was up every time we rode this trip, so I think he may have been on vacation.

So sorry he was on vacation. He was there for us on the 20th..

Not bad for DD9 considering she wasn’t wearing the glasses.

She did great!