Traveling: February 2015

Monday, 16 February 2015

Honeymoon 2015 - Part 1

Flying To The USA

Monday - January 5th 2015

Claudia and I are big Disney fans who visit the Disney parks on a regular basis. However for our honeymoon we wanted to do something special, but still connected to Disney. We have already been to Walt Disney World before and so we decided to do a Disney Cruise combined with the Universal Studios Florida and Walt Disney World.

Our Delta flight from Munich to Atlanta departed Tuesday morning, but the weather forecast wasn't good. So we drove to Munich the night before to avoid any traffic jams and stayed at the Mövenpick Hotel near the airport. After the check in we had dinner at the hotel restaurant and before we went to bed, we enjoyed a drink at the bar.

Our Room at the Mövenpick Hotel

Our Bathroom at the Mövenpick Hotel

Delicious Beer

Salad from the Buffet for Dinner

The Hotel Restaurant and Bar

The Hotel Restaurant

Tuesday - January 6th 2015

We got up early, packed our stuff and drove to the airport. There we parked our car and went to the check in. Unfortunately the check in was not as smooth as expected, because I had to do a special security screening. That meant I couldn't do the online check in and had to answer a lot of questions at the terminal. Once the check in was finished, we had a cup of coffee and a bagel at Coffee Fellows for breakfast. Afterwards we passed security and spent the time until departure in the international area. I thought that the special security screening was already completed with answering the many questions at the check in, but I was wong. I had to do another one. This time, they took me and some other tourists to a designated area and I had to undergo another round of security checks.

Getting Coffee

Avocado Bagel for Breakfast

Our Delta Plane

Munich Airport

After the special security screening it was time to board the plane and we left Munich on time. Ten hours and a couple of meals and drinks later, we arrived in Atlanta. Immigration was quick and easy and then we had to wait a couple of hours until our connecting flight to Orlando departed. We spent the time at a bar and ordered coffee and a beer.

Spiced Tofu with Rice

Potato and Spinach Wrap

Finally it was time for our flight to Orlando and an hour later we were in Florida. After we picked up our luggage, we got our rental car and soon we were on our way to Walt Disney World. Unfortunately I missed an exit and so it took us some time until the navigation system led us to our hotel. There we checked in, got our Magic Bands and after a shower we headed to the food court for pasta. Since we were really tired, we fell asleep soon.

Our Magic Bands

Riverside Mill Food Court

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Hotel

Sunday, 15 February 2015

Honeymoon 2015 - Part 2

Walt Disney World Resort

Wednesday - January 7th 2014

The last time we had been to Disney World, we stayed at the Pop Century Resort, which we really liked, but this time we wanted to try a new Disney hotel and chose Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Resort. The hotel was very beautiful and it was themed after the mansions that can be found in the Mississippi area. Our room was located in a building across the Old Man Island, which was home to the main pool of the resort. The main building of the hotel housed the reception, a shop, the food court, the Boatwright's Dining Hall restaurant and the River Roost bar. The walk took approximately five to ten minutes.

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside (copyright Disney)

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside - Smaller Pool near our Room

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside - Main Pool

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside - Muddy Rivers Pool Bar

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside - Lobby

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside - Boatwright's Dining Hall Restaurant

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside - Riverside Mill Food Court

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside - River Roost Bar

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside - Hotel Shop

Our room was very nice, it seemed that it was renovated recently. It was very clean, which I expect from Disney, and quiet, although sometimes we could hear our neighbours. We booked a standard room, there were also garden view rooms available, but since we didn't plan to spend a lot of time in our room, we were fine with that choice and saved a couple of dollars. The room was equipped with a TV and a fridge, which was very convinient, because we used it for the bottled water we got at a supermarket.

Our Room

Thanks to the jetlag we got up very early and so we walked over to the Riverside Mill Food Court to grab breakfast. First we got the Rapid Fill Mug to have free coffee and soft drink refill at the hotel for the rest of our stay. For breakfast we both ordered a bagel with a spread and got coffee. Unfortunately the coffee offered at Disney World isn't very good, but luckily there are some Starbucks locations inside the parks. For today we hadn't planned anything, we just wanted to relax a bit from the flights. So after breakfast we decided to drive to Downtown Disney. The shops weren't open yet, but we got a decent cup of coffee at Starbucks and had an avocado sandwich at Earl of Sandwich. Since there wasn't anything else to do, we drove to Disney's Boardwalk. There we just hang around, enjoyed the sun and got some vegan brownie bites at the Boardwalk Bakery.

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside - Food Court

Breakfast

Downtown Disney - House of Blues

Downtown Disney - Starbucks

Downtown Disney - Fulton's Crab House

Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney - Earl of Sandwich

Avocado Sandwich

Disney's Boardwalk

Vegan Brownie Bites made by BabyCakes NY

Disney's Boardwalk

Later we headed to the Fantasia Gardens Minigolf Course, because we got a coupon for a free game from the hotel. We did that during our last vacation at Disney World too, and I think it was also free. Minigolf was a lot of fun, since we were both very bad players. Later we went to the local Whole Foods Market for a late lunch and we also bought some stuff, like bottled water and sweets.

Fantasia Gardens Minigolf

Late Lunch at Whole Foods Market

In the late afternoon, after we returned from the supermarket, we headed to the Magic Kingdom park, because our ticket was already valid and we had some Fastpass reservations. Once inside the park we walked to the new Fantasyland and rode the new Little Mermaid ride. It was cute. Afterwards it was time for our Fastpass for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. This coaster is one of our favourite rides and of course we enjoyed it a lot.

Entrance to the Magic Kingdom

Town Square

Main Street USA

Cinderella's Castle

Fantasyland

The Little Mermaid

Liberty Square

Frontierland

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Frontierland

While we had to wait for our next Fastpass, we used it for Pirates of the Caribbean, we got a pineapple Dole Whip, which is basically a sorbet that comes in the flavours pineapple and orange. After Pirates of the Caribbean we walked back to Fantasyland to do the new Seven Swarfs Mine Train coaster. This attraction was also nice, but I wouldn't line up for it for more than thirty minutes.

Adventureland

Pirates of the Caribbean

Before we returned to the hotel, we had dinner at the Columbia Habour House. We both ordered the vegetable chili, which is vegan by the way, and I have to say it was delicious. Back at the hotel we enjoyed a couple of drinks at the hotel bar.

Columbia Harbour House

Vegan Chili

Cinderella's Castle by Night

Our Hotel by Night

Pages

Monday, 16 February 2015

Honeymoon 2015 - Part 1

Sunday, 15 February 2015

Honeymoon 2015 - Part 2