Our Disney Sea & Land Trip 2018 – Day 8
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So I had hoped to finish up Day 8 and 9 of my trip report much sooner than this, but then September happened. Anyway…here goes with Day 8.
It was a Thursday and as with the whole week we were there, Disney was offering an Extra Magic Hour in the morning at Hollywood Studios because of Toy Story Land. The park was already opening daily at 8:00am for regular guests, so that meant getting there before 7:00am
As it turned out this worked to our advantage though. We got up super early at 5:30am – but this wasn’t new to us since we normally get up for work at that time. We ended up arriving at DHS at 6:45am. I didn’t get any pictures of the entrance to the park, but I did get pictures as we entered Toy Story Land – the reason for opening early, and the reason we got there early. As you can tell from the attached pictures, it felt crowded
The deeper we went into the land, the more stunned we were. The Imagineers outdid themselves again! We really loved the popsicle benches and the green army men keeping an eye out
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The posted waits for Toy Story Mania, Slinky Dog Dash, and Alien Swirling Saucers didn’t change much over the hour or so we spent in Toy Story Land. Slink Dog Dash had 40 minutes posted when we got there, but in reality it was more like 15 minutes. We only went once but it was fun! I thought it was just a stretch
better than the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Buzz Lightyear was out greeting and had probably the second longest wait. The saucers had a 5 minute wait and for that 90-second ride, I don’t think I’d wait much longer.
Toy Story Mania had a posted 30 minute wait, but was basically a walk-on because of the second ride track they added. With so much to see in one small area, guests were spread out pretty good and lines flowed quickly which was really nice! I checked the app later in the day and Toy Story got up to 45 minutes I think. For mid-August that is absolutely superb! Slinky Dog Dash made it up to 70 minutes. We rode Toy Story twice and I got the best vehicle score both times
Didn’t come close to the other records. How do they get so many points?!?! After getting our fill of Toy Story Land, we headed for Sunset Blvd.
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It still being early, and most guests on their way into the park heading straight for Toy Story Land, waits were low on Sunset Blvd too!
I could embellish the details, but we basically walked onto both Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror!
Unfortunately Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster threw off Christy’s equilibrium
, so she did not join me when I took a ride on both a second time 
All of that being done, we did some shopping and then decided to leave the park for the day. Well let’s face it, there’s still not much at DHS besides those rides. I would have enjoyed a trip on Star Tours, but Christy would not have been able to join me there either. That said, I didn’t feel like I missed out. I was glad to go back to the Polynesian.
When we got back we changed and went to Typhoon Lagoon for the afternoon! I didn’t get any pictures there, but it had a fair summer crowd – most people lingering in the lazy river or the wave pool. We had never been to Typhoon Lagoon before, but had visited Blizzard Beach back in January. We tried almost every single water slide in Typhoon Lagoon and all of them so much that it’s hard to pick a favorite. But the BEST part really was the visit to the wave pool!
We got there just in time for the big wave shift! A wave would start and the masses would cheer and scream! I eventually got in up to my shoulders and a big wave rushed out. I braced myself for impact and got taken back a good 10 feet from the force! I was like WHOA! And then I noticed…it took my wrist watch (waterproof) right off my wrist without my noticing!
I looked for it briefly in my wake, but then wrote it off as a lost cause in that big pool. We went back in farther and farther so we could let the next couple waves lift us up high above the crowd before they crashed. It was so much fun, but quickly tiring. We decided to call it a day and head back, but on the way out of the pool we spotted my wrist watch!
Evidently someone had rescued it from the turbulence and set it on top of a rock wall. I don’t know who did, but they have my thanks! It’s not an expensive watch, but I feel naked without it…which is really awkward at a public pool We went back to the Polynesian and visited the Lava pool, took a trip on the water slide (still at top 2 resort water slide for us!) and then went back to our room to rest a bit and get ready for dinner.
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***concluded***
For dinner, we had a reservation at Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort! It had been over 7 years since I last ate there and I was looking forward to the seafood buffet spread! I didn’t take any pictures of my plates because, well it was mostly clams, shrimp, and crab. But speaking as one who has grown up on good seafood on the mid-Atlantic coast, everything was very good and satisfying!
Of course, since we were wearing our anniversary buttons, we got another cupcake as you can see in the photo
After dinner we were headed back to the Polynesian when a MinnieVan 
driver offered us a free ride to wherever we were headed next! Again it was because of our buttons. Unfortunately we had to decline because we had driven our car to Beach Club That was probably one of the kindest gestures we received all week for our celebration too! Back at the Polynesian we made our very first visit to Trader Sam’s! We were mesmerized by the surroundings there (photo). I had wanted to order a Nautilus drink and get the souvenir mug, but they were out of the mugs!
So we ended up ordering the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum (photo)! Slap me thrice and call me a pirate 
! Rum is me new favorite drink! We loved when others ordered more fun drinks like the Uh-Oh-Ah! Servers begged the former Tiki Room goddess to speak to them as they sprayed water with spray bottles around the room, the lights dimmed, lightning flickered, storm clouds appeared out the “windows” and wind rushed through the room! It was truly amazing and so much fun!After Trader Sam’s we watched Happily Ever After from the beach one final time on our trip. Christy took a picture of the snail that viewed the fireworks with us
so i just typed out a really long message, but my internet crashed and it didnt post
so here goes a much smaller attempt 2 
sounds like you guys had so much fun! aren’t the popsicle benches the best?? they’re probably my favorite detail of any park!
that’s amazing you found your watch!! disney magic at it’s finest!! also, cape may cafe is soooo sooo good!! i’ve been there twice now and it’s my favorite restaurant at wdw!
did you have any other drink at trader sam’s? i’ve been dying to get there now that i’m 21! the tiki tiki tiki tiki tiki rum looks soo good!
and btw, happy (belated) anniversary!!!!!!!!!
@Julia Thanks for the Happy Anniversary wishes! Totally with you on the popsicle benches! Cape May is definitely my favorite place for seafood at WDW, I find it so hard to pick an absolute favorite restaurant at WDW. I enjoy so many for different reasons
Unfortunately we did not have any other drinks at Trader Sam’s. I’d love to go back for that Nautilus or really anything else. I would secondarily consider the Uh-Oh-Ah (I mean, the presentation alone is so cool!) or the Rum flight. Also they have the terrace outside with the same drink menu, but without the flare in case you’re ever there and Sam’s is too full and all you want are the drinks. Sam’s gets REALLY busy after nighttime spectaculars around the property have ended. There’s often a line to get in at those times.
We showed up at 8:00pm (with most nighttime shows starting at 9:00) and there were a fair amount of people there already.
Ooo, you really knocked out Toy Story Land! Great job! And it sounds even better with walk-on RnRC and ToT!
I will say this, the popsicle benches were in “a bug’s land” before it was cool
I’m glad you got your watch back! It’s amazing how powerful the waves can be!
Passing on a free Minnie Van ride sounds really difficult! But I think you made a good decision not taking it.
Aw, cute little snail friend!
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